Passing is an elegant art that not many footballers are able to master at the highest level.
Huge amounts of technical skill and an excellent vision are two prerequisites for good passers. Some of the best players in world football boast this skill, and the ability to find a man no matter where he is on the field is rare.
Such footballers do not come cheap, with teams aware of their qualities. Evading the press and pinging an accurate long or diagonal ball is an extremely useful quality to have.
We look at the 5 players with the best passing range in world football at the moment (2021).
#5 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
One of the best right-backs in world football, Trent Alexander-Arnold is regarded by many as a generational talent.
A product of the Liverpool academy, Alexander-Arnold made his debut for the club in 2016 and soon established himself as an important first-team member. An excellent passer, highly creative and world-class going forward, there have been calls for the 22-year-old to be utilized as a midfielder due to his unique skill-set.
Despite enduring a subdued 2020-21 campaign by his lofty standards, Alexander-Arnold still managed to put up good numbers. The England international has already won the Premier League and the Champions League with Liverpool.
#4 Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
There has been consistent criticism aimed at Paul Pogba since the midfielder rejoined Manchester United in 2016 for a then world-record fee of £94.5 million.
Pogba might be an inconsistent footballer, but few can reach his level on his day. The France international is a physically gifted and tactically versatile footballer with excellent long passing, an ability which he has often displayed for both club and country.
Pogba is playing his best football for Manchester United under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The 28-year-old has often started on the left-wing for the Red Devils, where he has impressed with his performances.
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#3 Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
One of the best midfielders of his generation, Toni Kroos is class personified, and very few can doubt his quality and talent.
It was extremely surprising to see Bayern Munich let go of their talented young midfielder, who joined Real Madrid in 2014 for £22.5 million. This has to go down as one of Real Madrid's best buys of the century. Kroos went on to play a pivotal role in Los Blancos' incredible success in the last decade.
With Kroos in midfield, Real Madrid won three consecutive Champions League trophies as well as two La Liga titles. The 31-year old has been praised by some of the biggest names in the sport.
#2 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Kevin De Bruyne's quality has never been under doubt and he is regarded as one of the best players in the world.
Eyebrows were raised when Manchester City decided to spend nearly £69 million to acquire De Bruyne from Wolfsburg in 2015. The Belgium international was no stranger to the Premier League, having moved to Germany after a disappointing spell with Chelsea.
However, Manchester City are now reaping the rewards of De Bruyne's world class performances. The 30-year old has arguably been the best player in the Premier League since his arrival in 2015, with his creativity and passing standing out.
#1 Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
The best player in the world and one of the best players to have played the game is the best passer in world football.
Lionel Messi is a complete footballer, a magician with world-class creativity and a prolific goalscoring ability. The Argentina international's natural talent can only be matched by a select few in the sport, and his legacy is already firmly etched in football's history.
Messi shocked the world when he left Barcelona last month to join Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. In France, Messi will play alongside superstars like Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, and Paris Saint-Germain are the favourites to win the Champions League.
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