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The 2020-21 season has been one filled with surprises and upsets all over Europe.
Some leagues have seen dynasties being brought to an end, such as in Italy, where Juventus endured nothing but disappointment. They failed to capture the Scudetto — which is a mere expectation rather than an achievement for them — after winning it for nine straight years. Antonio Conte's Internazionale emerged victorious and ended his former club's stronghold in the league.
Others, such as Atletico Madrid, dethroned the giants of their land to establish themselves as the team to beat. Diego Simeone's side won the title for only the second time in the 21st century and ended a streak of league wins between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
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It was a resumption of normal service for Pep Guardiola and Manchester City in England as they won their third title in four seasons. The Catalan's unstoppable blue juggernaut dethroned Liverpool to reach the summit of English football once again. Bayern Munich continued their tradition of dominating their land with a staggering ninth Bundesliga title in succession.
The most remarkable achievement was, perhaps, in France, where the riches of Paris Saint-Germain were bested by the determination and brilliance of Lille. Les Dogues beat PSG to the summit by one point, registering their first league title in a decade.
The likes of Neymar Jr and Kylian Mbappe endured a nightmare season after their elimination from the UEFA Champions League and losing out in Ligue 1.
It is only fitting that there will be a few surprise inclusions in the European Team of the Season in a campaign where most of the usual suspects have failed to deliver. On that note, here, we take a look at the best XI from Europe's top five leagues in the 2020-21 season.
Goalkeeper: Mike Maignan | Lille
After nearly joining Chelsea last summer, Mike Maignan remained at Lille and went on to enjoy one of the best seasons of any goalkeeper in Europe. The Frenchman played a pivotal role in helping Les Dogues win their first title since 2011 and put up numbers that are better than most, if not all, keepers in the continent.
In his 38 league games for Lille, Maignan kept a staggering 21 clean sheets, the highest of any goalkeeper in the top five leagues.
He's conceded 23 goals at an average of 0.61 goals against per 90, the best figure in Europe for the 2020-21 campaign. The former PSG academy product is reportedly on the brink of signing for AC Milan, and should he do so, the 25-year-old will leave Lille as a title-winning hero.
Also read: Top 5 Premier League clubs whose academy players have played most minutes this season
Defence
Right-back: Achraf Hakimi | Internazionale
Achraf Hakimi left Real Madrid for Internazionale, and while many initially felt he had a future with Los Blancos, the move turned out to be a superb one for him. The Moroccan took to Antonio Conte's system with utter ease. He quickly became one of the most important Nerazzurri players, particularly on the counter-attack alongside Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez.
Hakimi was already regarded as one of the most exciting wing-backs in Europe during his time at Borussia Dortmund, but he took his game to the next level under Antonio Conte.
His emphasis on wide players has helped Hakimi grow into one of Europe's most dangerous wing-backs. The 22-year-old has had a brilliant return of seven goals and eight assists in his 37 league games.
Centre-half: Ruben Dias | Manchester City
The man who's arguably been one of the best defenders in Europe this year, Ruben Dias, is an easy choice at centre-half. The Portuguese star has single-handedly changed the landscape of the Manchester City defence since his arrival, helping his side to the Premier League title and a UCL final.
He's been one of the catalysts for City's defence becoming one of the hardest backlines to bypass. In terms of the solidity he's instilled into City's defensive unit, Dias' impact has been truly majestic.
He's been a leader at the back for them, calling the shots by being vocal and organising the defence while not allowing opposition attackers any breathing room. Dias has flung himself at incoming shots and put his body on the line to protect his goal like a true leader. The 23-year-old has had a phenomenal season.
Centre-half: Alessandro Bastoni | Internazionale
Alessandro Bastoni, the second Inter player on this list, has had a remarkable campaign at the heart of defence. He entered the fray towards the midway point of the 2019-20 campaign, but in 2020-21, he's been a part of Inter's core, one of the players Antonio Conte built his title win on.
The elegant left-footer excelled at bringing the ball out from the back and spraying it across the pitch. Only four players in Serie A have traveled more distance with the ball than Bastoni's 6299 yards.
The Nerazzurri have made their fair share of questionable decisions in the market in the recent past but signing him for €31m at the age of 19 looks more and more like a bargain. The 22-year-old looks ready to dominate for the next decade or so at the highest level.
Left-back: Luke Shaw | Manchester United
Manchester United's Luke Shaw has arguably been one of the most improved players in Europe in the 2020-21 campaign. Since his then-record move from Southampton, the Englishman has endured a mixed spell and notably struggled under Jose Mourinho. However, after a sturdy first full campaign under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the left-back has exploded onto the scene once again in 2020-21.
Shaw has grown from strength to strength under the Norwegian. While he's been reliable at the back, Shaw's attacking prowess has been the highlight of his season.
The 25-year-old has been one of the Red Devils' most consistent attacking outlets. Shaw has created more chances than any defender in the Premier League and has had an absolutely surreal year at Manchester United.
Midfield
Defensive midfielder: Joshua Kimmich | Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich has had a typically fantastic year at the heart of the Bavarians' midfield. Kimmich has assumed more responsibility on the ball since Thiago Alcantara's departure to Liverpool, and it's safe to say that he's risen to the task.
The German has been as reliable as ever for Hans-Dieter Flick's men on both domestic and continental fronts. Kimmich has pulled the strings for Bayern, lining up alongside Leon Goretzka in the middle of the park.
No player in the Bundesliga has registered more through balls (11) or progressive passes (230) than the 26-year-old, while only three players average more shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (4.8). Kimmich won his sixth successive league title and has had a superb season overall with Bayern Munich.
Central midfielder: Marcos Llorente | Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid star Marcos Llorente has enjoyed one of the most interesting positional transformations over the last few years. Real Madrid sold the hard-working defensive midfielder to their direct rivals Atletico Madrid, and it proved to be a decision that went on to haunt them.
Diego Simeone turned Llorente into an all-action midfielder capable of scoring and creating goals. He has racked up a stunning 12 goals and 11 assists in LaLiga Santander, the most of any midfielder in the league, and was pivotal in Los Rojiblancos' title win.
The 26-year-old has played in several positions ranging from central midfield to second-striker. Simeone's Spanish ace has established himself as one of the most unique and influential midfielders in the top five leagues.
Central midfielder: Bruno Fernandes | Manchester United
After years of garnering attention with his brilliant displays in Portugal, Bruno Fernandes finally got his move to a top-five European league in early 2020 when Manchester United came calling. It's safe to say that there's been no looking back for the player or club since then as Fernandes has single-handedly transformed the Red Devils into one of the best sides in the Premier League.
His ability to conjure goals, assists, and chances out of nearly nothing has been a key feature of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side. With capable runners around him, Fernandes has orchestrated his side and turned them into a devastating counter-attacking unit.
His 45 goals and assists in 57 games across all competitions this season is the highest return for any midfielder in the top five leagues.
Attacking midfielder: Lionel Messi | Barcelona
Barcelona captain Lionel Messi had an uncharacteristically poor start to the campaign this time around. With a relatively underwhelming return of seven goals from his first 14 LaLiga games, there were questions about the Argentine on and off the pitch. However, he followed this poor spell with one of the best goalscoring streaks in his life and stormed his way to the Pichichi standings in Spain.
Barring the Copa del Rey, Barcelona had a rather disappointing campaign in terms of their LaLiga and UCL ambitions, but Messi was still in a league of his own.
He has racked up a brilliant 30 goals and nine assists in his 35 league games, with an overall tally of 38 goals and 14 assists across 47 games in all competitions. It was another memorable individual campaign for the six-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Also read: 10 Best midfielders in the Premier League this season (2020-21)
Attack
Striker: Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich superstar Robert Lewandowski is no stranger to shattering records at will, but even by his lofty standards, he's had an astonishing 2020-21 campaign. The Poland striker unfortunately suffered an injury that kept him out of the UCL knockout tie against Paris Saint-Germain. Despite their disappointing elimination from Europe, Lewandowski enjoyed one of the best individual seasons of his career.
On the final day of the league season, Lewandowski registered his 41st (!) Bundesliga goal in what was just his 29th game. This goal saw him shatter a 49-year-old record set by the legendary Gerd 'Der Bomber' Muller back in 1971-72, during which he scored 40 goals.
He won his ninth Bundesliga title and was awarded the European Golden Shoe for his 41-goal tally in the league.
Striker: Harry Kane | Tottenham Hotspur
It isn't surprising to see Harry Kane, one of the best strikers in world football, score goals aplenty in the Premier League. However, what sets the English superstar apart is the fact that he ended up as the top scorer and top assist provider in England this season. He has become only the second player to achieve this incredible milestone.
In his 35 starts for Spurs this season, the 27-year-old has amassed a total of 23 goals and 14 assists, picking up the Golden Boot and Playmaker Award in the process.
It has been a truly magnificent campaign for Kane and, despite Spurs' lowly seventh-place finish, the striker deserves immense praise for his achievement. Kane has quite possibly been the most complete forward in world football.
Also read: Ranking the 5 most likely destinations for Tottenham Hotspur superstar Harry Kane
