Top 10 players with greatest first touch in football history
Legends like Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho have a spot on this elite list.
It is quite obvious to get awe-inspired by some jaw-dropping goals, but very few on this planet have mastered the subtle art of first touch in football. Perfecting the craft of the first touch is the most fundamental yet most significant step to becoming a great footballer. This subtle art allows a player to orchestrate the game’s rhythm and dictate its tempo.
Throughout the annals of football history, very few players have elevated this skill to an art form. Their sublime first touch allows them to navigate even the most chaotic situations with utmost grace and composure. In today’s feature, we take you on an exciting rollercoaster ride where we celebrate some of the greatest footballing icons who can deliver a masterclass on this subtle art of first touch.
Tighten your seat belt and hold your breath as some of the names in this elite list will blow your mind and senses.
10. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most decorated footballers of all time. The former Sweden international is widely regarded for his acrobatics, athleticism and first touch. ESPN described him as “someone good in the air, quick, tall, strong, and agile. He plays well with his back to goal and boasts some of the best finishing, vision, passing, and ball control around.”
Ibrahimovic made over 88 appearances for Inter Milan and was part of the squad that won Serie A for three consecutive years. The 2013 FIFA Puskas Award winner saw his astonishing goals nominated as the goal of the tournament in two editions of the EURO, in 2004 and 2012. Ibrahimovic once famously said, “Swedish style? No. Yugoslavian style? Of course not. It has to be Zlatan-style.”
9. Riyad Mahrez
The winger of the Algerian national team possesses one of the best first touches in modern football. Steve Walsh, Leicester City’s former head of recruitment, said, “Riyad was a bit raw, but he had a great touch. He could kill the ball and go past people. I liked his positivity. Some of his decision-making wasn’t that great, and defensively he wasn’t the best, but you could see that he had real talent.”
The 2016 African Footballer of the Year played a crucial role in Leicester City’s title-winning campaign when they shocked the world to become the champions of the English top division. He was also part of Manchester City’s historic treble-winning season in 2022-23. He recently moved to Saudi Arabia and is currently plying his trade for Al-Ahli, also known as The Stronghold of Lions.
8. Andrés Iniesta
Widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, Iniesta made the art of taking the first touch look seemingly effortless. Iniesta was part of Spain’s golden generation of players that won two Euros and one FIFA World Cup trophy in just four years.
Nicknamed El Ilusionista (The Illusionist), Iniesta was a complete footballer who could attack, defend, create chances and score them as well. The FC Barcelona legend spent 16 years at Camp Nou and made over 600 appearances in all competitions. After plying his trade with Vissel Kobe, Iniesta joined UAE Pro League Club, Emirates, in 2023.
7. Neymar
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, also known as Neymar Jr., is the all-time top goalscorer for the most successful team in FIFA World Cup history. Westwood of Goal once said, “Neymar is a master dribbler, and he sees openings that other players don’t. He can create chances out of nothing and more often than not has the finishing touch or decisive final pass to match his ingenuity on the ball.”
Neymar made over a century of appearances for the three major clubs he has played for: Santos, FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. After plying his trade in Europe and America, Neymar decided to follow Cristiano Ronaldo’s footsteps to Saudi Arabia and joined the Saudi-based outfit Al-Hilal in 2023.
6. Mesut Özil
Mesut Özil was born to Turkish immigrants and raised in Gelsenkirchen. The German wizard is regarded as an absolute genius of the game. His first touch ability was a walking work of art. The Gunners legend spent eight seasons with the North London-based outfit and made over 250 appearances.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup Champion also won the FA Cup with Arsenal, not once, not twice, not thrice – but four times. Özil was inducted into the UEFA Team of the Year in two consecutive years, 2012 and 2013. He was one of the most gifted footballers across Europe, who not only scored goals but also produced some magical moments worth reminiscing for a lifetime.
5. Dimitar Berbatov
The former Bulgarian international and Bulgaria’s top all-time goalscorer was an exquisite display of finesse. Berbatov is one of the most technically sound and intellectually stimulated players to have taken Old Trafford by storm.
Apart from winning the Premier League title twice with Manchester United, Berbatov also won a trophy with Tottenham Hotspur when they lifted the Football League Cup in 2007-08.
The seven-time Bulgarian player of the year also demonstrated his prowess with Bayer Leverkusen, Fulham, Monaco and PAOK before plying his trade in the Indian top division with Kerala Blasters FC. In the foreword of Berbatov’s autobiography, “In My Own Way,” Sir Alex Ferguson apologized for leaving him out of the 2011 UEFA Champions League finals.
4. Zinedine Zidane
While we may have contrasting opinions about the infamous headbutt incident in the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals, when it comes to admiring the greatness of this footballing legend, we are definitely on the same page. His ability to control the ball was pure magic and a delight to the eyes.
Zizou has blessed football fans all across the planet with some iconic, incredible and glorious moments. His name shall be etched in the annals of football history for eternity. His records speak volumes about his magnificence as he made over 200 appearances for Los Blancos and found the back of the net on 49 occasions.
3. Dennis Bergkamp
The former Dutch international is regarded as one of the best players of his generation, one of the greatest forwards in Premier League history and one of the all-time legends of Ajax and Arsenal. Arsenal’s legendary manager, Arsène Wenger said, “He needs fewer touches to score. Sometimes just one when others need two or three.”
He made over 200 appearances for the Amsterdam-based outfit over seven seasons. After plying his trade with Inter Milan for two years, Bergkamp enjoyed the time of his life following his move to Arsenal. The 6-foot tall centre-forward from Amsterdam rendered his services to the North London outfit for more than a decade. The Non-Flying Dutchman was also the runner-up of the 1993 Ballon d’Or.
2. Lionel Messi
The little boy from Rosario has probably won every single competition in football history for both his country and clubs. Nicknamed “La Pulga Atomica,” watching Messi control the ball is nothing less than a spectacle of pure eminence. His former manager Pep Guardiola said, “Messi is the only player that runs faster with the ball than he does without it.”
Unarguably one of the greatest footballers to have touched the spherical thing with his exemplary footwork, Lionel Messi is a seamless blend of beauty and technique. After being crowned World Champions in 2022, Messi led Argentina to Copa America glory in 2024.
Argentine legend Diego Maradona was very impressed by Messi’s talent when he was 18 years old. He hailed Messi as his successor by saying, “I have seen the player who will inherit my place in Argentinian football, and his name is Messi.”
1. Ronaldinho
Keeping all the greatest footballing legends behind, Brazilian legend Ronaldinho tops this elite list. If the first touch is an art form, then Ronaldinho is its Leonardo da Vinci, crafting masterpieces with every touch. One of the greatest and most skilful players of his generation, Ronaldinho was a breathtaking tableau in action.
After rendering his services to Gremio and PSG, Ronaldinho made his move to Camp Nou, where he made over a century of appearances. Nicknamed “O Bruxo,” he is the only player ever to have won a World Cup, a Copa América, a Confederations Cup, a Champions League, a Copa Libertadores and a Ballon d’Or.
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