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The ingenuity and creativity that symbolize the game of football would render a form of art rather than the physical context of the sport. Football players are granted the freedom of expression that is why it is the distinguished sport from others. Cricketers and baseball players are limited to specific actions, but football players may dribble, tackle, pass, or shoot in variety of different ways, which allows footballers to reach the peak of the sport.

The list below doesn’t include the current star players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, rather the list contains the players who have retired from the beautiful game.

10. Zinedine Zidane – France

Zinedine Zidane’s strong points are his passing, strength, ball control and individual skill. We got to see the best performances from Zidane in the most important or decisive games that we don’t get to see from many players. In 789 games he scored total of 159 goals as a central midfielder. He won 2000 European Championships and 1998 World Cup with France. With Real Madrid and Juventus he won one European Cup and 3 league titles.

9. George Best – Northern Ireland

The career of George Best was inundated by drink problems, but his ability and talent was almost unmatched. With Manchester United he won two league titles and 1968 European Cup. In 579 games he scored total of 205 goals as an attacking midfielder and was the winner of Ballon d’Or in 1968.

8. Ferenc Puskas – Hungary

Puskas was known for his precise goal scoring ability. Combining his scoring talent with the ability to produce new skills and general intelligence, he scored 700 goals in total of 705 matches. With Real Madrid he won 5 league titles and 3 European Cups. In 1954 he led Hungary to the World Cup Final.

7. Alfredo Di Stefano – Argentina

Stefano was a prolific player for Real Madrid with 511 sensational goals in 702 games. He wasn’t an orthodox forward though; he used to appear all over the filed, passing, tackling, and dictating the game. As a whole he was a complete footballer the game has ever seen. He won 5 European Cups with Real Madrid, and won total of 13 league titles throughout his career.

6. Michel Platini – France

With 353 goals in 652 matches, it wouldn’t be wrong to say Michel was an attacking midfielder. He was a superb free kick taker and excellent passer. Scoring 9 goals in 1984 European Cup, he almost helped France to win the championship. He won 3 league titles and a European Cup with Juventus.

5. Franz Beckenbauer – Germany

In today’s lingo, Beckenbauer was a defensive midfielder or a sweeper, but that wasn’t enough to stop him from scoring 111 goals in 776 appearances for Bayern Munich and Germany. Just like Di Stefano, he was seen all over the field, exerting his influence and dictating the game. Obviously he was the decisive captain, but combined with his all round technical ability, passing and dribbling; he was surely one of the greatest footballers ever. He won the 1972 European Championships, 1974 World Cup, along with 8 league titles and 3 European Cups during his career in clubs.

4. Johann Cruyff – Netherlands

Cruyff had the pace and dribbling of George Best and the strength, control and skill of Zinedine Zidane. Combination of calculating intelligence, clinical ability and sublime gracefulness made him the complete football player. As an attacking midfielder he scored 401 goals in 710 appearances. He won 10 league titles and 3 European Championships.

3. Zico – Brazil

Zico’s capability in football world was never in question, though he was seldom included in the list of top players due to his deficiency of successes. He was a prolific goal scorer with 527 goals in 769 matches. His ability to produce unique skills and shots also made him remarkable creator of goals. Moreover, he had mastered the free-kick and heading ability. He won 4 league titles and the Copa Libertadores.

2. Pele- Brazil

Pele is often ranked the best footballer in the history of the game. His dribbling ability, pace, strength and sheer power saw him score varieties of goal. In 1366 games he scored 1282 goals. The ultimate goal score machine helped Brazil win World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970. He also won 5 league titles and 2 Copa Libertadores.

1. Diego Maradona – Argentina

Undoubtedly Maradona’s talent was the greatest ever seen in the history of football. His crossing and passing were precise, his goal scoring was clinical and unique, and his dribbling ability was mesmerizing which helped earn him plenty of assists throughout his career. Being an attacking midfielder he score 345 goals in 680 matches. Though he had a difficult career than Pele, he still won 3 league titles and 1986 World Cup. He also won UEFA Cup with Napoli.

The clear leaders of Group B are Argentina, twice winners of the World Cup in 1978 and 1986. The best challenge could come from Nigeria. Greece have become lacklustre since their shock Euro 2004 win; they are, in fact, lucky to have qualified for this World Cup, given their struggle in the qualifiers.

S.Korea, arguably the best among the three Asian teams at FIFA 2010, complete the group. Argentina have met and beaten all the other three at previous World Cups, the Koreans in 1986, the Greeks in 1994, and the Nigerians in 1994 and 2002.

The fact that they have been to a semi-final in 2002 gives South Korea a psychological edge over Nigeria and Greece, for what it’s worth. We can expect some fleet footed counter attacks from the Koreans. They are fast, if nothing else.

Nigeria, however, have had some fighting encounters with the South American giants, in the past. Confederation Cup 1995 saw a goalless draw; Olympics 1996 and 2008, Argentina barely scraped past the African team, 3-2 and 1-0.

Two draws between Nigeria and S.Korea in 2006-2007 friendlies leaves unanswered the question as to who are the better outfit, of the two.

Nigeria could see some support from the crowds as a kind of African solidarity.

Nigeria have met Greece twice, winning by an identical 2-0 margin on both occasions, the first at the 1994 World Cup, the next in a friendly, in 1999. Greece have disappointed as a team after they won Euro 2004.

Contrastingly, the Koreans have had a better showing against the Africans, winning 2 of the 3 friendlies the teams played between 1983 and 2001.

This is an interesting group, as it is hard to predict the second team, apart from Argentina, that’s likely to go through to the round of 16. On paper, at least, Nigeria look the likeliest, with the remote possibility of an improved showing by Greece.

The Argentina matches are likely to attract crowds who’ll throng to see their goal-happy forward line led by Messi. The group is likely to provide Argentina a great opportunity to showboat their attacking skills. Maradona has decided on an all-out attack strategy, with no Plan B to fall back on.

So if nothing else, expect lots of goals and some dazzling football from the Argentine forward line against defences that are not quite top-notch enough to keep them in check.

Two weeks in to the world cup we get to the first knock out games of the tournament. This is where tournament football is at its best. Extra time and penalties come into play if the teams are drawing and the excitement cannot be contained as both teams go for it from the start. No more bore draws. No more parking the bus in front of the goal.

The Winner of Group A will take on the Runner up of Group B.

Group A consists of South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay and France. My prediction is that France will top the group with South Africa coming in second ahead of Mexico.

Group B consists of Argentina Nigeria South Korea and Greece. My prediction is that Argentina will head the group and Nigeria in second place.

The 15:00 game will be between France and Nigeria. What a game this is going to be. I can see this being a classic with attacking football from both the French and the Nigerians. Form says that France will win and I have to agree. It always seem that the big teams get the rub of the green. Maybe its an unconscious decision by the referee. France have great players in Frank Ribery and Thierry Henry. With those two on form I can see them having a great game against the Nigerians. France, winners of the World Cup on home soil in 1998 will have a lot of work to do in order to get past this excellent African team. We will have to wait and see. I predict that France will win in extra time.

Costa Rica

Did you know- Like Mexico, USA, and Trinidad & Tobago, Costa Rica sent soccer players to the FIFA World Cup in Germany in 2006. On that occasion, CR was one of the world’s 31 best national squads. But before it could do that, by 2004, the national team qualified for the Olympics in Athens, the capital city of Greece.

Germany

Did you know – Like Italy, Brazil and Argentina, Germany is listed among the World’s best teams. Out of 19 competitions, Germany won three times. Between June 16 and July 4, 1954, it won its first international event when the German team captured the V World Championship in Switzerland. In the final match, they beat Hungary 3-2. Curiously, in the preliminary round, it lost 8-3 to Hungary. This was the first time in which a nation other than Uruguay and Italy had won the FIFA World Cup. Two decades later, by 1974, the men’s soccer team of West Germany, led by its star Franz Beckenbauer, won its second global title by beating Holland 2 to 1 in the final game. Subsequently, in 1990, the national squad came in first place in the Men’s Soccer World Cup in Rome, Italy.

Ghana

Did you know- For political reasons, the government of Ghana -an international known opponent of apartheid in the 20th century- did not send a national team to the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada. Later on, by 1992, Ghana’s national football squad won its first ever Olympic medal when it finished third in the Olympiad in Barcelona, Spain. Soccer is the country’s national passion.

Honduras

Did you know- The men’s soccer team from Honduras won the third place, bronze medal, in the Central American and Caribbean Games in Havana, the capital city of Cuba, in 1930.

Kuwait

Did you know- To prepare for the Asian Championships, the under-20 national soccer team visited Brazil, one of the world’s best known soccer centres, in October 1978. Later on, throughout the 1980s, Kuwait, encouraged by Emir Sheik Jabir Al-Ahmad al-Jabir as-Sabah, competed in two international events. Firstly, it qualified for the 1980 Moscow Olympics. On that occasion, the men’s football team of Kuwait finished sixth, outpacing Algeria, Nigeria, Colombia, and other countries. Then, in 1982, the Arab nation, by virtue of its triumph in the Asian Tournament, sent soccer players to the FIFA World Cup in Madrid, Spain. In the course of the tournament, Kuwait lost to France and England. However, in one of the most memorable moments in Spain’82, Kuwait tied with Czechoslovakia (Olympic gold medalist in 1980) 1-1.

The Wales national football team don’t have the greatest history as a far football is concerned, they have only qualified for one World Cup Finals in 1958, where they were beaten 1-0 in the quarter finals, by the eventual winners Brazil.

In 1977 Wales played Scotland in a World Cup qualifying match, which, had they won, would have seen Wales reach the World Cup Finals in Argentina in 1978. A hand ball by Joe Jordan was to prove a decisive factor in the game, which Scotland won.

Even before the game, Wales were to lose their home ‘advantage’ when the fixture was re-scheduled to be played at Anfield, England, rather than in Wales at Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground. This followed the Football Association of Wales’ decision to move the game to secure a larger crowd and to make more money. A huge number of Scottish fans attended the game, far more than would ever have been possible at Wrexham, which created a very hostile atmosphere for the Welsh players who were also playing on an unfamiliar pitch.

The game itself remained goalless until, in the 78th minute, came the fateful moment for Wales following an incident with Scotland’s Joe Jordan

The Scotland striker, Jordan, jumped with Wales defender David Jones to challenge for a long throw-in into the Welsh penalty area, with Jordan then deliberately punching the ball towards the Welsh goal, to the astonishment of the Welsh fans and players, the French referee Robert Wurtz awarded a penalty. Television replays clearly showed it was Jordan’s and not Jones’ hand that had touched the ball, but the referee had made his decision.

Scotland’s Don Masson scored the penalty, which broke Wale’s hearts, and with minutes remaining as Wales pushed forward in search of an equalising goal, Kenny Dalglish scored a second goal and the Wales dream was over and it was Scotland who would go to the World Cup finals.

Prior to the game everyone in the Wales was talking about Argentina and the World Cup finals and many still feel upset about the incident to this day.

To rub salt into the Welsh wounds, Joe Jordan refuses to own up to his handball and has never apologised.

Diego Maradona was famously involved in a handball incident in the 1986 World Cup when he scored a goal against England, and then claimed it was the ‘hand of God’ that had intervened.

More recent ‘handball’ incidents include that of Thierry Henry in the qualifying game against Ireland for the 2010 World Cup Finals, which have now eclipsed Wales’ injustice, and while Joe Jordan has made never made any claims of divine intervention, he will be fortunate to find any Wales supporters who will forgive him easily.

Football and controversy are best friends. And they continued to be friends throughout 2010. Here are the best seven football controversies we wrote about during the year:

1. Maradona Vs Pele: A Perennial Rivalry

When Argentina had beaten Nigeria and were about to take on South Korea, Maradona decided to stake everything on his team winning the World Cup. With the conviction of a man who already had the World Cup securely locked in his cupboard, Maradona decided to settle scores with Pele and Platini who had questioned his coaching skills. To begin with, he said that Pele belonged in a museum…

2. Are The Brazil Holland Match-Fixing Rumours True?

There are conspiracy theories doing the rounds, about the World Cup. A popular one is that the Brazil Holland quarter-final was ‘fixed’…

3. Lampard’s Disallowed Goal At FIFA World Cup 2010

Uruguayan referee, Larrionda, might have actually done the football world a favour with his disallowing of Lampard’s goal in the England-Germany match at the World Cup…

4. Holland Unhappy With Referee Webb

Holland coach Bert van Merwyjk spoke out against referee Howard Webb after his side’s 1-0 loss to Spain in the final of FIFA World Cup 2010…

5. Jambulani Ball: Adidas Lets Out The Secret

Adidas, the manufacturer of the Jambulani Ball, has revealed the real reason why teams who received the ball in February failed to get used to the Jambulani…

6. Referee Scores Winning Goal

Football referees are human too. Like us fans, they want to see goals scored in games. And like us, again, they are bored when they are forced to officiate in goalless draws.

7. Referee Beats Up Players

Everyone goes to a football game to watch a good fight. And the fight becomes even more interesting when it’s between players and referees.