Top 10 FIFA World Cup Heroes

Heading into the 2022 FIFA World Cup starting in Qatar on Sunday with the hosts facing South American side Ecuador, football lovers across the globe will debate about who are the greatest World Cup players and heroes.

Such arguments will always occur for as long as football is being played, going into the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, we have put together 10 players we think have been the best in the history of the FIFA World Cup.

Zinedine Zidane

Zidane won the 1998 World Cup for France at home, scoring twice in the final, one of the greatest and most controversial players of all time. Despite not doing well in the 2002 World Cup and the injuries that kept him out, he became the player of the season in the 2006 edition despite the contentious headbutt incident in the final involving Marco Materazzi that got him a red card. He has scored 31 goals in 108 matches for France, his leadership and dedication are something we can’t dispute. As a coach, he went on to win three UEFA Champions League and two LaLiga titles with Real Madrid.

Jimmy Greaves

Greaves gained international recognition after rescuing a pitch-invading dog during England’s 1962 World Cup quarter-final and was the fan favourite within the English football fraternity. Greaves was part of the 1966 World Cup-winning squad, even though he didn’t play the final due to an injury. Greaves scored six hat-tricks in an England shirt, a record that still stands.

Ferenc Puskas

Puskas scored 84 goals in 85 matches for Hungary in their nation’s Golden Era’ and made four appearances for Spain, scoring 702 goals in just 705 career games. The 1954 World Cup final was the only game they lost in the entire decade, under the leadership of Puskas as a Captain.

Lothar Matthaus

Matthäus is Germany’s most-capped player, scoring 23 goals in 150 international matches, which is impressive for someone that played in midfield and defence. He featured in five world cups. He played a massive role in West Germany winning the 1990 World Cup under his captaincy. Matthäus is the only German player to win the FIFA World Player of the Year accolade, and also holds the record for the most World Cup games.

Miroslav Klose

Klose might not have the most decorated club career but he will always be known for his amazing goalscoring exploits at World Cups. His career has been hallmarked by fair play and decency resulting in him getting prizes for being one of the good guys. He famously refused to accept a penalty awarded to him because he knew the referee made a mistake. He’s scored in four World Cup finals. He scored 71 goals in 137 matches for Germany. He also scored 16 World Cup goals and still holds the record ahead of Brazilain Ronaldo.

Ronaldo

Ronald0 scored 62 goals for Brazil in 98 matches, he won the 1994 FIFA World Cup at the age of 17. Four years later he was named the player of the tournament after taking Brazil into the final. He lifted the World Cup trophy again in 2002 and scored twice in that final. Everyone knows of his exploits, what more is there to say about the original Ronaldo?

Franz Beckenbauer

‘Der Kaiser’ is one of only three men – along with Didier Deschamps and Mario Zagallo – to lift the World Cup trophy both as a player and a manager. Captaining the class 1974 winning side, he scored 14 goals in his 103 matches for Germany and revolutionized the sweeper position.

Johan Cruyff

A creative playmaker who is a three-time Ballon d’Or winner, he scored 33 goals in 48 international matches, and the Netherlands never lost a game in which he scored. Cruyff led the Dutch national team to the final of the 1974 World Cup, scoring a brace against Argentina and knocking out Brazil who were the defending champions at the time.

Diego Maradona

Maradona is arguably the greatest player in the history of the game. He’s known for many things (good and bad) but “the hand of God” goal scored against England in the quarter-finals of the 1986 FIFA World Cup is universally recognised as a moment in history, an iconic one at that. Maradona made his first appearance for the national side at the age of 16, ten years later, Argentina went on to win the 1986 World Cup.

Pele

He scored his first FIFA World Cup goal in 1958 and won the FIFA World Cup three times. He remains Brazil’s leading goal scorer with 77 goals in 92 games and it is always a debate between him and Maradona as to who really is the greatest. Perhaps, a Messi and Argentina win will change this conversation but Pele is synonymous with the FIFA World Cup and he deserves his sport at the top of the list.

Siphamandla Lindwa

Siphamandla Lindwa is a sports writer and a publisher for Bet Central at Bet.co.za. He obtained a B-Tech in Sports Management from Tshwane University of Technology. When not writing sports content, Sipha scouts talent and networks for his future Sports Management agency.