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The Champions League has always presented us with moments of great excitement and inspiration. There is no greater joy than watching our favorite teams lift the cup. But as they travel through the group stages to the knockout phases and finally to the last step, they produce some dazzling football.
There are some teams that are the star attraction of the Champions League. However, some players have the ability to stand out in high-profile teams specifically for their individual brilliance. Goals and assists have mostly been the criteria on which top players in the Champions League are judged.
Some popular names are Champions League's most successful dribblers this year
There is no refuting the fact that goals matter. But football is also about entertainment and technique and the sight of a player dribbling past defenders and wrong-footing them is joyful. There is no cake-walk in the Champions League and to be able to have the confidence to show consistent trickery with the ball speaks quality.
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Here's a look at five of the best dribblers in the Champions League this season:
Note: Data collected from fbref stats. Players with 12 minimum dribbles attempted have been selected.
#5 Federico Chiesa
Last season, when Cristiano Ronaldo was leading the charge at Juventus under Andrea Pirlo, Federico Chiesa stepped up as a reliable support. His involvement under Allegri in Serie A hasn't been as impressive due to muscle fatigue and fitness issues.
However, in the Champions League, Chiesa has been key to Juventus' qualification to the Round of 16. Having missed his side's Champions League opener, the Italian returned to his side for a crucial tie against Chelsea. He scored the only goal and the winner of the game.
His individual brilliance on the ball is quite easily visible in a squad that hasn't played with much freedom or confidence this season. Having attempted 14 dribbles, Chiesa completed 10 of those. Playing from the wings, the Juventus forward loves to progress with the ball from the deep and is very agile with the ball at his feet.
He has shown an urgency in the final-third that only Paulo Dybala from the Old Lady has matched this season. Chiesa is going to be very important for Juventus this season both in the Champions League and in Serie A. They sit eighth in the Italian top-flight and four points adrift of the top four.
#4 Lionel Messi
In terms of the number of dribbles, Kylian Mbappe pips Lionel Messi very closely for the highest dribbles made by a PSG player. However, with Messi attempting 16 dribbles and completing 12 of them compared to the Frenchman's 13 completed out of 23, the former has a better success rate.
This comes as no shock given the Argentine maestro has been absolutely phenomenal in the Champions League since his first appearance. Messi is definitely amongst the best dribblers of this generation and we have seen him embarrass defenders without breaking a sweat.
He has scored three goals in the Champions League for his new outfit and will be central to PSG's ambitions this year. Somehow, the former Barcelona man has been unlucky and is yet to open his account in Ligue 1.
PSG sit top of the French league table, 10 points clear of second spot and that cushion takes some pressure off Messi. His contribution in the attacking third has been minimal in the Champions League except for his three goals because he's been playing a little deeper than usual. The PSG faithful will hope they get to see the best of their new superstar soon.
#3 Ruben Loftus-Cheek
From playing for Fulham, a team fighting Premier League relegation, to Champions League football with Chelsea. It is fair to say that Ruben Loftus-Cheek has not put a foot wrong in his attempts to revive his career with the Blues.
Having played just 118 minutes of Champions League football in three appearances, Loftus-Cheek successfully completed 10 dribbles of his 13 attempts. In the Premier League as well, he is among Chelsea's top five dribblers after only six appearances.
Tuchel would surely appreciate it if the midfielder could add a final product to his game. Loftus-Cheek played 90 minutes of the Champions League game against Malmo which shows he has pipped Ross Barkley and Saul Niguez in the pecking order.
The midfielder remains spirited and believes his chances will come to represent the Blues regularly.
#2 Jude Bellingham
At the age of 18, he is one of the most talented youngsters in world football right now and destined for greatness. Jude Bellingham has shown maturity far beyond his years and is being courted by teams like Liverpool and Manchester United. There is nothing that the 18-year-old cannot do on the field and dribbling is one of the many things he has nailed down in the Champions League.
Of the 15 dribbles that Bellingham attempted, 12 have been completed successfully. The box-to-box midfielder has great reserves of stamina and his movement without the ball has seen him involved in the final-third quite often. His ability to occupy the space between the lines has enhanced his final product.
The Dortmund midfielder has registered three assists and one goal in the Champions League. His ability to press high has been crucial to the German team's success and helps them build quick momentum. His performances in for the Black and Yellows have earned him regular England call-ups.
#1 Karim Benzema
Where Real Madrid would be without Karim Benzema both in the Champions League and in La Liga is a question that must sometimes scare fans. He has been a central driving force for Los Blancos and is undeniably in the form of his life. Having scored more than 25 goals in all competitions in the last two campaigns, the France striker is on route to another prolific season.
His match-winning brace helped Real Madrid beat Shakhtar Donetsk in their most recent Champions League tie. Benzema has been fluidic on the field, carrying the ball from deep, drifting towards wider spaces and playing between the lines and has been a complete No.9.
In fact, Benzema has the highest dribble rate as per our criteria with 11 successful dribbles of his attempted 13. Only Vinicius has more successful dribbles in the Champions League, having recorded 16, but he has attempted more than twice as many of Benzema's tally.
Their combination has been the stand-out factor for Madrid's success under Ancelotti. Los Blancos are not the favorites for the Champions League title this season and it would be interesting to see how far they can go. It is praise-worthy how at 33, Benzema has reinvented himself and has become the focal point of his team's attack.
