Who is the Greatest Football Player of All Time?

He opened at 52% on day one and never let his share slide out of the mid-40s again — 139 days later he closed at 45.5%, still nearly identical to where he started. That stability is the story: 1,166 votes for Pele alone outnumber Zidane's 513 and Maradona's 499 added together.

Behind him, the chasing pack never mounted a real threat. Beckenbauer topped the also-rans at just 3%, and eight of the fifteen names on the ballot couldn't crack 1% apiece. Geography barely dented the result either — Pele held the US and UK, Zidane's only real footholds were Canada and India.

• Outvoted the field · Pele's 1,166 votes top Zidane and Maradona's totals added together.
• Day-one share held · Opened at 52%, closed 139 days later at 45.5% — barely moved.
• Chasing pack starved · Beckenbauer's 3% was the best anyone else managed all poll.
• A two-country swing · Zidane's only leads came in Canada and India; Pele held the US, UK.