Former AC Milan and Juventus star Andrea Pirlo disclosed his five choices for the greatest footballers of all time in 2025.
The playmaker established himself as one of the finest midfielders to ever play the game, thanks to his exceptional vision and outstanding set-piece ability.
The World Cup-winning Italian was also lucky enough to share the pitch with some of the finest players of his era, including the likes of Ronaldo Nazario and Gianluigi Buffon. However, speaking to GIVEMESPORT on behalf of Boomerang, Pirlo revealed the five footballers he considers to be the greatest to have ever played the sport.
When revealing his all-time top five, Pirlo perhaps raised the most eyebrows by placing Milan and Italian icon Paolo Maldini ahead of legendary figures such as Johan Cruyff and Zinedine Zidane. The former Juventus manager also chose Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Pele and Diego Maradona.
“Naming the greatest footballers of all time is always a challenging task, as the sport has seen so many legends. However, if I had to choose, Diego Maradona, with his extraordinary skill and vision, is undoubtedly one of them. Then, of course, there’s [Cristiano] Ronaldo. Lionel Messi is another name that comes to mind.
“Paolo Maldini, my former teammate and a true gentleman of the game, is someone I greatly admire for his leadership and consistency. And, of course, Pele, the king of football.”
Maldini is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders in football history, having lifted the Champions League trophy five times across three separate decades. This achievement makes him the only player ever to accomplish the feat.
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Meanwhile, the other four names on Pirlo’s list are frequently regarded as the four greatest players in the history of football. Messi leads the way in Ballon d’Or awards, having claimed the prestigious prize eight times throughout his remarkable career.
Cristiano Ronaldo ranks second behind the Argentine with five wins and remains the highest goalscorer in football history, as he continues his pursuit of the unprecedented 1,000-goal milestone.
Pele and Maradona, meanwhile, were not eligible to win the Ballon d’Or during their careers, yet both are widely viewed as the outstanding players of their respective eras. Each inspired his country to World Cup success, with Pele featuring in a Brazilian side often regarded as the greatest international team the sport has ever seen.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt – accurate as of 18-10-26.
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