by Colin Anderson

Created on: April 29, 2009

Football (Soccer), is the world's most popular sport. It has been played all over the globe for well over a century, and has produced a wide selection of players who may be described as influential. The players selected for this article have been picked not just because of their talents on the field, although all of them were at least good club players, but for the impact they had on the sport itself. Players have been picked that span the history of the game, from the early twentieth century, through to the present day, and will be discussed in chronological order.

William "Dixie" Dean was a forward who played for Everton in England in the 1920s and 30s, he still hold the record for the most goals in a single season in the English league, scoring sixty league goals in the 1927-28 season, including all five as Everton beat Manchester United 5-2 early in the campaign, and an amazing run of seventeen goals in the last nine league games. Over his career at the Toffees he scored 383 goals in 433 appearances, almost a goal a game! Many of his goals came from headers, and he revolutionised the ariel aspect of the game at the time with his power and precision. This was at the time of very heavy balls, with a thick laced seam on them, making his heading even more remarkable!

Dean played in Everton's FA Cup final victory in 1933 where players wore numbers on their shirts for the first time, he wore the number nine shirt that has gone on to be the number worn by most centre forwards ever since.

Dean was a true sportsman as well as a gifted goalscorer. In his long and distinguished career he was never booked or sent off. He represented England on sixteen occasions, which may not seem a lot by today's standards, but considering international football was in its infancy this represents a decent number. England did not play in the World Cup during Dean's career.

A player that had a key role in the growth of international football, at national, and club level was the legendary Hungarian "Galloping Major" Ferenc Puskas. Puskas made an unlikely football star, he was short and overweight, and famously described by an England player before their first game against Hungary in 1953 as a "little fat chap"! The Hungarian side had the last laugh however, as led by Puskas they demolished England 6-3 and inflicted England's fist ever defeat at Wembley, and their first defeat to a team from outside the British Isles! A few months later Hungary repeated the trick and thumped England 7-1 in

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