1. Cristiano Ronaldo
   Johan Cruyff
2. Harry Kane
   Keylor Navas

This Portuguese forward has consistently proven why he’s considered to be one of the greatest players the sport has ever produced. Ronaldo has played for both Manchester United and Real Madrid, as well as the Portugal national team, amassing a stunning total of 650 senior career goals along the way. For the 2016 – 2017 season, just as he had done a year earlier, he topped a field of 24 brilliant players and was voted The Best FIFA Men's Player.

1. Kevin De Bruyne
   Arturo Vidal
2. Pelé
   Luka Modrić

Soccer legend Pelé was a member of three champion Brazilian World Cup teams. After 1281 goals in 1363 games, Pelé holds the record for being league soccer’s most successful scorer. He was named along with Argentina’s Diego Maradona, as joint winners of FIFA’s Player of the Century Award in 2000.

1. Alexis Sánchez
   Gianluigi Buffon
2. Kylian Mbappé
   Dani Carvajal

Although he has since signed on to Manchester United, Alexis Sánchez’s 24 goals in 38 matches helped Arsenal through its campaign in the 2016 – 2017 Premier League. This Chilean forward was also instrumental to his national team as they made their way to the final of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.

1. Sergio Agüero
   Antoine Griezmann
2. Neymar
   Robert Lewandowski

Neymar’s innate skills at the game showed from an early age, leading him to make his professional debut at age 17. He put those skills on full display at the 2016 Summer Olympics where he was captain of the host Brazilian national team and took his country to its first Olympic gold medal in soccer.

1. N’Golo Kanté
   Lionel Messi
2. Isco
   Sergio Ramos

With accolades like “best ever” and “greatest soccer player of all time” constantly being showered upon him, Argentine forward Lionel Messi has a lot to live up – and he most certainly does! This one-club man has spent his entire senior career with FC Barcelona, but there isn’t a soccer fan anywhere in the world who doesn’t know his name.

1. Leonardo Bonucci
   Edinson Cavani
2. Diego Maradona
   Paulo Dybala

For the 2016 – 2017 season, Paulo Dybala was joint top-scorer in the Coppa Italia. This Argentine forward also made his way onto the season’s FIFA list of the top 24 players in the world. His all-around talent in the sport has earned him the Spanish nickname “La Joya” which means “The Jewel.”

1. Luis Suárez
   Zinedine Zidane
2. David Beckham
   Cristiano Ronaldo

France’s Zinedine Zidane is widely regarded as one of the legends of the game. He famously converted two corner kicks into goals in the 1998 World Cup, leading France to a 3 – 0 win over Brazil. Zidane was named Player of the Year by FIFA in 1998, 2000 and 2003.

1. Harry Kane
   Zlatan Ibrahimović
2. Zico
   Ferenc Puskás

English striker Harry Kane amassed 29 goals, including four hat tricks in the 2016 – 2017 Premier League. That made him the league’s top scorer and booked him a spot on FIFA’s list of the top 24 players in the world for the season.

1. Marcelo
   Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
2. Paolo Maldini
   Alfredo Di Stéfano

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was listed by FIFA as one of the top 24 players in the world for the 2016 – 2017 season. Contributing to that honor is the fact that he made nine Champions League appearances and scored seven goals. Aubameyang is also a member of the Gabon national team, following in the footsteps of his father.

1. Sergio Ramos
   Ferenc Puskás
2. Dani Carvajal
   Diego Maradona

In 2000, Argentina’s Maradona was voted joint FIFA Player of the 20th Century along with Brazil’s Pelé. Maradona holds another FIFA title, that of Goal of the Century, for the second goal he scored against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter final, which Argentina went on to win 2 – 1. The first goal has become infamously known as the “Hand of God,” as it was scored from handling of the ball for which Maradona was not penalized.

1. Edinson Cavani
   Kevin De Bruyne
2. Keylor Navas
   Mohamed Salah

Kevin De Bruyne is often referred to as one of the best soccer players in the world, at present. This Belgian midfielder who made 51 appearances for German club Wolfsburg between 2014 and 2015 was named Footballer of the Year in Germany.

1. N’Golo Kanté
   Alfredo Di Stéfano
2. Luka Modrić
   Toni Kroos

Defensive midfielder N’Golo Kanté won the English Premier League title with Leichester City in the 2015 – 2016 season and followed that up with another win when he joined Chelsea in the next season. That feat, of back-to-back wins with different teams, had last been accomplished by Eric Cantona (another French player) in 1992 and 1993 with Leeds United and Manchester United, respectively.

1. Zico
   Alexis Sánchez
2. Antoine Griezmann
   Manuel Neuer

When all the games he played in the 2016 – 2017 season are considered, this French striker scored an average of one goal for every two games. His enviable knack of finding the back of the net was partly responsible for FIFA placing Antoine Griezmann among the 24 top players in the world for the season.

1. Arturo Vidal
   Luis Suárez
2. Sergio Agüero
   Zlatan Ibrahimović

Luis Suárez is a Uruguayan striker who has racked up over 400 goals since his professional career began in 2005. His time on the field for the Uruguay national team has led to him scoring more goals than any other Uruguayan player, ever. Suárez rounds out the top 10 on FIFA’s list of the world’s best players for the 2016 – 2017 season.

1. Gianluigi Buffon
   Paulo Dybala
2. Leonardo Bonucci
   Michel Platini

Leonardo Bonucci’s consistency on the field got him onto FIFA’s list of the top 24 players in the world for the 2016 – 2017 season. This Italian player, who represented Juventus, also made it onto UEFA’s Squad of the Season.

1. Neymar
   Robert Lewandowski
2. Kylian Mbappé
   Johan Cruyff

Dutch player and coach Johan Cruyff won the Ballon d'Or three times (1971, 1973 and 1974). In 2007, Cruyff was named on Pelé’s FIFA 100 list of the greatest living footballers and in 2017 he was selected as one of the 10 greatest coaches since the formation of UEFA.

1. Zinedine Zidane
   Marcelo
2. Sergio Ramos
   Pelé

This central defender is captain to both the Real Madrid and Spain national teams. Under his leadership, Real Madrid took the La Liga title in the 2016 – 2017 season, then went on to stamp their dominance over the Champions League. For his efforts, FIFA placed Sergio Ramos at number 5 on its list of the top 24 players in the world for the season.

1. Toni Kroos
   Andrés Iniesta
2. Paolo Maldini
   Lionel Messi

German Toni Kroos dominated midfield play in the 2016 – 2017 season. That’s no surprise really, since he has been the IFFHS World's Best Playmaker (2014). It’s also no surprise that he made it into the top 10 on FIFA’s list of the 24 best players in the 2016 – 2017 season.

1. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
   David Beckham
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
   Luka Modrić

Midfielder Luka Modrić captains the Croatia national team and helped his club, Real Madrid, to successive Champions League titles in 2016 and 2017. He placed squarely inside the top 10 when FIFA revealed its list of the 2016 -2017 season’s best players in the world.

1. Paolo Maldini
   Zlatan Ibrahimović
2. Johan Cruyff
   Diego Maradona

One-club man Paolo Maldini spent his entire senior career with A.C. Milan where he won 23 trophies, including five UEFA Champions League titles. Before his retirement, this Italian defender made numerous appearances for A.C. Milan and the Italy national team, serving as captain of both teams for many years.

1. Luis Suárez
   Mohamed Salah
2. Ferenc Puskás
   Kylian Mbappé

This rising French soccer star has played for club Paris Saint-Germain and club Monaco. His all-around football talents in the forward position have been widely praised, earning him a spot on the France national team. Mbappé scored his first senior international in a 2018 World Cup qualification match against the Netherlands on August 31, 2017.

1. N’Golo Kanté
   Zico
2. Antoine Griezmann
   Franz Beckenbauer

This attacking midfielder from Brazil has distinguished himself as both a player and a coach. Zico is widely regarded as one of the best players the sport has ever produced. In 2007, his abilities as a playmaker and at bending the ball earned him a place on Pelé’s FIFA 100 list of the greatest living footballers.

1. Marcelo
   Michel Platini
2. Isco
   Gianluigi Buffon

Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon made a sterling contribution to Juventus’ claim on the Italian championship title in the 2016 – 2017 season. His 67 saves and 12 clean sheets from 30 Serie A games got him 4th place on the FIFA panel’s list of the top 24 players in the world. He bettered that result by topping FIFA’s similar list of goalkeepers for the season.

1. Harry Kane
   Sergio Agüero
2. Manuel Neuer
   Edinson Cavani

Sergio Agüero puts his skills as a striker on display for both Manchester City and the Argentine national team. He holds the distinction of being the youngest ever player to debut in the Argentine Primera División, which he did at just 15 years and 35 days. The record was previously held by soccer great Diego Maradona, who in 1976 debuted in the league 10 days before his 16th birthday.

1. David Beckham
   Diego Maradona
2. Dani Carvajal
   Andrés Iniesta

English midfielder David Beckham spent 20 years as a professional soccer player and has since moved on to become a global ambassador for the sport. His crossing ability and bending free-kicks are just a part of the reason he has been inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame (2008) and holds a spot on Pelé’s FIFA 100 list of the greatest living footballers (2007).

1. Kevin De Bruyne
   Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
2. Alfredo Di Stéfano
   Paulo Dybala

Alfredo Di Stéfano was an Argentine forward who played on both the Argentina and Spain national teams. He spent most of his senior career with Real Madrid for whom he made 282 appearances, amassing 216 goals. Di Stéfano is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most complete players in the history of soccer.

1. Franz Beckenbauer
   Leonardo Bonucci
2. Edinson Cavani
   Zinedine Zidane

This Uruguayan striker represents French club Paris Saint-Germain and has made appearances with the Uruguay U20, Uruguay Olympic and Uruguay national teams. In the 2012 – 2013 season, while Cavani played for club Napoli, he was the top scorer in Italy's Serie A league with 29 goals.

1. Kylian Mbappé
   Robert Lewandowski
2. Neymar
   Toni Kroos

Polish striker Robert Lewandowski punctuated his 47 appearances in the 2016 – 2017 season with a total of 43 goals. Few could match his penalty box efficiency and he was rewarded for his efforts with a spot among FIFA’s top 24 players in the world for the season.

1. Isco
   Johan Cruyff
2. Arturo Vidal
   Gianluigi Buffon

Isco's talents as an attacking midfielder have certainly not gone unnoticed. He has been a part of several of his country’s teams beginning with the Spain U16 in 2008 and now is a member of the Spain national team. So far, Isco has made 154 appearances, with his club Real Madrid and has 31 goals to his credit.

1. Manuel Neuer
   Alexis Sánchez
2. Michel Platini
   N’Golo Kanté

This French midfielder is a true soccer legend who has influenced the game in every capacity possible. He was a prolific goal scorer who played for Italian club Juventus and represented France in the 1978, 1982 and 1986 World Cups. Platini was coach of the France national team for four years and at one point was President of UEFA.

1. Sergio Agüero
   Zlatan Ibrahimović
2. Mohamed Salah
   Zinedine Zidane

When FIFA named Zlatan Ibrahimović among the top 24 players in the world for the 2016 – 2017 season, it was just one of numerous accolades showered on this Swedish striker throughout his career. In fact, Ibrahimović, who has captained the Swedish national team, is among the most-decorated active soccer players in the world.

1. Pelé
   Antoine Griezmann
2. Isco
   Keylor Navas

Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas played 27 matches for his club Real Madrid in the 2016 – 2017 season. His 82 saves helped him to capture 3rd place on FIFA’s list of the 15 best goalkeepers for the season.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo
   Toni Kroos
2. Ferenc Puskás
   Lionel Messi

Hungarian player Ferenc Puskás is generally viewed as one of the sport’s greatest players. In fact, he was universally regarded as “the best ever” until Brazilian soccer star Pelé came along. In recognition of his contributions to the game, Puskás was named on Pelé’s FIFA 100 list of the greatest living footballers.

1. Andrés Iniesta
   Leonardo Bonucci
2. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
   Arturo Vidal

Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal proved to be indispensable to his club Bayern Munich during the 2016 – 2017 season. At the end of the season, he put his talents to work for the Chile national team in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. In that competition, he was named “man of the match” in Chile’s opening game against Cameroon.

1. Kevin De Bruyne
   Dani Carvajal
2. Alfredo Di Stéfano
   Michel Platini

Spanish right back Dani Carvajal overcame bouts of injury to take a spot on FIFA’s list of the top 24 players in the world for the 2016 – 2017 season. Carvajal was ranked 8th by UEFA in its pick of the top 10 defenders of the season.

1. Sergio Ramos
   Neymar
2. David Beckham
   Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah is an Egyptian forward who plays for both Liverpool and the Egypt national team. He was instrumental in helping Egypt qualify for 2018 FIFA World Cup and was honored by being named both CAF and BBC African Footballer of the Year.

1. Marcelo
   Lionel Messi
2. Franz Beckenbauer
   Luis Suárez

A true workhorse in the left back position, Brazilian player Marcelo has had his prolific talents applauded by such soccer greats as Diego Maradona and Paolo Maldini. His skills and invaluable contribution to Real Madrid’s claim of the Champions League title put Marcelo inside the top 10 on FIFA’s list of the 24 best players in the world for the 2016 – 2017 season.

1. Andrés Iniesta
   Paulo Dybala
2. Paolo Maldini
   Keylor Navas

Spanish midfielder Andrés Iniesta is a one-club man, having spent his entire professional career with the same team. It’s something you won’t hear FC Barcelona complain about especially since Iniesta, who captains the team, is on FIFA’s list of the 24 best players in the world for the 2016 – 2017 season.

1. Franz Beckenbauer
   Alexis Sánchez
2. Robert Lewandowski
   Luka Modrić

German player Franz Beckenbauer made his mark on the game as a central defender. His legacy includes being credited with inventing the role of the modern sweeper.

1. Pelé
   Harry Kane
2. Manuel Neuer
   Zico

At the end of the 2016 – 2017 season, Manuel Neuer was ranked 2nd by FIFA on its list of best goalkeepers. With his sweeper-keeper techniques, Neuer has proven indispensable to Bayern Munich and the Germany national team, both of which he captains.