Top 5 players of the world in Football

1. Lionel Messi (PSG)

How anyone can watch Lionel Messi and not feel a giddy rush is beyond me. Messi is objectively and subjectively The Best – now and ever.

In terms of raw numbers, he continued to carry Barcelona on his diminutive shoulders for years, right until the end. He scored 30 goals in 35 La Liga games last term with a relatively poor unit around him. That was his fifth-poorest season of 13 years with 30+ league appearances, and it was still phenomenal.

Overall, Messi racked up 672 goals and just short of 300 assists in 778 games for Barcelona across a range of competitions.

One silly rod often used to beat the Argentine star has been his apparent failure on the international scene. Unfortunately for Messi’s critics, he has silenced that debate for good after dragging Argentina to the Copa America title in 2021. Oh, and Messi has 76 goals in 151 international games overall.

Beyond raw data, Messi is simply the best footballer on the planet to watch. No one can set pulses racing on a football field quite like him; no one boasts the same amount of unquantifiable magic, no one plays football like Lionel Messi.

2. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Having floated below the likes of Ronaldo and Messi in many ‘best footballers in the world’ lists, Robert Lewandowski is often overlooked. Not anymore. A striker whose talents have adapted to changes in style over the years, Lewandowski is as seasoned a goalscorer as you’ll ever see.

The Poland international has a dead-eye for goal in a one-on-one situation, and his numbers are hugely impressive. Lewandowski scored 41 Bundesliga goals in just 29 games – that’s a record high. He is getting better with age.

What’s more, he was named European Footballer of the Year and FIFA’s player of the year, but controversially wasn’t granted the Ballon d’Or in 2020 after the award was canceled due to COVID-19.

He is the unquestioned king of the natural strikers in world football right now.

3. Kevin De Bruyne (Man City)

No player in the Premier League is as technically gifted as Kevin De Bruyne. The eagle-eyed playmaker has the technical ability and intelligence to dominate games both at home and abroad. His physicality – both in speed and strength – is also underestimated.

Manchester City would not be the same without De Bruyne. He is the assist king, with City scoring a goal provided by the Belgian once every two Premier League games. Of course, having a team of glittering stars around him aids De Bruyne’s club performances, but the 29-year-old has also produced for Belgium.

We haven’t dug into the minutely detailed stats for every player, but here are some numbers from KDB’s 181 Premier League games so far. He plays 53 passes per match, has created 116 ‘big chances’, up to the 2021/22 season, has recorded 120 goal contributions (78 assists, 42 goals).

There’s a feeling that one more off-the-wall season could nudge De Bruyne to the very top of this list. In fact, others may already place him there, and it would be hard to mount a case against them.

4. Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)

When Ronaldo arrived at Juventus, the remit was clear: win the Champions League. Now into his fourth season in Italy, the veteran – who turned 36 in February – still hasn’t delivered, but his exquisite talent remains unquestionable.

Ronaldo’s Juventus are laboring in Serie A, and Portugal hasn’t been at their best, but he has continued to deliver on his side of the deal for both. His goalscoring record stands at 81 goals in 97 Serie A games for Juventus.

In this ranking of the world’s best footballers, Ronaldo is slipping, but he is still a behemoth and can dominate most Serie A games with little issue. He has lost some of his paces, but his fitness remains remarkable for a world-class megastar who has adapted to new circumstances and his changing strengths throughout his।

5. Harry Kane (Tottenham)

Kane is in a sticky spot right now as he faces either an awkward reintegration with his Tottenham teammates or an unceremonious departure for Manchester City. One certainty is his talent.

His 166 goals in 242 Premier League games are near-unprecedented. A 21-goal season this term – a reasonable figure – would send him past Thierry Henry, Frank Lampard, Sergio Aguero, and Andy Cole in the list of top 10 Premier League goalscorers of all time. Only Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer would rank ahead of him.

Kane continues to silence critics on his international form after winning the 2018 World Cup Golden Boot and then scoring four goals at Euro 2020 to give England a fighting chance of lifting the trophy.

The 28-year-old is a remarkable link-up player, his vision and passing far surpasses any other dedicated striker. At the same time, his edge-of-the-box finishing is as good as anyone in world football. If Kane continues his form and maintains a reasonable fitness level, he could have another five seasons left at the top of the Premier League with another 100 goals in him.