1. Pele

When and why: Not just the greatest goalscorer of all-time with over 1,000 goals to his name but also the most celebrated footballer ever. The King of Football graced the city with his Cosmos side to take on Mohun Bagan in 1977, with the game finishing 2-2. He came back in 2015, this time to watch the ISL game between ATK and Kerala Blasters at Salt Lake stadium.

2. Lionel Messi

When and why: The football magician brought a packed Salt Lake stadium to its feet with a few deft touches, some nimble footwork and a delightful assist for Nicolas Otamendi’s goal against Venezuela in 2011. A  true football great who came to the city in his prime and played a full-fledged match. 

3. Diego Maradona

When and why: The dribbling diablo, who made a mockery of defences with his magic left foot, came to the city where our biggest sporting hero is his biggest fan. Yes, for Sourav Ganguly, Maradona has always been the Dada of football. The two-day visit in 2008 centred around charity activities, but a teeny-weeny ball-juggling cameo in Salt Lake stadium was enough to send countless fans into a frenzy.

4. Eusebio

When and why: The baap of Portuguese football was ahead of his time with speed, technique and pure athleticism that won Portugal a third-placed finish in World Cup 1966. And how many did Eusebio score in the Cup? Just nine goals! He was the chief guest at the Nehru Cup in Salt Lake stadium in 1990.

5. Gerd Muller

When and why: The German bomber who for years held the record for most goals in World Cups (14) came to the city as the assistant manager of the Bayern Munich U-23 side in 2005.

6. Romario

When and why: The Brazilian who won the Golden Ball in the 1994 World Cup and was voted the 5th greatest player of the last century in an internet poll, attended the Calcutta Police Friendship Cup at the Calcutta Athletic Club ground in 2010.

7. Thierry Henry

When and why: The France and Arsenal all-time leading goalscorer and Puma brand ambassador spent time at South City Mall and then Rabindra Sarobar for the ATK vs Mumbai City FC match, before flying off to Mumbai.

8. Zico

When and why: The White Pele was good at scoring goals, but was great at helping others score with his vision and pin-point passes. He came to Calcutta as the coach of Japan in 2004 and then with ISL side FC Goa. 

9. Ruud Gullit

When and why: The Dutch powerhouse didn’t always play up front, but was clinical in front of goal, captaining them to a Euro win in 1988. In 2012, he came to attend the Mohun Bagan Day celebrations at Netaji Indoor Stadium.

10. Roger Milla

When and why: The unlikeliest hero of the 1990 World Cup, who redefined the post-goal jig. This smiling assassin from Cameroon scored four times at age 38 and visited our city.

11. Diego Forlan

When and why: Before the Messi-Ronaldo era, Forlan finished as top scorer in La Liga,with two different clubs. His first visit to Calcutta was right after winning the Golden Ball in the 2010 World Cup, as part of a reality show on football, and then most recently as Mumbai City FC’s marquee man in ISL 3, whose goal sunk ATK at Rabindra Sarobar. 

12. Alessandro Del Piero

When and why: The Italian who liked playing from the deep and was deadly on the dead ball came to Calcutta well past his prime. Donning the jersey of Delhi Dynamos against ATK in the first edition of ISL, Mr Handsome played a standing game.

13. Sergio Aguero

When and why: The Argentine is a killer with his nimble footwork, sharp turns and clinical finishing. You’ll be forgiven for not noticing the current Manchester City star in Calcutta, because all our eyes were on his teammate, Lionel Messi, in 2011. 

14. Thomas Muller

When and why: Bayern and Germany’s proven goal-machine came to Calcutta just before he became a household name. Muller was here in 2009 with Bayern’s second team to beat Siliguri XI 6-0 in Siliguri. The man who has 10 goals in World Cups, scored one. 

15. Enzo Francescoli 

When and why: An elegant playmaker-cum-scorer who led the Uruguayan side in the Nehru Cup in 1982, long before the Forlans and Suarezs took over.

16. Laszlo Kiss

When and why: The tall and powerful centre forward led the strikeline of Hungarian club side Vasas SC in the Nehru Cup in 1984.

Who’s the greatest goalscorer to have visited Calcutta? Tell t2@abp.in