Football Players

Players

Cristiano Ronaldo at World Cup 2010.
Cristiano Ronaldo, World Cup 2010

Read exclusive profiles of the world's best football players past and present.

Players under analysis include Adriano, Ahn Jung-hwan, Darren Anderton, Michael Ballack, George Best, Zvonimir Boban, Paolo Di Canio, Samuel Eto'o, Luis Figo, Garrincha, Roy Keane, Niko Kranjcar, Lionel Messi, John Obi Mikel, Michael Laudrup, Shunsuke Nakamura, Robinho, Ronaldo, Park Ji-sung, Eduardo da Silva, Hristo Stoichkov, Davor Suker, Luca Toni, Patrick Vieira, Mark Viduka, Christian Vieri, Dwight Yorke, Li Weifeng and many more top stars from around the world.

Soccerphile covers players from the world's top soccer leagues in Europe, South America and Asia.

We include players' career statistics at a glance - goals, international caps and transfers.

We also have articles on players' nicknames, Brazilians in the Premiership and youth players.


Football Players

Charlie Adam or Fernando Torres

Who has been worth more to their clubs this season? Blackpool's Charlie Adam or Fernando Torres at Chelsea.

Juan Belencoso

Juan Belencoso is a Spanish striker for Kitchee FC in Hong Kong.

David Bentley

David Bentley, the career of former Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur winger David Bentley seems to have gone seriously off course.

Chris Birchall

Chris Birchall - has played for Port Vale, Coventry and Trinidad and Tobago as befriending David Beckham at Los Angeles Galaxy.

Bobby Charlton

What more can be said about the great Bobby Charlton, who has died aged 86? Charlton was for so long No.1 in appearances and goals for Manchester United (now second to Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney respectively) as well as England's record goalscorer (now overtaken by Rooney and Harry Kane).

Two Brothers: The life and times of Bobby & Jack Charlton.
Two Brothers: The life and times of Bobby & Jack Charlton

Jack Charlton

Jack Charlton played 773 matches for Leeds United, won the World Cup with England in 1966 and had a successful spell as manager of the Republic of Ireland.

Eduardo da Silva

Eduardo da Silva Brazilian striker who made his name at Dinamo Zagreb before moving to Arsenal. After sustaining a terrible broken leg in a game against Birmingham City he later moved to Shakhtar Donetsk.

Jack Grealish

Jack Grealish - the tousled hair, rolled-down socks and strolling gait immediately differentiate Grealish. He is reminiscent of players of yesteryear, before computer analysis confirmed the need to place brawn above brains and grit above guile.

Ruud Gullit

Azerbaijani journalist Rasim Movsumov remembers Ruud Gullit lifting the Ballon D'Or in 1987.

Alen Halilovic

Alen Halilovic, the "Croatian Messi" joins Barcelona from Dinamo Zagreb.

Harry Kewell

Harry Kewell is enjoying a renaissance with Gala in Turkey.

Riyad Mahrez

Riyad Mahrez, the Leicester City winger (now with Manchester City), has made an impressive start to the 2015-2016 Premier League season.

Lionel Messi.
Lionel Messi © Chris KL Lau

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi - Barcelona and Argentine wizard Lionel Messi.

Tommy Oar

Tommy Oar is a new left wing starlet challenging for a Socceroos squad place at World Cup 2010.

Wayne Rooney or Lionel Messi

Who is the best player between Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney?

Cherno Samba

Cherno Samba, the former England Under-20 star speaks about his ambitions of a future role in management.

Jamie Vardy

Jamie Vardy, the Leicester City striker, has equaled the Premier League record with 10 goals in successive games.

A-Z of Players

Adriano

Adriano - the Inter Milan striker and Brazil's new goal-scoring phenomenon.

Ahn Jung-hwan

Ahn Jung-hwan - South Korea's 2002 World Cup hero.

Darren Anderton

Darren Anderton - The ex-Spurs legend has retired after playing his last game for Bournemouth.

Juan Pablo Angel

Juan Pablo Angel - Colombia and Aston Villa's star striker.

Michael Ballack

Michael Ballack - Current Chelsea and Germany's inspirational and elegant midfield dynamo.

Warren Barton

Warren Barton - Ex-Wimbledon, Newcastle United and England defender Warren Barton.

George Best

George Best - a tribute to the Manchester United legend (1946-2005).

Daniel Bilo

Daniel Bilo - Boca Junior star has to decide soon: continue to wait for the call up from Argentina, where he was born, or move on to Croatia, which has been wooing him.

Igor Biscan

Igor Biscan - Former Liverpool and Croatian national team defender and midfield utility man.

Boban

Zvonimir Boban - Former AC Milan and Croatian national team great.

Brazilians

Brazilians in Europe - Ailton, Sonny Anderson, Baltazar, Cascavel, Deco, Derlei, Donato, Elber, Jardel, Ewerthon.

Charisteas

Angelos Charisteas - Former Werder Bremen, now Ajax striker and Greece's Euro 2004 hero.

Di Canio

Paolo Di Canio - Such a wonderful player, and such distorted beliefs.

Corluca

Vedran Corluca - Read a profile of Manchester City's new Croatian star Vedran Corluca.

Damjanovic

Dejan Damjanovic - The Serb striker has had a bright start to his first season in Korea's K-League.

Andrew Driver

The Hearts' winger Andrew Driver has a promising future ahead.

Euro 2008 Prospects

Euro 2008 Prospects - Young players who could be stars of Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland.

Euro 2008 Stars

Euro 2008 Star Players - Profiles of the best 32 players at Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland.

Eto'o

Samuel Eto'o - Barcelona's fiery Cameroonian striker.

Fabbiani

Cristian Fabbiani - Nicknamed "El Ogro" Fabbiani is overweight but scoring goals for River Plate.

Figo

Luis Figo - Real Madrid's first "galactico" when he arrived from rivals Barcelona is now on his way to Inter.

Garcia

Luis Garcia - Liverpool's late bloomer.

Garrincha

Garrincha - The legendary Brazilian winger of the 1950s & 60s.

Gemmill

Scot Gemmill - The former Everton and Scotland schemer is now Down Under in the Australian A-League.

Seo Hyuk-su

Seo Hyuk-su - Korean midfield enforcer who has earned rave reviews at Queensland Roar.

Seol Ki-hyeon

Seol Ki-hyeon - Korean World Cup 2002 star on his way to Wolves.

Keane

Roy Keane - Manchester United's inspirational captain.

Kranjcar

Niko Kranjcar - Former Dinamo Zagreb player with a seemingly bright future at rivals Hadjuk Split!

Gary Lineker.
Gary Lineker playing for Nagoya Grampus Eight as the team were called in his day

Lineker

Gary Lineker - Ex-England, Everton, Barcelona and Spurs' legend Gary Lineker.

Laudrup

Michael Laudrup - Great Danish midfielder of the 1980s and 90s - played in Italy and later Spain.

Lee Chun-soo

Lee Chun-soo - Korean striker hoping to shine at World Cup '06.

Lee Dong-gook

Lee Dong-gook - The "Lion King" misses out on the World Cup finals in Germany after injury.

Little

Glen Little - Reading's winger on his team's success in the Premiership.

McIlroy & Stapleton

Sammy McIlroy and Frank Stapleton - Sammy McIlroy and Frank Stapleton look forward to the 2005 Man United v Arsenal FA Cup Final.

Mikel

John Obi Mikel - The tug-of-war between Manchester United and Chelsea over the Nigerian teenage sensation.

Mladenovic

Dragan Mladenovic - The ex-Red Star, Rangers and Real Sociedad midfielder is now with Incheon United in the Korean K-League.

Musampa

Kiki Musampa - The much-traveled dreadlocked midfielder is now with FC Seoul in the Korean K-League.

Nakamura

Shunsuke Nakamura - The Japan wizard now at Glasgow Celtic via Serie A and Yokohama.

Novo

Nacho Novo - Spanish striker making a name with Glasgow Rangers.

Naturalized Players

Naturalized Players - Naturalized players in national teams.

Neill

Lucas Neill - West Ham United and Australia defender Lucas Neill.

Olic

Ivica Olic - Croatian striker.

Park Ji-sung

Park Ji-sung & Park Chu-young - South Korea's dynamic young duo.

Perryman

Steve Perryman - Ex-Spurs and England midfielder Steve Perryman.

Prso

Dado Prso - Glasgow Rangers & Croatia's new goal scoring sensation.

Robinho

Robinho - Brazil's latest genius - Santos' and now Real Madrid's sensational Robinho.

Ronaldo

Ronaldo - Ronaldo is back in Brazil with Corinthians in an effort to resurrect his career.

Runje

Vedran Runje - Standard Liege and ex-Olympique Marseille's Croatian goalkeeper.

Schweinsteiger

Bastian Schweinsteiger - Bayern and Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Shin

David Shin - A Korean star in the making at Woking?

Southgate

Gareth Southgate - Middlesbrough and England defender Gareth Southgate.

Stoichkov

Hristo Stoichkov - Bulgaria and Barcelona legend and firebrand.

Stojkovic

Dragan Stojkovic - A new Ferrari and a partially sighted woman.

Suker

Davor Suker - Croatian striker supreme with Real Madrid, Arsenal and West Ham.

Ki Sung-yong

Ki Sung-yong - FC Seoul's starlet is set to join Scottish giants Celtic in 2010.

Tevez

Carlos Tevez - Argentina's latest sensation. The ex-Boca Juniors striker was with Brazil's Corinthians before moving to the English Premiership with West Ham United.

Thompson

Archie Thompson - Archie who? The Australian A-League and Socceroos hot shot, that's who.

Toni

Luca Toni - There is no stopping Luca Toni. In Italy he is called King Midas, because every ball he touches turns to gold.

Zoran Tosic

The diminutive Serb winger Zoran Tosic hopes to fills the boots of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Traitors

Football Traitors - The biggest transfers between bitter rivals: Figo, Sol Campbell, Mo Johnston.

Vega

Ramon Vega - Ex-Spurs' Swiss international defender Ramon Vega.

Vieira

Patrick Vieira - The dominant French midfielder has had successful spells at Arsenal and Juve and now plays for Inter in Milan.

Viduka

Mark Viduka - The Socceroos' striker is nearing the end of his international career.

Vieri

Christian Vieri - Italy's nomadic forward.

Li Weifeng

Li Weifeng - Shanghai Shenhua captain and ex-Everton defender.

Dwight Yorke

Dwight Yorke - Ex-Manchester United, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City striker Dwight Yorke joins the Australian A-League's FC Sydney.


More Football Players

Football players: Eduardo da Silva.