15 Most Intelligent Players in Football History [Ranked]

Football intelligence is one of the most prized abilities in the beautiful game. Some players are incredible, and able to follow orders from their manager to perfection. Others are more maverick, playing off the cuff and creating a moment of magic out of nothing, and some, they can do it all.

The factor which separates the most intelligent players from the rest, is the ability to make the right decision, every time. These players analyse the opposition every second, and know their teammates so well, that they can see the game before it has even happened. They are always looking to find space, and deliver the most effective action whenever they have the ball.

From the brilliance of Lionel Messi to the ingenuity of Diego Maradona, here are the top 15 most intelligent players of all time.

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15

Franz Beckenbauer

Clubs: Bayern Munich, New York Cosmos, Hamburger SV

As one of just two defenders to have won a Ballon d’Or, only Fabio Cannavaro joins him on that exclusive list, Franz Beckenbauer belongs in any debate when talking about the smartest men to play football. Not only does he hold that rare achievement, but he is only one of just three players to have won the World Cup, and then lifted the same prize as a manger (doing so for Germany in 1974 and then 1990).

He revolutionized what it meant to play at the back, offering elite defensive skills when called upon, while also being more than comfortable on the ball.. A truly complete footballer, he unique skillset allowed his teams dominate, no matter who he was playing for or against.

14

Kevin De Bruyne

Clubs: Genk, Chelsea, Werder Bremen, Wolfsburg, Manchester City, Napoli

In the history of the sport, there are perhaps only a handful of footballers who could claim to be better passers than Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian midfielder wracked up assist after assist during his time in England, with only Ryan Giggs managing more in the Premier League era. It takes a special mind to dominate like that.

At Manchester City, De Bruyne was so often Pep Guardiola’s brain on the pitch, conducting attack after attack his his brilliantly incisive thinking. The creative force always seemed to know when to drive with the ball, when to release it, when to shoot, and when to patiently keep hold of possession. At his peak, he had total control over opposiion defenders, and so much of that was down to his intelligence.

13

Sergio Busquets

Clubs: Barcelona, Inter Miami

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When you play in a team alongside the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta, your talent is always likely to be somewhat overlooked. And if you aren’t the fastest runner, or the most imposing physical figure, the subtleties of your game may sometimes go unnoticed. But you don’t become a linchpin in one of the greatest teams of all time without having some pretty special attributes.

For Sergio Busquets, his biggest strength was his brain. Able to anticipate what was going to happen long before any oppositon player, the Spaniard excelled in the deep-midfield role for club and for country for years. While his technical skill was near-faultless, his intelligence is what really allowed him to become one of the all-time great number sixes.

12

Andrea Pirlo

Clubs: Brescia, Inter Milan, Reggina (Loan), Brescia (Loan), AC Milan, Juventus, New York City FC

Often, when discussing intelligent players, it is central midfielders who come to mind, and Andrea Pirlo epitomises this. The Italian could play all roles in the midfield, being defensively sound as well as a real creative threat. He was mainly deployed as a deep lying midfielder for his country, due to his world-class passing range, being able to spray passes across the pitch.

Perhaps what highlights the absolute genius of the former Juventus man, was his penalty during Euro 2012, against England during the Quarter Final penalty shootout. With tensions extremely high, and England keeper Joe Hart bouncing around in a bid to offput Pirlo, the Italian calmly dinked the penalty down the middle, to help book their place in the semi final.

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11

Paul Scholes

Clubs: Manchester United

Paul Scholes is a Manchester United legend. The England midfielder had so many strings to his bow, and was a pivotal part of the success the Red Devils endured at the time.

He was tenacious and hard-working off the ball, but silky and precise with it, the ideal central midfielder. Not only could Scholes pass the ball better than any other, he also had a keen eye for a wonder goal, scoring many a long-range strike during his glittering career. Any player that has played with Scholes describes him as one of the best they have seen, and due to his incredible ability on-the-ball, he is an absolute football genius.

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10

Thomas Muller

Clubs: Bayern Munich, Vancouver Whitecaps

Thomas Muller is the definition of underrated. Muller can play in a series of roles, in both midfield and attack, whilst also being incredibly selfless. The German is widely praised for a series of attributes, most notably his positioning. The forward is not known for his pace, but always seems to be in the right place to either convert or create a chance, which indicates how well he understands the game.

Thomas Muller’s football intelligence is incredible, and his goals and assist record are almost identical, showing how well-rounded he is as a player, and how much he values creating chances for his team, alongside scoring himself.

9

Zinedine Zidane

Clubs: Cannes, Bordeaux, Juventus, Real Madrid

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One of the most elegant footballers to ever player the sport, Zinedine Zidane shone in France, Italy and Spain across his career. One of just 10 players to have won the Ballon d’Or, Champions League and World Cup, the Real Madrid hero truly was a legend in every sense of the word.

It’s ironic, though, that he is best-remembered by the average fan for his infamous headbutt in the 2010 World Cup final. But that moment of madness was not at all representative of the Frenchman, who was usually such a smart figure on the pitch. That he’s gone on to win three Champions League and two La Liga titels as a manager only goes to show just how finely-tuned his footballing mind is.

8

Philipp Lahm

Clubs: Bayern Munich, VfB Stuttgart

Being an intelligent player isn’t just down to having great quality on the ball, but also understanding the game, and being able to play in many positions. Philipp Lahm played as both a full-back and a defensive midfielder during his career, at a world-class level. This highlights how smart the German was, as his complete understanding of these different roles was remarkable, and allowed him to be one of the best in the world in multiple positions.

The most incredible statistic about Lahm was the fact he never received a red card in his whole career. This statistic demonstrates just how intelligent he was on the pitch, as he was always in the right place, with a level head. Maybe that’s why Pep Guardiola called him the smartest player he ever coached.

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7

Luka Modric

Clubs: Dinamo Zagreb, Zrinjski Mostar (Loan), Inter Zapresic (Loan), Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, AC Milan

When Luka Modric arrived at Real Madrid in 2012, he was voted as the worst signing of the season, which may have crushed many players, but not Modric. In the following years, the midfield maestro became a mainstay at the heart of the Madrid midfield as they went on to win the Champions League three years in a row from 2016-2018.

Elegant on the ball, creative, and tactically aware, the Croat dictates every game he plays in. His performances for his national team made them one of the best international sides around, even reaching the 2018 World Cup final, which for a nation as small as Croatia, is remarkable. Modric was famoulsy the first player to end Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Ballon d’Or dominance, when he impressively won in 2018. He is most certainly one of the best midfielders of all time.

6

Dennis Bergkamp

Clubs: Ajax, Inter Milan, Arsenal

Dennis Bergkamp‘s footballing IQ is up there with the very best. He seemed to have eyes in the back of his head whenever he was on the pitch, always being aware of his surroundings and where a defender or his teammates were.

He would often make incredible split second decisions, which bamboozled defenders, and created opportunities for his team. During his time with Arsenal, the Dutch attacker formed an astonishing partnership with Thierry Henry, where their link-up was almost telepathic, as the Gunners managed to win a Premier League crown, unbeaten.

When fans think of Bergkamp, one moment springs to mind; his goal against Newcastle. The former Ajax man received the ball with his back to goal, before flicking the ball around the defender without even looking, and then slotting home. Some sceptics suggest he didn’t mean the touch, but that just highlights the genius of the man.

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