5 Best Attacking Tridents In Football At The Moment

Modern-day football has brought many significant changes with it. While the increased cash-flow in the top European leagues encourages 'blockbuster transfers', it's the tactical changes that are having the largest impact on the game.

Tactical revolutions are nothing new to the world of football. Managers like Guardiola and Mourinho pride themselves in teaching their players the flexibility to adapt to various situations.

However, the attacking 'trident', a striker paired with two attacking wingers, has established itself throughout the entire continent, as the traditional setup with two strikers is becoming a thing of the past.

A good attacking trio is almost impossible to stop and has a huge impact on the outcome of games. With that being said, it's time to take a look at the five most fearsome attacking tridents currently plying their trade in Europe's top leagues.

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#5 Real Madrid - Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo

'BBC' have rarely played together this season

One year ago, Bale, Benzema and Cristiano - commonly referred to as 'BBC' - would have been challenging for the number one spot. However, injuries and inconsistent performances have limited their time on the pitch together this season.

Rampaging through defenses across the continent, nothing seemed impossible for arguably one of the best attacking tridents to ever play the game. Perhaps, Real Madrid's poor domestic campaign could have been rescued, had they been able to field 'BBC' more often.

Rarely have three players' skill sets fit together so perfectly. Ronaldo and Bale both possess the perfect combination of pace and power, coupled with lethal finishing abilities. Additionally, Ronaldo being right-footed, while Bale is left-footed, adds further danger to an already threatening attack.

Benzema, on the other hand, is the traditional centre forward, who can protect the ball and link up with his teammates. Furthermore, he is a strong finisher from anywhere inside the penalty box, complimenting Ronaldo's and Bale's goal threat.

From a football fan's perspective, you can only hope that the trio will once again be able to join forces on the pitch, to not only wreak havoc in La Liga, but also in the Champions League.

#4 PSG - Mbappe, Cavani and Neymar

Neymar's injury disrupted Europe's most lethal attack

Strength of division and an untimely injury to Neymar make it difficult to evaluate how good PSG's attack truly is. When it comes to teams outside of La Liga and the Premier League, it's the Champions League matches that are the most relevant.

After a strong showing in their 3-0 win against Bayern at the beginning of the season, two poor displays in the return leg (3-1 loss in Munich) and the first leg against Real Madrid (3-1 at the Bernabeu) are the only real performances to go by so far.

Although some of their matches have been unimpressive and Neymar's injury, aswell as Champions League elimination, marring PSG's season, there is still no team in Europe that would voluntarily face this attack force.

In just 30 games, Neymar was directly involved in 47 goals scored by the French outfit prior to his injury. Cavani, on the other hand, finished Ligue 1 as the competition's top scorer with 28 goals in 32 matches.

Additionally, youngster Kylian Mbappe is already showing signs of the star that he could become, scoring 21 goals and assisting 16 in 46 matches for the French champions. With another year of experience under his belt, the French shooting star will only improve further.

It will be interesting to see what impact the new manager, Thomas Tuchel, will have on this trident. Unlike his predecessor Unai Emery, the German will not tolerate any egotistical behaviour from his players, which should also spell the end to the controversial penalty taking saga.

#3 Barcelona - Coutinho, Suarez and Messi

Once Coutinho has settled in Barcelona's trident could be unstoppable

Admittedly, any trident containing Lionel Messi will inevitably make this list. The Argentine is at the heart of almost every attacking move at Barcelona and, with Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho, he has a magnificent 'supporting cast'.

With more playing time, these three will only continue to develop a better understanding and get even better than they already are. Only three of the other 19 teams in La Liga have scored more league goals than Messi and Suarez this season.

Coutinho, who only joined the team in January, was also involved in 12 goals in 17 league. Originally it appeared as if Ousmane Dembele was primed to replace Neymar in Barcelona's attacking trio, but it appears as if the Frenchman's injury problems may have cost him.

The three South Americans have a great chemistry and with Coutinho finally available for selection in next season's Champions League, the Catalans will once again enter the competition as one of the favourites.

It's hard to see how any team can stop these three once they hit their stride. However, because of their limited time together, they aren't at the top of the pile just yet.

#2 Manchester City - Sane, Sterling and Agüero

Manchester City's trident will only continue to get better

Of all the impressive performances throughout Pep Guardiola's team this season, the development of his trident is arguably the most remarkable. The Skyblues' fearsome attack is nowhere near it's prime, yet they're playing together as if they had been doing it for years.

Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling have taken huge strides towards stardom this season and they have been so magnificent, that the striker they play with is interchangeable. At this moment, Agüero is the more experienced and lethal striker, but Gabriel Jesus is certainly the man for the future.

Agüero and Jesus scored 34 Premier League goals between them this season, while Sane and Sterling provided 15 assists each. Those four players alone scored the same amount of Premier League goals as Chelsea this season.

While De Bruyne's influence from central midfield may not be underestimated, it's the pace and elusiveness of City's front men that makes most defenses crumble.

If Manchester City's trident continues down this road and stays together, the rest of the Premier League is in for a rough decade against one of the most dangerous and talented attacks that has ever been seen in football.

#1 Liverpool FC - Mane, Firmino and Salah

Liverpool's attacking trident is setting the standards

Easily the most dangerous attack force in today's game. What seperates these three from the other trios, is their ability to do it any competition and the fact, that their team is so heavily dependent on them.

Liverpool may have trailed Manchester City's record-setting goal tally of 106 by 22 goals, but their trident has been equally effective in the British top flight. Scoring 57 goals between them, the Reds' trident has outscored every Premier League team outside of the top 6.

However, what is even more impressive is that this trio is on the verge of setting a new European Cup record on May 26th. Should Sadio Mane score in the Champions League final against Real Madrid, Liverpool will become the first team ever to have three players score 10 or more goals in the same European competition.

Having already broken Barcelona's record for most Champions League goals in a season, scoring 46 goals in 14 games, Jürgen Klopp has a magnificent trident at his disposal, that he will desperately want to keep together.

Although this trio is likely to be split in the summer, particularly because of Real Madrid's unwavering interest in the outstanding Mohamed Salah, there is no doubt, that while this trio is still together, they form the best attacking trident in the world.