Messi, Maradona or Pele? Ranking the top 10 World Cup legends

It's a daunting task. Trying to whittle down thousands of players from 22 tournaments spread over almost a century to pick the top 10 World Cup legends of all time.

To my mind, the top six or seven are obvious - even if the order is debatable - but it's those who fill the remaining spots that will no doubt spark the biggest talking point.

It's hard to leave out Miroslav Klose, for example, although for what it's worth the top goalscorer in World Cup history would come in a close 11th.

There's no room for Garrincha either, the dazzling bowlegged Brazilian winger, or Roberto Baggio, a true Italian icon, and France striker Just Fontaine, who netted 13 in the 1958 tournament alone.

Some of the game's greats such as Dutch icon Johan Cruyff, Portugal striker Eusebio and Germany's goalscoring machine Gerd Muller miss out too - perhaps a top 20 would've made this easier? - while the collective beauty of Spain's 2010 vintage means no individual is on the list.

So who does make it?! Well, I've picked my top 10 below - those most synonymous with the tournament. You can have your say in the comments, too.

We all know the story. Hurst wasn't supposed to play as England's star striker Jimmy Greaves, injured in the group stages, was returning to fitness for the 1966 final against West Germany and the clamour was for him to start at Wembley.

But Sir Alf Ramsey stuck with the man who only made his international debut a few months earlier, and the rest is history. West Ham forward Hurst scored a fabulous hat-trick as the Three Lions clinched the game's grandest prize for the only time in their history - and on home soil.