The best football players of the 1960s came from a decade filled with famous World Cups, new European club giants, and some of the game’s most gifted attackers. Brazil won another World Cup, England became world champion for the first time, Benfica and Inter challenged Real Madrid in Europe, and Manchester United completed an emotional rise to the European Cup. Comparing these players is still difficult because they played different positions, leagues, and styles.
For this ranking, we counted only performances from January 1960 through December 1969. We compared peak level, major tournament impact, club success, international results, individual recognition available during the period, consistency, and role. Achievements from the 1970s do not improve a player’s position here. That matters for stars such as Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff, whose greatest years came later.
Key Takeaways
- Pelé ranks as our best football player of the 1960s.
- Eusébio takes second after winning the Ballon d’Or, European Cup, and 1966 World Cup Golden Boot.
- Bobby Charlton ranks third after winning the 1966 World Cup, Ballon d’Or, and 1968 European Cup.
- Garrincha produced one of the decade’s greatest peaks during Brazil’s 1962 World Cup win.
- Lev Yashin is the highest-ranked goalkeeper and remains the only goalkeeper to win the Ballon d’Or.
- Only performances from 1960 through 1969 count toward this ranking.
Top 10 Best Football Players of the 1960s
| Rank | Player | Country | Main Position | Key 1960s Achievement | FootballerRank Decade Rating |
| 1 | Pelé | Brazil | Forward | Santos’ global success and 1962 World Cup winner | 99/100 |
| 2 | Eusébio | Portugal | Forward | 1965 Ballon d’Or and 1966 World Cup Golden Boot | 97/100 |
| 3 | Bobby Charlton | England | Midfielder / Forward | 1966 World Cup and Ballon d’Or | 95/100 |
| 4 | Garrincha | Brazil | Right Winger | Star of Brazil’s 1962 World Cup triumph | 94/100 |
| 5 | Luis Suárez Miramontes | Spain | Midfielder | 1960 Ballon d’Or, EURO 1964 and two European Cups | 93/100 |
| 6 | Lev Yashin | Soviet Union | Goalkeeper | EURO 1960 and 1963 Ballon d’Or | 92/100 |
| 7 | George Best | Northern Ireland | Winger / Forward | 1968 European Cup and Ballon d’Or | 91/100 |
| 8 | Gianni Rivera | Italy | Attacking Midfielder | Two European Cups and 1969 Ballon d’Or | 89/100 |
| 9 | Josef Masopust | Czechoslovakia | Midfielder | 1962 World Cup final and Ballon d’Or | 88/100 |
| 10 | Flórián Albert | Hungary | Forward | 1967 Ballon d’Or and 1965 Fairs Cup | 87/100 |
FootballerRank Decade Ratings are editorial scores. They are not official FIFA, UEFA, or Ballon d’Or ratings.
How We Ranked the Best Players of the 1960s
A decade ranking should measure what happened inside that decade.
That sounds simple, but many historical lists mix a player’s full career into the decision. A player may have been active in 1969 and then reached his true peak in 1972. We do not count those later achievements here.
Our method uses six factors:
| Ranking Factor | Weight | What We Considered |
| Peak performance during 1960–1969 | 25% | How strong the player’s best level was |
| Major international impact | 20% | World Cups and European Championships |
| Major club success | 20% | European Cups, league titles and other major trophies |
| Individual recognition | 15% | Ballon d’Or and period-specific recognition |
| Consistency across the decade | 10% | How long the player stayed near his best |
| Position and team influence | 10% | Importance within the player’s role |
There is also an award problem to consider.
Pelé and Garrincha could not compete for the Ballon d’Or under the rules used during their careers. UEFA confirms that Pelé later received an honorary Ballon d’Or because he had not been eligible for the award during his playing days. We therefore do not use Ballon d’Or totals alone to compare South American and European players from this period.
1. Pelé
Country: Brazil
Main club: Santos
Position: Forward
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 99/100
Pelé ranks as our best football player of the 1960s because his club peak reached an extraordinary level and his influence stretched far beyond Brazil.
His strongest club years came early in the decade. Santos won back-to-back Copa Libertadores titles in 1962 and 1963 and also became Intercontinental Cup champion in both years. Pelé scored twice in the 1962 Libertadores deciding match against Peñarol, then delivered a hat-trick in Lisbon as Santos beat Eusébio’s Benfica 5-2 to secure the Intercontinental Cup. He scored again during Santos’ successful 1963 continental campaign.
Pelé also became a World Cup winner again in 1962. His tournament was cut short by injury in Brazil’s second match, so that title should not be treated as if he led the full campaign. Garrincha became Brazil’s main attacking figure after Pelé went out.
What keeps Pelé first is his wider decade-level body of work. He combined finishing, passing, dribbling, movement, strength, and creative play while Santos faced leading teams across South America and Europe.
Why he ranks No. 1: Pelé’s club peak with Santos, international status, and complete attacking skill give him the strongest overall 1960s case.
2. Eusébio
Country: Portugal
Main club: Benfica
Position: Forward
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 97/100
Eusébio built one of the most complete records of any player during the decade.
His European breakthrough came in the 1962 European Cup final. Benfica faced Real Madrid and fell behind to a Ferenc Puskás hat-trick. Eusébio scored twice in the second half as Benfica won 5-3 and retained the European Cup.
Individual recognition followed.
Eusébio won the 1965 Ballon d’Or and was runner-up in both 1962 and 1966. He also finished as Europe’s leading domestic scorer in 1967/68.
His greatest international tournament came at the 1966 World Cup. Eusébio scored nine goals, won the tournament’s scoring honor, and helped Portugal finish third. Four of those goals came in Portugal’s famous 5-3 comeback against North Korea.
Pelé gets the narrow edge because of his wider club dominance and overall attacking influence.
Why he ranks No. 2: A European Cup, Ballon d’Or, World Cup scoring title, and sustained Benfica success make Eusébio one of the decade’s defining players.
3. Bobby Charlton
Country: England
Main club: Manchester United
Position: Midfielder / Forward
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 95/100
Bobby Charlton’s 1960s career combined club success, international success, and major individual recognition.
His defining international achievement came in 1966.
Charlton scored three goals as England won its first World Cup. Two came in the 2-1 semi-final victory over Portugal, where England had to overcome Eusébio and one of the tournament’s strongest teams. England then beat West Germany 4-2 after extra time in the final.
Charlton won the 1966 Ballon d’Or after that World Cup campaign.
Two years later, he added the European Cup with Manchester United.
Charlton scored twice in the 1968 final as United beat Benfica 4-1 after extra time at Wembley. That victory made Manchester United the first English club to win the European Cup.
His long-range shooting was famous, but his value also came from movement, passing, stamina, and his ability to move between midfield and attack.
Why he ranks No. 3: Charlton combined the World Cup, Ballon d’Or, and European Cup within three seasons while remaining an elite player across much of the decade.
4. Garrincha
Country: Brazil
Main club: Botafogo
Position: Right Winger
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 94/100
Garrincha produced perhaps the greatest single World Cup performance of the decade.
Brazil entered the 1962 tournament as defending champion, but Pelé suffered an injury in the second group match and could not play again.
Garrincha became the team’s main attacking force.
He scored twice against England in the quarter-final and another two goals against host Chile in the semi-final. FIFA describes Brazil’s 1962 triumph as strongly shaped by Garrincha’s performances and calls the tournament the Copa do Garrincha.
His style was built around dribbling.
Defenders often knew he wanted to attack them from the wing, yet stopping him remained extremely difficult. His changes of direction, balance, acceleration, and crossing gave Brazil a constant attacking threat.
Why is he below Charlton?
Garrincha’s peak may have been higher, but his elite period during the decade was shorter. Charlton produced strong evidence over more of the 1960s.
Why he ranks No. 4: Garrincha carried a huge part of Brazil’s attack after Pelé’s injury and turned the 1962 World Cup into his defining tournament.
5. Luis Suárez Miramontes
Country: Spain
Main clubs: Barcelona, Inter Milan
Position: Midfielder
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 93/100
Luis Suárez Miramontes may receive less attention today than some other names here, but his 1960s record is exceptional.
He began the decade by winning the 1960 Ballon d’Or with Barcelona. He remains the only Spanish-born male player to win the award.
His move to Inter Milan then placed him at the heart of one of Europe’s strongest teams.
Inter won consecutive European Cups in 1964 and 1965, with Suárez starting both finals.
His international record adds another major title.
Suárez helped Spain win the 1964 European Championship on home soil. UEFA describes the midfielder, known as The Architect, as reaching his peak during this period through Spain’s European title and Inter’s back-to-back European Cup wins.
He was a creative midfielder who could control tempo, pass over distance, and connect defence with attack.
Why he ranks No. 5: Suárez combined the Ballon d’Or, European Championship, and two European Cups during one highly successful decade.
6. Lev Yashin
Country: Soviet Union
Main club: Dynamo Moscow
Position: Goalkeeper
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 92/100
Lev Yashin is the highest-ranked goalkeeper in our 1960s list.
He began the decade by helping the Soviet Union win the first European Championship in 1960. UEFA named him in the Team of the Tournament and highlighted his performances in the competition.
Three years later, Yashin won the 1963 Ballon d’Or.
He remains the only goalkeeper to win the award.
The Soviet Union also reached another European Championship final in 1964, where it lost to Spain.
Yashin’s role differed from that of many goalkeepers of his era. He was known for commanding his penalty area, reacting quickly to shots, and becoming more active in organising the defence.
His ranking is especially important for balance. A historical Top 10 should not automatically favor players who score goals.
Why he ranks No. 6: European Championship success and the only Ballon d’Or ever won by a goalkeeper give Yashin a unique decade-level record.
7. George Best
Country: Northern Ireland
Main club: Manchester United
Position: Winger / Forward
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 91/100
George Best entered senior football after the decade had already started, but his peak arrived quickly.
He became a Manchester United first-team player in the mid-1960s and helped the club win English league titles in 1965 and 1967.
His greatest season came in 1967/68.
Manchester United reached the European Cup final against Benfica. Best scored in extra time as United pulled away to win 4-1 and lift its first European Cup.
Best then won the 1968 Ballon d’Or at only 22.
His style made him one of the decade’s most exciting attackers.
He could dribble from either side, change direction quickly, score, and create chances. The Irish Football Association describes him as one of the decade’s leading players and highlights his two league titles, European Cup, and Ballon d’Or.
Why he ranks No. 7: Best reached an elite individual peak by age 22 and paired it with England and Europe’s biggest club trophies.
8. Gianni Rivera
Country: Italy
Main club: AC Milan
Position: Attacking Midfielder
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 89/100
Gianni Rivera spent almost the entire decade as a central creative figure for AC Milan.
He joined Milan in 1960 and helped the club win the 1963 European Cup.
Six years later, Milan won the trophy again. Rivera then received the 1969 Ballon d’Or after that European success.
His international decade also included Italy’s 1968 European Championship title.
An injury in the semi-final stopped Rivera from playing in the final, so we do not give him the same international weight as the players who drove their teams through entire tournaments.
Rivera’s main gift was his passing.
He saw spaces early and could move the ball before defenders adjusted. UEFA later highlighted the way he used passing speed and intelligence rather than relying only on running with the ball.
Why he ranks No. 8: Two European Cups and a Ballon d’Or give Rivera one of the strongest club and individual records among 1960s midfielders.
9. Josef Masopust
Country: Czechoslovakia
Main club: Dukla Prague
Position: Midfielder
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 88/100
Josef Masopust produced his strongest international year in 1962.
Czechoslovakia reached the 1962 World Cup final against Brazil, and Masopust opened the scoring. Brazil recovered to win 3-1.
Masopust’s tournament and wider performances earned him the 1962 Ballon d’Or. He became the first player from the former Communist Bloc to win the award.
He played as a midfielder but liked to move forward with the ball.
His role required him to help control midfield while also joining attacks. UEFA described him as a midfield general with strong attacking instincts.
He ranks below Rivera because his highest international peak came early in the decade, while Rivera remained a major European club figure through 1969.
Why he ranks No. 9: A World Cup final, a goal in that final, and the 1962 Ballon d’Or give Masopust an outstanding peak.
10. Flórián Albert
Country: Hungary
Main club: Ferencváros
Position: Forward
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 87/100
Flórián Albert completes our Top 10 after an excellent decade for both club and country.
At only 20, Albert finished as a joint-leading scorer at the 1962 World Cup. Hungary later took third place at the 1964 European Championship.
His club career brought major European success too.
Albert helped Ferencváros win the 1965 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, beating Juventus in the final. UEFA notes that it remains the club’s major European trophy from that era.
He reached his individual peak in 1967.
Albert won the Ballon d’Or, becoming the first and still only Hungarian player to receive the award.
His game mixed scoring with clever movement and link play. He could operate centrally without staying fixed near goal.
Why he ranks No. 10: World Cup scoring success, European club silverware, and the 1967 Ballon d’Or give Albert a strong decade-wide case.
Who Was the Best Football Player of the 1960s?
Pelé was the best football player of the 1960s in our ranking.
His strongest case comes from his club peak with Santos. The Brazilian club won consecutive Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup titles in 1962 and 1963. Pelé produced major performances against Peñarol, Boca Juniors, Benfica, and AC Milan during those campaigns.
Eusébio is his closest challenger.
The Benfica star won the Ballon d’Or, European Cup, and 1966 World Cup scoring title during the same decade. Bobby Charlton follows after winning the World Cup, Ballon d’Or, and European Cup.
What Made 1960s Football Special?
The 1960s produced major changes in international and club football.
Brazil began the decade as world champion and defended its title in 1962. England then won its first World Cup in 1966.
European club football also became less dominated by Real Madrid.
Benfica won the European Cup in 1961 and 1962. Inter followed with titles in 1964 and 1965. Manchester United won in 1968, while Milan won in 1963 and 1969.
The decade also produced ten different Ballon d’Or winners in ten years, from Luis Suárez in 1960 through Gianni Rivera in 1969. That shows how many elite players competed for recognition during the period.
FAQs
Who were the top three football players of the 1960s?
Our top three are Pelé, Eusébio, and Bobby Charlton. Pelé ranks first because of his decade-long attacking level and Santos’ success. Eusébio follows after major European and World Cup performances, while Charlton combines a World Cup, Ballon d’Or, and European Cup.
Was Pelé better than Garrincha in the 1960s?
Across the full decade, we rank Pelé higher. Garrincha had the stronger 1962 World Cup because Pelé was injured, but Pelé produced a larger body of elite club performances across the 1960s.
Who was the best European player of the 1960s?
Eusébio is our highest-ranked European player. His decade included the 1962 European Cup, 1965 Ballon d’Or, nine goals at the 1966 World Cup, and strong Benfica scoring seasons.
Who was the best goalkeeper of the 1960s?
Yashin’s complete career and historical influence are examined in our ranking of the Best Goalkeepers of All Time.
Why is Franz Beckenbauer not in the Top 10?
Beckenbauer was already an elite player by the second half of the decade and helped West Germany reach the 1966 World Cup final. However, much of his strongest individual and club evidence came during the 1970s, including his two Ballon d’Or awards. We do not count those later achievements in a 1960s ranking.
Why is Johan Cruyff not in the Top 10?
Cruyff emerged as a major Ajax player during the late 1960s, but his defining European Cups, Ballon d’Or awards, and 1974 World Cup run happened in the next decade. He will be far more important in our 1970s ranking.
Who just missed the Top 10?
Giacinto Facchetti was one of the hardest omissions. He won consecutive European Cups with Inter and captained Italy to the 1968 European Championship. UEFA describes him as one of football’s great left-backs.
Does this ranking include achievements from 1970?
No. The cutoff is December 31, 1969. Results from 1970 onward belong to our Best Football Players of the 1970s ranking.
Sources and Fact-Checking
Player facts were checked mainly through FIFA, UEFA, Santos, Manchester United, Inter Milan, and other official football archives. World Cup claims were checked against FIFA records. European Cup, European Championship, and Ballon d’Or claims were checked through UEFA and club records.
We also reviewed the current SERP for this keyword. One existing Top 10 result ranks Pelé first but uses later achievements such as Brazil’s 1970 World Cup and Beckenbauer’s later career when discussing the 1960s. FootballerRank avoids that problem by applying a strict 1960–1969 cutoff.
Conclusion
In short, After comparing performances from 1960 through 1969 only, Pelé has the strongest case as the decade’s best football player. Eusébio combined European success with a historic World Cup, Charlton won the biggest honors for club and country, and Garrincha produced an unforgettable 1962 peak. Suárez, Yashin, Best, Rivera, Masopust, and Albert complete a Top 10 that shows how many different styles shaped the decade. Our ranking keeps later achievements out of the scoring, which gives each player credit for what he actually did during the 1960s rather than what his full career later became.
