1. Robin Van Persie - 2014
Robin van Persie is a Dutch football coach and former professional footballer who played as a striker. Regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation, he is the all-time top scorer for the Netherlands men's national team.
He is currently an assistant manager at boyhood club Feyenoord in his first managerial role.Van Persie made his senior debut for Feyenoord during the 2001/2002 season, which culminated with victory in the 2002 UEFA Cup Final; he was also named as the Dutch Football Talent of the Year. After five years with Feyenoord, he fell out with manager Bert van Marwijk, and he joined English club Arsenal in 2004 for £2.75 million as a long-term replacement for compatriot Dennis Bergkamp. At Arsenal, Van Persie won the 2004 FA Community Shield and the 2004/2005 FA Cup.
He scored a club record of 35 goals in 2011 and was club captain for the 2011/2012 season, prior to joining rivals Manchester United in July 2012. In his first season, he won the 2012/2013 Premier League and finished as the league's top scorer with 26 goals, winning his second consecutive Premier League Golden Boot award.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo - 2010
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro GOIH ComM is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Manchester United and captains the Portugal national team.
Born and raised in Madeira, Ronaldo began his senior club career playing for Sporting CP, before signing with Manchester United in 2003, aged 18, winning the FA Cup in his first season. He would also go onto win three consecutive Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup; at age 23, he won his first Ballon d'Or. Ronaldo was the subject of the then-most expensive association football transfer when he signed for Real Madrid in 2009 in a transfer worth €94 million (£80 million), where he won 15 trophies, including two La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey, and four Champions Leagues, and became the club's all-time top goalscorer. He won back-to-back Ballons D'Or in 2013 and 2014, and again in 2016 and 2017, and was runner-up three times behind Lionel Messi, his perceived career rival.
In 2018, he signed for Juventus in a transfer worth an initial €100 million (£88 million), the most expensive transfer for an Italian club and the most expensive transfer for a player over 30 years old. He won two Serie A titles, two Supercoppe Italiana, and a Coppa Italia, before returning to Manchester United in 2021.
3. Lionel Messi - 2016
Lionel Andrés Messi, also known as Leo Messi, is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Argentina national team.
Often considered the best player in the world and widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Messi has won a record seven Ballon D'Or awards, a record six European Golden Shoes, and in 2020 was named to the Ballon D'Or Dream Team. Until leaving the club in 2021, he had spent his entire professional career with Barcelona, where he won a club-record 35 trophies, including ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues. A prolific goalscorer and creative playmaker, Messi holds the records for most goals in La Liga (474), a La Liga and European league season (50), most hat-tricks in La Liga (36) and the UEFA Champions League (8).
And also most assists in La Liga (192), a La Liga season (21) and the Copa América (17). He also holds the record for most international goals by a South American male (81). Messi has scored over 750 senior career goals for club and country, and has the most goals by a player for a single club.
4. Luis Suárez -2013.
Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a striker for Spanish club Atlético Madrid and the Uruguay national team.
Known for his passing, finishing and comfort with the ball, he is regarded as one of the best players of his generation, and one of the greatest strikers of all time, Suárez has won nineteen major trophies in his career, including seven league titles and a UEFA Champions League at club level, as well as the 2011 Copa América with Uruguay.
Suárez has won two European Golden Shoes, an Eredivisie Golden Boot, a Premier League Golden Boot, and the Pichichi Trophy. He has scored over 500 career goals for club and country.
5. Carles Puyol - 2010.
Carles Puyol Saforcada is a Spanish former professional footballer who played his entire career for Barcelona. He mainly played as a central defender, but he could also play in either full-back position, mostly as a right-back. Praised for his defensive qualities and leadership, he is widely regarded as one of the best defenders and captains in the history of the sport
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