The Most Famous Soccer Players

Soccer is the world’s most popular sport. According to a 2014 FIFA survey, more than 265 million people are actively involved soccer, and while the United States has only caught onto the sport in the last decade or so, the players on the pitch are some of the most influential and famous people, let alone athletes, in the world.

Their devoted followings range from the diehard fans who are able to rattle off their stats and accolades of a season from a decade ago to the casual observer stumbling into a World Cup screening and first getting into the beautiful game. Their social media game is more popping than the biggest influencers you can think of, and their presence in the European tabloids would make the Kardashians blush with envy. In the United States, we may have LeBron James and Tom Brady, but in terms of pure popularity, name recognition, and fame, few athletes can hold a candle to soccer’s biggest stars. During the biggest soccer tournaments, when the whole world is watching, it can even feel like the fate of an entire country rests on whether or not its star footballer can come through for them.

If you need a primer on just who is holding the rapt attention of these fans around the world, these are some of the sport’s biggest names: They play for some of the most valuable sports franchises anywhere, from Manchester United to Real Madrid, and are among the most recognizable people on the planet. This crop of players possesses the level of fame where even the mere mention of their name can create a news cycle, trend on social media, evoke praise from fans and hatred from the opposition who have been burned by them in the past.

Soccer is a game of many positions and many opinions, so to make this list as controversy-free as possible, we’ve limited it to just the top players who are currently playing the beautiful game. These are the most famous soccer players today.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid

The man topping this list should come as no surprise to anyone. CR7 boasts a list of on-field accomplishments rivaled by only a handful of the game’s greats. Cristiano’s occasionally diva-like personality and endorsements only add to his fame and have given him his own collection of men’s underwear and socks, naturally. The Real Madrid forward is one of just three athletes to sign an estimated $1 billion lifetime deal with Nike, joining the ranks of LeBron James and Michael Jordan. A three-time FIFA player of the year and Forbes’ highest-paid athlete of 2016, CR7 is also the third most-followed person on Instagram with 106 million people—beat out by only Selena Gomez and Ariana Grande—making him not just one of the most famous soccer players, but one of the most famous people in the world.

Lionel Messi, Barcelona

Small in stature, but a giant in more ways than one, Lionel Messi is Barcelona’s golden god. The soft-spoken Argentinian is pretty much the polar opposite of his La Liga rival, Cristiano Ronaldo. His dribbling abilities will help him skin a defender one second and chip a picturesque goal the next—just ask Bayern Munich’s Jerome Boateng. Still just 30 years old, he’s won four UEFA Champions League titles and another eight La Liga trophies. While his private personality means he doesn’t make too many waves in the tabloids, his jersey is the world’s most popular and can be found on millions of people around the globe, no matter where you go.

Neymar, Barcelona

As a teenager, Neymar tore up the competition while at the Brazilian club Santos and took home the South American Footballer of the Year at the ripe age of 19—oh, and he won it again the next year. While many thought his tendency toward flair in his early days would turn him into a one-trick pony, he’s instead grown into one of the world’s most talented players since he joined Barcelona in 2013. The star of the Brazilian National Team during an era that has lacked the pedigree of previous superstars like Pele, Ronaldo, or Ronaldinho, Neymar now carries the weight of the entire country on his back and may end up more famous than any of those that came before him.

Paul Pogba, Manchester United

Before he rejoined Manchester United ahead of the 2016-2017 season, Paul Pogba honed his game in the Italian Serie A and cracked more his fair share of wonder goals while in midfield of league-winning Juventus. The young Frenchman’s stock rose so much during his seasons in Turin that when his former club wanted to bring him back into the fold, they had to cough up a record-breaking 105 million Euro transfer fee (about $120 million). The face of a reborn France National Team (which had underperformed in the spotlight at the 2010 World Cup and fizzled out at EURO 2012), Pogba’s game-breaking ability has made him not only the most expensive player ever, but one of the most famous.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Unsigned (Most recently, Manchester United)

Whether you know him for his high-flying Tae Kwon Do-inspired acrobatics in game or his penchant to produce some of soccer’s most outlandish quotes, Zlatan is...well, Zlatan. The 6’5” Swede is a journeyman of European soccer, moving from big club to big club, winning (almost) everything, and scoring when he wants. He’s the author of dozens of great goals, from back heels to bicycle kicks—he doesn’t just score goals, he writes them as perfectly thought-out narratives. The cult of Zlatan is real, and even though he’s in the twilight of his career, it isn’t going anywhere.

James Rodriguez, Bayern Munich

The baby-faced Colombian midfielder had a coming out party during the 2014 World Cup, when he was the tournament’s top scorer and helped lead Colombia to its first-ever quarterfinals appearance. In the process, his volley against Uruguay in the round of 16 won the Puskás Award for the best goal of the year and immediately shot him from young prospect to fan favorite in the hearts of many. The spotlight of the World Cup led to a big money transfer from Monaco to Real Madrid, where he wore the #10 previously worn by club legends Luis Figo, Ferenc Puskás, and Zinedine Zidane. Now, James has the chance to gain even more fans as he is on loan at Germany’s biggest club, Bayern Munich.

Gareth Bale, Real Madrid

Before Paul Pogba took the top spot, Gareth Bale was the most expensive player in the world, clocking in at 100 million Euro when he joined the side from Tottenham in 2013. The winger is also the pride of his homeland, Wales, and led the country’s national team to the highs of a first-ever semi-final tournament appearance at EURO 2016. Bale’s pacey style and frequent attacking runs during his early years as a defender helped convert him to a forward—showing the young players of the world that anyone can make an impact on the game and earning fans along the way.

Luis Suarez, Barcelona

Fame or infamy? That’s the real question, at least as far as Luis Suarez is concerned. From his years at Dutch club Ajax to his seasons in the English Premier League with Liverpool, Suarez has become one of the sport’s most feared forwards and a scorer of often unbelievable goals. Now, he leads the front line of Barcelona with two other players on the list, Lionel Messi and Neymar, who have the power to turn a game around in a matter of seconds. Known by many for his *multiple* biting incidents, some unsavory racial allegations, and the time he handled a sure goal on the line during the World Cup—becoming public enemy #1 of the entire country of Ghana—the infamy of Luis Suarez only adds to his legend. He wouldn’t win a popularity contest, but he’s undoubtedly famous.

Antoine Griezmann, Atlético Madrid

Griezmann is an outright striker in a bite-sized package. The 5’9” Frenchman has defied the expectations of many and over the past couple of seasons, has blossomed into a legitimate superstar on the pitch. On a defensive Atlético Madrid team, he’s played the role of target man leading its counter attacks to the tune of 60 goals in just over 100 appearances. But the international stage is where he’s burst into the public eye, earning Player of The Tournament honors at EURO 2016 and scoring six goals as France finished as runners-up to Portugal. The casual fans may have just started hearing his name, but they’ll be hearing it a lot more in years to come.

Wayne Rooney, Everton

Sure, he may be in the tail-end of his long, legendary career. But to the everyday soccer fan, Wayne Rooney is surely one of the most well-known players. The longtime Manchester United forward, who joined the club in 2004 when he was just 18 years old, spent 13 seasons with the Red Devils and became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer. For American soccer followers who started following the English Premier League in the mid- to late-00s, Rooney defined United’s dominance and the game itself. While the England national team underperformed during Rooney’s captaincy, his time at Manchester United made him a household name, and now he’s back at the club where it all started.