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#5 Michel Platini
Most football fans of the current generations will know Michel Platini as the former UEFA president who got caught in corruption scandals, but during his playing career, he was regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time.
Platini won the Ballon d'Or three times in 1983, 1984 and 1985, and came seventh in the FIFA Player of the Century vote. He was a key player of the France national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was the top scorer and best player.
The Frenchman spent his entire career playing as an attacking midfielder. Despite his more central position on the football pitch, Platini was a prolific goalscorer, scoring 224 goals in 432 games throughout his career.
He won the Serie A capocannoniere award three consecutive times between 1983 and 1985 and was the top scorer of Juventus' 1984–85 European Cup-winning campaign.
Platini undoubtedly changed the face of French Football and was a national hero during his playing days. France are now a superpower and the reigning World Cup champions, but they owe a lot of their history and success to the influence of the legendary midfielder.
#4 Ronaldinho
Some players just take your breath away. Once in a generation, football fans are treated to a player who defies all odds, knowledge, and changes the way in which the beautiful game is seen. Ronaldinho was that player.
The Brazilian shook the world and mesmerized opponents with his tricks, dribbling, speed, vision and flamboyance. Ronaldinho's gameplay undoubtedly helped give birth to some of the current greats of the modern game such as Lionel Messi and Neymar. Therefore, such a player deserves a high ranking on this list of top 10 centre attacking midfielders of all time.
The Brazilian won two FIFA World Player of the Year awards (in 2004 and 2005) and a Ballon d'Or in 2005. At the international stage, Ronaldinho played 97 matches for the Brazil national team, scoring 33 goals and representing his country in two FIFA World Cups. He was an integral part of the 2002 FIFA World Cup-winning team in Korea and Japan.
The awards and trophies that Ronaldinho won are a very small part of his legacy. Fans will never forget his performance at the Santiago Bernabeu, where he received a standing ovation from the Real Madrid fans, or his samba chip into the bottom corner against Chelsea in the Champions League.
#3 Johan Cruyff
As a player, Johan Cruyff won the Ballon d'Or three times in 1971, 1973, and 1974. Cruyff was a proponent of the football philosophy known as Total Football and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history.
He single-handedly helped Dutch football rise from obscurity to become a powerhouse in the beautiful game. Cruyff led the Netherlands to the final of the 1974 FIFA World Cup and received the Golden Ball for his exploits that year.
During the 1974 World Cup final, Cruyff executed a feint that subsequently was named after him. The "Cruyff Turn" is one of the most iconic moves in world football and is replicated in the modern game by several players.
Cruyff started his career at Ajax, where he won eight Eredivisie titles, three European Cups, and one Intercontinental Cup. He moved to Barcelona in 1973 for a world record transfer fee, helping the team win the La Liga trophy in his first season. The Dutchman was also named European Footballer of the Year for his performances at the Catalan club.
Cruyff's impact on modern football, much like Ronaldinho's, can never be measured by trophies or medals. He changed the way football was played and is one of the most important figures in the history of the game.
