In football, identifying the greatest players of all time is always a big challenge. However, scientist Dr. Tom Crawford from Oxford University has used a scientific mathematical method to screen and come up with a list of the 10 best players.
To be included in this list, players must meet strict criteria, including having at least 2 Ballon d’Or and other impressive achievements. They will then be ranked based on 7 criteria: Club titles, National titles, Club goals, National goals, Number of Ballon d’Or, Records, and Peak season.
The final result put Cristiano Ronaldo in the number 1 position, surpassing the legend Lionel Messi and Pelé. Ronaldo has proven his superiority with 5 Ballon d’Or, 5 Champions League titles, and many other impressive achievements for the club and national team.
Second is Lionel Messi, the contemporary star of world football. Messi has 7 Ballon d’Ors and has won many championship titles with Barcelona, but he has not been able to achieve as many impressive achievements with the Argentina national team as Ronaldo with Portugal.
Third is the legendary Pelé, the great player of Brazilian football. Pelé is considered one of the best players of all time with 3 World Cup championships and many other titles. However, due to the limitations of statistics at that time, Pelé could not completely surpass Ronaldo and Messi in this ranking.
Next are names such as Ferenc Puskás, Ronaldo Nazário, Marco van Basten, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Michel Platini, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff. All of them were legends of world football, leaving a deep mark in the history of the king sport.
Ranking the greatest players of all time is always a hot debate. However, Dr. Crawford’s research has provided a more scientific and objective view of the immortal legends of football. This list is not only a recognition of outstanding talents, but also a source of inspiration for future generations of players.
