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England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France are home to what are widely considered the top five leagues in football today. These leagues boast the world's best teams, which have consistently competed for Europe's top accolades throughout history.
There are differences between the style of play in each of these leagues. Each league is renowned for the kind of emphasis they put on different aspects of the game. For example, Italy is widely known to put more emphasis on the defensive aspect of football, whereas Spain boasts a more possession-based game.
There have been many players over the years who have been able to perform at a high level no matter what team they play for or league they play in. A few of these players are considered to be some of the best to play the game due to their ability to adapt to their surroundings quickly and still produce high quality performances.
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This list will rank the top five players who have been able to play at a high level in multiple leagues across Europe. It should be noted that the players must have played for at three or more of the top five European Leagues. So without further ado, here are the
Top 5 players to have played in 3 or more European leagues
#5 Arturo Vidal
Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal has made a name for himself as one of the best box-to-box midfielders of the modern era. The Chilean has played in Italy, Germany and Spain over the course of his career, becoming a lynchpin in midfield for each team he's played for.
Vidal has played for Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich in Germany, Barcelona in Spain, Juventus and now Inter Milan in Italy. The midfielder has been an integral part each of these teams. His tenacity and physicality at the center of the park have been invaluable for the teams he's played for over the years.
Vidal has also been highly successful in every league he has played in, having won Serie A, La Liga and Bundesliga during his illustrious career.
Now at Inter Milan, the midfielder is looking to defend his Serie A title, as well as add further silverware to his already impressive resume.
#4 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is probably the most successful journeyman of all time. The Swede is one of the greatest strikers of all time, scoring goals no matter which league he has played in.
Ibrahimovic has played in Italy, Spain, France and England over his career. Although he has primarily terrorized the defenses of Serie A and Ligue 1 in particular, his Las Liga and Premier League records are nothing to be scoffed at.
Ibrahimovic also has multiple accolades to his name, having won the Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1 titles, as well as the Europa League with Manchester United. At 39-years old, the Swedish striker is now reaching the twilight of his career, however he is still performing at a high level for AC Milan.
#3 Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry is one of the greatest players of all time. The striker played in France, England and Spain during his illustrious career, and established himself as one of the most feared players in the sport.
Henry played for Monaco, Arsenal and Barcelona in Europe and was highly successful during his career. The Frenchman won the Ligue 1, Premier League and La Liga titles, as well as the Champions League with Barcelona.
Henry was an all-round striker whose pace, strength, finishing and ability on the ball made him a menace for defenders around the world. He retired in 2014 as the greatest French striker of all time.
#2 Ronaldinho
Brazilian great Ronaldinho was one of the most special players to ever play the game. The forward played in France, Spain and Italy over his career, and captivated his audiences everywhere he played.
Ronaldinho was magical on the ball, with his flair, pace and dribbling ability. The Brazilian humiliated the defenses he played against and was almost untouchable on the pitch at times during his career.
The Brazilian burst onto the scene at PSG, becoming one of the world's most sought-after prospects. His exploits in France earned him a move to Barcelona in 2003, where he would establish himself as one of the all-time greats. Following his stint in Spain, Ronaldinho would then join AC Milan, where he would further increase his reputation of being one of the best players of all time.
Ronaldinho won the Serie A, La Liga and Champions League titles during his stints with AC Milan and Barcelona. He also won the Ballon d'Or in 2005, as well as multiple other individual accolades.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
There's not much to say about this one. Cristiano Ronaldo is regarded by many as the greatest player of all time. The Portuguese superstar has arguably been the best player in every league he has played in.
Ronaldo has played in England, Spain and Italy with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, respectively. The forward has gone on to break multiple scoring records for each of the teams he has played for. The Portuguese superstar is also the greatest scorer in the history of the UEFA Champions League.
Ronaldo has won multiple Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and Champions League titles. Individually, he has won the Ballon d'Or five times and the European Golden Boot four times. He has also been voted the Player of the Season in each league he has played in.
Cristiano Ronaldo re-joined Manchester United earlier this summer and is now looking to bring his club back to their former glory days.
