Soccer Legends: A Tribute to the Greatest Players
Soccer/Football is one of the highest-paying sports in the world and has a huge fan following. It has produced many great players.
The best soccer players of all time have trained relentlessly, outperformed peers, and shined in the biggest moments. Some of them are even pioneers of a style that changed the game forever.
Diego Maradona
Maradona is one of the greatest soccer players in history and is credited with transforming the game. He is also a controversial figure, loved and hated by many. He stirs great upheaval in his home country of Argentina.
Despite his problems off the field, Diego remains revered by fans worldwide. He is known for his trademark moves, such as dribbling as a left-wing and delivering powerful cross shots. He was also a deadly free-kick taker, often earning his nickname “El Pibe de Oro” (The Orange Pibe).
Born on October 30, 1960, in Villa Fiorito near Buenos Aires, Diego grew up in poverty, and as Asif Kapadia’s much-anticipated film about him – June 14 in the UK and July 25 in Australia – shows, there were no paved roads or clean water to drink. His father, a bricklayer, worked early to make ends meet.
A young Maradona took up soccer and was picked up by Argentinos Juniors as a result of his talent. He went on to play for several teams, including Boca Juniors, FC Barcelona, S.S.C. Napoli, and Sevilla F.C. In all, he played 840 games and 345 goals.
As a player, he was known for his talent and uncompromising approach to the game. He led the Argentine national team to two World Cup finals and was the team’s captain in 1986 when Argentina won the World Cup, beating England 2-1 in the quarter-final. He scored two of the tournament’s most famous goals, the “Hand of God” and “Goal of the Century.”
In 1991, he was arrested in Napoli after police accused him of linking with a dope-trafficking network tied to Camorra, an Italian mafia-type criminal group. His cocaine use and drinking problems also continued, and in 1992 he was fined $70,000 by his club for missing games and practices.
He also had a long-standing relationship with an illegitimate child and was linked to a scandal involving a mistress. He escaped from Napoli in 1992 and signed with Spanish side Sevilla for a year before returning to his native Argentina in 1994.
Michel Platini
Born in Joeuf, France, in 1955, Platini is one of the most famous and respected players in international soccer history. He is regarded as one of the greatest offensive midfielders ever to play. He won the Ballon d’Or three times, in 1983, 1984, and 1985, and he is seventh on FIFA’s list of the top 100 players.
He played for Nancy, Saint-Etienne, Juventus, and the French national team from 1976 to 1987. He won the Euro Cup in 1984 and was voted the best player in that tournament.
In addition to his success as a player, Platini served in various administrative positions within both UEFA and FIFA. He is the former president of UEFA, serving from 2007 to 2016, and was also a vice president of FIFA for a period in 2015.
Although Platini won acclaim for his talent as a player, he has become better known for his role as a football administrator. He served as president of UEFA, the governing body for European soccer, from 2007 to 2016.
Before becoming president, he was a vice president of FIFA, serving under Sepp Blatter. When Blatter resigned in 2015, Platini was widely considered the heir apparent to the FIFA president.
However, Platini was banned from international football for eight years after a FIFA investigation found that he received an improper payment from Blatter. The ban was reduced to four years on appeal, but Platini resigned from UEFA in May 2016 because the punishment didn’t go far enough to restore his reputation.
While a star player, Platini also served as a coach, first for the French national team and later for Juventus. He was elected as president of the UEFA in 2007.
A powerful and charismatic figure, Platini is known for his great mind, exceptional passing ability, dribbling, creativity, and leadership skills. He was named the French League of Honor in 1988, voted to the English and Italian Football Halls of Fame, and received some awards during his career.
Carlos Alberto da Silva dos Santos
He was a Brazilian footballer who became one of the country’s greatest players and one of the world’s most-loved soccer legends. He was the captain of Brazil’s national team, where he was the top scorer in the 1978 World Cup, and he also managed clubs like Flamengo. He later went on to coach Azerbaijan, with his spell in charge including a 2-0 defeat against England’s Sven-Goran Eriksson at St James’ Park.
Carlos Alberto da Silva dos Santos was born on June 30, 1970, in Sao Paulo. He was a physical education graduate from the Federal University of Minas Gerais.
After a successful football career, he moved into management at the club he played for. Flamengo won the Brazilian championship in 1983 and remained there, managing Corinthians and Fluminense, where he won the league in 2008.
At the international level, Carlos Alberto da Silva dos Santos won 53 caps for Brazil. He retired from international football in 1978 following a long battle with knee problems.
When he retired, Carlos Alberto went on to manage the national team in Azerbaijan, where he managed for three years. He also held coaching roles with Nigeria and Oman.
A brilliant player, Carlos Alberto da Silva dos Santos will be missed by millions of soccer fans worldwide. He was one of the most recognizable figures in Brazilian football, and his passing will be sad for everyone.
He was a great soccer player and also a great person. He is a hero to many and will be remembered by his fans and teammates for years.
In his younger days, he was an excellent athlete and competed in numerous events worldwide, including marathons, cycling, and swimming. He has also worked as a sports commentator on TV.
His scouting reports are impressive, and he is looking for opportunities that will take his football career to the next level. He has been heavily scouted and analyzed by giant European clubs and is ready to jump if the right opportunity arises.
Alexi Yashin
Alexi Yashin is one of the greatest legends in soccer. He has helped shape the game, and he is a role model for athletes all over the world.
He has been a great coach, and he is a person who strives for betterment in life. He has humble roots and is willing to give all of his time and talent to help others.
Although he had many successes on the soccer field, he also experienced many setbacks. He was a goalie who let in too many soft goals, hurting his reputation among home fans.
After he retired from playing, he became a coach at Dynamo Moscow and coached many talented players. He had a successful career in Russian football and played a big part in the team’s rise to the top.
His grace and athleticism on the soccer field were unmatched, and he became a symbol for Russia. He played a big role in the country’s Olympic and World Cup success and helped define soccer’s elegance on the field.
He had a difficult early life, growing up in a poor family in a small town in Russia. He had to work long hours to support his family and could only play soccer when he had a day off.
As a young adult, he joined the Soviet military, where he could escape his factory job and focus on football. The military gave him motivation and a sense of discipline that would become invaluable in his future professional career.
In his heyday, he was considered the best goalie in the world. He pioneered several techniques in goal, including punching out cross shots instead of trying to catch them and releasing the ball quickly so that an attack could begin.
His career was cut short because of injury and poor health. He suffered two heart attacks and two strokes, and in a cruel twist of fate, his leg was amputated because of a blood clot.
