The somewhat controversial staging of the World Cup in Qatar in November and December 2022 could not detract from the fact that the skills and talents of the very best players in the world would be showcased at this very special tournament. Indeed, it has always been so since the tournament was first hosted by Uruguay in 1930.

This selection of the top 100 players to have graced the finals includes the golden generation of Brazilians such as Pele, Carlos Alberto and Jairzinho as well as the most gifted players of the 1970s and 80s including Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona, Gary Lineker and Gheorghe Hagi.

Current stars such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe are also featured as are the finest English players from the World Cup-winning side of 1966: Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton, Geoff Hurst and Gordon Banks.

Each entry provides information and statistics about the player's career and their impact on the World Cup.