Top 12 Most Beloved Football Players Worldwide

Alongside Ronaldo, Messi is a name often mentioned in football conversations. Born in 1987, he is an Argentine footballer and a remarkable forward for Barcelona and the Argentine national team. His numerous awards for Golden Boot, Ballon d'Or, Golden Shoe, and more truly reflect his prowess on the field. As one of the world's greatest players, it's no wonder Messi garners immense fanfare worldwide. Barcelona's star has around 33 million fans. Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini, also known as Leo Messi, is an Argentine footballer currently playing as a forward for Paris Saint-Germain and captaining the Argentine national football team. Regarded as one of the greatest players in the world and one of the greatest players of all time, Messi holds the record for 6 Ballon d'Or awards, 6 European Golden Shoes, and was included in the 2020 Ballon d'Or Dream Team. Before leaving the club in 2021, he dedicated his entire career to Barcelona, where he won a record 35 club-level titles, including 10 La Liga titles, 7 Copa del Rey titles, and 4 UEFA Champions League titles. A seasoned goal scorer and top-notch playmaker.

Messi holds records for the most goals in La Liga, most goals in a La Liga season, most hat-tricks in La Liga and UEFA Champions League, most assists in La Liga, most assists in a La Liga and Copa América season. He has scored over 750 goals in his career for club and national team, the highest goal scorer for a club to date. He gradually became the club's key player for the next three years. In his first season without interruption by injury, he helped Barcelona achieve their first treble in Spanish football that year, at the age of 22, Messi won his first Ballon d'Or. Three successful seasons later, with Messi winning four consecutive Ballon d'Or awards, he became the first player to win this award four times in a row. In the 2011-2012 season, he set records in La Liga and Europe for the most goals scored in a single season, while asserting himself as Barcelona's all-time leading scorer. The following two seasons, Messi finished second in the Ballon d'Or behind Cristiano Ronaldo (his biggest career rival), before regaining his top form in the 2014-2015 season, becoming La Liga's all-time leading scorer and helping Barcelona win a historic treble for the second time, after which he won his fifth Ballon d'Or in 2015. Messi assumed the role of Barcelona captain in 2018 and in 2019, he won his sixth Ballon d'Or. Lionel Messi's career became even more complete when in 2022 the Argentina national team won the FIFA World Cup.

Là một cầu thủ trẻ, Neymar mặc dù có ngoại hình nổi bật, khiến người hâm mộ bóng đá luôn nhớ đến anh bởi những đường chuyền chính xác và những cú sút đầy uy lực. Những giải thưởng mà anh dành được như Vua phá lưới, Vua kiến tạo, Cầu thủ trẻ xuất sắc... là thành quả xứng đáng của sự nỗ lực không ngừng của tiền đạo người Brazil. Neymar cũng là cầu thủ có nhiều lượt theo dõi trên trang cá nhân với hơn 48 triệu lượt like. Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior sinh ngày 5 tháng 2 năm 1992 tại Mogi das Cruzes, Brasil, thường được biết đến với tên gọi Neymar hoặc Neymar Jr., là một cầu thủ bóng đá người Brasil hiện đang thi đấu ở vị trí tiền đạo cho câu lạc bộ Paris Saint Germain và đội tuyển bóng đá quốc gia Brasil. Neymar nổi tiếng ngay từ khi còn rất nhỏ ở Santos, nơi anh bắt đầu sự nghiệp ở tuổi 17. Anh đã giúp CLB giành hai chức vô địch Campeonato Paulista, Copa do Brasil và Copa Libertadores 2011, danh hiệu lục địa đầu tiên của Santos kể từ năm 1963. Anh đã 2 lần đoạt Quả bóng đồng FIFA vào năm 2015 và 2017. Vào tháng 8 năm 2017, Neymar chuyển từ Barcelona đến Paris Saint-Germain với giá kỉ lục 222 triệu euro, khiến anh trở thành cầu thủ đắt giá nhất thế giới.

Với 64 bàn thắng trong 103 trận cho Brazil kể từ khi ra mắt ở tuổi 18, Neymar là cầu thủ ghi bàn nhiều thứ hai của Đội tuyển bóng đá quốc gia Brasil. Anh là cầu thủ quan trọng trong chiến thắng của Brazil tại Giải vô địch trẻ Nam Mỹ năm 2011, tại đây anh là cầu thủ ghi nhiều bàn nhất và Liên đoàn Confederations Cup 2013, với danh hiệu Quả bóng vàng của giải. Anh tham gia Giải bóng đá vô địch thế giới 2014 và Cúp bóng đá Nam Mỹ 2015, sau đó có một giai đoạn chấn thương và phải ngừng thi đấu, nhưng năm sau, anh trở thành đội trưởng đội tuyển Brazil giành huy chương vàng Olympic đầu tiên của họ môn bóng đá nam tại Thế vận hội Mùa hè 2016. Được biết đến với khả năng dẫn bóng, ghi bàn và chơi tốt cả hai chân, Neymar được so sánh với cựu tiền đạo Pelé của Brazil và Santos. Trên sân cỏ, anh là một trong những vận động viên thể thao nổi tiếng nhất thế giới; SportsPro đã công nhận anh là vận động viên nổi tiếng nhất trên thế giới vào năm 2012 và 2013, ESPN công nhận anh là vận động viên nổi tiếng thứ tư thế giới vào năm 2016.

Cristiano Ronaldo was born on February 5, 1985, is a Portuguese footballer currently playing as a forward for Juventus and is the captain of the Portuguese national football team. Regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Ronaldo holds the record for 5 UEFA Ballon d'Or awards and 4 European Golden Shoes, both are European player records. He has won 32 trophies in his career, including 7 national league titles, five UEFA Champions League titles, one UEFA European Championship, and one UEFA Nations League. Ronaldo currently holds the record for the most international goals scored (109, tied with Ali Daei), most goals and assists in the UEFA Champions League, and most goals in the UEFA European Championship. He is also one of the few players to have played over 1,100 matches and scored over 780 goals in his career for both club and country. He is also the second player to score 100 international goals and the first European player to achieve this feat.

Born and raised in Madeira, Ronaldo began his career playing for Sporting CP before signing with Manchester United in 2003, at the age of 18. After winning the FA Cup in his first season, he helped Man Utd win 3 consecutive Premier League titles, along with two UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup titles in 2008, at the age of 23, he won his first Ballon d'Or. In 2009, Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid for a then-world record transfer fee of €94 million (£80 million). There, he won 15 trophies, including 2 La Liga titles, 2 Copa del Rey, and 4 UEFA Champions League titles, becoming the club's all-time leading goalscorer. Cristiano Ronaldo is a familiar name to football fans worldwide, with a massive fan base, surpassing many other famous players. The Portuguese national, born in 1985, currently plays for Real Madrid as a winger or forward and is the captain of the Portugal national football team. CR7 is not only considered one of the greatest footballers in the world with 5 Ballon d'Or awards, but he is also nicknamed the 'charming man' among female fans worldwide. It's understandable as, apart from his stellar performances on the field, he also impresses the ladies with his collection of luxury cars and modern houses.

David Robert Joseph Beckham, born on May 2, 1975, is a retired English professional footballer who played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, A.C. Milan, Los Angeles Galaxy, Paris Saint-Germain, and the England national team as a midfielder. He earned his 100th cap for England in a match against France in March 2008. Beckham is one of the greatest free-kick takers in football history. He has been voted FIFA Player of the Year twice, and in 2004 was the highest-paid player in the world. He was the most searched sports topic on Google in 2003 and 2004. Worldwide recognition has given him a top-tier advertising brand and a symbol of high-end fashion. Beckham was the captain of the England national team from November 15, 2000, to July 2, 2006. He played a total of 58 matches as captain until the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals. He continued to contribute to the England national team in 2007.

The career of Beckham began when he signed a professional contract with Manchester United and made his first-team debut in 1992 at the age of 17. During his time there, United won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and the UEFA Champions League in 1999. He left Manchester United to join Real Madrid in 2003, where he stayed for four seasons. While at Madrid, Beckham became the first English footballer to play 100 Champions League matches. In his final season there, Real Madrid won the La Liga title in the 2006-07 season, which was his only major title with Real Madrid. In January 2007, Beckham was announced to leave Real Madrid and signed a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy in the United States. Even though he no longer plays on the field, David Beckham remains one of the most beloved footballers in the world. In his everyday life, wherever he goes, whatever he does, the father of four is always the center of attention for fans. To this day, it's still hard to forget his class-act shots.

Kylian Mbappé has emerged as one of the global football icons at just 23. After bursting onto the scene with AS Monaco in 2017, the French player has clinched 5 domestic league titles and a World Cup golden trophy, along with reaching the UEFA Champions League final. Mbappe is poised to lead the new generation of talents dominating world football in the coming years.

Following his runner-up finish at the 2022 World Cup, Mbappe's future at the club will receive significant attention. Kylian Mbappe joined PSG in the summer of 2017 from AS Monaco for €180 million, when he was just 19 years old.

Kylian Mbappé is a versatile forward, excelling in both wing and striker positions. He possesses excellent shooting abilities with both feet, exceptional dribbling skills, and his strengths lie in acceleration and penetrating through the defense. Mbappé's dribbling technique is on par with Brazilian superstar Neymar. Thanks to this skill, he has helped Paris Saint-Germain secure numerous victories, even overshadowing Neymar at times in the PSG lineup.

Without possessing the classic good looks like many other players, Ronaldinho easily charms his opponents with a radiant smile. He is a retired Brazilian footballer who played as a forward and enjoyed his prime years in Spain - where Ronaldinho had his most illustrious career, often referred to as El Último Mago, meaning the last magician. With outstanding playing achievements, coupled with a great personality, Ronaldinho is admired by many. He always sports a smile on the field, even when fouled, never engages in confrontations with opposing players, and never complains about referee decisions. These positive traits have earned him much admiration from the audience. Ronaldinho was born in Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul - a state in Brazil. His mother, Dona Miguelina, was a salesperson who previously trained to become a nurse. His father, João, was a shipyard worker and a footballer for the local club Esporte Clube Cruzeiro (not to be confused with Cruzeiro EC). He suffered a heart attack and passed away when Ronaldinho was eight years old. After Ronaldinho's older brother, Roberto, also a footballer, signed with Gremio, the family moved to Guarujá, but Roberto soon had to end his football career due to injury.

Ronaldinho's real name is Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, often affectionately called Ronnie, nicknamed: Ronaldinho Gaucho, is a retired Brazilian footballer who played as a forward, trained as a youth at the Grêmio club. Ronaldinho won the Ballon d'Or in 2005. He is one of the greatest footballers in history. Ronaldinho's talent was recognized at a young age, and he was nicknamed Ronaldinho because he was often the youngest and smallest player in youth club matches. He drew media attention at the age of thirteen when he scored all 23 goals in a 23-0 victory with a local team. Ronaldinho was considered an emerging star at the 1997 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Egypt, where he scored two goals from penalty kicks. Before moving to Milan, he played for Grêmio, Paris Saint-Germain, and FC Barcelona - where he and Samuel Eto'o formed a devastating duo that helped the team win their first Champions League title in 2006. He became a Spanish citizen in January 2007.

Talent, handsome face, well-built physique, and remarkable efforts on the field are the indelible marks that Mesut Ozil has left on the hearts of football enthusiasts. Although the performance of the midfielder for Arsenal FC may not be as consistent as before, he remains one of the most beloved players among fans. It can be said that the sincere affection of the supporters has become a significant driving force for him to continue dedicating himself to his football career. Mesut Özil was born on October 15, 1988, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, with Turkish roots, playing as an attacking midfielder, currently playing for Fenerbahçe. Özil began his career at the Schalke club in 2006 and achieved his most notable success here, finishing as Bundesliga runner-up in the 2006-2007 season. In 2008, he moved to Werder Bremen, and two years later, after an impressive performance at the 2010 World Cup, he became a Real Madrid player. In September 2013, Özil joined Arsenal and broke the club's transfer record.

Mesut Ozil started playing for the German national team in 2006 and caught everyone's attention at the 2010 World Cup by being nominated for the Golden Ball award. He continued to perform well at Euro 2012 with two selections as the Man of the Match. In 2014, he won the World Cup with the German national team. In July 2018, after the disappointment of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, he announced his retirement from international football after earning 92 caps. Ozil began his youth career playing for various clubs in Gelsenkirchen and spent five years at Rot-Weiss Essen. In 2005, he moved to the youth team of Schalke 04. His debut for Schalke 04 came in a match against Eintracht Frankfurt on August 12, 2006. His first appearance as a starter for Schalke 04 was on September 17, 2006, in a 2-0 loss to Hertha BSC Berlin. His European cup debut for Schalke was on June 19, 2006, in a 3-1 loss to AS Nancy in the UEFA Cup. He played as a midfielder and wore the number 17 shirt, playing as a playmaker and attacking midfielder to replace the suspended player Lincoln in the German League Cup against Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich.

Erling Braut Haaland is a Norwegian footballer currently playing as a forward for Manchester City in the Premier League and the Norway national team. He was Norway's best player at 18 and Germany's best player at 20. A year later, FIFPro named Haaland in the world's best XI. Such potential at a young age is hard to calculate, both literally and figuratively. Haaland is so good that Football Manager developers have to adjust his stats to prevent him from breaking the game.

Haaland began his career at his hometown club Bryne in 2016 and moved to Molde a year later; he spent two seasons with the club before signing with Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg in January 2019. At Salzburg, he won two Austrian Bundesliga titles and an Austrian Cup. Haaland became the first teenager to score in five consecutive UEFA Champions League matches in the 2019-2020 season. In December 2019, he completed a transfer to Borussia Dortmund for around €20 million. Haaland also won the Golden Boy award in 2020. In the 2020-2021 season, he helped Dortmund win the DFB-Pokal, earned the Bundesliga Player of the Season award, and became the top scorer in the Champions League.

After the 2019 FIFA U20 World Cup, where he won the Golden Boot for a record-breaking nine goals in one game, Haaland made his debut for the Norway national team in September 2019.

Though retired from the pitch, Philipp Lahm's achievements throughout his illustrious 'shorts and jersey' career truly leave an indelible mark. Over 10 years with the Germany national team and Bayern Munich, Philipp Lahm consistently epitomized leadership and spirit, helping the team achieve remarkable success. Philipp Lahm, born on November 11, 1983, is a retired German footballer who played his final match for FC Bayern Munich on May 20, 2017. Philipp Lahm emerged from Bayern Munich's youth academy. During the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 seasons, he was loaned to VfB Stuttgart due to tough competition with seasoned French defender Bixente Lizarazu, where he played 53 matches and scored 2 goals. Lahm helped Stuttgart reach the round of 16 in the 2003-2004 UEFA Champions League. In July 2005, Philipp Lahm returned to Bayern Munich. However, upon his return, he suffered a knee injury and only returned to the field in December 2005. At the end of the 2005-2006 season, he and Bayern won the double: Bundesliga and the German Cup.

Lahm's role at Bayern became increasingly pivotal. In the 2006/2007 season, Bayern only finished 4th in the Bundesliga and missed out on qualifying for the 2007-2008 UEFA Champions League. However, in the 2007-2008 season with the addition of new players, Bayern won the double in Germany but lost in the 2007-2008 UEFA Cup to Zenit St. Petersburg. On April 16, 2008, Lahm and Bayern extended their contract until June 20, 2012. Lahm is regarded as one of the greatest full-backs in football history. He was part of the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team in 2006 and 2010, the UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament in 2008 and 2012, as well as the UEFA Team of the Year in 2006, 2008, 2012, and 2013. Despite being right-footed, he could play equally well on both flanks. His playing style often involved cutting inside from the wing to shoot or pass. In addition to his dribbling ability and speed, he was known for his precise tackles and diminutive stature, earning him the nickname 'Magic Dwarf.' After Lahm helped Germany win the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, he officially retired from international football after 10 years of service. In total, he played 113 matches and scored 5 goals.

Steven Gerrard, born on May 30, 1980, is a retired English footballer who played as a central midfielder and currently serves as the manager of Rangers Football Club in Scotland. Gerrard is revered for his talent and admirable sportsmanship on the field. He is considered one of Liverpool Football Club's greatest legends, ranking second in the list of the club's top 100 players of all time as voted by the fans. Gerrard began his football journey at Whiston Juniors before catching the attention of Liverpool scouts at a young age. He joined Liverpool's youth team at the age of nine and signed his first professional contract with the club on November 5, 1997.