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#8 Lionel Messi | Barcelona
Although he is one of the greatest-ever players in the history of the sport, Lionel Messi doesn't rank very high on the list of big-game stars. That might seem unfair, as the star effectively carried Barcelona for nearly two decades.
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He scored some of the most important goals in Blaugrana history. His presence on the pitch put fear in the hearts of defences for years.
The star has managed an astonishing 26 goals against Real Madrid in some of the most notable El Clasico games ever seen.
His record of 49 goals in the knockout stage of the Champions League, including two in finals, shows Messi's efficiency in big games. However, drab performances against AS Roma, Liverpool and Bayern Munich in recent years have put a stain on the star's big-game prowess.
#7 Wayne Rooney | Manchester United
With clubs like Manchester United, there are scores of legends to pick. However, what makes Wayne Rooney stand out is his unquestionable ability to turn games around. Even his debut for The Red Devils was pure class, as the former Everton star churned out a hat-trick.
That was just the beginning of what would be an illustrious career filled with big games and significant moments. In 2010, the star came on as a sub to score the winning goal in the Carling Cup final.
In 2011, Rooney's cooly-taken penalty handed United their 19th Premier League title. Rooney won 16 trophies with Manchester United, a clear testament to his brilliance when it mattered the most.
#6 Alfredo Di Stefano | Real Madrid
Regarded as one of the greatest players in world history, Alfredo Di Stefano is also one of the greatest big-game players.
It's difficult to leave him off any serious goalscoring list in football history. His record-breaking efficiency in big games is testament to that. While Di Stefano retired in 1966 without playing in a FIFA World Cup, his brilliant exploits at Real Madrid more than made up for that.
Before the European Cup became the Champions League, Alfredo Di Stefano was the competition's record goalscorer. The star was notably a cheat code for Real Madrid, taking them to five consecutive titles between 1956 and 1960. Even more astonishingly, Di Stefano scored in all five finals.
#5 Samuel Eto'o | Barcelona, Inter Milan
Samuel Eto'o is the only player in history to have won the European treble in back-to-back seasons with two different clubs. At the international level, Eto'o is the leading goalscorer in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations, scoring in all six editions he featured in. The star notably guided Cameroon to the coveted trophy twice, winning the Golden Boot four times.
In club football, Eto'o scored a brace in the 2003 Copa del Rey final, guiding Mallorca through an amazing trophy run. He scored in the 2009 Champions League final for Barcelona. In the process, he became the fourth player in the history of the Champions League to win the coveted trophy consecutively with two different clubs.
With Barcelona and Inter Milan, Eto'o won 14 trophies, cementing his place as one of the most legendary big-game players of all time.
