There are some players who always seem to stand up on the big stage. When there is a final, or a must win game, you could always rely on these players to put in superlative performances and turn the match in their team’s favour.
While Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have undoubtedly been the greatest footballers of this generation and probably the greatest footballers of all time, they have not performed to the level they are capable of when it has really mattered.
Let us take a look at 10 footballers who always seem to rise to the biggest occasion
#10 Steven Gerrard
While fans who started watching football after 2010 will remember Gerrard for slipping against Chelsea and missing out on the Premier League title in the 2013/14 season, most fans remember Gerrard as the perfect player and leader for the big occasion.
The Liverpool legend has the unique honour of being the only player in the history of the game to have scored goals in the League Cup final, FA Cup final, UEFA Cup final and Champions League final. Often, Gerrard has dragged his team to the finish line almost single-handedly.
Who can forget Liverpool’s Champions League campaign of 2005 where Gerrard scored a last-minute belter against Olympiacos and scored a wonderful header in the miraculous final at Istanbul or the wonderful 2006 FA Cup final where he scored two stunning goals and which is still known as the “Steven Gerrard” final to this day.
Gerrard definitely had a knack of showing up at the big occasion. He has scored a number of times against Liverpool’s rivals, Manchester United, while his hat-tricks against Everton and Napoli are still remembered fondly by the Liverpool fans.
A true captain who often inspired an average team to greatness, Steven Gerrard is undoubtedly one of the greatest Liverpool players of all time
#9 Didier Drogba
Chelsea football club owe much of their recent successes to Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba. In moments of strife, Chelsea could always count on Drogba to deliver the goods. While his most important goal was undoubtedly the bullet header against Bayern Munich in the final, there have been plenty of other occasions where Drogba has risen to the challenge and given Chelsea fans plenty of joy.
His decisive penalty strike in the same final, his goal against Liverpool in the 2005 League Cup final, winning the club their first trophy in the Abramovich era, the winner against United in the 2007 FA Cup final, a goal at the same stage of the competition against Everton two years later, the goal that won the historic double, by clinching the winner against Portsmouth in the 2010 FA Cup final, and yet another fine FA Cup final goal against Liverpool two seasons later, countless goals against Arsenal in the derby, the list goes on and on.....
Drogba has undoubtedly been one of the most decisive strikers of this generation and he has always seemed to score on the big stage, making him one of the greatest big match footballers of all time.
#8 Paolo Maldini
One of the greatest defenders of all time, Paolo Maldini’s 26 trophies with AC Milan is an absolutely phenomenal achievement. Maldini was renowned for his technical ability, athleticism, sliding tackles, stamina, and fast energetic forward runs as a left-back. He was also an excellent crosser of the ball, and was an effective attacking threat, scoring and assisting several goals throughout his career.
Maldini was a symbol of his club and the Italian national football team. He was renowned for his consistency, versatility and longevity, breaking into the Milan starting lineup as a teenager and remaining there throughout his career until he retired at the age of 41.
The Italian has won Europe’s greatest club competition, the Champions League 5 times and his performances in the big matches have always been exemplary. A man you could always count on, Maldini has been a true leader for both AC Milan and Italy right throughout his stellar career.
#7 Marco van Basten
Van Basten was undoubtedly one of the greatest talents to ever play the game. The Netherlands international had his greatest moment in the 1988 Euro final where he scored a stunning volley to give Netherlands their only major international trophy.
Van Basten played a starring role in UEFA Euro 1988 scoring 5 times which included a hat-trick against England, a goal in the semi-final against bitter rivals Germany and the stunning volley against Soviet Union in the final. With one of history’s most gilded touches, he smashed a volley in with all of his elegance and grace to score of the greatest goals anyone has ever seen. The Netherlands won 2-0, and they have not had anyone who could affect a final like that ever since, or ever before.
He also had a very good career at Milan where he scored two goals in the European Cup final against Steaua Bucharest in the 1988/89 final. Van Basten’s career was tragically cut short due to injury at the age of 28, but the two-time Ballon d’Or winner gave us plenty of moments to remember.
A legend for Ajax, Milan and Netherlands, Van Basten was always the man for the big occasion.
#6 Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane was a footballer who defined an era. Renowned for his elegance, vision, ball control and technique, Zidane was named the best European footballer of the past 50 years in the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll in 2004. Zidane has won all the possible major trophies in his career including the World Cup, Euros and the Champions League playing a starring role in all three competitions.
Zidane was undoubtedly one of the best players of the late 1990s and early 2000s and he cemented his place in footballing history when he scored a wonderful brace in the 1998 World Cup final against Brazil. He also played a major role in France’s Euro 2000 triumph scoring a vital goal against Portugal in the semi-final. Zidane was the star of the France team which is considered by many to be one of the greatest teams of all time.
After his heroics with France, Zidane made a much publicised big money move to Los Blancos where he scored an absolutely stunning volley in the 2002 Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen. He capped off a stellar career by leading the Les Bleus to the brink of victory in the 2006 World Cup finals, with him scoring in the match, before being dismissed for the infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi.
That one moment of madness is the reason why Zidane is not ranked much higher on this list.
#5 Garrincha
Winner of two World Cups and considered to be one of the most talented players ever, Garrincha was an iconic number 7 for both Brazil and his club side Botafogo.
Widely regarded as the best dribbler in the history of football, Garrincha mainly played as a right winger. The 1958 World Cup was when the world was introduced to the brilliance of Garrincha when he mesmerised the world with his skills and helped Brazil claim the title.
In the 1962 World Cup, Garrincha in the absence of Pele led Brazil to glory and he was the best player in the tournament receiving the World Cup Golden Ball for player of the tournament, the Golden Boot as leading goalscorer, and was named in the World Cup All-Star Team. He also won a number of trophies with his club side Botafogo.
Adored by the Brazilian public due to his innocence, carefree attitude and ability to entertain in making fools of opposing players, Garrincha was referred to as "Joy of the People". He is one of the few players to have scored direct from a corner, a feat he managed to do 4 times in his career.
Regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, he was voted into the World Team of the 20th century, came seventh in the FIFA Player Of The Century grand jury vote, and was named in the FIFA World Cup All-Time Team.
Some people in Brazil considered Garrincha to be an even better player than the legendary Pele.
#4 Franz Beckenbauer
Arguably the greatest ball playing defender to ever play the game, Franz Beckenbauer has been credited with inventing the role of the sweeper – a defensive player who intervenes proactively in the offensive side of the game.
The “kaiser” as he was popularly known was a great captain and leader for both Germany and Bayern Munich leading both the sides to some historic triumphs. Beckenbauer’s association with the World Cup started as early as 1966 where he finished as the third highest scorer even though he played as a defender, playing a major role in Germany’s progress to the final.
The 1970 World Cup showed the world what Beckenbauer was truly capable of as he put in some stunning displays for Germany. However, Beckenbauer’s finest moments came in the 1972 Euros and 1974 World Cup where he led West Germany to the title on both the occasions. Beckenbauer’s West Germany became the first team in history to win the Euros and World Cup back-to-back, cementing his legacy in world football.
Three consecutive European cups with Bayern Munich in 1974,1975 and 1976 made him one of the most decorated footballers of all time. Beckenbauer was one of the players who revolutionised the game and he is undoubtedly one of the greatest captains of all time.
#3 Diego Maradona
Love him or hate him, you cannot ignore him. Diego Armando Maradona is one of the greatest if not the greatest player ever to grace the game. Maradona played in four World Cups, but the one he is remembered most for is the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
Maradona captained the Argentina team to victory in the 1986 World Cup where he absolutely stole the show thanks to his brilliant play and dribbling skills. Maradona completely made the 1986 World Cup his own. His most famous game was against England where he scored the infamous “hand of god” goal and followed it up 4 minutes later with what is dubbed as the “best goal of all time” when he single-handedly dribbled past the whole English defence to score.
He followed it up with another stunning brace in the semi-final against Belgium and it was his assist in the final which helped Argentina overcome West Germany 1-0. Maradona’s stunning displays in that World Cup ensured his place in the history books and there has been no player since who has had more of an impact in a single World Cup.
Maradona also had a hugely successful career at Napoli where he played a starring role in Napoli’s two Serie A triumphs. His career was later ruined due to drug and cocaine use, but there is no denying the fact that Maradona always loved playing on the big stage.
#2 Andres Iniesta
Andres Iniesta is one of the most under-rated players in the history of the game. Probably the greatest central midfielder of all time, Iniesta’s influence in Barcelona’s and Spain’s major triumphs cannot be discounted. Two Euros with Spain, A World Cup triumph, 4 Champions League titles and countless other trophies make Iniesta one of the most decorated players of all times.
The impact of Andres Iniesta can be seen from the fact that he is the only player in history to have been the Man of the Match in the final of the World Cup, European Championship and the Champions League.
Iniesta gave Spain its greatest moment in football when he scored the decisive goal against Netherlands well into extra time. He was also named in the team of the tournament in Spain’s Euro 2008 triumph, 2010 World Cup triumph and he won the Golden Ball for his efforts in the 2012 Euros.
The Spanish playmaker is also the only player to have had assists in three different Champions League finals and there is no doubt whatsoever that Iniesta is one of the greatest big match players of all time.
#1 Pele
When you think of World Cups, the first name that comes to mind is: Pele. When you think of beautiful football, the first name that comes to mind is: Pele. When you think of Brazil dominating world football, the first name that comes to mind is: Pele.
A footballer like no other, Pele reserved his best for the biggest stage in World football, the World Cup. Pele first burst onto the scene in 1958 as a young teenager and he absolutely took the tournament by storm, putting in some spellbinding performances right through the tournament. In 1958, Pele became the youngest player to score in a World Cup final when Brazil beat Sweden 5-2. Pele scored at the tender age of 17 and the record still stands to this date.
The 1962 World Cup was also won by Brazil, but Pele got injured after a couple of matches. The 1970 World Cup cemented Pele’s place as one of the greatest footballers of all time. The legendary Brazil squad consisting of himself, Rivellino, Carlos Alberto and Tostao completely annihilated opponents with their “Joga bonito” style of play with Pele leading from the front.
In the final, Pele put in another superlative performance as he grabbed a goal and two superb assists. Pele was awarded the Golden Ball award for being the best player in the 1970 World Cup. The Brazilian legend also has the record for being the only player to have scored in two different finals.
With three World Cups, and countless club titles with his club side Santos, Pele is the greatest big match footballer of all time.
