To break into the upper echelons of football royalty, one must blend passion with temperament, focus with desire and, ultimately, must maintain top form throughout the most part of their career. New talents are being scouted as we speak and it can, therefore, be challenging to take a snapshot of the football landscape as it is now… but that’s exactly what I have done.
In a, frankly, subjective piece, which it is impossible to gain unanimous agreement with, I have sprinkled my search for the greatest fifty players in the world with a pinch of objectivity by using weighted averages to determine who comes out on top.
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Each player was allocated a score out of 100 for their ‘Overall Ability’ (technique, goal-scoring records / defensive records), their ‘Success’ (team and individual trophies won during their career, relative to their age and time in the game) and their ‘Recent Form’ (how they’ve performed throughout this calendar year, injuries etc. have been taken into account).
The former was attributed with a weighting of 40%, the most important aspect to consider, while the other two categories were each given a 30% weighting. An average was then taken and other factors such as potential and importance to their team were taken into account. So if you have any serious qualms with the choices made, remember that statistics have been used to back-up the views in this article.
Also Read: Sportskeeda's list of the 50 Best players playing currently: 50 – 41
Also Read: Sportskeeda's list of the 50 best players playing currently: 40 – 31
With too much eye-watering detail to cram into a single piece, this is a ‘Sportskeeda Series’. Here’s a look at those positioned from 30-21…
#30 Paul Pogba
It probably comes as a great surprise to many to see the world’s most expensive footballer rank so lowly on this list and they’d have plenty of evidence to back up their claims. The FIFA World Cup Best Young Player 2014 has shown unrivalled tenacity and determination to flourish with the Old Lady following a frustrating start to his professional career with Manchester United.
With four Serie A titles to his name, the Frenchman picked up four ‘Man Of The Match’ awards in his last season in Turin, while only Paulo Dybala (73) created more chances than Pogba (54) during the campaign. Only 23-years-old, Pogba has all the makings of the perfect midfielder, embodying excellent core strength, vision for the right pass and a top eye for goal.
That said, Pogba’s transition to Old Trafford has not been as smooth as he would’ve liked; although he ranks highly in his team when it comes to goals scored and chances created, for a player purchased for £89 million, he really should be doing more to steer his side towards the top of the table.
So his form hasn’t been phenomenal lately and his success has been limited to Juventus in his career so far. To be considered a true great, I’d like to see the French midfielder win trophies across the continent and there are still aspects of his game, namely defensive, which need work. Nonetheless, with youth on his side, Pogba has the potential to become one of the finest middle-men of all time.
#29 Mats Hummels
"I realise in every year I don't win a title, I'm closer to retiring. The Champions League is a target for me in any case. I want to win this title." These the words of a Mats Hummels who had just announced that he wished to return to Bayern Munich after eight years at the Westfalenstadion. His decision was met with great anger from ‘Die Schwarzgelben’ faithful and this was a testament to the incredible player he had become there.
A World Cup winner, Hummels recently made an audacious request to the makers of video game FIFA 17 to improve his statistic for pace and there’s sufficient argument to suggest he’s a great ball-playing defender with physical versatility.
The 28-year-old won two Bundesliga titles with Dortmund and also made it to the Champions League final with them in 2013, so at both domestic and international level, he’s experienced success. For a defender, he’s still relatively young and some would argue he’s on the verge of his peak. Alongside German counterpart Boateng, Hummels could be the Bayern bedrock for years to come.
As with Pogba, Hummels needs to show success elsewhere, perhaps even outside of Germany, to climb this list, but one can’t help but feel he will see out his career in the heart of Bavaria.
#28 Luka Modric
Nobody created more chances for Real Madrid last season than creative Croatian Modric, who laid on 61 goal-scoring opportunities for his attacking counterparts, meanwhile maintaining an average pass completion of 91%, the third highest within Los Blancos contingent.
Having recently received the ‘Adidas Silver Ball’ award at the Club World Cup Championship in Japan, Modric is evidently still a crucial part of Zidane’s set-up, often forming a seemingly unbreakable pivot with Toni Kroos in midfield.
Trophies and Real Madrid come hand-in-hand so it’s no surprise really to see Modric having won two Champions League crowns in his career so far. He, however, has shown stellar ability on more than one stage, having played an integral role in Tottenham’s set-up some years ago.
His goal return lets him down somewhat, given that he’s scored on just five occasions since the start of the 2013/14 campaign. At 31-years-old, Modric has probably surpassed or is in the midst of the brightest spell of his career and so his potential is limited. That said, if you’re looking for a midfield virtuoso with energy, vision and the ability to anchor down a team, then Modric is certainly one of the safest candidates you could choose from.
#27 David Alaba
In terms of versatility, nobody trumps Austrian Alaba. Although primarily a left-back, the Bayern Munich player has played in practically every position you can think of, outlining just how physically adept he is, as well as reiterating that he’s a team player through-and-through.
Last season Alaba maintained an average pass completion of 92%, despite venturing forwards regularly, meanwhile making an average of three defensive actions per game. This campaign, he has created the second most chances at the club (23), just one shy of leader Thomas Müller (24). It’s perfectly understandable therefore to comprehend why he’s become the subject of interest from numerous clubs, not least Manchester United.
His price-tag would undoubtedly be hefty though, given that he is only 24-years-old and has sought success at the highest level with Bayern Munich, winning the Champions League with the Bavarians in 2013. Naturally, there’s room for improvement, especially when it comes to the attacking side of his game, while he again has been limited to success with one club but the Austrian has plenty of time left to savour victory elsewhere across the continent.
#26 Arjen Robben
From a relatively young star plying his trade in Bavaria to one of the club’s veterans. Dutchman Robben has won La Liga, the Premier League and the Bundesliga, as well as having finished a World Cup runner-up with the Netherlands in South Africa 2010.
His trademark style of cutting in from the wing to lash a strike at goal flourished at Groningen at PSV in his home country before he made the move to Stamford Bridge, laying down a marker for how innovative and energetic wide men could actually be.
The flying Dutchman, now 32-years-old, has impressed most in his time at the Allianz, where he has scored more than 80 goals in all competitions to date. His success is unprecedented, while his fierce dribbling, silky skills and a lightning bolt of a left boot render him one of the finest talents we have ever seen in his position.
Robben does, however, have a tendency to get injured and it was a muscular casualty which has seen him slip down the pecking order at the back-end of last season and the start of this campaign. Therefore, through no real fault of his own, his form hasn’t been great and his potential looks tainted as a result, hence why reliant Robben is unable to turbo his way into the top ten, as his natural ability would otherwise suggest.
#25 Sergio Ramos
While some enjoy lambasting Pep Guardiola and others are big fans of Joey Barton, my unpopular opinion when it comes to football is that Sergio Ramos quite simply isn’t among the greatest centre-backs in world football. On the contrary, he is instead among the greatest players.
The now 30-year-old demonstrates excellent pace, crossing ability and attacking aerial prowess but has been prone to poor temperament and making costly errors at the back from time to time and he sometimes lacks the core strength to be regarded as one of the finest centre-halves.
His traits would render him more suited to a fullback or midfield role. Few defenders pose the lethal presence Ramos does from set-pieces; he’s given us some memorable moments with his goals, not least his scrambled strike in this year’s Champions League final against Atletico.
Since making the switch from Sevilla in 2005, the Spaniard has played nearly 350 games for Los Blancos, winning two European Championships and a World Cup with Spain, as well as three La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns with Real. His success tops the majority on this list and his recent form hasn’t been bad either, having scored against Deportivo in the league and in El Classico earlier this month.
#24 Marco Reus
Recent reports would suggest that Arsenal are eyeing the remarkable Reus as a potential replacement for Sanchez should the Chilean depart. The swashbuckling, World-Cup-winning German exhibits blistering pace, agility and loves to cut inside to wreak havoc, while his brilliant movement in the final third means he regularly draws fouls from defenders and then steps up to lash it away.
The 27-year-old is fast approaching the pomp period for a player in his position but has found game time hard to come by this season, a groin issue sidelining the German for six months, meaning he would miss his nation’s Euro campaign as well as the first few months of the Bundesliga season. Since his return, however, Reus has scored four goals in two Champions League appearances, including a hat-trick in Dortmund’s 8-4 capitulation of Legia Warsaw.
Franz Beckenbauer heralded the on-off partnership of Reus and German counterpart Mario Götze, claiming “…as a classic duo there is nobody better than the prolific Reus and Götze”. He’s absolutely right, in terms of natural ability, Reus is up there as a top five candidate, but his limited success (he even missed the German national team’s 2014 World Cup triumph through injury) coupled with his little game time this year sees him fall a bit lower on the list than he’d like.
#23 Mesut Özil
After a £42.5 million move to North London materialised in 2013, Mesut Özil’s arrival was met with great expectation from the Arsenal faithful and, despite a slow start, 29 goals and 46 assists since would suggest he’s met that. The German maestro is meticulous with his range of passing, embodies great vision and contributes with the odd goal from time-to-time as well.
This campaign, the 28-year-old has created the second-most chances (38) of any other Arsenal player, having scored the third most goals (5). Arsenal may not have been showered with trophies in 2016, but Özil has undergone one of the greatest improvements of any Premier League player this calendar year.
A World Cup, La Liga and two-time FA Cup winner, Özil’s seen his fair share of success so far in his career, but a Champions League victory would go a long way to bolster his profile further.
Özil, behind perhaps Sanchez, is one of the most vital components of the Arsenal team at present, catalysing attacks and pulling the strings in the final third, suited perfectly to the Gunners’ swift style.
#22 Dani Alves
The block-busting Brazilian, now 33-years-old, was a vital part of a Barcelona team regarded as the greatest club side of all time. With the Catalans, Alves won six La Liga titles, three UEFA Champions Leagues and four Copa del Reys, making it into the UEFA Team of the Year on four occasions in the process. So, aside from the minimal success on the international front, Dani Alves’ success in terms of trophies is immaculate.
One of the most impressive assets possessed by the Juventus right back is his ability to anchor down a defence and do the dirty work when needed but to drive forwards with speed and strength to contribute to the attack as well. This requires great stamina, physical endurance and football intelligence; all traits Alves has in abundance.
The transition to Turin has not been as smooth as Alves may have liked, after he suffered a broken leg earlier last month, meaning he’s made just eight appearances in Serie A this term. His age means he’s most likely surpassed his best and has little potential for further improvement in his game but Alves will nonetheless go down as one of, if not, the greatest right-back(s) of all time.
#21 David de Gea
Manchester United have invested heavily in playing staff over the years, bringing in the likes of Angel di Maria and more recently Paul Pogba to Old Trafford for gargantuan fees. In the midst of this happy spending though, many supporters may have forgotten the critical contribution Spaniard David de Gea brings to the United team.
In 2013, the 26-year-old became the first goalkeeper to ever win the ‘Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year’ award and last season became the first individual to win the award for three consecutive seasons. For one so, relatively, young, De Gea exhibits phenomenal leadership at the back, while his razor-sharp reflexes and concentration make him one of the most reliable keepers in the game.
Gary Neville recently announced, “I was critical of David De Gea three or four years ago. He has gone on to prove me wrong by silence and performances. He has grown out of it.” He couldn’t be more right. The growth in confidence we have seen in De Gea has been tremendous; this season, performances against the likes of Liverpool and Crystal Palace spring to mind as the finest representations of his world-class ability.
A few more trophies to add to his Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League triumphs would ultimately give him the perfect platform to morph into the best goalkeeper in world football.
