Romania’s Gheorghe Hagi ranked 82nd greatest footballer of all time

The former Romanian midfielder Gheorghe Hagi is in 82nd place in the ranking of the greatest footballers of all time, compiled by international sports magazine The Athletic, cited by TuttoMercatoWeb.

In the opinion of The Athletic, the greatest footballer in history is the Argentinian Lionel Messi, followed by compatriot Diego Maradona and Brazil's Pelé. In 4th place is the Dutchman Johan Cruyff, and in 5th place the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo.

Gheorghe Hagi, now 60, is one position below Denis Law and one position above the Englishman Dixie Dean. He is ranked better than Philipp Lahm, Paolo Rossi, Tostao, Eric Cantona, Gareth Bale, and others.

“We look at those who have left a legacy, whether they are known for a distinct trademark flash of skill or if they have reinvented tactics or even an entire position. We reflect on national icons from Pele to Paolo Maldini, Cristiano Ronaldo to Diego Maradona and, via their stories, revisit some of the game’s most glorious matches and incidents,” the authors of the book noted.

Among active footballers, those who appear in the top 50 are Kylian Mbappé (29th place), Luka Modrić (36), Manuel Neuer (38), Karim Benzema (41), and Neymar (46).

(Photo source: Cosmin Iftode | Dreamstime.com)