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#3 Joao Cancelo (Manchester City/Portugal)
Portugal right-back Joao Cancelo has been a key player for Manchester City this year.
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The 27-year-old played a pivotal role in City's Premier League-winning campaign last season. He also helped Pep Guardiola's men reach their first Champions League final, which they lost to Chelsea.
The Portugal international is a force to be reckoned with at both ends. Last season, he contributed seven goals (three goals, four assists) across all competitions. However, he has already bettered those numbers this campaign, bagging three goals and seven assists. That includes one strike in the Premier League.
Cancelo was conspicuous by his absence at Euro 2020 after contracting COVID-19. However, he featured in five FIFA World Cup qualifying games this year, contributing an assist.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United/Portugal)
Cristiano Ronaldo has had a sizzling year for club and country. After ending his third and final season in Italy with his first Capocannoniere award, he returned to Manchester United this summer.
The 36-year-old has hit the ground running at his Old Trafford, scoring 13 times to single-handedly power United's stuttering campaign in multiple competitions.
Earlier in the summer, the Portugal captain bagged five goals and an assist at Euro 2020, where the lackluster holders were eliminated before the quarterfinals. Ronaldo won the Golden Boot in Euro 2020. Ronaldo (115) then broke Ali Daei (109)'s record to become the most prolific male scorer in international football.
The only reason Ronaldo isn't top of this list is because he failed to win a major title this year. Juventus finished fourth in Serie A, which ended their nine-season dominance in the Italian top flight. Meanwhile, his Portugal team couldn't defend their title at Euro 2020. Ronaldo's only silverware came in the Coppa Italia earlier in the year.
#1 Bernardo Silva (Manchester City/Portugal)
It has been a year of two contrasting halves for Bernardo Silva. He was on the cusp of leaving Manchester City this summer after bagging only three goals and eight assists across all competitions last season. Things didn't improve on the international front as well.
Like most of his high-profile teammates, Silva flopped at Euro 2020 as Portugal fell to Belgium in the Round of 16. However, he has spectacularly redeemed himself since the start of the 2021-22 campaign.
With seven goals and an assist, the attacking midfielder has dazzled for the Premier League leaders and defending champions.
With Portugal, he could have fared better, though, contributing to five goals so far. However, that doesn't take anything away from the spectacular year Silva has enjoyed, especially in the last few months.
