Ranking the 10 Strongest Football Players of all time

In the era of fast-paced football, the strongest players often steal the spotlight week in and week out with their physicality and toughness. In order to be a successful footballer on the pitch, a player must possess essential attributes like power, strength, agility, and pace etc. Many footballers have made their mark in the sport’s history by leveraging these qualities to muscle opponents off the ball, break through defenses, and neutralize attackers.

Legendary players like Yaya Toure and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to modern day stars like Antonio Rudiger and Virgil van Dijk have climbed to the top of the game by showcasing their physical dominance on the pitch. Football fans often ask who the strongest football players are, given that displays of strength can sometimes determine the outcome of a match.

These players reach the pinnacle of world football not just with their physicality, but also by using their strength of character. “With great power comes great responsibility”, and it is this diligent fulfillment of those responsibilities that grants them the composure and confidence to back themselves in any adversity. Football players inspire generations, making an example out of their strength will only be fair if both facets of this attribute are imbibed.

What Defines Strength in Football? Our Ranking Criteria

During the compilation of this list, the traits that have been taken into account are, but before that, let’s note what are the ranking factors included to rank the players in order of being the strongest.

Physical Dominance: Players who dominate the game with their physicality often overthrows their oppositions in duels, tackles, one-v-one situations, aerial ball and shielding the ball.

Strength and Athleticism: When strength and athleticism meet with physical prowess and raw power, it allows players to move quickly, improving their agility and endurance.

Mentality: The most strong players are also the players who infuse their vigor throughout the team, raising their mental levels in times of crisis. This takes into account their leadership traits as a leader is the anchor of a team’s strength.

Difficulty playing against: Physicality is a key part of today’s game; thus, naturally, players with more physicality would pose more difficulty for teams and individuals to compete with them in any duel on the footballing field.

Overall Strength: This refers to the actual measure of the player’s strength, even outside the field of football. The muscle mass possessed by the individual, their flexibility, endurance and other related strength measures play an important role in its calculation.

List of 10 Strongest Football Players of All Time

Rank	Name	Position	Country
10	Eusebio	Forward	Portugal
9	Antonio Rudiger	Defender	Germany
8	Adama Traore	Winger	Spain
7	Yaya Toure	Midfielder	Ivory Coast
6	Zlatan Ibrahimovic	Forward	Sweden
5	Romelu Lukaku	Forward	Belgium
4	Virgil van Dijk	Defender	Netherlands
3	Hulk	Forward	Brazil
2	George Elokobi	Defender	Cameroon
1	Adebayo Akinfenwa	Forward	England

Top 10 Strongest Football Players Ever

Football is a contact sport wherein each player on the pitch, irrespective of the position, engages in constant physical tussles to either gain possession of the ball or to close down the spaces and gaps in formations on the field. Although football IQ and being good with the ball are important traits, today’s game is seeing a change to focus on off-the-ball prowess, player physicality and durability.

It is, therefore, undeniable that players with strength are an asset for any football team in any era. Below we discuss some such players, who dominated the football field with their strength of character and body alike.

10. Eusebio (Portugal)

This legendary footballer from Portugal was one of the most prolific and athletic players ever. His appearance in the field used to send waves of terror across the opponent’s benches. The British football fans were amazed by his tall, black figure when Portugal arrived on the shores of England for the 1966 FIFA World Cup. He had a compact muscular frame, which made him highly explosive in duels, this burst of pace seldom left defenders with any other alternative than fouling.

Eusebio’s physical strength, fast-paced runs and trickery earned him truckloads of goals. The best player in the history of Benfica netted 733 goals in 745 matches in his illustrious career. This was no wonder as his shot power would make even the bravest goalkeepers doubt their endeavor. His strong physical appearance led him to earn the famous nickname “Black Panther.” His mental strength was even more exemplary as he often played through pain and fatigue while leading his club and national team to successive glories.

Notable Clubs	Benfica, Boston Minutemen
Major Titles	European Cup, Portuguese titles
Personal Achievements	Golden Boot 1966 FIFA World Cup (9 goals), Ballon d’Or winner in 1965; runner-up in 1962 and 1966
Notable Traits	One of the hardest shots in football

9. Antonio Rudiger (Germany)

One of the greatest defenders in modern football, Antonio Rudiger, has been a standout figure for Real Madrid and the German National Football Team. His height, physique and agility have made him one of the strongest football players ever. The shrewd center-back is too tough to be outsmarted by any forward. The German is a living example of the art of defending, similar to the likes of Sergio Ramos and Carles Puyol in his aggressive, destroyer-type approach towards defensive scenarios.

His exceptional running, physical strength and presence of mind were crucial in the Champions League glory of both Real Madrid and Chelsea. Athleticism is his best attribute, for sure. His towering 6-foot figure is intimidating enough without even factoring in his defensive positioning, his intelligence and speed in transitions, and his resilient pestering to win the ball. His mentality is elite, as he commands the defense robustly. His antics also include mental games to disrupt the opponent team’s concentration and structure.

Notable Clubs	Chelsea, Real Madrid, AS Roma
Major Titles	UEFA Champions League, La Liga, Copa Del Rey, Europa League, FA Cup
Notable Stats	36.7 Km/h (among fastest defenders in Europe), 75%+ tackle success, 65%+ aerial duel win rate
Known for	Strength, aggression, recovery pace, defensive IQ

8. Adama Traore (Spain)

Adama Traore has everything to be called one of the strongest football players ever, but surprisingly, the Spaniard has not been able to reach the front row of the elites following a gloomy spell at Barcelona. When he is in full stride, displaying his lightning pace and incredible strength, it’s almost impossible to stop him. Even the mighty defenders of the Premier League have faced a tough time dealing with his athleticism. However, he has not done justice to his ridiculous talent as he has failed to be one of the most influential players in club football despite playing for the likes of Barcelona and Wolves. In 219 competitive games, he has scored just 13 goals. 

Adama Traore has a bulky physical build, quite a contrast from the usual players in his position, despite not undergoing any reported weight training. This allows him to body multiple defenders at the same time, while simultaneously lacking the nimble feet and vast arsenal of skills possessed by a traditional winger to get past the opponent. He is often pulled back and fouled, due to which he has resorted to applying baby oil on his arms. His impressive acceleration allows him to reach his top speed within 2-3 seconds.

Notable Clubs	Barcelona, Wolves, Aston Villa, Fulham
Major Titles	Copa Del Rey
Notable Stats	Top speed recorded of 38 Km/h (among world’s top five), 30+ combined G/A in the Premier League
Known for	Dribbling, sprinting, strength, low center of gravity

7. Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast)

Yaya Toure is our next pick in this ridiculously talented list of the strongest football players in the world ever. The Ivorian was a gifted string-puller in the middle of the park. During his stints with Barcelona and Manchester City, he delivered obscure passes to pass the opponents with ease. Toure’s tall and big physique was always noticeable in the field, along with his tireless stamina and well-timed tackles. Although he was a box-to-box midfielder known for his strength, his silky gait and technicality with the ball often left opponents astounded.

On top of all that, Yaya was a brilliant striker of the ball, helping his team in difficult scenarios through powerful and precise long-range goals. He hit the peak of his career at Etihad when he used to run the midfield of a resurgent Manchester City. His biggest international achievement was leading his country to the 2015 AFCON glory. He was a crucial part of Barcelona’s sextuple-winning campaign. His aura was majestic as he seemed unbothered in the most critical of situations, lending his team his strong mental fortitude.

Notable Clubs	Barcelona, Manchester City
Major Titles	UEFA Champions League, Premier League, La Liga, FA Cup
Notable stats	Winning Africa Cup of Nations (2015), 4x African Footballer of the year (2011-2014)
Known for	Strength, ball-carrying, long shots, leadership

Also read: Top 10 best football players in the world

6. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was a god-gifted central forward who set numerous records to his name and had a legendary career. He was a nightmare for defenders with his ridiculous stamina and physical strength, partnered with a clinical finish and aggression, which made him one of the elite strikers of the ball. The former Sweden International complemented his club career with a whopping 511 goals in 866 games. His progress can be attributed to his mentality as much as his footballing abilities. Zlatan rose from adversity and poverty with a self-belief and work ethic that has made him unparalleled in the footballing world.

His skillset was comprised of diverse yet complementary attributes, standing taller than 6 feet with the agility of a martial artist, a striker’s brain and finishing, and a first touch capable of killing even the most powerful of shots. One of the strongest football player, Ibrahimovic etched his name in the long-standing memory of the fans, courtesy of some unbelievable goals partnered with a few iconic bicycle Kicks. The former Manchester United and Barcelona star was a cog in the attacking wheel of AC Milan during the twilight of his career.

Notable Clubs	AC Milan, PSG, Barcelona, Man Utd
Major Titles	UEFA Europa League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1
Notable Stats	Total of 496 club goals, 11x Sweden’s Best Player, FIFA Puskas award nominee, Team of the year selections
Known for	Strength, acrobatics, confidence, long-range volleys, leadership

5. Romelu Lukaku (Belgium)

Romelu Lukaku acquired the fourth spot on the list of the strongest football players ever. His six feet three inches height has not been able to create a barrier against his speed. The Belgian striker is incredibly strong yet sprints like a cheetah during a counterattack, making it difficult for the defenders to keep an eye on him. Blessed with necessary attributes such as skills, shooting and supreme physical prowess, Lukaku is a nightmare for his opponents. Left foot, right foot, header, you name it – he can score using any one of them.

His strong and bulky build allows him to bully defenders on his back to turn and take shots on the goal from dangerous areas. His impressive heading and link-up play led him to become part of a world-class strike partnership along with Lautaro Martinez at Inter. He has already amassed more than 236 goals in an up-and-down club career that saw him clinch some of the biggest league trophies across Europe. 

Notable Clubs	Chelsea, Inter Milan, Man Utd
Major Titles	Serie A, UEFA Europa League, FA Cup
Notable Stats	Serie A MVP (2021), Inter top scorer, Belgium all-time scorer, 36.25 Km/h top speed
Known for	Strength, hold-up play, finishing, counter-attacking power

4. Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands)

Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool is most probably the greatest defender currently in the football world. One of the strongest football players, van Dijk has mastered the art of defending with his agility, quick thinking and vision of the play. It is almost impossible to muscle past the Netherlands center-back in a one-on-one situation as he is a serial winner in ground and aerial battles. Standing taller than 6 feet, it is natural that Van Dijk wins most aerial battles; however, what is puzzling is his subsequent ability to defend 1v1’s, cover spaces in the back line and even score some crucial goals.

Liverpool’s recent success, including the Premier League and UEFA Champions League victories, relied mostly upon his leadership qualities. His sublime strength and physical stature have made him an immovable force in the backline of the Reds.  He may not be the strongest football player in terms of strength alone however his overall qualities make him a great defender.

Notable Clubs	Liverpool, Southampton, Celtic
Major Titles	UEFA Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup
Notable stats	45+ goals from headers and set pieces as a defender, UEFA Defender of the Year (2019), Ballon d’Or runner-up (2019), PFA POTY
Known for	physical presence, reading of the game, heading

Also Read: Fastest soccer players ever

3. Hulk (Brazil)

Have you ever heard of a nickname getting more fame than the actual name? Well, in the case of Givanildo Vieira de Sousa, it happened. The Brazilian attacker, whose physical attributes used to be a bullying tool in the field, got the nickname “Hulk” due to his fondness for Lou Ferrigno, who played the role of Hulk on a TV show. He played in five different leagues across the world and became an epitome of physical prowess.

 Even the official website of FIFA described him as a direct powerhouse on the pitch. Hulk clocked over 400 career goals in more than 800 official games. His strong left foot registered an incredible ripper, which recorded a speed of 108 km/h. Hulk will always be remembered as one of the strongest football players ever.

Notable Clubs	FC Porto, Zenit, Shanghai SIPG
Major Titles	UEFA Europa League, Portuguese league titles
Notable stats	Multiple league MVPs, Top Scorer Awards
Known for	Strength, thunderous, shot, dribbling under pressure, endurance

2. George Elokobi (Cameroon)

George Elokobi is one of the most sensational figures on this list. Playing with the English minnows like Wolves and Maidstone, Elokobi established himself as a successful defender who made it impossible for his opponents to muscle past him in tight situations. The muscle-bound defender registered a unique record by scoring in every division of the English leagues. Sublime strength was Elokobi’s forte. He became a cult hero during his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

His hard work, patience and athleticism worked wonders in his 20-year-long journey in football. His every tackle relayed his determination to get the ball back from his opponent team through either tackles or shoulder challenges. The Cameroonian had played his football across three top-tier football leagues: League One, EFL Championship and Premier League.

Notable Clubs	Wolves, Nottingham Forest
Major Titles	English 3rd division title, English 2nd division title
Notable stats	350+ total appearances, 10 goals as a defender
Known for	Strength, power tackling, intimidation, loyalty, fitness

1. Adebayo Akinfenwa (England)

Adebayo Akinfenwa was the strongest football player ever in the history of this beautiful game. The topper of this list looked more like a professional heavyweight champion than a footballer. Widely known for his big physical appearance and ridiculous strength, Adebayo Akinfenwa was given the nickname “Beast” by pundits and fans alike. In 797 appearances, he recorded 234 goals with clubs like Swansea, Northampton, Wimbledon and Torquay.

His physical appearance made many think that he was too big to play football. But, against all odds, he made his way to the top level of football in an eventful career that spanned over 20 years. 

Notable Clubs	AFC Wimbledon, Northampton Town
Major Titles	Welsh Cup, Lithuanian Cup, English 4th division title
Notable Stats	200+ career goals, 97-99 Highest physical rating in FIFA
Known for	Strength, hold-up play, presence, crowd connection

Also Read: Top 10 greatest football players of all time

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