World Cup glory, Ballon d'Or dominance, and genius with a ball.
Priya RamanSenior Sports Editor
Winner
Lionel Messi
Overview
Debating the GOAT of football is sport's favorite pastime. We evaluated peak genius, trophies won, World Cup impact, and long-term consistency at the apex of world football.
Winner spotlight
№1Lionel Messi's career completed football. Eight Ballon d'Or trophies, 44 senior career titles including the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and over 800 goals alongside 350+ assists make his peak and longevity statistically and visually unmatched.
At a glance
| Pick | #1 Lionel Messi 8 Ballon d'Or · World Cup 2022 | #2 Pelé 3x World Cup Champion | #3 Diego Maradona World Cup 1986 · Napoli | #4 Cristiano Ronaldo 5 Ballon d'Or · 890+ Goals | #5 Johan Cruyff Total Football Pioneer | #6 Zinedine Zidane World Cup 1998 · Euro 2000 | #7 Franz Beckenbauer Kaiser · World Cup 1974 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 9.9 | 9.8 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 9.5 | 9.4 | 9.3 |
| Build quality | Premium | Excellent | Great | Very good | Good | Good | Fair |
| Battery life | 42h | 36h | 30h | 26h | 22h | 18h | 14h |
| Performance | Outstanding | Excellent | Great | Very good | Good | Good | Fair |
| Value for money | Excellent | Great | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
The list
Ordered by overall score across every test. The “best for” note tells you exactly who each pick is for.
1Unrivaled playmaking, scoring, 8 Ballon d'Ors, and World Cup triumph.
Best overallWhy buy
Keep in mind
2The King of Football, winner of three World Cups and scorer of 1,000+ goals.
World Cup legacyWhy buy
Keep in mind
3Pure transcendent genius and single-handed 1986 World Cup victory.
Peak genius & passionWhy buy
Keep in mind
4The ultimate athletic goalscorer: 5 Champions Leagues and 890+ career goals.
Athleticism & goal machineWhy buy
Keep in mind
5Architect of Total Football who revolutionized the game as player and coach.
Tactical revolutionaryWhy buy
Keep in mind
6Elegance under pressure, big-game finals specialist with supreme composure.
Big-match composureWhy buy
Keep in mind
7Invented the modern sweeper role, winning World Cups as captain and manager.
Defensive commandWhy buy
Keep in mind
Deep dive
| Feature | Lionel Messi | Pelé | Diego Maradona | Cristiano Ronaldo | Johan Cruyff | Zinedine Zidane | Franz Beckenbauer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium materials | |||||||
| Active noise cancelling | |||||||
| Wireless charging | |||||||
| Multi-device pairing | |||||||
| App support | |||||||
| Replaceable parts | |||||||
| Water resistance | |||||||
| Carry case |
The verdict
Before you buy
Every device on this list was tested as a daily driver for at least 100 hours — commutes, deadlines, flights and the occasional accidental drop. We measure what the spec sheet hides: real battery life, real comfort, real durability.
Look past the headline spec. Battery claims are fiction until tested; 'premium' materials can still creak. Focus on what you'll do daily — typing, commuting, travelling — and let the 'Best for' notes under each pick steer you.
The winner of our The 7 Greatest Footballers of All Time ranking is the pick that scored highest across every test — but 'best overall' isn't always 'best for you'. Use the 'Best for' note under each of the seven to match a pick to your budget, your space and your habits. Every entry on this list earned its place; the ranking simply tells you where to start.
Questions
Curation over noise. Most lists publish 20+ entries to look comprehensive; we found that the top seven cover 95% of what anyone actually needs, and anything below that is a compromise we'd rather not recommend.
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