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Professional football comes with its own set of challenges. Take the 2020-21 season for example. There was effectively no break between the 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns. Most teams weren't afforded the opportunity or time to even have a proper pre-season.
The 2020-21 season was also shorter than usual as it began in mid-September as opposed to the earlier ones that started in August. Of course, it all stems from the fact that the world had come to a standstill in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This summer, a majority of footballers are on international duty and it seems like there is no catching a break for them. In these testing circumstances, consistently performing at the highest level requires elite physical ability and mentality.
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That seems to be the case for a lot of stars who seem to be able to step up to the challenge no matter what. Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the most consistent footballers in the world right now.
#5 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Jurgen Klopp has transformed Liverpool since taking over as manager in 2015. It has not been easy but the German coach went about improving his side in a methodical manner. Under Klopp, Liverpool have struck some incredible deals in the transfer window and their signings have largely been a hit.
Mohamed Salah is a great example. The Egyptian winger, who had an underwhelming spell at Chelsea early in his career, went on to steadily improve his game at AS Roma. Liverpool signed him in the summer of 2017 for £43 million. Salah's arrival immediately improved the Merseysiders and he has been nearly unstoppable ever since.
Salah scored 44 goals in 52 matches across all competitions in his debut season for Liverpool and provided 16 assists as well. His pace and ability to get the shot away quickly continues to be tricky to deal with for defenders and goalkeepers alike.
Salah won the Premier League Golden Boot in the 2017-18 season and broke the record for the most number of goals scored in a 38-game Premier League season. He won the Premier League Golden Boot again in the 2018-19 season, scoring 22 goals in the English top flight. Liverpool also won the Champions League title that season and Salah played a major role in that.
He hasn't slowed down since. Salah scored 23 goals and provided 13 assists in the 2019-20 season. Liverpool struggled due to a number of injury issues in the 2020-21 season but Salah's form helped them maintain their place in the Champions League. The 29-year-old scored 31 goals and provided six assists this past season.
#4 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Inarguably the best striker in the world right now, Robert Lewandowski has been making goalscoring look like child's play. He has stacked up unreal numbers over the past several seasons. Lewandowski's goals have also helped Bayern establish their dominance in Europe, even winning the continental treble in the 2019-20 season.
Lewandowski has not only been consistent over the past several years but he has also improved his game. He has become a complete striker with all aspects of his game contributing to his current form. The Polish international scored 55 goals in the 2019-20 season and 47 across all competitions this past season.
The 31-year-old has scored more than 40 goals across all competitions in each of his last six seasons. Lewandowski has been in a league of his own and earned the European Golden Shoe in the 2020-21 season as well. He beat Gerd Muller's record 41 goals in a Bundesliga season this past season.
#3 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
It is hard to find a midfielder these days who affects the game as much as Kevin De Bruyne does. The numbers won't give you the full story but they will give us a picture of how good the Belgian has been over the years for Manchester City.
De Bruyne is one of the most technically proficient players in the game today. His passing range is incredible and he is excellent with the ball at his feet. He also has a vicious strike on him and can hit the ball just as well with either foot. De Bruyne has been the creative force behind Manchester City's exploits under Pep Guardiola.
Similar to Salah, De Bruyne was also a Chelsea reject who became a sensation at Wolfsburg. He subsequently returned to the Premier League in the 2015-16 season with Manchester City. The 29-year-old has since established himself as one of the best midfielders of the modern era.
He has won the PFA Players' Player of the Year Award twice and the Premier League Player of the Season Award once. De Bruyne scored 10 goals from midfield and provided 18 assists across all competitions for the Cityzens in the 2020-21 season.
In the 2019-20 season, De Bruyne tied the record for most assists in a Premier League season with 20 to his name.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Cristiano Ronaldo continues to prove that age is just a number. The Portuguese legend has moulded his game over the years and usually plays as a centre-forward now. He has switched from a wider role after losing a yard of pace in recent years but was able to maintain his incredible rate of productivity.
Ronaldo has kept this up for a decade and a half now and it makes him one of the most consistent footballers we have ever seen. He won his first Ballon d'Or in 2008 and has since added four more to his collection. Ronaldo is currently tied with Ali Daei for the most international goals (109 goals) and is likely to break the record at Euro 2020.
Counting the records he has broken and the awards he has received could take all day. At the age of 36, he signed off on the 2020-21 season as the top scorer in Serie A. Ronaldo is currently the leading scorer at the ongoing Euro 2020. He has won five Champions League titles in the past 14 years and has truly cemented his status as one of the greatest to have ever graced the game.
#1 Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
The magical Lionel Messi has been a treat to watch ever since he broke onto the scene. He continues to exemplify greatness with his immaculate display of skill and intelligence on the football pitch. La Pulga has been at the top of football for years now and holds the record for the most Ballon d'Or wins. He has six.
Barcelona have been able to endure some really tough times of late and they owe a lot to Lionel Messi for that. The Argentine has kept things ticking for Barcelona. Having played alongside great players all his career, he has now taken up the mantle of being the leader of the team.
Messi is yet another player who has made breaking records a habit. He scored 38 goals and provided 14 assists across all competitions for Barcelona this past season. Messi has stacked up incredible numbers throughout. He has scored more than 20 goals in each of his 13 league seasons and is the only player in La Liga to do so.
Messi has also won the Champions League four times and the La Liga title a whopping 10 times. He has also won a record six European Golden Shoes.
