Determine the best player in the world is subjective, but there are always some who are on top of all lists. The greatest geniuses of soccer have been.

#1 - Diego Maradona

#1 - Diego Maradona: More photos

Argentina, 1960

#2 - Leo Messi

Argentina, 24/06/1987

#2 - Leo Messi: More photos

Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an Argentine footballer who currently plays for FC Barcelona and captains the Argentina national team as a striker or winger. Considered one of the best football players of his generation, Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010. His playing style and ability have drawn comparisons to Diego Maradona, who himself declared Messi as his "successor".

#3 - Ronaldo

Brazil, 1976

#4 - Pelé

#4 - Pelé: More photos

Brazil, 1940

#5 - Zinedine Zidane

France, 1972

#6 - Alfredo Di Stéfano

#6 - Alfredo Di Stéfano: More photos

Argentina, 1926

#7 - Romario

Brazil, 1966

#8 - Johann Cruyff

Holland, 1947

#9 - Xavi Hernández

Spain, 25/01/1980

,

#9 - Xavi Hernández: More photos

Xavier Hernández is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona, where he has spent his entire career.
He has been capped 101 times for the Spanish national team, with whom he won UEFA Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup. He was named Player of the Tournament by UEFA at UEFA Euro 2008.
Xavi is considered to be one of the best midfielders in the world, and probably the best spanish soccer player ever.

#10 - Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal, 05/02/1985

Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team. Ronaldo became the most expensive player in football history after moving from Manchester United to Real Madrid in a transfer deal worth £80 million (€94m, US$132m). In addition, his contract with Real Madrid, in which he was to be paid £11 million per year over the following six years, made him the highest-paid football player in the world at the time, and his buyout clause was valued at €1 billion as per his contract.

Candidates submitted by readers

# 11

Ronaldinho Gaúcho

Ronaldo de Assis Moreira is commonly known as Ronaldinho. He is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Flamengo and the Brazilian national team as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, awarded to the best player over the year. He won the award in both 2004 and 2005.

"Ronaldinho," the diminutive and term of endearment for "Ronaldo," is accompanied in Brazilian usage by the nickname "Gaúcho," in order to distinguish him from fellow footballer and countryman Ronaldo, who was known as "Ronaldinho" in Brazil beforehand.

# 12

Luis Figo

Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009. He won 127 caps for the Portuguese national football team, a number that makes him the most capped Portuguese player in history.

Figo was the 2000 European Footballer of the Year, the 2001 FIFA World Player of the Year, and was named amongst the FIFA 100.