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Over the years, the world of football has been graced by some exceptional athletes who have enthralled fans with their extraordinary abilities and exhilarating skills.
Few gifted players of the past include Pele, Maradona, Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane, just to name a few. These exceptional talents made us fall in love with the game of football and are set to be remembered for a long time for their exploits on the pitch.
Today, we take a look at the five most technically gifted players in world football at the moment.
#5 Paul Pogba | Manchester United, France
At his peak, Paul Pogba is one of the most exciting footballers to watch as he is immensely gifted with the ball at his feet.
The Frenchman is one of the most complete midfielders in the world today. Pogba has the physical presence to dictate play in the middle of the park and can run the show single-handedly with his immaculate passing range and vision. He can also back it up with marauding runs into the opposition third and can dribble past the defenders with ease.
The 28-year-old is tactically astute and his technical prowess counts amongst the greatest footballers in the game. Pogba has enjoyed a flying start to the 2021-22 Premier League season, registering five assists in just two appearances, a record for the most assists after two Premier League match-days.
The Frenchman put on a technical masterclass in Manchester United's opening day fixture against Leeds United. Pogba recorded a pass accuracy of 76%, had 49 total touches, made 19 final third passes, attempted six long passes - of which five were successful - and created five chances.
If Paul Pogba can continue this form at Old Trafford, he will prove to be worth every penny of his staggering £89 million transfer fee.
#4 Marco Verratti | Paris Saint-Germain, Italy
In a recent interview, Neymar picked five current footballers who have more technical ability than the Brazilian. Marco Verratti was one of the names touted by Neymar.
The Italian is a technically gifted midfielder who can control the game from the middle of the park. He has established himself as one of the best central midfielders in the past decade and is highly rated for his impeccable close control with the ball at his feet.
Marco Verratti is one of the first names in PSG's star-studded outfit, playing an indispensable role in picking up 27 trophies in French football during his time at the club. He also made an appearance in the Parisians' first-ever UEFA Champions League final in 2020, as Thomas Tuchel's side lost out to Bayern Munich in Portugal.
The 28-year-old will hope to create a formidable partnership with Gini Wijnaldum in midfield and propel the Parisians to their first-ever Champions League title.
#3 Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City, Belgium
Kevin De Bruyne is undoubtedly one of the greatest playmakers of this generation and one of the most exceptional talents in world football.
The Belgian maestro's tactical acumen along with exemplary technical ability with the ball at his feet makes him arguably the most complete midfielder in world football right now. De Bruyne has emerged as the creative hub of Manchester City's star-studded XI, excelling at a wide range of skills like passing and long-range shooting. He has also added goals to his game under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola and has all the skills at his disposal to unlock opposition defenses.
The 30-year-old showcased some of his best football in the 2019-20 Premier League campaign. De Bruyne equaled Thierry Henry's longstanding record of 20 assists in a single PL season. The Belgian also scored 13 goals in the English league season that term and was named PFA Player of the Year, while he also picked up the Premier League Player of the Season award.
De Bruyne has a near-flawless technique and is also an excellent reader of the game, earning him the title of "Assist King." The Belgian international will go down as one of the most gifted players of this generation.
#2 Neymar Jr. | Paris Saint-Germain, Brazil
At just 29, Neymar has emerged as one of the most prolific goalscorers in Brazil's illustrious footballing history. He is currently second on Brazil's all-time goalscorer chart (68 goals in 111 appearances) behind Pele and recently overtook Ronaldo Nazario's tally of 62 goals.
This would not have come as a surprise to many as Neymar was regarded as the next big thing in world football ever since his youth days at Santos. Neymar had the weight of expectation of a football-crazy nation on his shoulders from a very young age as he asserted himself as one of football's most gifted players.
The Brazilian went from strength to strength after completing a £79.38million move to Barcelona. Neymar joined forces with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez to complete one of football's most lethal attacking trios. He played an indispensable role in Barcelona's road to the continental treble in the 2014-15 season.
Neymar is arguably the most skillful player in world football currently and one of the most technically gifted players of his generation. He has continued in the lineage of footballers from South America who have dazzled the footballing world with their incredible skills.
#1 Lionel Messi | Paris Saint-Germain, Argentina
The Argentine wizard is arguably the greatest footballer in the history of the game and is also the most gifted talent of his generation.
Lionel Messi can dribble at full pace with the ball glued to his feet. He will always remain in the folklore of the Blaugrana faithful, as he became the most successful player in the club's history. The Argentine won a club-record 35 trophies, including a sextuple in 2009.
Messi registered 938 goals involvements (672 goals, 305 assists) from 778 appearances during his 17-year spell in Barcelona's senior setup. The Argentine has been involved in over 9% of goals in Barcelona's illustrious history.
La Pulga is amongst the best dribblers the sport has ever witnessed, cutting open opposition defenses at ease. He is, by far, the most technically gifted player of the modern era.
Messi has displayed incredible consistency alongside Cristiano Ronaldo over the past decade. The two players have dominated modern football, with the Argentine widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time.
