Top 10 Best Footballers (Soccer Players) of the 70s

The 1970s is a period that has its unique charm and is often considered a golden era of football. A decade brimming with flamboyant styles, fascinating tactics, and, of course, legendary footballers who graced the pitch with their unmatched skills and charisma.

Now, we delve into a question that's a delightful dilemma for fans worldwide: Who were the best footballers (or soccer players, for our American friends) of the 70s? When the sport was blessed with abundant talent, it can be quite a challenge to narrow down the standouts.

Will the enigmatic Johan Cruyff, with his Total Football ethos, win the hearts of fans? Or will the electrifying speed and skill of George Best place him at the top? Or perhaps the unyielding consistency of Franz Beckenbauer will be what voters value most? Your votes will carve the path to answer these questions.

The Top Ten

Diego Maradona

Diego Armando Maradona (October 30, 1960 - November 25, 2020) was an Argentine professional footballer. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, he was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award. Maradona was nicknamed "El Pibe de Oro... read more
George Best

George Best (May 22, 1946 - November 25, 2005) was a Northern Irish professional footballer who played as a winger, spending most of his club career at Manchester United. A highly skillful dribbler, Best is regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He was named European Footballer... read more

Pelé called him the greatest footballer in the world and stated he should have been Brazilian. Need anymore be said?

The others here couldn't lace George's boots.
Pelé

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as "Pelé", was a Brazilian professional footballer who played as a forward. In 1999, he was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee and was included in Time's list of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. In 2000, Pelé was voted... read more

I wrote a paper in high school about Pelé around 1984. Anything that could be made into a ball - socks, whatever - was a soccer ball, and my buddy and I would make moves and have fun with the sport. Long story short, before hacky sacks, he had the drive and pure passion to do what he did. It doesn't matter where you came from, it's about passion. Enjoy.

Pelé is the best because he was the youngest and the most talented soccer player.

Pelé is easily the greatest athlete of all time, and definitely the best soccer player of the 20th century.
Johan Cruyff

Hendrik Johannes "Johan" Cruijff (April 25, 1947 - March 24, 2016) was a Dutch professional football player and coach. He won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973, and 1974.
Cruyff was a leading figure in the development of Total Football, a tactical approach popularized by Rinus Michels... read more

Pelé was better through the 60s from what I know, so overall the 70s is Cruyff for me.
Kenny Dalglish
Jimmy Johnstone

Enshrined the ethos of the 1967 Lisbon Lions. Celtic legend and underappreciated footballer.
Zico

Zico is a Brazilian former footballer who played as an attacking midfielder and is widely regarded as one of Brazil's greatest players. He was known for his exceptional technical skills, precise passing, and goal-scoring ability, particularly from free kicks. After retiring from playing, Zico became... read more
Franz Beckenbauer

Franz Anton Beckenbauer (born September 11, 1945, died January 7, 2024) was a German professional footballer and manager. Early in his playing career, he was nicknamed "Der Kaiser" because of his elegant style, dominance, and leadership on the field. His first name "Franz" also evokes the legacy of Austrian... read more

Ranking Beckenbauer behind Best and especially Johnstone is disgraceful. In his prime, he was the best defender in the world and at the same time one of the best midfielders. As one of the most complete players to ever grace the game, he combined speed, elegance, superb tackling, powerful long shots, and amazing passes.
He was known for being a smart tactician and his interpretation of the "sweeper" heavily influenced football.
When it comes to trophies, Beckenbauer cannot be forgotten: As a player, he led West Germany to a World Cup title in 1974 and a European Championship title in 1972. He won the Champions League four times (1974, 1975, 1976, and 1983) and became German Champion five times. He was even determined as the third best footballer of the 20th century by FIFA in 2000, behind Pelé and Cruyff, but in front of Maradona. He's clearly one of the greatest ever, only a few players in the history of this sport can compare with his skills and fame. Nicknamed "The Emperor" (Der Kaiser), he established an era of German dominance in football and is known as the greatest German footballer to date (even greater than Müller and Seeler).
Gerd Müller

Gerhard "Gerd" Müller (3 November 1945 to 15 August 2021) was a German professional footballer. A prolific striker, especially in and around the six-yard box, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest goalscorers and players in the history of the sport.... read more

One of the greatest scorers in football history, Ballon d'Or 1970. The 'bomber' netted 1,461 goals in his career (more than Pelé in fewer matches) and won all the trophies (team and personal as top scorer) in all the tournaments he took part in (both with Bayern Munich and the national team). He was the top scorer of the World Cup in 1970 (10 goals).
Kevin Keegan

Joseph Kevin Keegan (born February 14, 1951) is an English former football player and manager. A forward, he played for several clubs including Liverpool and Hamburger SV. Keegan also managed teams such as Newcastle United and the England national team.

The Newcomers

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Mike Summerbee
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Susanne Augustesen

Susanne "Susy" Augustesen (born 10 May 1956) is a Danish former international footballer who played as a forward at multiple Italian clubs and for the Denmark national team.

The Contenders

Fausto Rossi
Mario Kempes
Michel Platini

Michel François Platini (born June 21, 1955) is a French football administrator and former player and manager. He served as UEFA president until he was banned in 2015 by FIFA over ethics violations, with the ban extended until 2023.... read more
Marco van Basten

Marcel "Marco" van Basten is a Dutch football manager and former professional player. He played as a forward for Ajax and AC Milan, and he was one of the standout strikers for the Netherlands national team during the 1980s and early 1990s. Van Basten is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers... read more
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

Karl-Heinz "Kalle" Rummenigge (born 25 September 1955) is a German football executive and former professional player. He was a key figure in German football during his playing career and is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished German footballers of his era.... read more
Oleg Blokhin
Luigi Riva

One of the greatest ever! The best scorer of the Italian national team, Cagliari's legend! The man known as "roar of thunder"!

The best Italian striker of all time, the legendary "roar of thunder"!
Peter Lorimer
Bobby Charlton

Sir Robert "Bobby" Charlton is an English footballer, regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in history. He was a key member of England's national team that won the World Cup in 1966. That same year, he was awarded the Ballon d'Or for his outstanding performance.
Roberto Rivelino
Allan Simonsen
Stan Bowles
John Giles
Elias Figueroa
Lev Yashin

Lev Ivanovich Yashin, nicknamed the "Black Spider" or the "Black Panther," was a Soviet-Russian football goalkeeper, considered by many to be the greatest goalkeeper in the history of the game. He remains the only goalkeeper to have ever won the Ballon d'Or, receiving the award in 1963. He spent his... read more