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The 2018/19 season has reached its midpoint and things have warmed up well so far. There have been brilliant goals, unbeaten runs, managerial turmoils and everything associated with a great football season. Keeping in sync with the past, this season too has seen some of the best players in action, giving their all and making their marks in their respective leagues.
These players have spearheaded their team's run in the league and the cup competitions and are few of the most important men in their clubs. Today, we take a look at the top 5 Footballers in the world right now, based on their performances so far this season.
All Stats are courtesy of whoscored.com
#5 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Juventus)
New season, same old Ronaldo. The Portuguese had joined Juventus over the summer and has been playing in the Serie A for the first time. However, even though he took a little time to get started, Ronaldo has resumed normal service at Turin and is having another stellar season so far.
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The Portuguese is averaging 6.6 shots per game, the highest in this list and has scored 14 goals from 19 appearances in Serie A so far. He is currently on 15 goals from 24 games in all competitions. Ronaldo has not just been scoring for fun in Italy, he has been setting up his teammates as well.
He is averaging 1.5 key passes per game and currently has 8 assists in all competitions, including 6 from 19 appearances in Serie A. However, apart from his brilliant goalscoring form, his other stats have been a tad inferior compared to his previous seasons.
Ronaldo is currently averaging just 1.2 successful dribbles per game, surprisingly the lowest in this list. In the Champions League, his returns are even lower, he has registered just 0.6 successful dribbles on an average per game!
However, he is still a heavily marked man, attracting 1.6 fouls per game. The Portuguese averages 33 passes per game and has rarely attempted a through ball in a game. However, his stats are still better than most of the competition around, which is why he is still one of the best in the world.
Cristiano Ronaldo has taken up a new challenge this season and has excelled so far. He is still one of the top 5 players in the world this season, which is no big surprise.
#4 Eden Hazard (Belgium, Chelsea)
The Belgian has been in fabulous form this season and has already scored 10 goals from 20 appearances in the Premier League. Hazard has 12 goals from 26 games in all competitions this season and looks set to surpass his returns from last season. He has blossomed well under Maurizio Sarri's tactics and even though he has toyed with Chelsea regarding a potential move to Real Madrid, he has been their best player so far.
He has occasionally appeared as a center forward this season, but Hazard has played most of the games in a forward left position and it is here that the Belgian has been hurt the opposition defenses. He has averaged 2.9 key passes per game, which is a reason why he is the Premier League's top assist provider - Hazard has set up 9 goals so far in the league. However, his biggest strength is his dribbling abilities.
Hazard averages 2.9 successful dribbles per game, much more than Kylian Mbappe, Ronaldo and even Salah, which shows what a stellar season the Belgian is having . He is fouled approximately 3.3 times per game, the highest in this list. He has also won 8 Man of the Match Awards so far, the second highest among the 5 men here.
The Belgian is the Premier League's most dangerous player right now and is currently one of the best five players in the World this season.
#3 Kylian Mbappe (France, PSG)
The sensational french youngster - he has just turned 20 last December - started the season as a World Cup winner. Mbappe was adjudged the Young Player of the Tournament at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and a lot was expected of him this season. True to the hype, the Frenchman has not disappointed, already scoring 17 goals from 21 games in all competitions for PSG.
In the Ligue 1, Mbappe has 13 goals from 12 appearances and has been one of PSG's most potent weapons. Mbappe is averaging 3.9 shots per game, the third highest in this list. He is averaging a relatively low 1.5 key passes, even though he has 10 assists to his name in all competitions.
However, Mbappe's main strength has been his speed and dribbling abilities, which has caused the opposition uncountable problems so far. The Frenchman is averaging 2.3 dribbles per game and has been fouled approximately 1.8 times in each game.
Kylian Mbappe has been on fire this season and is undoubtedly one of the top five footballers in the world right now.
#2 Neymar (Brazil, PSG)
The Brazilian had secured a move to PSG last season with the hopes to create a legacy of his own in France. After an injury-ridden first season, Neymar looks all set to make a mark in Paris and has been outstanding so far this season. He already has 18 goals from 21 games so far and should get quite a few more until the end of the season.
When though he missed 6 games due to injury this time, Neymar has been one of the players of the season in Ligue 1 and alongside Mbappe, has powered PSG to the top of the table. The Brazilian has registered 2.8 key passes on an average in every game so far, a reason why he has picked up 9 assists so far in total.
He mostly relies on his quick feet and astonishing skills to get past defenders and Neymar has registered the highest successful dribbles per game - 4.3 - in Europe this season. He currently draws 3.2 fouls per game as well, as the opposition acknowledges his talents and are desperate to stop him by any means.
Neymar has been on great form this season and is currently one of the top 5 players in the world.
#1 Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona)
When a man can do almost everything on a pitch, it is hardly surprising that he continues to be the Best Player in the World. Lionel Messi was wrongly overlooked in the Ballon d'Or 2018 and the Argentinean has responded by putting distance with him and the rest of the competition.
To say Messi has been brilliant this season would be an understatement, as the Argentinean is either leading the stats or among the top two players in every department so far in the top 5 leagues in Europe, even though he has missed 3 weeks due to injury!
Since the world goes by goals, it is important to state that Lionel Messi is the top scorer in Europe right now, scoring 16 goals in 16 games in La Liga and 22 goals in 21 games in all competitions. He is averaging 4.9 shots per game so far.
Messi also leads the charts in assists, registering 11 assists in La Liga and 13 assists in total this season. It is no wonder that the Argentinean is averaging 3.3 Key Passes per game, the highest in this list. He has completed 57 passes per game on an average so far, and some of his passes have been just jaw-dropping.
The Argentinean also averages 4.2 dribbles per game in La Liga, as he continues to mesmerize the world with his skills and tricks. Being the best in the world has its perils - Messi has been fouled approximately twice in every game so far this season.
For all the talents in the world, it is his ability to maintain his world-class abilities season after season that makes him so great. This season too, Messi is No. 1 among the top 5 footballers in the World.
