The Best Second Strikers of All Time

With tactical approaches to playing football evolving year after year, it's little surprise to learn that the role of the forward has dramatically changed over time.

The second striker role can be somewhat complicated to understand in that some may disagree on which players operate primarily in this position. Yet, despite the complexity, it remains one of the most fascinating positions in football, while it can be one of the hardest for opponents to defend against.

Operating in pockets of space, the secondary striker is capable of changing the game in the blink of an eye, whether it be through a stunning run, an eye-of-the-needle pass or a devilish effort on goal.

The mere fact that some of the very best footballers who have graced the beautiful game are/were second strikers speaks volumes about the role itself. Here's a look at some of the very best.

1. Lionel Messi

There isn't much else that can be said about this man that hasn't already been said 1000 times before.

Lionel Messi is always two or three steps ahead of everyone he comes up against, allowing him to dictate games at his own tempo. Slowing the pace of the match down to a walking speed before quickly darting through the heart of a defence and cooly chipping the goalkeeper, Messi is the choirmaster in complete control of his orchestra.

Part of what makes him so brilliant is the poise, fluidity and ease with which he moves around the pitch, though few will ever understand quite how he does it.

2. Wayne Rooney

The contrast between Messi and Wayne Rooney further highlights the beauty of the second striker role.

Rooney's ability to link play was exceptional in his prime, peeling away into space before playing a pinpoint pass into the stride of his attacking teammate.

During his heyday, the Englishman would act as the first line of the press when out of possession, constantly harrying and looking to force mistakes. By the time he had won it back, he would have already assessed his next move.

During his time with Manchester United, Rooney scored 253 goals (a club record) and provided 146 assists in 559 appearances.

3. Eric Cantona

A common theme among all the greatest second strikers is the number of ways they are/were able to influence matches.

The same applies to King Eric.

Regarded as one of the greatest players the Premier League has ever seen, Cantona was a complete footballer. With skill, power, height and a real eye for goal, he was a threat in all areas of the pitch.

Cantona's opponents struggled to get near him, but when they did, they would often be left embarrassed.

4. Kenny Dalglish

From one king to another.

After netting 112 goals in 204 appearances for Celtic, Dalglish moved to Liverpool in 1977 for what was at the time a British record fee.

There, he would become one of the finest forwards in the world, helping the Reds establish themselves as a force both domestically and in Europe. Winner of seven First Division titles, he also snared three European Cups during his time on Merseyside.

5. Raul

Raul is renowned by many for his goalscoring (and rightly so), but his game involved so much more.

The Spaniard could fire in ruthlessly from either inside or outside the box, but was equally capable of drifting into areas of space in order to delicately lay the ball on for his teammates. Indeed, it was his footballing intelligence that was so special.

Raul was named Footballer of the Year five times while at Real Madrid, while he also helped Los Blancos scoop La Liga on six occasions and the Champions League three times.

6. Giuseppe Meazza

Giuseppe Meazza was rejected by Milan when he was a teenager, but their loss would be Inter's gain as he went on to net 242 times in 265 appearances for the club.

Meazza enjoyed such an illustrious career that a stadium was named after him. Not just any stadium, though, the home of both Inter and Milan.

The Italian was a magician with the ball, so much so that folklore claims that he once controlled the ball in the air while performing a bicycle kick - but instead of shooting, he brought it under his spell and got back to his feet before scoring.

7. Kevin Keegan

Keegan was initially brought to Liverpool in an attempt to strengthen in midfield, but he would go on to form an excellent partnership up front with John Toshack.

He helped Liverpool win their first league championship in seven years in 1973, as well as the UEFA Cup. His ability to drop deep and link play made him a nightmare to play against.

8. Mario Kempes

Mario Kempes may have scored a boat load of goals, but he wasn't considered a traditional centre-forward because he thrived on making late surging runs into the box.

When discussing El Matador, it is a necessity to allude to his heroics at the 1978 World Cup. He netted six times in the competition - including two in the final against the Netherlands -to help Argentina win the World Cup for the first time, finishing as top goalscorer in the process.

9. Dennis Bergkamp

Few may point towards the fact that Dennis Bergkamp's statistics weren't exactly outrageously good at Arsenal - 109 goals and 74 assists in 402 appearances - but the figures don't tell the whole story.

Bergkamp played with elegance and class, often waltzing forward with the ball stuck to his feet like glue. Scored some absolutely outrageous goals from a technical standpoint, perhaps highlighted best by his sensational goal for the Netherlands against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup.

10. Omar Sivori

Omar Sivori wasn't the tallest player to grace a football field, but what he lacked in height he more than made up for in acceleration, skill and creativity.

Oh, and there was also the small matter of his goalscoring ability - which, at the time, was unparalleled. A true assassin when it came to finishing, Sivori was a special talent widely regarded as one of the best footballers of his generation.

11. László Kubala

Barcelona were able to beat Real Madrid to the signing of Kubala in 1950, but fans were made to wait due to a ban he received for fleeing Hungary.

He was though, more than worth waiting for. In his first full season at the club, Kubala bagged 26 goals in 19 league games - including seven goals in one match.

He was so good, in fact, that a stadium with a capacity of 60,000 seats wasn't enough for Barcelona's fans as they rushed to see him in action, hence the building of Camp Nou.

12. Tostao

Very few to have played the game of football have done so in the way that Tostao did. The Brazilian had a knack of knowing when to push forward and when to drop deep, anticipating and reading the play so well.

He was also a selfless individual, operating in a variety of positions during his career. Playing as a second striker was where he was most natural, though, and his ability in the role was showcased during Brazil's victorious 1970 World Cup campaign.

13. Francesco Totti

785 matches. 307 goals. 179 assists. The King of Rome.

Totti wasn't just a goalscorer (even though he most definitely knew where the goal was), he was a creator, a difference-maker and an orchestrator. He was also a one-club man, remaining loyal to his employers despite the advances of some of the world's best sides.

A true legend.

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