Photo by Wikimedia Commons 2.0
Whether it be a jaw-dropping piece of skill or a cutting edge pass, individual moments of quality tend to make all the difference on the football pitch.
Putting the ball in the back of the net has long been the optimal currency for stat makers but without a creative force behind them, some of the greatest strikers in history wouldn’t be able to boast the numbers they do.
Often operating between midfield and attack, playmakers are tasked with making things happen when their team is on the ball and when they make things tick, their teams tend to play well.
Another key consideration when looking at playmakers, is how they deal with the threat of the opposition. Every team they play against will devise a plan to ‘stop’ them from influencing the game, yet the elite playmakers manage to find a way to always make the difference.
Punters and football betting sites are all too aware of these mercurial talents, who are always well placed to influence the game in terms of goals and assists, with plenty of supporting betting markets out there for players to get on board with.
Over the grand pantheon of those to have ever played the game, the list of potential greatest ever playmakers is comprehensive but here are 5 of the very best:
5. Kevin de Bruyne
Belgian Kevin de Bruyne had to forge his name into footballing history the hard way, but he has evolved into one of the greatest creative forces in the game.
Coming through the ranks at Genk, de Bruyne was thrust into the limelight at Chelsea as a 20-year-old but his tenure at Stamford Bridge was somewhat underwhelming.
However, KDB would not be deterred, and he enjoyed three superb seasons in the Bundesliga (one with Werder Bremen and two with Wolfsburg), before he made his big move to Manchester City.
At the Etihad, de Bruyne developed into one of the greatest forces in world football, playing a key role in Manchester City winning 6 Premier League titles.
He also won the Champions League, 4 League Cups, 2 FA Cups and a UEFA Super Cup during his time at City – cementing his legacy as one of the most successful players to ever play for the club.
With incredible vision, pinpoint accuracy off both feet and the ability to pick holes in the tightest of defences, de Bruyne’s playmaking abilities have become iconic.
He left City in 2025, following a hugely successful decade with the club and now plies his trade at Napoli, as he looks to add to his incredible list of career accolades.
4. Andres Iniesta
The great Spanish team of the 2000’s and 2010’s was littered with many incredible players, but Andres Iniesta was the creative force at the heart of all their success.
His partnership with fellow midfield maestro Xavi became iconic and the two products of Barcelona’s academy went on to forge a remarkable understanding on the pitch.
Diminutive in stature, Iniesta’s ability to break down defences was second to none and his role for both Barcelona and Spain evolved as his career developed.
Amassing 9 La Liga titles, 6 Copas Del Rey and 4 Champions Leagues with Barcelona, as well as the 2010 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2008 and 2012, Iniesta’s list of footballing accolades are truly remarkable.
With nearly 700 appearances for Barcelona under his belt, Iniesta’s impact on the club will never be forgotten and his playmaking ability has become folklore at the Nou Camp.
3. Diego Maradona
There are very few footballing countdowns that don’t feature Diego Maradona, such was the impact the Argentine had on the game.
A striker by trade, Maradona’s goal return stands up well against most of his contemporaries but what cut him apart was his creativity on the pitch.
Gliding past people at will, using both feet to create goal scoring opportunities and playing the killer pass were all traits Maradona exhibited on many occasions, and he was a footballing icon in his homeland.
Adored by fans of Boca Juniors, Napoli and Barcelona, Maradona played the game like nobody before or after him and his creative talents set him apart as one of the best players to have ever graced the game.
2. Zinedine Zidane
Frenchman Zinedine Zidane announced himself to the world in the 1998 FIFA World Cup final, bagging a brace against Brazil but his impact on the game was far more wide ranging than that.
Coming through the ranks at Cannes and then Bordeaux, it was at Juventus where Zidane made his name and his impact on both the ‘Old Lady’ and the French national team was exponential.
A maverick on the field of play, Zidane was always unflustered by attempts to stop him playing, with razor like precision when shooting and passing, he could carve open even the most ardent of defences.
Following his 1998 World Cup final heroics, he opted to move to Real Madrid in 2001, where he continued to cement his legacy as the best player in the world at that time – winning the Ballon d’or in 1998.
He won the Champions League in 2002 and La Liga in 2003, in a relatively tricky period for Madrid but his presence on the pitch always made them a joy to watch.
1. Lionel Messi
In a similar vein to his idol and compatriot Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi has defined a footballing generation in Argentina and his statistics more than speak for themselves.
A mercurial talent, Messi was handed his debut for Barcelona at the age of 16 and from that moment on, he cultivated a new footballing era at the Nou Camp.
With pace to burn and one of the most cultured left feet in footballing folklore, Messi’s ability to ghost past players and put the ball in the back of the net propelled him to global stardom.
In addition to his phenomenal goal record, Messi has always possessed the ability to unlock any defence, and his creativity and guile makes him stand alone as one of the greatest playmakers of all time.
With 672 goals in 778 Barcelona appearances, his record more than speaks for itself and since leaving the Catalan giants in 2021, he has gone on to continue to bang the goals in for PSG and Inter Miami.
Being the difference maker in any game constitutes a special playmaker and more often than not throughout his career, Lionel Messi has delivered when it matters most.
