Placar Magazine Ranks the 100 Greatest Football Players of All Time
For the second time in its history, Brazilian sports magazine Placar has published a ranking of the 100 greatest footballers of all time.1 The list, compiled through a survey of 40 journalists from Brazil and abroad, has sparked debate and discussion among football fans.
The Ranking Process
The process began with a preliminary selection of 150 names by journalist Rodolfo Rodrigues.1 Rodrigues analyzed statistics and engaged in discussions with colleagues to finalize the list of 100. Placar aimed to update its previous ranking, which was conducted in 1999.
Top 10 Players
The 2023 ranking, as reported by Placar, places Pelé at the top, followed by Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona.1 The top 10, according to Placar, are:
- Pelé (Brazil)
- Lionel Messi (Argentina)
- Diego Maradona (Argentina)
- Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
- Ronaldo (Brazil)
- Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)
- Zinedine Zidane (France)
- Garrincha (Brazil)
- Sándor Puskás (Hungary)
Pelé’s Dominance
Pelé led the voting among the 17 international journalists surveyed, receiving eight votes as the greatest of all time. Messi received five votes, and Maradona received three.1 Placar noted that despite making his professional debut nearly 70 years ago, no player has surpassed Pelé’s legacy.
About Placar Magazine
Placar, stylized in all caps, is a monthly Brazilian sports magazine first published on March 20, 1970, by Editora Abril.1 It has become the most successful sports publication in Brazil, focusing primarily on football. Currently, it is published by Editora Score.1 The magazine has evolved over the years, including weekly editions and a shift towards multiplatform content distribution.2
1 References
1 Placar – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placar
2 Dan Braga – Placar Magazine. https://www.dbraga.com/placar