Simply the Best Trivia Game | Soccer

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This Brazilian won the World Cup three times, and he is considered by many to be the best player of all time. Who is he?

Answer: Pele

Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in October 1940, Pele rose to fame at a very early age. At age 17, he was part of the Brazil squad that won the 1958 World Cup. He also won the World Cup in 1962 and 1970. He played most of his career for Santos, but also played for New York Cosmos for two years (1975-77) at the end of his career.

2. This football legend was in his heyday with Manchester United during the 1960s, and he is known as much for his football skills as for his love of women, partying and alcohol. Who is this legend?

Answer: George Best

George Best was born in 1946 in Belfast. He started his professional career at Manchester United, making his debut in 1963. He played there until 1974, making 474 appearances, scoring 181 goals and winning the Ballon d'Or (European Footballer of the Year) award in 1968.

After Best left United, he played for several other clubs around the world, but never again at the highest level. Best died in London in 2005, at age 59.

3. He is the greatest exponent of the "Total Football" doctrine. He served Ajax and Barcelona successfully both as a player and as a manager. Who is he?

Answer: Johan Cruyff

Johan Cruyff (or Cruijff) was born in 1947 in Amsterdam. Under the guidance of Rinus Michels, Cruyff led Ajax to three consecutive European Champion Clubs' Cup wins (1971-73), before he transferred to Barcelona in 1973. His managerial spell at Barcelona was extremely successful, as he won European Champion Clubs' Cup in 1992 (after that year it was renamed UEFA Champions League) and the Primera Division (La Liga) four times in a row, from 1991 to 1994. "Total Football" means: players did not need to play in a fixed position - all postions where interchangeable dsuring the game (apart from goalkeeper). Any player could fill the hole created by his teammate moving to another position on the field.

4. He led France to their first World Cup in 1998 and their second European Championship in 2000. In the last game of his career, he was expelled for striking Marco Materazzi. Who is this legend?

Answer: Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane, also known as Zizou, was born in 1972 in Marseille. He scored two goals in the 1998 World Cup final to help France win the trophy, and another one in the 2006 final that France lost to Italy. At club level, he played five years for Juventus and another five for Real Madrid.

He won the Champions League with Madrid in 2002, after losing two finals with Juventus in 1997 and 1998. In 2004, he was voted as the best European footballer of the past fifty years in the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll.

5. This Portuguese legend of Mozambican descent led his country to third place in the World Cup, while playing for Benfica for fifteen years and winning the European Cup with them. Who is he?

Answer: Eusebio

Eusebio was born in 1942 in Portuguese East Africa (which later became Mozambique). He played for Benfica from 1960 to 1975. During that time he won the Primeira Liga (Portuguese top division) eleven times. He also won the European Champion Clubs' Cup in 1962, but his greatest achievements came at the 1966 World Cup in England, where Portugal came in third. Eusebio scored nine goals in that tournament, including four in the quarter-final against North Korea.

6. Generally considered as the greatest goalkeeper of all time, this footballer won the inaugural European Championship with his country in 1960. His nickname is "The Black Spider". Who is this goalkeeper?

Answer: Lev Yashin

Lev Yashin was born in 1929 in Moscow. While he played for Soviet Union, other than winning the European Championship in 1960, he helped them come in second in 1964, as well as fourth in the 1966 World Cup. He is the only goalkeeper who won the Ballon d'Or in the 20th century (1963). Yashin died in Moscow in 1990, at age 60.

7. He is one of the two players who are conjointly considered the best footballers of all time. His most famous moments came in the 1986 World Cup, when he scored two memorable (for different reasons) goals against England. Who is he?

Answer: Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona was born in 1960 in Lan�s. He played for several clubs, but his most important time was at Napoli. Maradona won the 1986 World Cup with Argentina. His two goals against England in the quarter-final are known as the "Hand of God" goal and the "Goal of the Century". Maradona finished his international career in 1994 with 91 caps and 34 goals.

8. He is one the most famous French footballers ever. He won the European Championship in 1984 with France and he became the president of UEFA in 2007. Who is he?

Answer: Michel Platini

Michel Platini was born in 1955 in Joeuf, France. He scored nine goals in the 1984 European Championship that was won by France. At club level his most important achievements came with Juventus, with which he won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1984 and the European Cup (now the UEFA Champions League) in 1985. On January 26, 2007, he replaced Lennart Johansson as the President of UEFA.

9. He is widely considered as the best German footballer and one of the best defenders of all time. He has won the World Cup both as a player and as a manager. His nickname is "Der Kaiser" (The Emperor). Who is he?

Answer: Franz Beckenbauer

Franz Beckenbauer was born in 1945 in Munich. He played for Bayern Munich from 1964 to 1977 and he was the captain of the team when they won three consecutive European Cups (1974-76). He was also the captain of West Germany when they won the World Cup in 1974.

He won the World Cup as manager of West Germany in 1990, becoming the second person to win it both as a player and a manager after the Brazilian Mario Zagallo.

10. He is one of the superstars that rose to fame in the 2000s and 2010s. His achievements are shocking, as at age 24 he had already won the Ballon d'Or award and the UEFA Champions League three times each. During the 2011-12 season, he scored 50 goals in 37 games in La Liga. Who is he?

Answer: Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi was born in 1987 in Rosario, Argentina. In 2006 he won his first Champions League with Barcelona, but he was only a secondary player for the club at the time. By 2009 however, when he won his second Champions League, he had become Barcelona's undisputed leader. Later that year he won his first Ballon d'Or.

He went on to win it again in 2010 and 2011, after it had been renamed FIFA Ballon d'Or. He also won his third Champions League in 2011, again with Barcelona.

Source: Author Gil_Galad

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Simply the Best Trivia Quiz

Many football players are gifted, but there are a select few who are considered the best of all time. Can you identify them?

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