Ref:Theguardian.co.uk
1Lionel Messi
Age32
TeamBarcelona / Argentina
PositionForward
Rank3 2018 ▲2
This entry is supposed to be around 100 words long, so the temptation is to say: “Lionel Messi is the best player by a very long way” and simply repeat the word “very” as many times as is necessary to fill the rest of the space. Ninety, by our calculations. It would not be that much of an exaggeration, either. Player of the year is a different debate, and a lot more open, but Messi was Europe’s top scorer and the Champions League’s top scorer too, despite the fact that, as he said when he collected the Ballon d’Or, he’s a “constructor” not a goalscorer. Even that old line about how he disappeared at Anfield isn’t actually true: try watching the game again. And in the end, it’s quite simple: no one has played like Messi in 2019. Maybe no one has played like Messi, full stop. Sid Lowe
Age28
TeamLiverpool / Netherlands
PositionDefender
Rank24 2018 ▲22
Quite simply the best defender in the world – calm, composed, brilliant in possession and in the air, a leader and an inspiration. The Dutchman has it all and played a crucial role in Liverpool’s Champions League triumph and sensational form in the Premier League – runners-up last season, runaway leaders this. He also led the Netherlands to the Nations League final and has rightly been showered with individual recognition, winning the PFA player of the year and Uefa men’s player of the year awards while also coming second to Lionel Messi for the Ballon d’Or. Van Dijk’s rise of 22 places to also finish behind the Argentinian in this list is richly deserved. Sachin Nakrani
Age27
TeamLiverpool / Senegal
PositionForward
Rank19 2018 ▲16
He builds schools in his home town, he lays waste to opposing defences: what's not to love about Mané? He has been Liverpool's most consistently brilliant attacker in a year when they swept to Champions League glory and set a pace in the Premier League that suggests they are on the verge of satisfying their 30-year craving for the English title. Mané boasts as much trickery as any winger but can also beat defenders with power, speed or sheer dynamism, and will almost always choose the best option. Manuel Neuer still might not have figured out how the Senegal international rendered him irrelevant before delicately chipping Liverpool into the lead at Bayern Munich in March. Just run-of-the-mill deadliness for Mané in a year in which he also took his country to the Africa Cup of Nations final. Paul Doyle
Age34
TeamJuventus / Portugal
PositionForward
Rank2 2018 ▼2
Snubbed by the Ballon d’Or voters, and down to his lowest position in our rankings since they launched in 2012, you could be forgiven for thinking that this was a disastrous year for Ronaldo. Lowlights included Champions League elimination by Ajax and a furious exit from Juventus’s stadium before the final whistle after he was subbed off in a game against Milan. Yet this was also a year when he won two major competitions for the first time – Serie A and the Nations League. Ronaldo was voted as player of the year in the former, and scored a hat-trick in the semi-final of the latter. Not too shabby, by anyone else's standards. Nicky Bandini
Age27
TeamLiverpool / Egypt
PositionForward
Rank5 2018
It has been a curious 12 months for Salah in that he has achieved a lot yet there remains a sense he has also come up short. That is because of the high standards he set for himself a couple of years ago, and the fact remains that a return of 20-plus goals for Liverpool in 2019 is a decent return, especially given one of those was in May’s Champions League final. Dazzling and dangerous, the 27-year-old has played his part for the Merseysiders, as well as for Egypt, with Salah’s only regret in 2019 surely being that his national team only reached the last-16 of what was a home Africa Cup of Nations. Sachin Nakrani
6Kylian Mbappé
Age21
TeamParis Saint-Germain / France
PositionForward
Rank4 2018 ▼2
Eden Hazard, no less, said this year that Mbappé was not only one of the best players in the world but “if he continues like this, he will go down as one of the best players in history”. There is no reason to think Mbappé will relent any time soon bearing in mind his precocious awareness alongside his phenomenal speed and skill. Boredom with Ligue 1, where he finished as top scorer this year with a ridiculous 33 goals in 29 matches, might be the biggest hindrance to his continued development. But at least he can amuse himself by tearing up defence in the Champions League and for France, too. And then he will probably move to Real, a transfer that, like Hazard's, seems destined to happen. Paul Doyle
7Robert Lewandowski
Age31
TeamBayern Munich / Poland
PositionForward
Rank30 2018 ▲23
“I have to confess,” wrote Robert Lewandowski on Twitter in November, “that I am addicted to scoring goals”. The words were followed by a smiley and four footballs, signifying the four goals he had scored in the 6-0 Champions League win at Red Star Belgrade. After drawing a blank in the German Super Cup against Dortmund in August he set out on a record-breaking run that saw him score in every game he started until 23 November. By early December he had racked up 27 goals in 22 games to prove that he is still one of the most lethal finishers in the world. His form sees him climb 23 places on our list. Marcus Christenson
8Raheem Sterling
Age25
TeamManchester City / England
PositionForward
Rank31 2018 ▲23
Followed up the best season of his career in 2017-18 with an even better one in 2018-19 and, with 15 goals in 21 appearances already this season, he’s showing no sign of slowing down. Goals have been perhaps the most notable facet of his continuing improvement – he’s scored four hat-tricks for club and country in 2019 alone – but increasingly Sterling has become the player who looks to drag City through when the chips are down, particularly in Europe. The altercation with Joe Gomez that led to him being dropped from the England side in November was a backwards step in a year in which Sterling has otherwise only moved forward. John Ashdown
9Alisson
Age27
TeamLiverpool / Brazil
PositionGoalkeeper
Rank43 2018 ▲34
Has leapfrogged Jan Oblak, Marc-André ter Stegen, David de Gea and Thibaut Courtois to be the No 1 goalkeeper in the list. And, for that matter, has moved past Neymar, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho to be the top Brazilian in the 100 too. And, stats fans, he becomes only the second goalkeeper to make it to the top 10, after Manuel Neuer in 2014 and 2015. And it is all fully deserved. He helped Liverpool to a Champions League triumph and marshalled the best defence in the Premier League last season. In the summer, he won the Copa América with Brazil, where he was named in the team of the tournament. And though this season has been injury disrupted, there's no doubting his importance to Jürgen Klopp's runaway Premier League leaders. John Ashdown
10Frenkie de Jong
Age22
TeamBarcelona / Netherlands
PositionMidfielder
Rank92 2018 ▲82
Eighty-two places: it’s a huge climb but anyone who watched De Jong play for Ajax in last season’s Champions League having probably seen very little of him before that, can understand why. Clever, quick, visionary, and still only 22, Barça see him as the most important piece in a new midfield that will lead them for a decade to come. There have been moments this season when he has looked like exactly that, his passing precise, physically impressive and blessed with vision and personality, but his role has shifted through all three midfield positions and the adaptation process is not yet complete. Sid Lowe
11Roberto Firmino
Age28
TeamLiverpool / Brazil
PositionForward
Rank23 2018 ▲12
The central figure of Liverpool’s brilliant frontline in more ways than one. Firmino may not draw the eye like Sadio Mané or Mohamed Salah but without his movement, work rate and link-up play neither would be as effective. He has also contributed with goals, including a couple for Brazil during their triumphant Copa América campaign in the summer. Jürgen Klopp believes there is no other forward in the world like Firmino and he is correct – the 28-year-old is a unique, somewhat underappreciated talent who now finds himself just outside the top 10. Sachin Nakrani
12Kevin De Bruyne
Age28
TeamManchester City / Belgium
PositionMidfielder
Rank8 2018 ▼4
It is no shock to see the Belgian drop four places. Though still a brilliant performer for club and country, his year has been heavily disrupted by injuries – he missed almost the whole of March due to a thigh strain as well as the end of April and the start of May because of a hamstring problem. De Bruyne has been a more consistent presence so far this season and more often than not brought his talent to the fore, delivering wonderful passes and crosses for Manchester City as well as scoring the odd goal, the most stunning of which was his long-range volley in the recent 2-2 draw with Newcastle. Sachin Nakrani
13Sergio Agüero
Age31
TeamManchester City / Argentina
PositionForward
Rank15 2018 ▲2
Has featured in every edition of the 100 since its inception in 2012 and never outside the top 20. Deservedly up a couple of places after another year of making the extraordinary look ordinary. In 2019 alone Agüero equalled Alan Shearer’s record for Premier League hat-tricks, became Manchester City’s record league goalscorer, won the Premier League title for a fourth time and moved up to sixth on the Premier League all-time scorers list. In all likelihood, he will ease past Thierry Henry and Frank Lampard in that chart before the end of the season because he has managed to hold off the challenge of Gabriel Jesus for City’s sole striking spot. And he even found time to score a couple of goals as Argentina finished third in the Copa América. John Ashdown
14Eden Hazard
Age28
TeamReal Madrid / Belgium
PositionForward
Rank7 2018 ▼7
A slight drop for the Belgian after two years in the top 10, perhaps in part down to him still being in a settling-in period at Real Madrid after his €150m move in the summer. In that switch he managed the rare feat of leaving his club on a high and with the minimum of fuss. And his final act for Chelsea was quite the parting gift – two goals in the Europa League final that helped seal the 4-1 win over Arsenal. Real are yet to see the best of him but he has a huge 2020 ahead with club and country. John Ashdown
15Harry Kane
Age26
TeamTottenham Hotspur / England
PositionForward
Rank9 2018 ▼6
Given Kane’s placing in 2018 was in large part based on him being the World Cup Golden Boot winner, a slight drop is no surprise. The Tottenham forward missed a lot of football due to ligament damage – in mid-January and then again in mid-April – while at times he has generally seemed off the pace. Nevertheless, he has scored well over 30 times for club and country in 2019 and the 26-year-old was a key figure for England during their run to the Nations League semi-finals before their successful qualification campaign for Euro 2020. Sachin Nakrani
16Bernardo Silva
Age25
TeamManchester City / Portugal
PositionMidfielder
Rank68 2018 ▲52
A big leap up the rankings for a player who has hovered in the lower echelons of the 100 for a couple of seasons. Silva’s importance to City has only increased over the course of the year, generally getting the better of Riyad Mahrez in the tussle for the spot on the right of the City midfield. Silva, in fact, made more Premier League appearances than any other City outfield player last season as they marched to another title. Helped Portugal to the Nations League title in the summer but blotted his copybook with a horribly ill-advised tweet in the autumn. On the pitch, though, he has been a joy to watch. John Ashdown
17Trent Alexander-Arnold
Age21
TeamLiverpool / England
PositionDefender
RankNew
At the age of 21 Alexander-Arnold has become the world’s premier attacking right-back, providing – along with Andrew Robertson on the opposite flank – much of Liverpool’s width and creativity, and performances of consistent excellence. He ended last season with a run of six assists in six league games, and if he has not quite kept up that pace his importance is illustrated by the fact that it took until 4 December for him to miss a minute of league football. In May he took The Corner, his quick thinking setting up Divock Origi for the goal that took the Reds past Barcelona and into the Champions League final, perhaps the outstanding footballing moment of 2019. Simon Burnton
18Matthijs de Ligt
Age20
TeamJuventus / Netherlands
PositionDefender
Rank89 2018 ▲71
Quite a year for the 20-year-old. First he captained Ajax to the Champions League semi-finals, seeing off Real Madrid and Juventus on the way. Then they won the domestic double, he reached the Nations League final with the Netherlands and sealed a £68m move to Juventus. “I have been fascinated by the Italian way of defending from an early age,” he said upon joining the Serie A side. “Many of my idols from the past are also Italians, such as Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Alessandro Nesta, Fabio Cannavaro and Gaetano Scirea.” Once settled in Italy, he has the chance to follow in his heroes’ footsteps. Marcus Christenson
19Son Heung-min
Age27
TeamTottenham Hotspur / South Korea
PositionForward
Rank78 2018 ▲59
Son has been spectacularly consistent in recent years – in four of the last five complete seasons, at Tottenham and Bayer Leverkusen, he has scored either 15 or 16 goals across league and European competition – but still seems to be improving. Despite his club’s poor start to the 2019-20 season, his scoring rate has increased. By early December he had played in 14 Premier League games and either scored or created 13 goals, including one of the goals of the year in the demolition of Burnley. Son was the only Asian nominee for this year’s Ballon d’Or, eventually coming 22nd, and was named the AFC’s Asian international player of the year for the third time. Simon Burnton
20Karim Benzema
Age32
TeamReal Madrid / France
PositionForward
Rank48 2018 ▲28
Eden Hazard recently described Benzema as: “The best No 9 in the world and on top of that he makes the other players around him better too.” For years, he played the role of facilitator; now, without Cristiano Ronaldo, he is leading the forward line, still playing with intelligence and for others, but taking responsibility for goals too. In fact, he has scored even more than Ronaldo since his former teammate left for Turin. Benzema was one of very few impressive performers at Madrid last season and he has been arguably La Liga’s outstanding performer so far this. Sid Lowe
21Marc-André ter Stegen
Age27
TeamBarcelona / Germany
PositionGoalkeeper
Rank44 2018 ▲23
Not long ago, Uli Hoeness was reported to have said that if Ter Stegen was chosen for the German national team ahead of Manuel Neuer, he would withdraw all of Bayern Munich’s players. The German FA should have called his bluff and not just because you’d like to see him explain to his furious footballers why they can’t go to the Euros – Germany would also have a better goalkeeper. There’s something almost funny about a man who might just be the best goalkeeper in the world, performing miracles by the game, not even being considered the best in his country. Sid Lowe
22N'Golo Kanté
Age28
TeamChelsea / France
PositionMidfielder
Rank10 2018 ▼12
Frank Lampard scoffs at the notion that the Frenchman is no more than a holding midfielder. Chelsea’s manager thinks that there is far more to Kanté’s game than breaking up play. He rates his passing and his ability to get into goalscoring positions and he does not think that his predecessor, Maurizio Sarri, was wrong to use Kanté in a more advanced role last season. The former Leicester midfielder underlined his importance to Chelsea when he shook off a knee injury to help them win the Europa League and fitness issues are the only reason he has dropped down the rankings. Jacob Steinberg
23Andrew Robertson
Age25
TeamLiverpool / Scotland
PositionDefender
RankNew
Robertson is a new entry and fully deserves his place on the list. The left-back was a key member of the Liverpool side that won the Champions League and came close to securing the Premier League title last season, carrying out his defensive duties diligently while providing a phenomenal 13 assists thanks to his consistently brilliant crossing. The 25-year-old has picked up where he left off and his only regret of 2019 will be that having been named Scotland captain, the national team have yet again failed to impress and must rely on the play-offs to try and secure a place at next summer’s European Championship. Sachin Nakrani
24Jan Oblak
Age26
TeamAtlético Madrid / Slovenia
PositionGoalkeeper
Rank27 2018 ▲3
When Atlético played their first pre-season game, it was Oblak who wore the captain’s armband – formal recognition at last of a status he has silently built for himself over five virtually impeccable years at the club. He may not be the most demonstrative goalkeeper and he certainly isn’t the most flash but he might just be the most secure, producing extraordinary saves with little fuss. Was described by Jorge Valdano in El País as “a classic keeper, performing miracles with the seriousness of a priest: sober, agile, even more imposing because of the way he transmits security than because he has size to spare.” The only time Atlético fans didn’t feel secure was when they feared he would leave. But, named second captain after Koke (whose status is protected purely through longevity), he finally agreed to stay – despite others departing – and extended his contract until 2023. Sid Lowe
25Antoine Griezmann
Age28
TeamBarcelona / France
PositionForward
Rank6 2018 ▼19
Having joined from Atlético Madrid, he celebrated his first Barcelona goal by running to the corner, alone, and throwing red and blue confetti in the air, a colourful glittering shower surrounding him. But, having joined the club a year later than he was supposed to, Griezmann is still trying to find his place in the team and with Leo Messi and Luis Suárez. When he was asked if he wouldn’t play better on the right, he replied: “that’s a good question”. A role on the left, where he has not played for five years, has not convinced yet. And, it seems, nor has he. The good news is that he is mentally tough; he’ll need to be. Sid Lowe
26Luis Suárez
Age32
TeamBarcelona / Uruguay
PositionForward
Rank14 2018 ▼12
“There’s going to come a time that my age doesn’t let me be at the necessary level to compete at Barcelona,” Luis Suárez said recently. Some critics have argued that moment has already arrived, which is why in the same interview he also said: “The demands at Barcelona are immense; they won’t let you have a solitary bad game.” He seems to have become an easy target, not the fastest and not blessed with the most aesthetic movement, but only three players have ever scored more Barcelona goals and he still offers what no one else can. Sid Lowe
27Dusan Tadic
Age31
TeamAjax / Serbia
PositionForward
RankNew
It somehow seems unlikely that Tadic would have been on this list if he had stayed at Southampton in the summer of 2018. The Serbian winger was a decent player in the Premier League but his career has really taken off since his move to Ajax. His game has taken on new dimensions and he played a key role in Ajax’s run to the last four of the Champions League last season. Tadic, who by early December had scored 48 goals in 82 games for Ajax, has impressed as a false nine and he also helped Erik ten Hag’s team win the Eredivisie and the Dutch Cup. Jacob Steinberg
28Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Age30
TeamArsenal / Gabon
PositionForward
Rank55 2018 ▲27
Where would Arsenal be without Aubameyang? He continues to produce at a staggering rate in a relatively uncreative side and his goal return has papered over an almighty series of cracks over the past 12 months. By early December he had managed 29 in 45 games and a remarkable number have changed a match’s complexion. The Europa League semi-final second-leg hat-trick in Valencia stands out, while this season his strikes have gained Arsenal half of their Premier League points. Much of this has occurred while being shuttled between wide and centre-forward positions by Unai Emery, who made him captain. Aubameyang remains captain under Freddie Ljungberg but, at 30, he may have his eye on a deserved return to Champions League football elsewhere next season. Nick Ames
29Hakim Ziyech
Age26
TeamAjax / Netherlands
PositionMidfielder
RankNew
Ziyech’s talents had hardly been a secret before this year, but Ajax’s Champions League exploits found them a global audience and cemented his place as one of the most vaunted playmakers around. So why, despite being open to a move and potentially costing far less than Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt, has nobody from Europe’s biggest leagues taken the plunge? There have always been a few doubts about his efficiency at the highest level, and Ziyech is certainly not shy to take pot shots with his wand of a left foot, but as a creative force who presses insistently there are few better prospects. While Ajax themselves provide a worthy stage for his talents it would be a shame if they were primarily reserved for relatively routine Eredivisie tests for much longer. Nick Ames
30Kalidou Koulibaly
Age28
TeamNapoli / Senegal
PositionDefender
Rank56 2018 ▲26
If Serie A is still, as Carlos Tevez used to describe it, a “university for attackers”, then Koulibaly is the professor setting the toughest exams. A colossal presence at centre-back for Napoli, he was named the division’s best defender in 2018-19 and frankly nobody else was close. Despite some growing pains as he adjusts to new centre-back partner Kostas Manolas this season, Koulibaly delivered standout performances in both his team’s Champions League group games against Liverpool. He also helped Senegal to reach the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, although he was suspended for the defeat to Algeria, and was named as his national team’s new captain in November. Nicky Bandini
31Neymar
Age27
TeamParis Saint-Germain / Brazil
PositionForward
Rank11 2018 ▼20
A wizard with the ball at his feet, Neymar casts such a spell over people that he is rated among the best players on the planet even after possibly the worst year of his career, albeit one in which he inevitably won another French title. That did not stop fans of PSG from calling for him to be sold owing to his suspect commitment to the club. On the other hand, PSG might have fulfilled their Champions League ambitions if he had not been injured at a critical time. Brazil thrived without him at the Copa América. But such is his talent that he was reintroduced to the team as soon as he was fit again. Paul Doyle
32Jadon Sancho
Age19
TeamBorussia Dortmund / England
PositionForward
RankNew
Given Sancho is only 19 his figures over the last season and a half – a goal roughly every two and a half games in the Bundesliga and almost an assist every other match – are breathtaking. In December he became only the fourth teenager to reach 20 goals in the German top flight and it is hard to think of a more important player in Dortmund's squad. A dip in form earlier this season saw him briefly dropped and disciplined for poor timekeeping; he also faces a battle to regain an England starting spot although he scored twice at St Mary’s against Kosovo. Those minor issues are, if anything, a reminder that he is still wising up to life at football’s pinnacle. A return to England seems likely at some point – any buyer would be signing a player whose star is still soaring. Nick Ames
33Donny van de Beek
Age22
TeamAjax / Netherlands
PositionMidfielder
RankNew
It is strange to think that, until Ajax began making waves in the Champions League last season, Van de Beek was rarely mentioned as one of their biggest stars. He had been on scouts’ radars but is now, at last, marked out across Europe’s big beasts as a must-have. Real Madrid have been linked particularly strongly with an attacking midfielder who is often likened to Andrés Iniesta, and it is easy to see why given the grace with which he carries the ball and the killer punch packs in dangerous areas. It was Van de Beek who set Ajax’s win at Juventus in motion and who seemed to have paved a route to the final by scoring the only goal at Tottenham’s new stadium in the semi. Silky but deadly, he is yet another Ajax player to be taking a place in this list for the first time. Nick Ames
34Fabinho
Age26
TeamLiverpool / Brazil
PositionMidfielder
RankRe-entry
It has been something of a breakthrough year for the Brazilian. After joining Liverpool in May 2018, he had largely operated under the radar, initially struggling to hold down a first-team place. But that changed around Christmas and he has gone on to become a key part of Jürgen Klopp’s side and he has also established himself in Brazil’s squad this year. Dynamic, strong and tactically astute, there is a case to be made for the 26-year-old to be recognised as the best defensive midfielder in the world. The shame for all concerned is that his talents will not be on display again until 2020 due to ankle ligament damage. Sachin Nakrani
35João Félix
Age20
TeamAtlético Madrid / Portugal
PositionForward
RankNew
€126m and he’s 20. No pressure, kid. To start with, it seemed like Félix felt no pressure, too. Superb in pre-season, he led Atlético in putting seven past Real Madrid, and decided the first few games of the season, a player of skill, vision and speed. But Diego Simeone, a coach not given to accommodating creative No 10s, was still seeking his best position, inclined towards playing him on the right – which is not where he wanted to play – and, having picked up an injury, out of position, he’s not had consistency. Withdrawn in the defeat to Barcelona at the start of December, he sat on the bench wearing a face that suggested he’s not enjoying this much. Sid Lowe
36Sergio Ramos
Age33
TeamReal Madrid / Spain
PositionDefender
Rank17 2018 ▼19
Has there ever been a more influential player at Real Madrid, someone who has more completely played the role of captain, for good and bad? There’s something almost cartoonish about Ramos, star of a new Amazon documentary which, to great irritation, was partly filmed in his private box while Madrid were getting dumped out of last season’s Champions League by Ajax. Accident-prone and heroic in one package and the same game, the truth is that last season he was mostly truly awful, but there’s something about him that keeps people coming back and keeps him coming back too. Sid Lowe
37Joshua Kimmich
Age24
TeamBayern Munich / Germany
PositionDefender
Rank67 2018 ▲30
Another year, another German league title and another milestone for Kimmich. In September he did what everyone had been saying he would since he first broke through: he captained the national team. He wore the armband for the 2-2 friendly against Argentina and although he joked afterwards that it had been “too big” and that he needed to work on his biceps, it confirmed he is the leader of this German generation. Still equally adept at right-back and in central midfield he now has four Bundesliga titles, two German cups and almost 50 caps for his country. And he is only 24. Marcus Christenson
38Serge Gnabry
Age24
TeamBayern Munich / Germany
PositionForward
RankNew
Gnabry’s ill-fated spell on loan at West Brom under Tony Pulis, during which he hardly played and was rarely match-fit, is now a story for the ages. That was back in 2015 and the 24-year-old has become the talent Arsenal always suspected he might be when they signed him as a teenager. The biggest compliment anyone can offer is that, while Bayern are suffering in several areas, the retirements of Franck Ribéry and Arjen Robben are far down their list of regrets. At his best Gnabry looks as exhilarating as either and his individual performance in the astonishing 7-2 win at Tottenham, in which he scored four times in 35 second-half minutes, may not be outdone by anyone this season. A hat-trick for Germany against Northern Ireland underscored his importance to the national team and it is hard to think of a winger who is developing as rapidly. Nick Ames
39Ángel Di María
Age31
TeamParis Saint-Germain / Argentina
PositionMidfielder
RankRe-entry
The Argentinian's re-entry into the top 100 is testament to the upturn in form that he has enjoyed this year, which was best exemplified by the two goals he scored against one of his former clubs, Real Madrid, in September. Last year PSG considered following in the footsteps of Real and Manchester United by offloading Di María but he has confirmed his value to them since then after regaining his confidence under Thomas Tuchel. “He's my player now and that's a gift,” said Tuchel this year. “He is super-reliable.” Paul Doyle
40Ederson
Age26
TeamManchester City / Brazil
PositionGoalkeeper
Rank59 2018 ▲19
A significant step up the list following another year of consistent excellence for the Premier League champions. Never fails to impress with his shot-stopping ability (and seems to cope admirably with the constantly changing cast of characters in front of him in the Manchester City defence) but it is his talent with the ball at his feet that really sets him apart and his importance is illustrated every time the prospect of him missing a game raises its head. He watched Brazil's Copa América success from the bench but Alisson’s injury in the autumn has meant Ederson stepping up for his national side, even though his chances of ousting the Liverpool keeper as regular No 1 seem remote. John Ashdown
41Christian Eriksen
Age27
TeamTottenham Hotspur / Denmark
PositionMidfielder
Rank36 2018 ▼5
It’s been a year of two halves for the Tottenham and Denmark midfielder. At the end of last season he sparkled for Mauricio Pochettino’s side as they reached the Champions League final and scored the second goal (having assisted the first) at Spurs’ new stadium. That seemed certain to be the prelude to a summer exit but instead Eriksen found himself stuck with Spurs (and vice versa) and his brilliance has been seen only in diminishing flashes since. He helped steer Denmark through an awkward draw to qualify for Euro 2020 (oddly ending up as the leading scorer in the group) but José Mourinho is yet to name him in the starting XI for Tottenham. Will surely need to improve or move to avoid a proper plummet down the rankings next year. John Ashdown
42Paulo Dybala
Age26
TeamJuventus / Argentina
PositionForward
Rank26 2018 ▼16
The Argentinian drops 16 places on our list but does well to stay in the top 50 after an inconsistent year. In the summer it looked as if he would leave Juventus with Manchester United or Tottenham possible destinations. His image rights demands, however, scuppered any move and he has now rebuilt his relationship with Juventus fans with a strong end to the year. He scored in Juventus’s important 2-1 win at title rivals Internazionale in October, for which he was rewarded a kiss on the cheek by Cristiano Ronaldo during the post-match interviews, and then he won the Champions League match against Atlético Madrid in November with a wonderfully whipped free-kick from an almost impossible angle by the corner flag. Marcus Christenson
43Georginio Wijnaldum
Age29
TeamLiverpool / Netherlands
PositionMidfielder
RankNew
Another new entry who deserves his place on the list. The midfielder was an understated but hugely important part of Liverpool’s Champions League triumph and strong Premier League finish last season and he has continued to impress for Jürgen Klopp’s side during this campaign. Wijnaldum also contributed significantly to the Netherlands’ run to the Nations League final, as well as to their recently-secured qualification for Euro 2020. The 29-year-old has shown the full range of abilities in 2019 – defensive and tactically disciplined for Liverpool while a dangerous attacking threat for his country, seen by the seven goals he has scored in his last five international appearances. Sachin Nakrani
44Toni Kroos
Age29
TeamReal Madrid / Germany
PositionMidfielder
Rank22 2018 ▼22
Robbie Williams superfan Kroos extended his Real Madrid contract in the summer, which came as a bit of a surprise after a dreadful season in which he was among those with the finger pointed at them, a likely victim of a revolution that never came. Seemed to be getting slower, drifting, victim of and responsible for a collective malaise. But there’s something old school about Kroos and, aware of his own failings, he worked with a personal trainer so that he could return for pre-season in good shape and he is back to something like his best now, the delivery and timing exceptional. “He almost never loses the ball and gives us fluidity,” Zinedine Zidane says. Sid Lowe
45Luka Modric
Age34
TeamReal Madrid / Croatia
PositionMidfielder
Rank1 2018 ▼44
Modric had his hands on the Ballon d’Or again this year, but only so he could present it to Lionel Messi in a gesture that speaks very highly of him. “It’s respect for football,” he said. Last year’s winner has slipped a long, long way from No 1 after a post-World Cup season which was genuinely awful. Bad enough, in fact, that it was legitimate to wonder if the decline was much more than just a dip in form. And yet in recent weeks there have been glimpses of Modric again – and it is lovely to see. Sid Lowe
46David Silva
Age33
TeamManchester City / Spain
PositionMidfielder
Rank20 2018 ▼26
The Spaniard has fallen 26 places, which is somewhat curious given he has again been a key part of Manchester City’s success this year. There were 10 assists during the second half of the 2018-19 campaign and several more already this season, not to mention a smattering of important and well-taken goals. It probably says much about the high standards Silva has set throughout his career that what he does now – dictate and open up matches through his expert use of possession – is largely taken for granted. Perhaps there will be a greater appreciation of one of the best midfielders of his generation when he leaves City, and possibly retires, in the summer. Sachin Nakrani
47Lautaro Martínez
Age22
TeamInternazionale / Argentina
PositionForward
RankNew
Signed by Internazionale from Argentina’s Racing Club in the summer of 2018, Martínez had an unremarkable first season at the club but has exploded since the arrival of Antonio Conte. Where previously he played only sparingly, and most often as a lone striker, now he lines up as part of a front two alongside Romelu Lukaku, in which he has found the space and support to show off his ruthless finishing ability. Goals against Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus already this season demonstrate his appetite for the big occasion. Martínez also scored twice for Argentina at the Copa América. Nicky Bandini
48Jamie Vardy
Age32
TeamLeicester City / England
PositionForward
RankRe-entry
Some things never get boring no matter how predictable they are. When Vardy chases a through-ball, the outcome seems as inevitable as when a shark zooms in on its prey, but is thrilling to watch all the same. At 32 he seems to have found a second lease of life under Brendan Rodgers and his re-entry into the Top 100 recognises the fact that he is once again proving to be one of the world's deadliest strikers. No wonder England fans would like him to revoke his international retirement. Paul Doyle
49Riyad Mahrez
Age28
TeamManchester City / Algeria
PositionForward
RankRe-entry
A month after scoring at Brighton to help Manchester City win back-to-back Premier League titles, Mahrez inspired his country to only the second major triumph in their history. Algeria expected a lot from him and he delivered in style. His spectacular last-gasp goal in the semi-final against Nigeria was a moment to cherish for anyone who admires demonstrations of skill in the most dramatic circumstances. "Riyad performed the role of captain with great elegance," said Algeria's manager, Djamel Belmadi, after the tournament. "He was a very effective member of the team and vitally important in building attacks. He scored and was always present at the difficult times. What we saw was a star who deserves all the plaudits.” Paul Doyle
50Miralem Pjanic
Age29
TeamJuventus / Bosnia-Herzegovina
PositionMidfielder
Rank51 2018 ▲1
“I want Miralem Pjanic to touch the ball 150 times per game,” said Maurizio Sarri shortly after being installed as Juventus manager last summer. It was a sign of how much he admires the Bosnian’s qualities and Pjanic has continued to be the player that everything revolves around for Juve. He does everything to help the team and his passing range and perception of what goes on around him is a joy to watch. “What I like about Sarri’s vision is when we play one-, two-touch football,” he said in November. “It makes the ball do the work and that’s good because the ball is always quicker than the players.” Marcus Christenson
51Romelu Lukaku
Age26
TeamInternazionale / Belgium
PositionForward
Rank41 2018 ▼10
A 10-place tumble down the rankings for the Belgium striker, though you wonder if that would have been the case had he made his move to Italy earlier in the year. Lukaku seems revitalised by his move to Inter where, despite having to deal with racism in the stands and in the media, he has made a prolific start to life in Italy, playing a key role in the Nerazzuri’s attempt to break Juventus’s Scudetto monopoly. Already Belgium's record goalscorer, he added seven more this year and is clearly going to go on to set a mark that could stand for a very long time – he’s still only 26 after all. John Ashdown
52Gabriel Barbosa
Age23
TeamFlamengo / Brazil
PositionForward
RankNew
Still contracted to Internazionale, where he spent the 2016-17 season without making a league start, Gabigol has reached new heights during a year-long loan to an all-conquering Flamengo side under Jorge Jesus, scoring 34 goals in 41 games including the stunning late brace that transformed the Copa Libertadores final. “I’m a different player, technically, physical and tactically,” he has said. “Jesus gave me a different view of everything. He really changed my life.” Last month Inter's CEO, Giuseppe Marotta, said Barbosa is “unlikely to be part of our project” and “has several proposals” which will be considered at the start of 2020. Simon Burnton
53Erling Braut Haaland
Age19
TeamRB Salzburg / Norway
PositionForward
RankNew
All Europe’s top clubs would bite your hand off to sign Haaland. The buzz around the 19-year-old is deafening but this is not the standard hyperbole applied to young talents who may, or may not, ultimately make the grade. That is because Haaland, the son of the former Manchester City and Leeds player Alf Inge Haaland, already has. It is one thing banging the goals past opponents in Austria’s Bundesliga, as he has with blistering regularity since May, but his Champions League exploits have shown an uncanny ability to step up. Haaland scored a hat-trick on his debut in the competition and eight times in his first five games. At 6ft 4in and blessed with strength and technical qualities to match, he is built like a man and has the mental capacity of a far more experienced player too. On current form, his possibilities seem limitless. Nick Ames
54Aymeric Laporte
Age25
TeamManchester City / France
PositionDefender
RankNew
Laporte’s value to Manchester City can be measured by just how vulnerable they have looked since he suffered a serious knee injury in late August. City are not the same side without the defender, who is a new entry on this year’s list on the back of his assured and commanding displays for Pep Guardiola’s side as they secured a domestic treble last season. He also contributed with goals and assists, and aged 25 looks set to be a key figure for City for some time to come. Injury aside, Laporte’s only frustration in 2019 will be his continued inability to break into the France national team. Sachin Nakrani
55Paul Pogba
Age26
TeamManchester United / France
PositionMidfielder
Rank16 2018 ▼39
José Mourinho’s departure from Old Trafford last December was supposed to be ideal for a midfielder struggling to shine in the Portuguese’s plan. Instead … his lowest placing on this list since 2013, when he failed to make the top 100, and the sense that he’s relying on past successes to feature even this highly. Has played only twice since August, one of those appearances coming in United's unedifying scramble past Rochdale on penalties in the League Cup. Perhaps being the centre of a two-year will-he-won’t-he? transfer saga is taking its toll. On his day he remains a singular talent, but those days have been few and far between in 2019. John Ashdown
56Edinson Cavani
Age32
TeamParis Saint-Germain / Uruguay
PositionForward
Rank21 2018 ▼35
It has been a year of dwindling for the striker so it is no surprise to see him fall 35 places in the rankings. Although he finished the 2018-19 as Ligue 1's third highest scorer, with 17 goals in 18 matches, he is no longer indispensable to his club, where injury and loss of form have hampered him and Mauro Icardi has shone in his place. While his sharpness may be fading, his spirit remains undimmed, and supporters still delight in his all-action style and, memorably, his eagerness to fight Lionel Messi when Uruguay played Argentina in November. Paul Doyle
57Dani Alves
Age36
TeamSão Paulo FC / Brazil
PositionDefender
RankRe-entry
Some 45,000 people turned up to welcome Alves when he signed for the club he supports from Paris Saint-Germain in August, the player returning to his homeland “to fight for my dream” – namely participation in the 2022 World Cup. He returns to our list having captained Brazil to victory at the Copa América – the 40th trophy of his professional career – and being named player of that tournament. “Some people are surprised about my performances here,” he said. “I am not.” More surprising is his reinvention as an attacking midfielder at São Paulo, a positional switch that notably allowed him to score a fairytale winner on his debut. Simon Burnton
58Fernandinho
Age34
TeamManchester City / Brazil
PositionMidfielder
Rank63 2018 ▲5
Even at 34 he remains the glue that holds Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City together, whether in midfield or, more often of late, at centre-half and his importance to the Premier League champions is reflected in his highest placing in our 100. Rodri’s £62.8m arrival from Atlético Madrid means the Brazilian is no longer so pivotal in the middle of the park (though it could be argued that City have missed his presence at the heart of things this season) but Guardiola has been more than happy to rehouse him in the centre of defence. Part of the Brazil squad that won the Copa América this year but missed the business end of the tournament after picking up a knee injury and losing his place in Tite's side. John Ashdown
59Timo Werner
Age23
TeamRB Leipzig / Germany
PositionForward
RankRe-entry
The forward has always scored goals but the arrival of Julian Nagelsmann as RB Leipzig manager seems to have elevated the 23-year-old to another level. By early December he had 15 in 14 Bundesliga games but his overall play has also improved. In November alone he scored seven goals and provided five assists in the league. “This season I am dropping to play as a No 10 at times,” he said in December. “That has helped me a lot. I have a lot of freedom.” For Germany, he has not been quite as productive with 11 goals in 29 games, but time is most definitely on his side. Marcus Christenson
60Mauro Icardi
Age26
TeamParis Saint-Germain / Argentina
PositionForward
Rank32 2018 ▼28
The year began with Icardi in dispute with Internazionale, who stripped him of the captaincy and eventually let it be known he could leave club in the summer. PSG were ridiculed when they stepped in to take him on loan, because another star with a reputation for being awkward seemed like exactly the last thing the French club needed. Icardi's performances soon made critics pipe down. After scoring nine goals in his first 10 matches – including Champions League winners against Galatasaray and Club Brugge – PSG began talking about activating the option to make his loan move permanent, for €65m, at the end of the season. Paul Doyle
61Casemiro
Age27
TeamReal Madrid / Brazil
PositionMidfielder
Rank42 2018 ▼19
Thirty minutes. That’s the total number of minutes that Casemiro has missed this season, the man that Zinedine Zidane considers so important that he just won’t take him off, ever. “When are you going to rest Casemiro?” Zidane was asked in early November. “I don’t know, not yet,” he said. As for the Brazilian, when he was asked, he smiled that cherubic smile that disguises the dirty job he has to do, and said he was fine thanks very much. He gives balance to a midfield that needs it, but also does much more than that. Sid Lowe
62Jorginho
Age28
TeamChelsea / Italy
PositionMidfielder
Rank52 2018 ▼10
The midfielder had a tough start to life at Chelsea. He was viewed as the symbol of “Sarriball” and was barracked at times by supporters. However Jorginho has a strong mentality and he did not allow his head to drop. The Italy international kept working hard and proved his worth by helping Chelsea win the Europa League and finish third in the Premier League. He is a clever player and has emerged as a leader under Frank Lampard, who loves his range of passing and ability to run a game from midfield. He also takes a cool penalty. Jacob Steinberg
63Ciro Immobile
Age29
TeamLazio / Italy
PositionForward
Rank73 2018 ▲10
Even by Immobile’s standards this season has been something special. By early December he had racked up 17 goals in 15 Serie A games and added another two in three Europa League games. The striker is in the form of his life and no wonder he has climbed 10 places on our list. “Me and my family feel calm and happy in Rome,” he said recently. “I have a great relationship with the club and the fans seem to love me. I want to finish my career here.” First, though, there are more goals to score. At the time of writing he has 116 goals in 203 Serie A games and has Euro 2020 to look forward to with Italy as well. Marcus Christenson
64Duván Zapata
Age28
TeamAtalanta / Colombia
PositionForward
RankNew
The top scorer for an Atalanta side who gatecrashed Serie A's top four last season, Zapata found a new lease of life under Gian Piero Gasperini – the manager recognising traits in him that others had missed. The striker’s tall and muscular frame had led previous coaches to deploy him as an old-fashioned target man, but in Bergamo Zapata has demonstrated he can be devastating when allowed to play facing the goal. His club form earned him a recall to the Colombian national team, for whom he started, and scored twice, during their run to the quarter-finals of the Copa América. Nicky Bandini
65Jordi Alba
Age30
TeamBarcelona / Spain
PositionDefender
Rank64 2018 ▼1
Chest out, leaning back, head to the sky, legs whirring, Alba whizzes up and down the wing all day every day, looking for Lionel Messi. At times last season he was so good that even Luis Enrique, the man he had fallen out with, had to back down and include him in the national team squad. It might not have been an exaggeration then to describe him as the second best player in La Liga, although it would also not be an exaggeration to hold him responsible for the beginning of the collapse at Anfield. Sid Lowe
66Bruno Henrique
Age28
TeamFlamengo / Brazil
PositionForward
RankNew
At 28 – he turns 29 on 30 December – Henrique has enjoyed the most prolific year of his career, as he and Gabriel Barbosa fired Flamengo to their first league title in a decade and a first Copa Libertadores for nearly four. Henrique was named the best player in the latter competition after scoring five and assisting six more. The player credits Jorge Jesus with his recent successes, saying the Portuguese coach has made him “a more complete player” and “helped us maximise our value both as players and as a team”. Meanwhile the coach praises Henrique’s selflessness and humility: "This is a rare quality in a striker, who often just wants to attack." Simon Burnton
67Lucas Moura
Age27
TeamTottenham Hotspur / Brazil
PositionForward
RankNew
The Brazilian delivered one of the most sensational performance in the history not just of Tottenham but also of the Champions League when he scored that astonishing second-half hat-trick at Ajax. That was a sensational demonstration of his talent and, he said, “the best moment of my life”. But he also endured a lot of frustration in a year in which he was often consigned to the bench or played as a striker rather than his preferred role on the wing, factors that led to a fraying in his relationship with Mauricio Pochettino. José Mourinho's could enable him to enjoy great moments more often. Paul Doyle
68Thiago Silva
Age35
TeamParis Saint-Germain / Brazil
PositionDefender
Rank74 2018 ▲6
The centre-back has been ridiculed and written off many times in his career, most memorably after Brazil's 2014 World Cup humiliation and repeated bottle-jobs with Paris Saint-Germain. But replacing him is not as easy as critics suggest, which is why he remains precious to club and country. In July he achieved a measure of redemption by leading Brazil to victory in the Copa América. At PSG he is still so influential that, at 35, there is talk of him signing a new contract. Paul Doyle
69Bruno Fernandes
Age25
TeamSporting / Portugal
PositionMidfielder
RankNew
A summer of being linked to numerous clubs was sandwiched between the most impressive spells of Fernandes’s career to date, earning his first entry into this list. In 2019, he has scored at a rate of more than one in every two appearances for club and country, helping Portugal to the Nations League title in the process. Thriving in the centre of midfield, Fernandes’s stats are bewildering: in addition to his goalscoring exploits, he assisted 18 times for Sporting last season. He is at the heart of everything good Sporting have offered in recent years, breaking lines and driving the team forward. It seems only a matter of time before he outgrows the club and takes his talents elsewhere in Europe. Will Unwin
70Giorgio Chiellini
Age35
TeamJuventus / Italy
PositionDefender
Rank49 2018 ▼21
It says something about Chiellini’s overall stature in the game that he remains in our top 100 despite not having kicked a competitive ball since the end of August after a knee operation. The Italian centre-back is 35 now but up until his injury was showing no signs of slowing down and told his Juventus teammates that they “had not been good enough” so far this season in December. He won his eighth Serie A title in May and is set to captain Italy at the European Championships next year. “When I was little I supported Milan,” he said recently, “but then I became a bit more intelligent and it has been Juve since.” Marcus Christenson
71Marquinhos
Age25
TeamParis Saint-Germain / Brazil
PositionDefender
RankRe-entry
The Brazilian has admitted he only ever thought of himself as a centre-back until his manager at PSG asked him to play in midfield during an injury crisis, and he filled in to such good effect that he is now considered an expert in two positions. He also showed his adaptability for Brazil when, suffering from a virus, he had to mark Lionel Messi in the Copa América semi-final moments after being struck by vomiting and diarrhoea. “It was very complicated,” he said after Brazil's 2-0 win. Marquinhos recovered in time to help his team complete the job in the final. Paul Doyle
72Marcus Rashford
Age22
TeamManchester United / England
PositionForward
RankRe-entry
It has been a mixed, inconsistent year for the striker. At times he has looked sharp and threatening while on other occasions flat and blunt. Overall, however, the 22-year-old has burgeoned his reputation in 2019, scoring well over 20 goals for club and country and seemingly benefiting from the freedom afforded to him by Ole Gunnar Solskjær at club level and by Gareth Southgate whenever selected for England. In recent weeks it has also become clear that Rashford’s best position is as a left-sided attacker who is able to cut inside and cause havoc with his pace and long-range shooting ability. Sachin Nakrani
73Raphaël Varane
Age26
TeamReal Madrid / France
PositionDefender
Rank12 2018 ▼61
Back in April, Zinedine Zidane was asked if he could imagine Real Madrid without Varane. “No,” he said, “and I don’t want to.” Others could: the question had been raised after reports that the defender had told teammates he wanted to leave, and there were plenty who would have happily waved him goodbye at that point. He had won the Champions League and the World Cup, finishing seventh in the 2018 Ballon d’Or vote, but amid knee injuries and poor form, he had a desperately disappointing season. After eight years, perhaps there was also a sense of an end coming. Zidane, though, was adamant that he was recoverable, insisting: “He’s young, he’s been here for eight years and he’s doing well. He hasn’t told me he wants to go.” He was right too. Sid Lowe
74Jordan Henderson
Age29
TeamLiverpool / England
PositionMidfielder
RankNew
The midfielder has enjoyed the best year of his professional life. He is now a Champions League-winning captain and, as 2019 ends, a crucial part of a Liverpool side that is leading the way in the Premier League. What makes Henderson’s achievements particularly noteworthy is that at the start of the year it appeared as if his time at Anfield was coming to an end, but a shift to a more advanced midfield role in the spring reinvigorated the 29-year-old and he has not looked back. There has also been some good displays for England although his place in the national team remains up for debate. Sachin Nakrani
75Gabriel Jesus
Age22
TeamManchester City / Brazil
PositionForward
Rank81 2018 ▲6
Edges up a few places following a disappointing 2018 but still well short of his 2017 peak of 39, perhaps a symptom of his struggle to oust Sergio Agüero as Manchester City’s first-choice striker. The Brazilian has not made double figures for Premier League goals in 2019 but that’s hardly surprising given he has made only nine league starts in that time and he did manage a double in the FA Cup final demolition of Watford. Internationally it has also been a mixed bag – he scored in the semi-final and the final of the Copa América but was also sent off in the latter, his reaction landing him a two-month ban. Still, this is a fourth appearance on the list – and not many can say that at the age of 22. John Ashdown
76Memphis Depay
Age25
TeamLyon / Netherlands
PositionForward
Rank84 2018 ▲8
Now 25, the player who never hit top form at Manchester United has grown into one of Europe's best forwards, scoring and creating goals regularly for Lyon and the Netherlands. For his club he thrives not just in Ligue 1 but also in the Champions League, where he scored in each of their first four group games this season. What’s more, his character has made him a leader at Lyon. “He has been able to become a player who is nearly indispensable,” said his chairman Jean-Michel Aulas in November, three weeks before the club formally acknowledged the Dutchman's inspirational qualities by appointing him captain. Paul Doyle
77Arthur
Age23
TeamBarcelona / Brazil
PositionMidfielder
RankNew
“He’s a footballer who is perfectly adaptable to Barcelona, he has Barcelona DNA, that technical quality, the talent necessary. In terms of his qualities, I don’t have any doubt that he could be a great player for Barça.” That’s what Xavi Hernández said of the man (another one) who some said would be the new Xavi Hernández. Even Messi said: “He has a style very like Xavi’s.” Injury and a lack of continuity, as well as doubts about his fitness and how well he looks after himself, have seen progress slow down, but there’s something about Arthur for sure. Sid Lowe
78Dries Mertens
Age32
TeamNapoli / Belgium
PositionForward
Rank46 2018 ▼32
This was the year that Mertens moved ahead of Diego Maradona on Napoli’s all-time goalscoring charts, cementing his status as one of the city of Naples’s most beloved adopted sons. And yet, this might also be the year when his relationship with the club began to break down. A reported ringleader in the player mutiny against owner Aurelio De Laurentiis’s decision to put the squad into a punitive training camp in November, Mertens’s future at the club is in doubt. Still, he continues to produce on the biggest occasions: scoring in both Champions League group games against Liverpool. Nicky Bandini
79Sergio Busquets
Age31
TeamBarcelona / Spain
PositionMidfielder
Rank50 2018 ▼29
Slipping down the list and, aged 31, slipping towards the end. More vulnerable than before, slower too. And yet there might still be no one who quite does what Busquets does. There may be an argument that he is a victim of Barcelona’s systemic problems rather than responsible for them, and his club miss him when he’s not there. They will miss him even more when he’s gone for good. He admits that he misses Xavi and Andrés Iniesta, he’s the last man left from that midfield, the focal point of a certain nostalgia, and he says he will not stretch his career out. Sid Lowe
80Marco Reus
Age30
TeamBorussia Dortmund / Germany
PositionForward
Rank47 2018 ▼33
Reus was at his imaginative best as Dortmund ran Bayern close for the Bundesliga title in 2018-19, the captain – and now veteran – inspiring the team’s younger players and setting the tone from his playmaking role. He scored a remarkable 17 goals and provided 11 assists in 27 Bundesliga games that campaign. The current season has not been as kind to Reus and he lost his temper in one post-match interview, telling the interviewer to stop going on about this “mentality shit” after Dortmund had dropped late points against Eintracht Frankfurt. His manager, Lucien Favre, is not worried though: “If he is fit he will play. No player can be in top form all the time.” Marcus Christenson
81Marco Verratti
Age27
TeamParis Saint-Germain / Italy
PositionMidfielder
RankRe-entry
Verratti has a tendency to pick up needless yellow cards and is so bad at shooting that his manager at PSG, Thomas Tuchel, discourages him from doing it even in training. Those would be ruinous flaws if he were not so good at nearly everything else. His touch, passing and cleverness make him the midfielder who knits play together for PSG and Italy. He won his sixth title with the French club in 2019 before signing a new five-year deal. “Coaching Marco is the best thing that can happen to a coach,” said Tuchel in November. “I'm really pleased he’s with us because he's an extraordinary player with a very rare mindset.” He also helped Italy to qualify for Euro 2020 with maximum points, even scoring two goals in the process. Paul Doyle
82Gerard Piqué
Age32
TeamBarcelona / Spain
PositionDefender
Rank83 2018 ▲1
The businessman who reinvented the Davis Cup, bought FC Andorra, organised Barcelona’s shirt sponsorship for them, bringing together the club and Rakuten, and plays a bit of football in his spare time. Recently accused of having other priorities, he insists that in fact the order runs: “Football, football, football.” And he’s very good at it – far better than this position suggests. Frankly, seen from Spain, it is baffling how little credit he gets. Here he is again, well down the list. But check out the defenders ahead of him here and – Virgil van Dijk aside – he can make a case for being better than all of them. Sid Lowe
83José María Giménez
Age24
TeamAtlético Madrid / Uruguay
PositionDefender
Rank100 2018 ▲17
Stepping up to lead the Atlético Madrid defence after the departure of his countryman Diego Godín – although so far this season he has largely been unable to do so because of injury. Look Giménez up and, for all the clean sheets, despite the 58 Uruguay caps, the most striking stat of all is his age: it feels like he has been around for ever, but he is still only 24. The very last man on this list last year, he’s up 17 places this time around. Get continuity and surely he will climb further. Sid Lowe
84Teemu Pukki
Age29
TeamNorwich City / Finland
PositionForward
RankNew
In December of 2018 Pukki was a forward looking to rebuild his reputation. In December 2019 he is a Finnish national hero with a Premier League matchball on his mantelpiece. Initially signed by Norwich as an attacking midfielder, he became the Canaries’ talismanic striker scoring 29 league goals on the way to promotion from the Championship. At the same time he was scoring 10 times in 10 matches as Finland qualified for Euro 2020, the first major tournament in their history. When Finnish prime minister Antti Rinne met Emmanuel Macron this autumn, he gave him a Pukki shirt as a gift. That’s when you really know you’ve made it. Paul MacInnes
85Diego Godín
Age33
TeamInter / Uruguay
PositionDefender
Rank34 2018 ▼51
Ending nine years at Atlético second behind Barça in La Liga, Godín was persuaded by Antonio Conte to sign a three-year contract and showcase his no-messing defensive style in Serie A. He was unable to stop his new side dropping to the Europa League after home defeat to Barcelona knocked them out of the Champions League. However the seniority and solidity he has brought to Inter’s backline helped push them to the top of Serie A by early December, with only 13 goals conceded from their first 15 games as they chase a first league title in a decade. Played every minute as Uruguay conceded only twice in four matches at the Copa América before Peru dumped his side out on penalties in the quarter-finals. Stuart Goodwin
86Kai Havertz
Age20
TeamBayer Leverkusen / Germany
PositionMidfielder
RankNew
The 20-year-old appears on our list for the first time, but surely not the last. He keeps progressing and, remarkably, has already played 99 Bundesliga games at the time of writing. “I don’t like to talk about individuals,” said the Leverkusen manager Peter Bosz in April, “but he is a very special player.” Bosz added that he has plenty to learn still but they are “helping him every step of the way”. The attacking midfielder, who finished third in the Golden Boy vote in 2019 behind João Felix and Jadon Sancho, is set to leave in the summer, with Bayern the most likely destination. Marcus Christenson
87Tammy Abraham
Age22
TeamChelsea / England
PositionForward
RankNew
Even the striker would have to admit that the idea of him making it on to this list was fanciful a year ago. However Abraham flourished on loan at Aston Villa last season, scoring 26 goals as they won promotion to the Premier League, and opportunities opened up when he returned to Chelsea in the summer. Chelsea were under a transfer embargo and Abraham has stepped up. The 22-year-old rewarded Frank Lampard’s faith in him by scoring 12 goals in all competitions by early December and making himself a mandatory pick in Chelsea’s attack. He scored his first goal for England against Montenegro in November. Jacob Steinberg
88Hugo Lloris
Age32
TeamTottenham Hotspur / France
PositionGoalkeeper
Rank40 2018 ▼48
The goalkeeper has fallen 48 places and that is no surprise, partly because 2018’s placing was heavily based on his contribution to France’s World Cup success and partly because in 2019 he has looked shaky and uncertain on more than one occasion. There have been two errors leading directly to goals for Tottenham already this season and more may have followed were it not for the serious elbow injury the Frenchman sustained in the 3-0 defeat at Brighton in October. Lloris remains a talented keeper but he is not the player he once was. Sachin Nakrani
89Dele Alli
Age23
TeamTottenham Hotspur / England
PositionMidfielder
Rank45 2018 ▼44
The 2019-20 season started disappointingly for Alli, who played for just 30 minutes in Spurs’ first eight league games and was not in the squads for any of England’s past six matches. However, his goalscoring form suddenly returned following the arrival of José Mourinho at Tottenham. In October Gareth Southgate said that “the last 12 months in particular has been frustrating for him”, partly because of “a string of hamstring injuries”, yet at 23 he remains young and at his best – as demonstrated with the goal he scored in defeat at Old Trafford in December – he is a midfielder who combines technical ability with instinctive goalscoring. Simon Burnton
90Achraf Hakimi
Age21
TeamBorussia Dortmund / Morocco
PositionDefender
RankNew
“I'm now a different Achraf,” Hakimi said in an interview with AS in October, reflecting on his time at Borussia Dortmund, where he is spending two seasons on loan from Real Madrid. And he is right. The Moroccan, who arrived from Spain with a mere 17 first-team games under his belt in the summer of 2018, has developed into one of the most consistent and attack-minded full-backs in Europe during his time at Dortmund. He has scored twice against both Internazionale and Slavia Prague in the Champions League this season and can play at left- or right-back or left or right midfield. Dortmund want to sign him permanently but Hakimi is set on only one thing: being a success at Real. Marcus Christenson
91Leroy Sané
Age23
TeamManchester City / Germany
PositionForward
Rank57 2018 ▼34
Sané clings on to a spot in the list despite not playing since injuring his anterior cruciate ligament in the opening minutes of the season-opening Community Shield in August, and starting nine of Manchester City’s last 14 league games of last season on the bench. In fact he has not started three consecutive games for his club since January, making 2019 by some margin the most disappointing year of his short career. Early prognosis following his injury was that he might miss the entire season, but the outlook has since improved: Sané turns 24 on 11 January, and hopes to be back on the pitch by the end of February. Simon Burnton
92Everton
Age23
TeamGrêmio / Brazil
PositionForward
RankNew
At the age of 23, two years after he helped Grêmio to the Copa Libertadores and now a full international – he scored three goals at the Copa América, including the first in the 3-1 win over Peru in the final – Everton remains in Brazil. He is now “ready to play in Europe”, according to Filipe Luis, and will surely make his move in 2020, which will be pivotal in his career – several top-flight teams from across the continent, inevitably including Everton themselves, are said to be interested. Simon Burnton
93David de Gea
Age29
TeamManchester United / Spain
PositionGoalkeeper
Rank39 2018 ▼54
“I’ve been here for a number of years now and to be on top form all the time it’s tough,” De Gea said in September. “There are moments when you feel better in yourself form-wise and moments when you’re not quite so good.” The Spaniard has not often had to defend his performances at United, and he has admitted that 2019 has been “the most difficult time since I’ve been here”. Having been his country’s first-choice goalkeeper since 2016 he spent seven of his country’s 10 internationals of 2019 on the bench, with Kepa Arrizabalaga being preferred. Nevertheless, United were happy enough to agree a new long-term contract. Simon Burnton
94Fabio Quagliarella
Age36
TeamSampdoria / Italy
PositionForward
RankNew
An incredible year for the 36-year-old who finished as the Serie A top goalscorer in 2018-19 with a remarkable 26 goals and then, in October, a stalker who had made his life a misery while he was playing for Napoli a decade ago, was finally jailed. Quagliarella, now with Sampdoria, was even recalled to the Italy squad nearly 10 years since his last appearance for gli Azzurri. Four days after his comeback game against Finland in March, he duly scored twice against Liechtenstein to become Italy’s all-time oldest goalscorer. “I joked with my family that I was going to retire after finishing as Serie A top scorer … but the problem is that my passion for this sport is too big. I will never stop.” Marcus Christenson
95Idrissa Gueye
Age30
TeamParis Saint-Germain / Senegal
PositionMidfielder
RankNew
He may not be the glitziest name that PSG have bought in recent years but the Senegal international has made a stellar impact since joining the club for just under £30m from Everton, who have missed him badly. “Idrissa Gueye is a key player for us,” said his manager Thomas Tuchel in October. “With him playing, we don't concede any goals. He's a machine. He never stops running and wins a lot of balls.” Tuchel was not exaggerating: PSG did not let in a single goal in the first eight matches in which Gueye was on patrol in front of their defence. He also played a prominent role in helping his country to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, having scored the winning goal in the quarter-final win over Benin. Paul Doyle
96Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Age38
TeamLA Galaxy / Sweden
PositionForward
RankRe-entry
So much for Major League Soccer as a retirement home. While other European stars have had underwhelming careers in North America, Ibrahimovic actually improved in his second season in MLS. He scored 31 goals in 31 games, nine more than his tally for the 2018 season. He was, of course, quotable off the field, something that was welcome for a league that struggles for airspace against the giants of the NBA and NFL. He led the Galaxy to the playoffs, where they lost to cross city rivals LAFC, in what proved to be his final game for the club. Tom Lutz
97Santi Cazorla
Age35
TeamVillarreal / Spain
PositionMidfielder
RankNew
Santi Cazorla! See? Go on, admit it: you’re smiling already. And so, in all probability, is he. What a joy to see him here. What a joy to see him anywhere, in fact: ‘Santi’s playing’ is reason enough to watch any game. And while his inclusion fills your heart with gladness after the horrific injury that left doctors telling him to settle for one day being able to walk around the garden with his son, this is no charity case – this is pure merit. He is not good ‘considering’ everything; he’s just good, full stop. No midfielder has made more chances in Spain so far this season. Still a genius, still smiling. Sid Lowe
98Samir Handanovic
Age35
TeamInternazionale / Slovenia
PositionGoalkeeper
RankRe-entry
Seven years have passed since Handanovic joined Inter from Udinese, with a stated ambition to play in the Champions League. The club’s failure to appear in the next six editions of that competition might explain why his name has not appeared on this list since 2013. In truth, Handanovic’s performances remained impressive throughout – even when the team around him was not. A consistent and commanding presence, he was a natural choice to take over the captain’s armband after it was stripped from Mauro Icardi in February. His peers voted him as the best goalkeeper in Serie A for 2019. Nicky Bandini
99Alexandre Lacazette
Age28
TeamArsenal / France
PositionForward
RankRe-entry
There is an argument to be made that Lacazette is one of the few Arsenal players who pushed on under Unai Emery. That may partly be explained by the fact that, at 28, he is around his peak but he has been their best performer at times and has bailed out a number of subpar showings. He has also produced at key moments, scoring a brilliant free-kick at Napoli in the Europa League quarter-finals and putting three past Valencia across the two legs to help seal a spot in the final. His all-round game, particularly leading the line, has developed considerably; there is a nagging doubt about his away record, though, with only three of 16 goals to early December coming on the road. Nick Ames
100Philippe Coutinho
Age27
TeamBayern Munich / Brazil
PositionForward
Rank25 2018 ▼75
The Brazilian just about makes the list having fallen a massive 75 places. It has been that sort of year for Coutinho, one in which he found himself frustrated by his lack of impact for Barcelona and bruised by the criticism that subsequently came his way. The 27-year-old joined Bayern Munich on a season-long loan deal in August and has gone on to impress for the Bundesliga giants, scoring and making goals domestically as well as in the Champions League. He also had a good summer, starting every match for Brazil as they won the Copa América. Sachin Nakrani
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