With just two weeks until the 23rd men's Fifa World Cup kicks off in North America on 11 June, The Independent sports team has compiled the definitive ranking of the top 50 players in the tournament's history. Based solely on performances in the World Cup, not overall career achievements, this list celebrates those who have shone brightest on football's greatest stage.
From Pele and Messi to Maradona and Beckenbauer, with Zidane, Mbappe and Ronaldo in the mix, these are the players who have lit up the "greatest show on earth" over the past 96 years. Now, we reveal the top 10, with our Chief Football Writer Miguel Delaney explaining why the No 1 pick was beyond doubt.
The Top 10
10. Miroslav Klose (Germany)
World Cups: 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014. Winner 2014. Games: 24. Goals: 16. Best moment: Record-breaking goal against Brazil in 2014. Klose embodies the "World Cup striker" more than any other, holding the all-time goalscoring record. He was the ultimate target man, with his first five goals coming from headers. A runners-up medal and two semi-finals preceded his title-winning, record-breaking campaign at age 36.
9. Gerd Muller (West Germany)
World Cups: 1970, 1974. Winner 1974. Games: 13. Goals: 14. Best moment: The winner in the 1974 final. 'Der Bomber' scored at better than a goal a game, including 10 in 1970 alone. His goals were crucial: quarter-final winner against England, semi-final brace against Italy, and the final decider against the Netherlands.
8. Kylian Mbappe (France)
World Cups: 2018, 2022. Winner 2018. Games: 14. Goals: 12. Best moment: His hat-trick in the 2022 final. At 19, he repeated Pele's feats of scoring twice in a World Cup match and scoring in the final as a teenager. His pace, accuracy and composure have terrified defenders, and his 2022 hat-trick was one of the all-time great final performances.
7. Garrincha (Brazil)
World Cups: 1958, 1962, 1966. Winner 1958, 1962. Games: 12. Goals: 5. Best moment: Assists for Vava's goals in the 1958 final. The 'angel with bent legs' was a mazy dribbler. He and Pele transformed Brazil in 1958, and Garrincha effectively won the 1962 tournament with Pele injured, scoring twice in the quarter-final and semi-final.
6. Zinedine Zidane (France)
World Cups: 1998, 2002, 2006. Winner 1998. Games: 12. Goals: 5. Best moment: Two goals in the 1998 final. Zidane's brilliance in the '98 final on home soil earned him the Ballon d'Or, but his headbutt in 2006 remains football's most iconic red card, tarnishing his reputation for some while deepening adoration for a flawed genius.
5. Ronaldo (Brazil)
World Cups: 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006. Winner 1994, 2002. Games: 19. Goals: 15. Best moment: Two goals in the 2002 final against Germany. After the tragedy of 1998, Ronaldo's redemption in 2002 secured Brazil's fifth title. His total of 15 goals surpassed Gerd Muller's record at the time.
4. Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany)
World Cups: 1966, 1970, 1974. Winner 1974. Games: 18. Goals: 5. Best moment: Winning as captain and later as coach. The most famous sweeper, Beckenbauer played midfield in his first World Cup, scoring four goals. He dislocated his shoulder in the 1970 semi-final but played on, and captained West Germany to victory in 1974.
3. Lionel Messi (Argentina)
World Cups: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022. Winner 2022. Games: 26. Goals: 13. Best moment: His goal against Mexico in 2022 sparked Argentina's campaign. After years of near-misses, Messi was magical in Qatar, scoring seven goals and converting two penalty shootouts to finally lift the trophy, 36 years after Maradona's triumph.
2. Diego Maradona (Argentina)
World Cups: 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994. Winner 1986. Games: 21. Goals: 8. Best moment: The "Goal of the Century" against England in 1986. Maradona's 1986 campaign is arguably the most dominant individual performance in World Cup history, with five goals and five assists, including the Hand of God and that incredible solo run.
1. Pele (Brazil)
World Cups: 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970. Winner 1958, 1962, 1970. Games: 14. Goals: 12. Best moment: Two goals in the 1958 final. Pele remains the only man to win three World Cups. At 17, he scored a hat-trick in the semi-final and two in the final. In 1970, he was Brazil's star again, scoring one and creating two in the final. His movement, skill, speed and imagination made him unique.
The full list of 50 players includes many other legends, with Cristiano Ronaldo notably absent. Senior Football Correspondent Richard Jolly explains why one of football's greatest-ever players does not rank among the World Cup greats.
