As with every major sport, football fans constantly debate who the greatest players in history are, with numerous names vying for the top spot.
Having won multiple Ballon d’Or awards and scoring an extraordinary 926 goals for both club and country, Ronaldo is undoubtedly a name that springs to mind when considering football’s all-time best. ..Continue Reading
However, Suarez opted not to include the Manchester United and Real Madrid star in his top five strikers.
The Uruguayan, himself considered one of the best forwards of his era, has played alongside elite players like Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr, lending credibility to his judgment when it comes to evaluating strikers.
During an interview with Bleacher Report, the former Barcelona star revealed his list of the top five strikers ever—a list featuring names that may come as a surprise to some.
5: Romario
First on Suarez’s list is Brazilian legend Romario, regarded as one of the finest goalscorers in football history, with an impressive tally of 700 official goals over his career.
“Number five is Romario,” Suarez said. “[The] finish time for him is amazing.”
Romario, despite playing just 65 matches for Barcelona, scored 39 goals, averaging a strike every 139 minutes.
In comparison, Suarez boasted a superior scoring rate for Barcelona, netting a goal every 122 minutes on average.
4: Ronaldo Nazario
“Then Ronaldo, the Brazilian Ronaldo. He’s really good,” Suarez said.
“He’s so quick, he’s so fast. He’s an intelligent guy, a really good player.”
It’s no shock that Suarez honored Ronaldo while selecting the greatest strikers ever, given the Brazilian’s iconic reputation in football history.
The legendary player, a two-time Ballon d’Or recipient, netted an impressive 371 goals in 580 matches for both club and country, cementing his place as one of the all-time greats.
3: Diego Forlan
Although Forlan’s spell at Manchester United was underwhelming, he became nearly unstoppable later in his career, especially when playing for his national team alongside Suarez.
“For me, he’s one of the best,” confessed Suarez.
“I played with him, [he’s a] really good striker, he played for the team. He liked to shoot from wherever you want. He’s really good and he’s number three.”
Forlan and Suarez played 58 games together, with both men playing a key role to their nation’s victory in the 2011 Copa America.
2: Gabriel Batistuta
“Number two is Batistuta. [My] favourite player when I was a child,” Suarez explained.
“Really good number nine, he took free-kicks, I loved his character as well.”
At the peak of his powers in the nineties, Batistuta is a player overlooked by some.
The Argentine star scored a breathtaking 204 goals in 331 appearances while representing Serie A team Fiorentina.
1: Lionel Messi
The Barcelona legend is arguably the greatest player of all time and is a friend of Suarez’s and therefore was going to make it into his top five strikers list.
“Number one for me is Messi,” Suarez said confidently.
Having played together at both Barcelona and current team Inter Miami, Suarez and Messi have a massive 285 appearances together and have combined to score a total of 113 goals.
