Top 10 Futsal Players Of All Time

Futsal, an offshoot of soccer, has risen tremendously in popularity over the last two decades. As the sport has become more popular, players within the sport have attained legendary status amongst fans and teammates alike. Read on to learn about the top ten best futsal players of all time.

What Are the Best Futsal Players of All Time?

1. Falcão
2. Manuel Tobias
3. Ricardinho
4. Kike Boned
5. Sergio Lozano
6. Leo Higuita
7. Schumacher
8. Javi Rodríguez
9. Shayakhmetov
10. Stefano Mammarella

1. Falcão

• Four-time Best Futsal Player in the World winner (2004, 2006, 2011, 2012)
• Most goals scored in international futsal matches (401)
• Most goals scored in Futsal World Cup matches (48)
• Two-time Futsal World Cup Golden Ball Winner (2004, 2008)

Born Alessandro Rosa Vieira, the Brazilian “Falcão” is the greatest futsal player of all time. Falcão has the most goals in men’s international futsal matches (401), the most goals in FIFA Futsal World Cup matches (48), and has won the “Best Futsal Player in the World” award four times (2004, 2006, 2011, and 2012). Falcão excelled in almost all phases of the sport. He could dribble, pass, and shoot as well as anyone. Falcão retired from futsal in 2016 after a lengthy career.

2. Manoel Tobias

• Three-time Best Futsal Player in the World winner (2000-2002)
• Two-time Futsal World Cup Golden Ball winner (1996 and 2000)
• Two-time Futsal World Cup Golden Shoe winner (1996 and 2000)

Manoel Tobias da Cruz Júnior, more commonly known as Manoel Tobias, is widely considered to be the world’s second-best futsal player of all time. When the UMBRO Futsal Awards began giving out a “Best Player in the World” award in 2000, Manoel Tobias won it three years in a row. He also has two FIFA World Cup Golden Ball and Golden Shoe awards to his name from the 1996 and 2000 tournaments. Manoel Tobias scored 278 goals in just over 300 appearances for Brazil on the international stage before retiring in 2004.

3. Ricardinho

• Record six-time Best Futsal Player in the World winner (2010, 2014-2018)
• UEFA Futsal Championship winner (2018)
• Futsal World Cup winner (2021)

Ricardinho, born Ricardo Filipe da Silva Braga, broke the record for the number of Best Player of the World Awards won by a single player in 2018, earning his sixth. He won the award in 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Ricardinho is also sometimes referred to as “O Mágico,” which translates to “the Magician,” due to his silky touch and incredible skill on the ball.

Ricardinho led Portugal to a UEFA Futsal Championship victory in 2018, the nation’s first European title in men’s futsal. Then, in 2021, he returned to futsal to lead Portugal to their first Futsal World Cup title. Ricardinho retired from international play following this victory. His professional career began in 2002 and ended when he retired in 2021.

4. Kike Boned

• Best Futsal Player in the World winner (2009)
• Two-time Futsal World Cup winner (2000 and 2004)
• Five-time UEFA Futsal Championship winner (2001, 2005, 2007, 2010, and 2012)

Kike Boned, also known as Kike and whose full name is Enrique Boned Guillot, played as a defender for the Spanish national futsal team. In an attacking-heavy sport like futsal, it is rare that a defender is recognized as one of the best in the game. This is not the case with Kike Boned. He was even named Best Futsal Player in the World in 2009 and the UEFA Futsal Championship Golden Player in 2012. Kike also helped lead Spain to two Futsal World Cups in 2000 and 2004. He has also won five UEFA Futsal Championships and is widely considered to be the greatest defender in futsal history.

5. Sergio Lozano

• Best Futsal Player in the World winner (2013)
• UEFA Futsal Championship winner (2012)
• Two-time UEFA Futsal Champions League winner (2011-12 and 2013-14)

Sergio Lozano, whose real name is Sergio Lozano Martinez, is a Spanish futsal player who won the Best Futsal Player in the World Award in 2013. He has helped the Spanish national team to a 2014 UEFA Futsal Championship victory and a runners-up finish at the 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup.

Lozano began his career with Arganda in 2001 and worked his way up to traditional power Barcelona by 2012. At Barcelona, Lozano scored more than 50 goals in fewer than 50 appearances. Lozano plays as an ala, or pivot, in a futsal formation. His main role is distributing quick passes and scoring goals.

6. Leo Higuita

• Four-time Best Goalkeeper in the World winner (2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019)
• Two-time UEFA Futsal Champions League winner (2012-13 and 2014-15)
• Has scored 27 goals in 30 international appearances

Leo Higuita is widely considered to be the best goalkeeper in futsal history. He has won the Best Goalkeeper in the World Award four times (in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019).

Higuita helped lead his club team, AFC Kairat, to UEFA Futsal Champions League glory in the 2012-13 and 2014-15 seasons. Kairat were also UEFA Futsal Champions League runners-up in the 2018-19 season and winners of the Intercontinental Futsal Cup in 2014.

Higuita was born in Brazil but immigrated to Kazakhstan and represents the Kazakhstan national futsal team in international competitions. Despite his position as a goalkeeper, Higuita is also known to score goals occasionally.

7. Schumacher

• Best Futsal Player in the World winner (2008)
• Futsal World Cup winner (2008)
• Three-time UEFA Futsal Champions League winner (2003-04, 2005-06, and 2008-09)

Flávio Sérgio Viana is a Brazilian futsal player and one of the most accomplished players in futsal history. He goes by the name “Schumacher” in honor of the legendary German soccer goalkeeper Harald Schumacher. Schumacher won the 2008 Best Player in the World Award and was part of some legendary club and international teams.

With Schumacher, Brazil were runners-up at the 2000 FIFA Futsal World Championship, third-place finishers at the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championship, and winners of the 2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup. Schumacher has also won five Intercontinental Futsal Cups and three UEFA Futsal Champions League tournaments.

8. Javi Rodríguez

• Best Futsal Player in the World winner (2005)
• Two-time Futsal World Cup winner (2000, 2004)
• Four-time UEFA Futsal Championship winner (2001, 2005, 2007, 2010)

Javi Rodriguez, whose full name is Javi Rodriguez Nebreda, is a remarkable Spanish futsal winger. Rodriguez enjoyed a long and successful career as a player (from 1991 to 2015) before becoming a professional manager in 2018. As a player, Rodriguez contributed to teams that won three UEFA Futsal Cups, four UEFA Futsal Championships, and two FIFA Futsal World Cups. Individually, Javi Rodriguez won a Best Futsal Player in the World Award in 2005, the 2010 UEFA Futsal Championship Golden Player, and was the 2010 UEFA Futsal Championship joint-top scorer. He also has two “best right midfielder” awards in 2001 and 2004.

9. Shayakhmetov

• Best Futsal Player in the World winner (2007)
• UEFA European Futsal Cup runner-up (2005)
• UEFA Futsal Cup winner (2007-2008)

Vladislav Nailyevich Shayakhmetov is a Russian futsal player who won the Best Futsal Player in the World award in 2007. Shayakhmetov also won many domestic trophies with various Russian futsal clubs, including MFK Viz-Sinara and MFK Dinamo. While Shayakhmetov is undoubtedly a talented player, his national teams have historically struggled to win big competitions. During his time with the Russian national futsal team, Shayakhmetov finished second in the 2005 UEFA European Futsal Cup, third in the 2007 UEFA European Futsal Cup, and only made it to the semifinals at the 2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup.

10. Stefano Mammarella

• Three-time Best Goalkeeper in the World winner (2011, 2012, 2014)
• UEFA Futsal Champions League winner (2010-11)
• Futsal World Cup Best Goalkeeper winner (2012)

At almost forty years old, Italian goalkeeper Stefano Mammarella’s career has had an astonishing career. Mammarella has won the Best Goalkeeper in the World award three times (2011, 2012, and 2014) and was also recognized as the best goalkeeper at the 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup. Mammarella plays club futsal at Società Sportiva Dilettantistica Acqua e Sapone Calcio a 5, better known as Acqua e Sapone. He won the 2010-11 UEFA Futsal Champions League while playing for AS Montesilvano and began his professional career in Chieti in 2003.

Honorable Mentions

Luis Amado

• Two-time Futsal World Cup Winner
• Three-time UEFA Futsal Cup Winner
• Five-time UEFA Futsal Euros Winner
• Two-time Best Goalkeeper in The World Award (2003 and 2004)

Luis Amado is a dominant Spanish goalkeeper known for his remarkable consistency throughout his career and his role on an unbelievably successful Spanish squad. Over the course of his career, Amado was a part of countless successful teams. He won two World Cups, three UEFA Futsal Cups, and five UEFA Futsal Euros during his time as a member of Spain’s futsal team. He also won the Best Goalkeeper in The World Award for both the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

Ferrão

• Three-time Best Futsal Player in the World Award winner
• Golden Shoe winner (2021)
• Third-place finish in 2021 Futsal World Cup with Brazil

Ferrão, a Brazilian pivot who currently plays for Barcelona, is rapidly building his resume as an all-time futsal great. Over the course of his career, Ferrão has won three Best Futsal Player in the World Awards (2019, 2020, and 2021) and won the 2019 UEFA Futsal Champions League title in the 2019-2020 season with Barcelona. He also led the Brazilian team to a third-place finish in the 2021 Futsal World Cup and won the Golden Shoe.

Andreu Linares

• Four-time International Cup Winner (2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008)
• Three-time UEFA Futsal Cup Winner (2001, 2004, and 2006)
• FIFA World Futsal Championship Winner (2004)

Andreu Linares is a former futsal player who played for the Spain national team and teams such as Barcelona and Inter Movistar. In his famed career, Linares was able to win four International Cups, three UEFA Futsal Cups, and one World Futsal Championship. While he never won a World Cup with Spain, he was able to help guide them to a runner-up finish in 2008.

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