To ask any professional footballer: “What is your ultimate footballing dream?”, I dare say the majority of their responses would be related to scoring or participating in the World Cup. Years of practice, hard work and determination culminate in the chance to walk out for your countries national team and help them beat the best teams in the world.

Some players have made the World Cup Finals their own personal showground, showcasing their talent and their ability to score against the best defences in the world. This list of five brilliant players aims to highlight some of these people.

1. Eusébio

Born Eusébio da Silva Ferreira in 1942, nobody could have guessed the impact this Mozambique born forward would have on the 1966 World Cup and on football as a whole. Eusébio, nicknamed the “Black Panther”,  scored 727 goals in 717 games throughout his career, notching nine goals for his national team Portugal in the 1966 finals, earning him the Golden Boot (the tournament’s award for top goalscorer).

Eusébio’s most noticeable game in the 1966 tournament was in Portugal’s Quarter win against North Korea. In this match, Portugal trailed North Korea 3-0 after just twenty five minutes. Portugal mounted a huge comeback and with the help of four Eusébio goals, Portugal ran out eventual 5-3 winners. Eusébio’s goals guided his team to the Semi Finals where they were knocked out by the eventual winners England, not discounting the fact a penalty from the Portuguese wonderkid in the latter stages guaranteed a very nervous finish for the hosts.

Eusébio wasn’t just known for his tremendous attitude to life on the pitch, he is also a huge figure in the current Portguese national team setup. Perhaps the only regret true football fans will have is that Eusébio only graced us with his unique talent in the 1966 finals, where the lack of talent in the national team never saw Portugal qualify for another World Cup with the Black Panther in the team.

Eusébio Greatest Goals

2. Gerd Müller

Gerhard “Gerd” Muller’s prowess in front of goal has definitely stood the test of time. Known for being somewhat short and squat for a forward, his low centre of gravity and ability to score in almost impossible situations saw Muller boast an incredible scoring record for both club and country meaning only Pelé and Romário are higher in the all time goalscorer ranking.

Muller enjoyed success at more than one World Cup, taking the field in both the 1970 and 1974 tournaments, held in Mexico and Germany respectively. Playing for what was known then as West Germany, Muller’s total goal tally in Mexico totalled ten goals, earning him the Golden Boot, where the team finished third overall. Four years later, Muller scored the winner in the 1974 World Cup Final, earning his team a 2-1 victory over the Netherlands. The goals scored in these two tournaments took Muller’s World Cup goal tally to 14, making him the highest all time World Cup goalscorer until 2006 when Ronaldo surpassed his record. Ironically, the 2006 World Cup Finals were held in Germany.

Muller went on to score 68 goals in 62 appearances for his national team until he retired from competitive football in 1982. After a battle with alcoholism, Muller once again returned to football, this time as a scout for Bayern Munich, where he still works to this day. He was awarded the FIFA Order of Merit in 1998 and represented the city of Munich as one of twelve ambassadors for the 2006 World Cup in his native homeland.

Gerd Muller Biography

3. Pelé

What top footballing list would be complete without this man on it? Pelé is quite rightly regarded as the best player to have ever walked onto a football pitch.

Pelé started his World Cup journey in Sweden at the 1958 World Cup. Whilst playing against the USSR in a first round match, Pelé became (at that time) the youngest player to play in a World Cup match at the tender age of 17. His goal in the Quarter Finals against Wales saw him also become the youngest player to score in the championships, the youngest player to score a Hat Trick when he hit three in the Semi Finals and finally the youngest player to play in a World Cup Final. Not only did Brazil win the final, Pelé scored two goals, one of which being one of his most famous goals where he lobbed the defender and volleyed home. He amassed six goals in four games, leaving him just behind the record breaking Just Fontaine.

Four years later, Pelé injured himself in their second match against Czechoslovakia and was forced to watch his team-mates win a successive World Cup trophy.

In 1966, he played a smaller role in his teams plans, only playing a handful of games. The 1966 tournament saw him subjected to a more physical game, none more so than against Portugal. This also allowed spectators around the world to see two of the world’s most promising players meet on the biggest stage of all, Eusébio and Pelé together on the same pitch. The game however took it’s toll on Pelé and he was subjected to late tackle after late tackle, forcing him from the field of play and to witness his team being knocked out of the tournament.

That wasn’t the end of Pelé, although he would have people think 1966 was his last World Cup. Returning for the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, Pelé showed exactly why people regard him as the best player to have ever played the game. Viewers witnessed so many truly awesome footballing moments that it’s hard to name just a few. Who can forget his header against England where Gordon Banks pulled off a seemingly impossible save? His dummy to deceive the goalkeeper and shoot narrowly wide? Or his 60-yard lob that narrowly missed against Czechoslovakia? Not only did Brazil win another World Cup, Pelé made that his last, finishing with an all time scoring record of 12 goals in his World Cup appearances and being one of only two people to score in four World Cups.

Since retiring, Pelé has been named “Footballer of the Century” by FIFA and has taken an active role in developing football all over the world. You may also find him advertising the odd bit for Viagra!

Pele: World Cup Legend

4. Just Fontaine

Even though Pelé enjoyed a World Cup Final win and scored a hat trick against Fontaine’s French team at the 1958 World Cup, it was Fontaine who had just as much reason to celebrate. In just six games, Fontaine blasted in thirteen goals, four against reigning champions West Germany, a total that ensured his place in the record books and the Golden Boot award. Progressing to the Semi Finals, Fontaine became only the second player to score in every World Cup match.

In seven years Fontaine managed to bag himself thirty goals in twenty one matches before successive injuries left him unable to continue his career, the last being a broken leg which saw him retire in 1962.

Off the pitch, Fontaine managed the French national team for two years before being replaced. He founded the National Union of Professional Football Players and was more recently named one of Pelé’s top 125 greatest living footballers.

5. Ronaldo

Of the five players mentioned in this post, Ronaldo is the only footballer who is still playing. Many of you may disagree with me since he piled on the pounds and started to lose his goalscoring touch but there is no doubting Ronaldo is one of the best World Cup strikers there has ever been.

Ronaldo did travel to 1994 World Cup but did not feature in the Brazilian campaign. He was, however, heavily involved in Brazil’s march to the 1998 World Cup Final, scoring four goals in the earlier matches. Ronaldo was subject to criticism when he was initially omitted from the team sheet for the final, apparently suffering a seizure. He did end up taking to the field but was largely ineffective in the 3-0 loss to France, with many questioning whether he should have been allowed to play after suffering such a setback.

Ronaldo bounced back four years later winning the Golden Boot, notching eight goals in the tournament, scoring against every team except England. His two goals in the final saw off Germany, helping secure a fifth World Cup for his native Brazil.

It was in 2006 when Ronaldo rewrote the record books. Scoring against Japan and Ghana (whilst being jeered for his bulkier physique), took Ronaldo’s World Cup goal total to fifteen, surpassing Gerd Muller’s previous record of 14 (detailed above). He has since been dropped from the Brazil squad and remains Brazil’s second highest scorer, trailing Pelé by fifteen goals.

Ronaldo World Cup Goals Compliation

So there you have it, five of the best World Cup goalscorers. I think in time we will see additions to this list, players such as Miroslav Klose (who has scored ten goals in the last two World Cups) might be able to push Ronaldo’s record close. There are of course many great players who have missed out on this list but that’s not to say they weren’t worthy, we just couldn’t go on forever!