Soccer is a beautiful game and these 7 countries that produce the best soccer players in the world are among the most credited for that fact. There is a saying in the world of soccer: “Everybody now knows to play well”. That is a fact; there has never been fiercer competition. For example, in the past, there were countries that didn’t have good players competing on the highest level. Now, almost every country is strong enough to make a difference on the soccer field.
Brazil, Argentina, England, Germany, France, Italy, Spain were always the soccer’s most appreciated countries. They had the best leagues, the best players and the best national squads. Now, some of these countries are not as strong as they used to be. This isn’t because they have become weaker; it’s because the others have become stronger.
Take U.S.A. for example. Soccer was never popular there in the past. NFL, NHL, MLB, and NBA were always ahead, and soccer was left for the rare enthusiasts. Now U.S.A. woke up, and there is much more interest in soccer. Their clubs are bringing some of the greatest football stars from Europe, and the stadiums are packed with viewers.
This is why it’s harder to determinate 7 countries that produce the best soccer players in the world than 7 countries that produce the most engineers in the world. The times are changing rapidly, and you can’t tell who will produce the next superstar in soccer because it could be anyone. We decided to bring together old glory with the new one. We took FIFA’s 100 best players of all time completed by arguably the best player who ever played the game, Pele (no offense Maradona). Our second source was 100 best football players in 2015 made by a panel of 123 experts from 49 nations for The Guardian. Each country received one point for every player on both lists, and after summing up the score, we got the definitive ranking of countries that produce the best soccer players. Enjoy.
7. England
The country that created the modern soccer clearly deserved a place on our list. England has the strongest soccer league in the world, but when it comes to players produced in this country, the situation is not so bright. Players from England are not as dominant as they used to be, which proves the fact that their national team’s last title was in 1966. The most notable players England produced are Garry Lineker, George Best, David Beckham and lately Wayne Rooney.
Count: 12
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6. Argentina
Argentina has one of the best players in the world of all time (Diego Maradona) and one of the best players in the world currently (Lionel Messi). That should be reason enough to place Argentine onto our 7 countries that produce the best soccer players in the world. When it comes to soccer talents, Argentina was always one of the main exporters of soccer players in the world, but they are still in the shadow of some other countries. The most notable players Argentina produced besides Maradona and Messi are Alfredo Di Stefano, Gabriel Batistuta, and Sergio Aguero.
Count: 18
5. Spain
Spain always had great players, but the latest generation seems to be the best one. Spanish players have become dominant in the world, which is proven by their national squad wins of World Cup in 2010 and European Championship in 2012. Also, Spain has one of the strongest soccer leagues in the world. The most notable players Spain produced are Raul, Luis Enrique, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Iker Casillas.
Count: 19
4. Italy
Italians were always bounded for their country, so the most players played in the domestic league. That’s one of the reasons Italy always produced top talents in the world of soccer. But, like England, Italy has been slowly losing the pace with other countries. Their last success was winning the World Cup in 2006, and since then, Italian football (and players) seem to stagnate. We can only hope that things can get better from here on. The most notable players Italy produced are Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero, Giacinto Facchetti, Gianluigi Buffon, and Francesco Totti.
Count: 20
3. Germany
The current holder of the World Cup title always had a rich football history. There is a famous quote from one of England’s greatest players Garry Lineker that goes like this: “Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win.” That sums the Germany’s art and devotion to football the best. The most notable players Germany produced are Oliver Kahn, Franz Beckenbauer, Lothar Matthäus, Gerd Müller and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
Count: 20
2. France
France was the most dominant force in the soccer world in the 80ties and late 90ties, but they somehow lost their touch over the years. They failed to produce players who would carry the glory of the old ones and slipped out of the limelight. Now, there is a new generation of talented players from France, who are highly regarded as the upcoming stars. The most notable players France produced are Michael Platini, Thierry Henry, Éric Cantona, and Zinedine Zidane.
Count: 24
1. Brazil
If you are even an occasional soccer fan, you knew the winner of our 7 countries that produce the best soccer players in the world list from the very start. There is no other country in the world that has so much passion for soccer. The names of Pele, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Zico and the rest of exceptional players from Brazil are known all over the world. Brazilian national team is the most successful in the world with most World Cup wins. Players from Brazil are playing all over the world, and they are mainly their team’s stars. In the recent years, there has been a setback, but Brazil is continuously producing soccer superstars.
Count: 25
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