by Simon Wright

Created on: June 09, 2008

There have been countless influential football (soccer) players in the game's long history. Some of those players have been influential by virtue of their playing brilliance, whilst others have been equally influential in other ways. This article includes a balance between these two camps of influential players.

- Pele. Brazilian legend who burst onto the scene during the 1958 World Cup when, aged just seventeen, he inspired his nation to World Cup glory. He was a winner again in 1962 and 1970 and scored over 1,000 goals during his club career. Pele is undoubtedly one of the most recognised names and faces in world sport and he is often rated as the second most famous sports person ever, after boxing legend, Ali.

Pele also was instrumental in the first attempt to bring soccer to the US masses, in the 1970s, and these days is often seen promoting Viagra on billboards and posters! However, his real influence has been in inspiring so many youngsters to take up the sport and aspire to being as great as he was. The fact that he was a black man also was important in showing that football wasn't just a sport for white kids.

- Diego Maradona. The debate rages on as to whether Pele or Maradona was the greatest ever player. Certainly, both were true greats of the game and the diminutive Argentinean played an important role in encouraging a new generation of youngsters to practice their skills and dream of replicating their hero's brilliance.

- David Beckham. In terms of playing ability, Beckham's name doesn't deserve to be anywhere near to the names of Pele and Maradona! However, Beckham has been perhaps just as influential in other ways. He represents a key aspect of the modern game; namely that of branding and media influence. The name Beckham is a brand with all kinds of merchandising and other revenue generating possibilities attached to it. Real Madrid made a huge amount of money from sales of replica shirts when they signed him from Man Utd and the MLS was quick to realise the potential of brand Beckham to raise the profile of their league.

His good looks and celebrity wife also add to the allure and mean that Beckham's influence reaches much further than many more talented players from the same era. In fairness, he has been a good player and reaching 100 caps for England has been a great achievement. There's no doubt that many future footballers will seek to follow in his footsteps.

- Jean-Marc Bosman. Bosman was a little known Belgian player who had an unremarkable

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