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#3 Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
It would be criminal not to add Lionel Messi to the list. The left-footed attacker has arguably been one of the best players in the world for a long time now.
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Primarily known for his phenomenal spell at Barcelona, it was more than shocking when Lionel Messi moved to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2021. The Argentine won the Copa del Rey last season with Barcelona.
This calendar year only got better for Lionel Messi with him winning the Copa America with Argentina. He also won his seventh Ballon d'Or, making it a year to remember for the former Barcelona man. Messi has scored 34 goals and recorded 14 assists in 2021.
#2 Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)
Erling Haaland has been a goal-scoring machine for Borussia Dortmund ever since he joined them in 2019. To date, the Norwegian striker has scored 76 goals in 75 appearances across all the competitions for the German club.
His smart runs and clinical finishing make Erling Haaland a dangerous forward. His tall and strong physique comes in very handy to shrug off defenders and is a lethal figure inside the box.
The left-footed striker has been sidelined for almost two months in 2021 yet he has scored 43 goals and recorded 16 assists. It is a phenomenal achievement given the level he's playing at. It will only encourage the top clubs to go further after his signature next summer.
#1 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
There is no doubt that Mohamed Salah is currently in the form of his life. He has been almost unstoppable in the 2021-22 campaign while playing for Liverpool.
The 29-year-old has been very difficult to contain on the right wing with his amazing dribbling, nimble foot-work and fabulous goal-scoring abilities. Salah's tendency to time and again come inside has altogether increased the problems for the opposition. The Egyptian has scored 37 goals and recorded 11 assists in 2021 and is becoming a massive asset for Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp.
This season itself Mohamed Salah has scored 22 goals in just 24 appearances across all competitions. If his form remains the same throughout the season, the left-footed forward might go all the way to winning the Ballon d'Or next year.
