5 best Italian players in the world right now (2021)

Four-time World Cup winner Italy have been one of the most dominant forces in international football. The Italians have always showcased a natural flair for the game and they continue to do so to this very day.

The Italian top-flight, known as Serie A, is widely considered to be the most tactical professional football league in the world. The Azzurri have housed some of the greatest footballers of all time. They last won the World Cup in 2006.

The national side has had to encounter its own share of ups and downs in recent times. There was a dip in the quality of talent but it looks like they're well on their way back to asserting their dominance.

Italy most recently won Euro 2020 and are the reigning champions of Europe. They have a squad that's brimming with world-class talent. Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the best Italian players in the world right now.

#5 Federico Chiesa (Juventus)

Switzerland v Italy - 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier

Federico Chiesa was a standout performer for Italy at Euro 2020. The Juventus winger's pace and directness helped add a sense of dynamism to Italy's attack. The 23-year-old is a relentless worker with great technical finesse and could go on to become a world-beater by the time he hits his peak.

Chiesa possesses a great burst of pace and is adept at taking defenders on and beating them. He can also play in a variety of positions across the frontline thanks to his technical ability and tactical intelligence.

Chiesa works very hard for his side and does not hide when he has to track back and help his defenders out. He is capable of scoring goals and setting up his teammates and is a livewire whenever he is on the pitch.

He scored 15 goals and provided 11 assists in 46 appearances across all competitions in the 2020-21 season for Juventus.

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#4 Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus)

Leonardo Bonucci has been a reliable presence at the back for Italy for a very long time now. The duo of Bonucci and Chiellini were not dribbled past even once at Euro 2020.

Having started out as a midfielder, Bonucci slowly transitioned into a centre-back. Thanks to the nature of the grooming he received in his early days, he is an excellent ball playing defender.

Bonucci is also excellent at aerial duels and is a solid tackler as well. The 34-year-old also showcases great leadership qualities and is excellent at mashalling the backline. He has won nine Serie A titles in his career and played a big hand in Italy's triumph at Euro 2020 this past summer.

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#3 Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli)

Napoli captain Lorenzo Insigne is one of the best attackers that Italy has produced in recent times. The diminutive forward is a fast, skillful and technically gifted player who loves cutting inside and curling balls into the top bin.

Insigne's low centre-of-gravity enables him to execute quick turns and that, coupled with his deft touches and trickery, make him a nightmare to defend against. The 30-year-old is also a hardworking player who is always on call to help out in defence when his team is not in possession.

He also showcases incredible vision and a stellar passing range which allows him to create chances quite frequently. Insigne scored 18 goals and provided 11 assists in 48 appearances across all competitions for the Partenopei in the 2020-21 season.

He also scored two goals for Italy at Euro 2020 and was a dependable presence down the left side for the Azzurri during their triumphant run in the tournament.

#2 Jorginho (Chelsea)

Chelsea FC v Zenit St. Petersburg: Group H - UEFA Champions League

For about two years, Jorginho has been sitting around absorbing a lot of unwarranted criticism. He used the summer of 2021 to hit back and absolutely annihilate all his detractors' concerns. Jorginho won the UEFA Champions League, Euro 2020 and UEFA Super Cup this summer.

He was also picked as the UEFA Men's Player of the Year for his exploits for both club and country.

Jorginho, the midfield metronome for Italy and Chelsea, conducts play from deep very skillfully and efficiently. Although he is not built like most holding or defensive midfielders are, Jorginho makes up for it with his positioning and spatial awareness.

He is a technically and tactically astute midfielder who is as excellent at anticipating play as he is at picking a pass. Jorginho is called 'Il Professore' ('The Professor,' in Italian) by his teammates due to his organizational and leadership qualities..

Jorginho is also an excellent penalty taker and it is hard to find many players who remain as unfazed in such high-stakes scenarios.

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#1 Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain)

Gianluigi Donnarumma was chosen as the Euro 2020 Player of the Tournament. His penalty shootout heroics proved to be the difference between England and Italy in the final of the continental competition.

Donnarumma made his senior club debut at the age of 16 for AC Milan, and made his international debut at the age of 17 years and 189 days. He is widely viewed as a successor to the legendary Gianluigi Buffon.

Donnarumma's discipline, intelligence, decision-making and leadership qualities belie his age. He has great reactions and is an excellent shot stopper. Donnarumma is proficient at all technical aspects of his game like punching, handling, positioning etc. and is also excellent with the ball at his feet.

He is still just 22-years-old and could even go on to become one of the greatest of all time. Donnarumma copped a move to Paris Saint-Germain this summer and is likely to take over as the number 1 at the club quite soon.

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Edited by Shambhu Ajith