The 10 Greatest Strikers of All Time

"Der Bomber" had lethal acceleration over short distances, a remarkable aerial game, and uncanny goalscoring instincts.

He could turn quickly and with perfect balance in spaces and at speeds that would cause other players to fall over. He also had a knack of scoring in unlikely situations.

He was as important to the success of West Germany and Bayern Munich as was his team mate, "Der Kaiser" Franz Beckenbauer. His prolific goalscoring was an integral part of the success of both teams.

At the international level, he scored an incredible 68 goals in 62 games. He is now 8th on the list of all time international goalscorers. A deserving winner of the European Footballer of the Year award in 1970.

"The Galloping Major" is regarded by some as the best shooter in football history. His left foot was certainly deadly. It gave goalkeepers nightmares to think that they were to play against the Major the next day.

He was an integral part of two of the greatest sides ever assembled: Hungary's Magical Magyars, and Real Madrid's all-conquering side of the early '60s.

Throughout his club career, he won five Hungarian League titles, five Spanish League titles, and three European Cups, while scoring 582 goals in 669 games.

He was even better for the Magyars, scoring 84 times in 85 games and leading them to a World Cup runners-up position and an Olympic gold medal.

His crowning glory came when he won back-to-back World Player of the Year awards in 1952 and 1953.

The ultimate goal scoring machine. If the viewer is looking for the greatest goalscorer of all time, I declare his search complete.

Peyroteo was the most skilled of the legendary Os Cinco Violinos (The Five Violins). Nobody has ever scored goals like him.

He scored an unpredecented 331 goals in 187 games. And no, you don't need to get your eyes checked. His average scoring rate of 1.68 goals per game remains unparalleled. And will remain so for the foreseeable future.

Goalscoring for Peyroteo was nothing worth talking of. He often scored multiple times in a match. He remains the only player I have heard of who has scored nine times in one match, and eight goals in another. He scored six goals thrice, while scoring five or four goals was nothing out of the ordinary for him.

He was, simply put, the greatest goalscorer. Ever.

He was, without a fragment of doubt, one of the most skilled forwards to play the beautiful game. Had his career not been sadly curtailed by an ankle injury at the age of 27, he could well have been right up there.

His superb all round play won him many admirers, and his grateful teams much silverware. He scored 277 goals in that short, beautiful career, and left all football-fans wondering what could have been.

He was renowned for his strength on the ball, tactical awareness and spectacular strikes and volleys.

During his injury curtailed career, he won a Cup Winners' Cup, three Dutch League titles, three Dutch Cups, three Serie A titles and two European Cups.

He was also an indispensable figure in Holland's 1988 European Championships success.

He was awarded the prestigious Ballon d'Or thrice. Till date, nobody has exceeded that tally.

Benfica's golden boy is the biggest name in Portuguese football. "The Black Pearl" was known for his speed and for his powerful, accurate right-footed strike.

He shrugged off many evils, including racism, to become known as the first world-class African striker the world had ever seen.

He helped the Portugal national team reach third place at the 1966 World Cup, being the top goalscorer of the tournament with nine goals.

While at Benfica, he won the Portuguese League 11 times, the Portuguese Cup five times, and the European Cup twice, reaching another three finals.

He scored a jaw-dropping 727 goals in 715 games. Some statisticians claim he scored as many as 1137. He was the deserving winner of the Ballon d'Or in 1965.

During the late '90s and early '00s, the Phenomenon was the most feared player in the world, and for good reason. He made the No. 9 famous and made it synonymous with the position of center forward.

He is considered by many football fans and players to be the greatest striker in the history of football, especially noted for the 1996-97 season with FC Barcelona, considered by many to be the greatest display ever by a footballer in a season.

His clinical finishing, ability to beat defenders with ease, skills on the ball and his many comebacks from injury have seen him lauded by football fans worldwide.

He was the first superstar to popularize Futsal and Street Football skills on the pitch, becoming associated with the stepover.

At his prime, absolutely nobody could stop him. It was just fun and games, whether he should shoot or go past the goalkeeper and into the net or pass the ball to a waiting teammate.

Nobody has scored more World Cup goals than him. This three-time World Player of the Year was truly a phenomenon.

Johan Cruyff was the greatest exponent of Total Football. Few have been as versatile as him. Strictly speaking, he was a centre forward. But he would drop deep to confuse his markers or suddenly move to the wing with devastating effect.

Cruyff was known for his technical ability, speed and acceleration, but his greatest quality was vision, based on an acute sense of his team-mates' positions as an attack unfolded.

Few have been able to extract as much from others. He was once dubbed "Pythagoras in boots" for the complexity and precision of his angled passes.

He mesmerized the world and destroyed defenders for years with his famed "Cruyff Turn".

Nobody deserved those three Ballon d'Or awards more than he did. Few have been able to exact, both physically and mentally, such mesmeric control on a match from one penalty area to another.

If the people are always right, then Maradona is the greatest player the world has ever witnessed in action.

He strummed the football as if it were a guitar. His pace, dribbling and unpredictability are matched by none in the annals of the game.

He had a compact physique and could withstand physical pressure well. His strong legs and low center of gravity gave him an advantage in short sprints.

He was a strategist and a team player, as well as highly technical with the ball. He could manage himself effectively in limited spaces, and would attract defenders only to quickly dash out of the melee, or give an assist to a free teammate. He was a dangerous free kick taker as well.

He helped his club teams to much silverware, including an Argentinian League title, a Spanish Cup, two Serie A titles, an Italian Cup and a UEFA Cup.

He also inspired Argentina to success in the 1986 World Cup. His Rabona will never be forgotten. Neither will his two goals against England.

Love him or hate him, his quality cannot be denied.

Pelé played as an inside forward, striker, and what later became known as the playmaker position.

His technique and natural athleticism have been universally praised and during his playing years he was renowned for his excellent dribbling and passing, his pace, powerful shot, exceptional heading ability, and prolific goalscoring.

He played for Santos for the vast majority of his career, winning silverware almost every year. His massive trophy haul makes him the player with the most career titles. Nobody has ever matched his three World Cup wins.

His 1281 goals in 1363 games is the highest FIFA recognised tally by any player in history. The IOC named him athlete of the century, FIFA, Footballer of the Century.

The Blond Arrow was probably the most versatile player ever to kick a ball.

He was a powerful forward with great stamina, tactical versatility, and vision, who could also play almost anywhere on the pitch.

He was famous for the way he controlled the game. He could pop anywhere - next to his own goalkeeper, or in the penalty area of the other team.

He was regarded as the main man at Real Madrid despite playing alongside the likes of Ferenc Puskas, Francisco Gento, and Raymond Kopa. That alone speaks volumes for his talent.

A look at his impeesive resume shows he won two Argentinian League titles, four Columbian league titles, eight La Liga titles, a Spanish Cup, and five consecutive European Cups.

He played football for three different countries, yet never played in a World Cup.

His remarkable goalscoring return of 431 goals in 587 matches broke many records. Some of those records still stand.

In my opinion, this two-time Ballon d'Or winner is definitely the greatest striker of all time!