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Best Footballer from Each Decade

Can you name the best footballers from each decade throughout history. Based on the Ballon D'or, stats, trophies etc.
source- Wikipedia
from 1950s onwards
As the 2020s have not finished yet, they are not included in this quiz
Quiz by
DeanPelton
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Last updated: January 4, 2026
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First submittedJanuary 4, 2026
Times taken26
Average score85.7%
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Decade
Club History (specified decade only)
International History (See previous column)
Team Honours
Individual Honours
Player
1950s
1950- 1953- Millonarios

1953- 1959- Real Madrid
1947- Argentina

1951- Colombia

1957-1961- Spain
Campeonato Profesional: 1951, 1952

Copa Colombia: 1953

La Liga: 1953-54, 1954-55, 1956-57, 1957-58

European cup: 1955-56, 1956-57, 1957-58, 1958-59

Latin Cup: 1955, 1957
Campeonato Profesional top scorer: 1951, 1952

Pichichi Trophy: 1953–54, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1957–58 (joint), 1958–59

Ballon D'or: 1957, 1959

European Cup top scorer: 1957–58

Spanish Player (Athlete) of the Year: 1957, 1959
Alfredo Di Stefano
1960s
1960- 1969- Santos
1960-1969- Brazil
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968

Copa Libertadores: 1962, 1963

Intercontinental Supercup: 1968

Campeonato Paulista: 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969,

Torneio Rio-São Paulo: 1963, 1964, 1966

FIFA World Cup: 1962
Campeonato Paulista Top Scorer: 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1969,
Gol de Placa: 1961

Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Top Scorer: 1961, 1963, 1964

Intercontinental Cup Top Scorer: 1962, 1963

Torneio Rio-São Paulo Top Scorer: 1963

Copa Libertadores Top Scorer: 1965
Pele
1970s
1970- 1973- Ajax

1973-1978- Barcelona

1979- Los Angeles Aztecs
1970-1977- Netherlands
Eredivisie: 1969–70, 1971–72, 1972–73,

KNVB Cup: 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72,

European Cup: 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73

European Super Cup: 1972

Intercontinental Cup: 1972

La Liga: 1973–74

Copa del Rey: 1977–78
Ballon d'Or: 1971, 1973, 1974

Eredivisie top scorer: 1971–72

KNVB Cup top scorer: 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72

European Cup top scorer: 1971–72

Dutch Footballer of the Year: 1972

Dutch Sportsman of the Year: 1973, 1974

FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 1974

FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1974

Sport Ideal European XI: 1971, 1972, 1973,1974, 1975,1976, 1977

FUWO European Team of the Season: 1972

World XI: 1972, 1977

Onze de Onze: 1977

Don Balón Award for Best LaLiga Foreign Player: 1977, 1978

North American Soccer League MVP: 1979
Johan Cruyff
1980s
1980-1981 Argentinos Juniors

1981-1982- Boca Juniors

1982-1984- Barcelona

1984-1989- Napoli
1980-1989- Argentina
Argentine Primera División: 1981
Metropolitano

Copa del Rey: 1982–83

Copa de la Liga: 1983

Serie A: 1986–87

Coppa Italia: 1986–87

UEFA Cup: 1988–89

FIFA World Cup: 1986
Olimpia de Oro: 1986

Guerin Sportivo World Player of the Year: 1986, 1987

Argentine Football Writers' Footballer of the Year: 1980, 1981, 1986

El Mundo South American Footballer of the Year: 1980, 1986, 1989

El Gráfico Footballer of the Americas:[v] 1980, 1981

Guerin Sportivo World All-star Team: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985

Eric Batty's World XI: 1984, 1987

Serie A Team of The Year: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988

Guerin d'Oro (Serie A Footballer of the Year): 1985

Onze de Onze: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989

FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 1986

FIFA World Cup Silver Shoe: 1986

FIFA World Cup Most Assists: 1986

L'Équipe Champion of Champions: 1986

La Gazzetta dello Sport Athlete of the Year: 1986

Agence France-Presse Athlete of the Year: 1986

Associated Press Athlete of the Year: 1986

United Press International Athlete of the Year: 1986

Corriere dello Sport Athlete of the Year: 1986

Onze d'Or: 1986, 1987

La Gazzetta dello Sport Footballer of the Year: 1987, 1988

Capocannoniere (Serie A top scorer): 1987–88

Coppa Italia top scorer: 1987–88
Diego Maradona
1990s
1990-1992- Cannes

1992-1996- Bordeaux

1996-1999-
Juventus
1994-1999- France
UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1995

UEFA Cup runner-up: 1995–96

Serie A: 1996–97, 1997–98

Supercoppa Italiana: 1997

UEFA Super Cup: 1996

Intercontinental Cup: 1996

UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1999

UEFA Champions League runner-up: 1996–97, 1997–98

FIFA World Cup: 1998
French Division 1 Young Player of the Year: 1993–94

French Division 1 Player of the Year: 1995–96

Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year: 1996–97,

Onze d'Argent: 1997,

FIFA XI: 1997, 1998,

ESM Team of the Year: 1997–98

UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year: 1998

L'Équipe International Champion of Champions: 1998

L'Équipe France Champion of Champions: 1998

FIFA World Cup All-Star team: 1998

World Soccer Awards Player of the Year: 1998

France Football French Player of the Year: 1998,

Onze d'Or: 1998,

Ballon d'Or: 1998

FIFA World Player of the Year: 1998,

El País European Player of the Year: 1998

Onze de Bronze: 1999

World Soccer's Selection of the 100 Greatest Footballers of the 20th century: 1999
Zinedine Zidane
2000s
2000-2001- Gremio

2001-2003- Paris Saint Germain

2003- 2008- Barcelona

2008-2009- Milan
2000-2009- Brazil
La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06

Supercopa de España: 2005, 2006

UEFA Champions League: 2005–06

FIFA World Cup: 2002
CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament top scorer: 2000

Bola de Prata: 2000,

FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2002

Ligue 1 Goal of The Year: 2003

FIFA 100: 2004

Don Balón Award: 2003–04, 2005–06

Trofeo EFE: 2003–04

FIFA World Player of the Year: 2004, 2005

UEFA Team of the Year: 2004, 2005, 2006

World Soccer Magazine World Player of The Year: 2004, 2005

UEFA Club Forward of the Year: 2004–05

FIFA Confederations Cup Bronze Ball: 2005

Ballon d'Or: 2005

Onze d'Or: 2005

FIFPro World Player of the Year: 2005, 2006

FIFPro World XI: 2005, 2006, 2007

UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2005–06

La Liga top assist provider: 2005–06

UEFA Champions League top assist provider: 2005–06

FIFA Club World Cup Bronze Ball: 2006

FIFA World Player of the Year Bronze award: 2006

Golden Foot: 2009

Sports Illustrated Team of the Decade: 2009
World Player of the Decade 2000s: 2009
Ronaldinho
2010s
2010-2019- Barcelona
2010-2019- Argentina
La Liga: 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19

Copa del Rey: 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18,

Supercopa de España 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018

UEFA Champions League 2010–11, 2014–15

UEFA Super Cup: 2011, 2015

FIFA Club World Cup: 2011, 2015
Ballon d'Or: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019,

FIFA World Player of the Year/FIFA Ballon d'Or/The Best FIFA Men's Player: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019,

European Golden Shoe: 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19

FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 2014


FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2011

UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award: 2010–11, 2014–15

UEFA Champions League top scorer: 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2018–19

Copa América Golden Ball: 2015,

Copa América Golden Boot:

La Liga Best Player: 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19

Pichichi Trophy: 2009−10, 2011–12, 2012−13, 2016–17, 2017−18, 2018–19,

FIFPRO World 11: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019,

Argentine Sportsperson of the Year: 2011

Argentine Footballer of the Year: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019
Lionel Messi
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