best Football Players In The World

21 Best Football Players In The World Right Now 2024 – Ranked!

There are some amazing football players in the world right now. The ones that we listed are based on their performances over the year. If you don’t agree, comment us below. Since its emergence, soccer has produced some unbelievable players to the elegance of the beautiful game throughout history.

Whether it be Pele, Di Stefano, Garrincha, Puskas in the 1950s, Maradona in the 1980s, or Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho, Messi and Ronaldo in the last 20 years, we have been fortunate enough to witness some of the world’s best football players.

Selecting a top 21 is not an easy task since there are a lot of deserving players on the planet right now. Without further hullabaloo, here is a list of the best football players in the world. The ranking of the soccer players is based on their last season’s performance stats. 

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Top 21 Best Football Players in the World

There can be no end to debate among football fans over who is the best footballer in the world. There is no end to the love for football. If you are a football fan, you must know about the free football streaming sites on pathofex.

Every soccer fan has their own list, and the hot topic among them always remains who is best? Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? To end all the debates and fan fights, here’s our list based on stats and performances.

21. Edouard Mendy – Chelsea/Senegal

Edouard Mendy

Bio
  • Date of birth: Mar 1, 1992
  • Place of birth: Montivilliers
  • Height: 1,94 m
  • Position: Goalkeeper
  • Current international: Senegal

This list would not have been completed if we did not place on it at least one goalkeeper, and this is the spot reserved for Edouard Mendy. He was relatively unknown when he joined Chelsea from Rennes, but everyone who follows Premier League football knows about him nowadays.

He was a new entrant when Chelsea won the Champions League recently and was much-needed security for the team when they needed it the most. He has been awarded the Best FIFA Goalkeeper award and will be an essential part of Chelsea’s upcoming 2024/24 campaign as they continue to fight for the title of the best football team in England.

Over the course of years, Mendy was targeted by various critics, and he knew that the best way to silence them was to perform on the pitch. He did just that with the Senegal national team at the Qatar World Cup and performed at a very high level. His team won two games which were enough to get them to the round of 16, where they got eliminated by England.

20. Karim Benzema – Real Madrid/France

Karim Benzema

Bio
  • Date of birth: Dec 19, 1987
  • Place of birth: Lyon
  • Height: 1,85 m
  • Position: Centre-Forward
  • Current international: France

On the football field, Karim Benzema has reached a level that is definitely unreachable for most players out there. The Frenchman has been an anchor and always reliable player for Real Madrid for years, and he ended up with the best season in his career in 2021/2022. Despite being sidelined for France’s World Cup run due to injury, Benzema won his first Ballon d’Or in October last year.

Unfortunately, Benzema’s durability took a hit after his most successful year, and he failed to crack the 20 goal mark for the first time in 6 years, ending the year on 19. Despite sliding down our list, he is still a force to be reckoned with when he sees the field.

In 2024/24, Benzema will be playing for Al-Ittihad, where he will be moving to for the twilight years of his career. It is reported he will be payed an astounding salary of 172 Million Euros a year, making him the second best payed player. He is only behind former teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo, whom he will have the opportunity to lace up against one more.

19. Robert Lewandowski — Barcelona FC/Poland

Robert Lewandowski

Bio
  • Date of birth: Aug 21, 1988
  • Place of birth: Warszawa
  • Height: 1,85 m
  • Position: Centre-Forward
  • Current international: Poland

Polish professional footballer who plays as a striker for FC Barcelona and the Poland national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, known for his positioning, technique, and goal-scoring ability. In the 2022/2024 season, Lewandowski has made 34 appearances, scored 23 goals, and provided 7 assists. His current market value is €30.00m. Despite being 34 years old, Lewandowski continues to perform at the highest level, scoring goals consistently for both club and country.

He has claimed the Polish Player of the Year a record eight times. In 2024, he received IFFHS World’s Best Top Goal Scorer Award. He has been one of the most consistent goal-scorers in the world over the past decade, and his performances have been instrumental in the success of his clubs and the Poland national team.

His technical ability, combined with his physical strength and goal-scoring instinct, make him one of the most complete forwards in the game. Despite his age, Lewandowski shows no signs of slowing down and continues to perform at an elite level.

Lewandowski was the captain of the Polish national team at the World Cup. They got out of the group by the skin of their teeth in a thrilling final match on the stage. However, Poland got eliminated in the round of sixteen by the soon-to-be finalist, France.

18. Rafael Leao — AC Milan/Portugal

Rafael Leao

Bio
  • Date of birth: Frb 7, 1997
  • Place of birth: Almada
  • Height: 1,88 m
  • Position: Left Winger
  • Current international: Portugal

a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for AC Milan and the Portugal national team. Known for his pace, agility, and finishing, Leao is considered one of the most promising young talents in football. In the 2022/2024 season, Leao has made 32 appearances, scored 15 goals, and provided 6 assists.

He has been a key player for AC Milan, helping the team compete at the top of the Serie A and helped guide them to the title in the previous year, winning Serie A Player of the Year, in the process. While he may not yet have the same level of accolades as some of the other players on this list, his performances for AC Milan and the Portugal national team have shown that he has the talent to reach the very top. His speed, skill, and goal-scoring ability make him a threat to any defense, and at just 24 years old, he has plenty of time to continue improving.

17. Niccolo Barella – Inter Milan/Italy

Niccolo Barella

Bio
  • Date of birth: Jul 12, 2000
  • Place of birth: São Gonçalo
  • Height: 1,75 m
  • Position: Attacking Midfielder
  • Current international: Italy

The Italian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Inter Milan and the Italy national team. He is known for his energy, work-rate, and range of passing. In the 2022/23 season, Barella has been a key player for Inter Milan, contributing with goals and assists and helping the team to compete at the top of Serie A, and to reach the UEFA Champions League Final.

Barella started his career at Cagliari, where he made over 100 appearances before moving to Inter Milan in 2019. He has since established himself as one of the best midfielders in Italy. Internationally, Barella has been a regular for Italy since making his debut in 2018, and was a key part of the team that won the UEFA Euro 2020.

16. Ruben Dias – Manchester City/Portugal

Ruben Dias

Bio
  • Date of birth: May 14, 1997
  • Place of birth: Amadora
  • Height: 1,87 m
  • Position: Centre-Back
  • Current international: Portugal

Although Manchester City is not shying away from spending big money, they do it after thorough research of a targeted player to ensure that he is the right man for the job. It was no different when they signed Dias for 61.2 million pounds from Benfica, as he quickly became the team’s leader both on and off the pitch.

Dias was also captaining the team, which was a huge success for such a young player at the time. His defending is classy and determined, and he was one of the most important puzzle pieces for the Pep Guardiola team’s championship run last season.

Dias was also an important part of Portugal’s national team at the World Cup in Qatar. The team got out of the group stage relatively easily and absolutely obliterated the Switzerland team in the round of 16. However, they were stunned by the loss in the quarterfinals by the biggest surprise of the cup, Morocco, the team that eventually ended up fourth after losing to Croatia in the third-place play-off.

15. Bernardo Silva – Manchester City/Portugal

Bernardo Silva

Bio
  • Date of birth: Aug 10, 1994
  • Place of birth: Lisboa
  • Height: 1,73 m
  • Position: Attacking Midfield
  • Current international: Portugal

It is likely unfair that this Portuguese midfielder is in a relatively low position on this type of list, as he is definitely one of the most skilled players today. It seemed at one point that his best days were behind him when he struggled to ensure his place in the starting lineup.

However, he made most of his opportunities and is nowadays an integral part of Pep Guardiola’s team that won the English Premier League last season. Silva was a huge contributor to this campaign, and his incredible skills and experience were essential in this run. It seems that Manchester City is only getting better, so we wait for the upcoming season with high anticipation.

Silva was also an integral part of Portugal’s national team at the World Cup last year. Although he did not score, he was an important piece of the team and was anchoring the middle throughout their entire run. They lost to Morocco in the quarterfinals.

14. N’Golo Kante – Chelsea/France

N’Golo Kante

Bio
  • Date of birth: Mar 29, 1991
  • Place of birth: Paris
  • Height: 1,69 m
  • Position: Defensive Midfield
  • Current international: France

N’Golo Kante is an exceptional midfielder that plays for Chelsea, and he was a huge contributor to their last victory in the Champions League. He helped them overpower both Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid en route to the finals and was a man of the match there when they defeated Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.

The only problem with Kante is that he cannot stay in Chelsea’s midfield enough, as he has struggled to stay fit and healthy since 2019 and has been in and out of the lineup in the upcoming seasons. However, he was ready for Manchester City in the team’s run to the Champions League finals, and the upcoming 2024/23 season will be truly exciting for fans on Stamford Bridge.

When the World Cup in Qatar took place, Kante’s injuries again got the better of him. He has been ruled out of the tournament after undergoing an operation on a hamstring injury and was not able to help France’s national team, which made it to the finals again but failed to repeat the success from 2018 in Russia.

13. Jorginho – Arsenal/Italy

Jorginho - Arsenal Italy

Bio
  • Date of birth: Dec 20, 1991
  • Place of birth: Imbituba
  • Height: 1,78 m
  • Position: Defensive Midfield
  • Current international: Italy

Jorge Luis Frello Filho Cavaliere OMRI, also known as Jorginho, is a professional football player who plays as a midfielder in English Premier League’s Chelsea. Although he was in and out of the team under Frank Lampard’s coaching and had not still shaken off the associations with Sarriball, nowadays, nobody doubts his class and skills.

He took his game to the next level after Thomas Tuchel replaced Frank Lambard as a head coach, and he never looked back after he helped Chelsea win the Champions League. Jorginho was also one of the most important members of Italy’s national team at Euro 2020 and had an amazing game in the finals vs. England.

As of January 2024, Jorginho signed for the current number-one seed in English Premier League, Arsenal. He is on a one-and-a-half-year contract with the option of a further year for a transfer fee of 12 million pounds. This was a surprise move by Arsenal, which has championship appetites this year, and Jorginho is considered a very important addition to the roster.

Like his new teammate Partey, Jorginho is very comfortable anchoring the middle and excels at the distribution of the ball with superb positional sense. It is these qualities that could prove very useful in Arsenal’s title race, and he seems like a perfect match for Arteta’s team that really turned around this season and launched to the very top of one of the strongest leagues in the world.

12. Mohamed Salah — Liverpool FC/Egypt

Mohamed Salah

Bio
  • Date of birth: Jun 15, 1992
  • Place of birth: Nagrig, Basyoun
  • Height: 1,75 m
  • Position: Right Winger
  • Current international: Egypt

The professional Egyptian footballer currently plays for Premier League club Liverpool and the Egypt national team.

Considered one of the best male football players in the world since he moved to Liverpool in 2017. He is known for his calmness, finishing, dribbling, and speed. Salah’s playstyle is rather specific, and it is most effective when the game is fast and dynamic.

Although he does not possess an all-around game as some players from our list do, his contributions on the court are priceless. He is Liverpool’s icon and pride and the king of the Egyptian national team.

Even though he reached the peak of his powers later than some other superstars, he will certainly go down as one of the Premier League greats and stay remembered as one of Liverpool’s best players in the history of the club.

11. Hakim Ziyech – Chelsea/Morocco

Hakim Ziyech

Bio
  • Date of birth: March 19 1993
  • Place of birth: Dronten
  • Height: 1,80 m
  • Position: Midfielder
  • Current international: Morocco

Ziyech is a Chelsea midfielder who is an integral part of his team, as well as the Morocco national team. At the age of 29, he had plenty of success on the international scene, mainly due to his fantastic ball control, versatility, vision, speed, and overall skill, which is among the very top in the world.

As far as the biggest achievements of his career go, he was the winner of the UEFA Champions League in 2020/2021 and UEFA Super Cup in 2021/2022. He was also the winner of the FIFA Club World Cup in 2021. Hakim had an impressive run at the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

Morocco’s national team was one of the most pleasant surprises of the tournament, as they managed to reach the semifinals, where they lost to France. In the battle for the third spot, they lost to Croatia 2:1, but it was still an impressive run, and Ziyech was a huge part of that success.

10. Harry Kane – Tottenham Hotspur/England

Harry Kane

Bio
  • Date of birth: Jul 28, 1993
  • Place of birth: London
  • Height: 1,88 m
  • Position: Centre-Forward
  • Current international: England

Harry Kane had an underwhelming start to the season as he barely had any effects in the first part of the last season. However, he made a comeback later on in the season as he ended the campaign with 17 goals in Premier League, which was quite an impressive feat.

There is no doubt regarding Kane’s skill and natural ability, and with Antonio Conte at the helm of Spurs will definitely give his best to compete for the English Premier League title in the upcoming season. Although he was one of the most dominant strikers in the world, he has not been able to convert that into success so far.

Kane was also the English national team’s captain at the World Cup in Qatar. England had a convincing run in the group stage with two wins and one draw. In the round of sixteen, they easily eliminated Senegal national team, but in the quarterfinals, they were stopped by the eventual finalist, France.

France was up 2-1, and Kane had a chance to tie the game after the penalty in the 84th minute. He missed, and his team got eliminated. However, he said that this penalty miss is fueling his desire to win trophies, and stated, “I had a bit of time away after, just to reflect, and it’s made me even more hungry to come back and be successful.”

9. Virgil van Dijk — Liverpool FC/Netherlands

Virgil van Dijk

Bio
  • Date of birth: Jul 8, 1991
  • Place of birth: Breda
  • Height: 1,93 m
  • Position: Centre-Back
  • Current international: Netherlands

The Dutch professional footballer, Virgil van Dijk, plays for English Premier League club Liverpool and captains the Netherlands national team.

His contribution for Liverpool to win the Champions League title and the clinch Premier League title helped to lift The Best FIFA Men’s Player. One of the best defenders in the world missed the Ballon d’Or.

He signed for Liverpool coming from Southampton in January of 2018, and this turned out to be one of the best moves the team has made in years. Ever since this transfer, Virgil has become a top-tier Premier League defender and is an anchor of Liverpool’s defense.

In the 2020/21 season in Premier League, van Dijk conceded only 22 goals, kept 20 clean sheets, and had an incredible 74 percent tackle success rate which earned him the title of the Premier League Player of the Year.

During that year, van Dijk led the Liverpool team to the first title in 30 years. Although last season was not as good for him, Virgil still had an incredible year, and Liverpool finished second in Premier League, closely contesting Manchester City throughout the year.

In the 2022 World Cup, Virgil was the captain of the Netherlands national team. They got out of the group stage with relative ease and knocked out the United States in the round of sixteen. In the quarterfinals, they played a thrilling match against champions-to-be Argentina.

After regular and extra time, the score was 2-2, and Argentina advanced after a better penalty shootout. Despite the elimination, it was one of the most exciting matches at the tournament, and Virgil gave quite a performance in every game he played.

8. Sadio Mane — FC Bayern Munich/Senegal

Sadio Mane

Bio
  • Date of birth: Apr 10, 1992
  • Place of birth: Sedhiou
  • Height: 1,74 m
  • Position: Left Winger
  • Current international: Senegal

Mané is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and the Senegal national team. He has also been considered one of the best footballers in the world and won the 2018-19’s Premier League Golden Boot.

Sadio signed with Bundesliga giants in 2024, and the transfer fee was worth 35 million euros. He certainly made a name for himself while playing for Liverpool, and his absence is felt in the team regardless of some of the incredible young talents that play for the team nowadays.

Mane is famous for his incredible pace, finishing, and control. Throughout his career, he scored some incredible goals that you can find in numerous highlight videos.

7. Luca Modric – Real Madrid/Croatia

Luca Modric - Real Madrid

Bio
  • Date of birth: Sep 9, 1985
  • Place of birth: Zadar
  • Height: 1,72 m
  • Position: Attacking Midfielder
  • Current international: Croatia

The Croatian professional footballer plays as a midfielder for La Liga club Real Madrid and captains the Croatia national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders of his generation, and among the greatest Croatian footballers of all-time. In the 2022/23 season, despite being in the latter stages of his career, Modric has continued to perform at a high level for Real Madrid.

Modric began his career at Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia, before moving to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, and then to Real Madrid in 2012. He has won numerous titles with Real Madrid, including multiple Champions League titles (most recent in 2021/22). For Croatia, Modric has over 100 caps and was a key part of the team that reached the final of the 2018 World Cup, and the semis in the 2022 World Cup. 

6. Vinicius Junior – Real Madrid/Brazil

Vinicius Junior

Bio
  • Date of birth: Jul 12, 2000
  • Place of birth: São Gonçalo
  • Height: 1,76 m
  • Position: Left Winger
  • Current international: Brazil

Vini was asked recently to explain how he had improved so much from the player who first arrived at Santiago Bernabeu, and he simply replied, “I was 18.” It was an adequate answer as he greatly improved over the last couple of years and was a huge contributor to Real’s Champions League campaign when they won the whole thing.

There were times when he was ridiculed and the theme of a million memes as he missed chances. Nowadays, he is a revered and integral part of Real Madrid’s team under the leadership of Carlo Ancelotti, and since Vinicius is still so very young, there is plenty of room for him to grow even more and take his game to the next level.

Vinicius was also a part of the stacked Brazil team at the World Cup in Qatar. Although he did not get as much play time as he wanted, he still had some significant contributions on the pitch. The team easily advanced to the knockout stage, and in the round of 16 they eliminated South Korea.

However, they got upset in the quarterfinals match by Croatia, where they played a highly competitive game for 90 minutes and went to extra time. The winner could not be decided even after that, so the teams proceeded to the penalties, where Croatians got better off Brazil.

5. Neymar — Paris Saint-Germain/Brazil

Neymar

Bio
  • Date of birth: Feb 5, 1992
  • Place of birth: Mogi das Cruzes
  • Height: 1,75 m
  • Position: Left Winger
  • Current international: Brazil

One of the best players in the world, Neymar currently plays in the Ligue 1 for the club Paris Saint-Germain. Neymar is the second-highest goalscorer for the country, just behind Pelé with 64 goals in 103 matches.

Neymar’s 72nd goal put him in the list of top ten goal scorers in PSG history, his first goal against Angers.

He played an important role in the victory in the 2011 South American Youth Championship and was the leading goalscorer. He has pocketed many popular and prestigious awards. Although he struggled with some injuries during the past couple of seasons, he managed to pick himself up and keep playing at an elite level.

When in top shape, Neymar can be truly unstoppable and play on a world-class level. Nevertheless, Neymar remains hungry for titles, and although he won multiple French league and cup titles, he still did not get close to winning the Champions League with his current team, Paris Saint Germain.

He is the world’s fourth-most famous athlete and one of the most influential people in the world. He earns huge after transfer to PSG and ranks third among the highest-paid athletes.

Neymar was also an integral part of the Brazil national team in the Qatar World Cup. After a successful group stage, they proceeded to eliminate South Korea but got eliminated in a thriller against Croatia in the quarterfinals after the penalty shootout. Neymar scored two goals at the World Cup.

4. Kevin De Bruyne — Manchester City/Belgian

Kevin De Bruyne

Bio
  • Date of birth: Jun 28, 1991
  • Place of birth: Drongen
  • Height: 1,81 m
  • Position: Attacking Midfield
  • Current international: Belgium

The Belgian footballer has impressed everyone in the Premier League playing for club Manchester City. He is considered one of the best players and playmakers in the world.

He has been awarded some popular awards such as IFFHS Men’s World Team, the UEFA Team of the Year, the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season, and the ESM Team.

He has been featured in the IFFHS World’s Best Playmaker, Premier League Playmaker of the Season, the UEFA Champions League Midfielder of the Season, the Bundesliga Player of the Year and the Footballer of the Year.

De Bruyne is an absolute world-class in terms of talent, football intelligence, and physical ability. He is easily the best midfielder in English Premier League right now and a force to be reckoned with.

Kevin made a name for himself for his incredible vision and passing ability, which are off the charts. He also has an accurate and powerful shot, so he is always a threat to score the goal from longer distances, whether it is from a free kick or in the middle of the attack sequence.

Being such a huge factor for the Manchester City team, he was an irreplaceable piece to the team that won this year’s Premier League title, UEFA Champions League, and FA Cup.

De Bruyne also played for Belgium at the World Cup in Qatar, but the team’s run ended up being one of the biggest disappointments of the entire tournament. They ended up with one win, one loss, and one draw, which ultimately was not enough for the team to advance to the round of sixteen.

3. Kylian Mbappe — Paris Saint Germain/France

Kylian Mbappe

Bio
  • Date of birth: Dec 20, 1998
  • Place of birth: Bondy
  • Height: 1,78 m
  • Position: Centre-Forward
  • Current international: France

Mbappe plays professional footb as a forward for Paris Saint-Germain and the France national team. He is considered one of the best players in the world for his speed, dribbling skills, and scoring ability. In the 2022/2024 season, Mbappe has made 34 appearances, scored 23 goals, and provided 11 assists. His current market value is €150.00m, making him one of the most valuable players in the world.

His performances have been instrumental in PSG’s success, and his contribution to the French national team’s World Cup victory in 2018 has solidified his status as a world-class player. Mbappe’s case for being the best player in the world is strong.

He has consistently performed at the highest level for both club and country, demonstrating a remarkable ability to score goals and create opportunities for his teammates. His speed, skill, and intelligence on the field set him apart from many other players, and at just 24 years old, he has the potential to dominate the football world for many years to come.

He is already a World Cup winner with France national team and a four-time Ligue 1 winner, and given that he is still very young, his trophy room will surely expand in the future years of his career. With his incredible speed, strength, and football know-how, he will certainly remain among the top players on the planet in the years to come.

At the Qatar World Cup, Mbappe and France came just short of hoisting the trophy a second straight time, as the lost on penalties in the final to Argentina. He scored a total of 8 goals at the tournament, along with 2 assists and saved the best for last with a hat-trick in the final. He won the tournament Golden Boot in the process.

2. Lionel Messi — Paris Saint-Germain/Argentina

Lionel Messi

Bio
  • Date of birth: Jun 24, 1987
  • Place of birth: Rosario
  • Height: 1,70 m
  • Position: Right Winger
  • Current international: Argentina

This Argentine striker is considered one of the greatest players of all time. The lone player in history to possess five Ballon d’Ors. At 5’9″ he is one of the finest dribblers of all time. His capacity of playmaking, quality of passing, finishing and scoring capacity is a joy to watch with a bowl of popcorn.

Messi is making a move to Inter Miami next year, after his brief, and forgettable stint at PSG. The US has not been graced with the opportunity to witness a master of the game since Pele, as the seek to shake of the stigma as a farmers league.

Despite being at the back end of his career, 2022 brought Messi the biggest success of his rich and prominent career. By captaining Argentina to the Qatar World Cup triumph and winning the golden ball award in the process.

Messi scored 7 goals at the tournament and became the first player in the history of the game to score a goal in every stage of the World Cup – group, the round of sixteen, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. He also added two assists on top of that, and after emotional and thrilling finals against France, he raised the trophy for Argentina, which was the third the nations history.

Messi is not done yet!  He is set to for a move to Inter Miami next year, after a brief, and forgettable stint at PSG. The US has not been graced with the opportunity to witness a master of the game still at his apex, since Pele last graced the field 1977.

1. Erling Haaland — Manchester City/Norway

Erling Haaland

Bio
  • Date of birth: Jul 21, 2000
  • Place of birth: Leeds
  • Height: 1,95 m
  • Position: Centre-Forward
  • Current international: Norway

The Manchester City Striker is known for his pace, flexibility, and strength. He made everyone fan with his amazing durability on the field, and his Charisma off the field. He is not only the best young footballers around, but our favorite for as the best player in the world.

Rising to fame with Borussia Dortmund, Haaland was by far the best scorer in the Bundesliga, scoring 86 goals in 89 games. In 2024, he completed the transfer to Manchester City worth 63 million euros at 21 years old.

In 2024 alone, and in his maiden season with Manchester City, Haaland lifted the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and FA Cup trophies. Even more impressively, he was the top goal scorer in both the Premier League and UCL. He has won the Premier League MVP, and is a favourite for the Balon D’or. His value has only risen since then, and is currently valued at 150 million euros.

On an international scale, Haaland has his work cut out for him as he tries to catapult Norway into an elite Footballing Nation. With Norway to date, he has won the Golden Boot with nine goals at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Erling also scored his first international hat-trick against Romania in the 2024–21 UEFA Nations League.

Erling represents the finest of what the future of football represents. He is a deadly striker with an incredible sense of positioning and the ability to find himself in the right place at the right time. His potential is incredible, and in a couple of years, he may find himself number one on most of the top football players’ lists.

At 6’4”, he is wide, long, and strong, and a force that very few defenders in the world can contain. Since Haaland is still so young, every football fan on the planet is watching him with great anticipation to find out what heights he can reach. So far, it looks like he may go down as one of the best that ever stepped on the football field by the end of his career.

That was the list of the best 21 football players on the planet. Take a look at the following infographic and how many goals and assists some of them have by now:

top 5 football players in the world infographic

Now that you saw which are the best players in the world, it’s time to go to the other side and find out who are the worst footballers of all time!

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the Ballon d’Or in 2022?

Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema won the 2022 Ballon d’Or by the second-biggest margin ever. He was in front of Sadio Mane by 356 votes.

What are the criteria for the Ballon d’Or voting?

The voting criteria were updated this year to eliminate consideration for overall career performance, and instead, they were focused on three main factors – individual performance in the previous season, team success during the previous season, player behavior and fair play during a season in consideration.

Who is considered the G.O.A.T. of football nowadays?

This is a debatable topic, and the answer varies from person to person. However, common names that come up as top 10 include Christiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Pele, Diego Maradona, Marco van Basten, Johan Cruyff, Ferenc Puskas, Alfredo Di Stefano, Ronaldo, and Michel Platini.

Who was the best free-kick taker of all time?

Although many consider Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi as the best free-kick takers in modern-day football, Juninho Pernambucano scored the most goals via free kicks in the history of the game.

Who is the all-time scoring leader in the history of football?

FIFA credits the all-time scoring leader as Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored 837 goals with Messi on his heels at 807 goals. Including friendly matches, Brazilians Pele and Romario have both eclipsed the 1000 goal mark. The footballing world awaits to see if Haaland or Mbappe have the longevity to challenge these records.

Who won the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar?

Argentina won the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. According to many analysts and fans, it was one of the most exciting finals in the history of the game. Argentina defeated France after a penalty shootout, making it the third time in the history of the competition that Gauchos won the trophy.

Who was the top scorer at the Qatar World Cup?

The top scorer at the World Cup in Qatar was Frenchman Kylian Mbappe. He won the Golden Boot award, courtesy of his hat trick in the final, and ended the competition with eight goals. The runner-up was Lionel Messi with seven goals.

Who had the most assists at the FIFA World Cup in 2022?

Five players tied for the most assists at the 2022 FIFA World Cup – Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes, France’s Antoine Griezman, England’s Harry Kane, and Croatia’s Ivan Perisic with a total of three each.

Has Messi ended the G.O.A.T. debate after winning the 2022 World Cup?

This is a topic that is still highly debatable in football circles. However, numerous experts and analysts agree that the World Cup trophy was the one thing missing on Messi’s resume to be considered the greatest football player that ever stepped on the pitch.

Being top 2 in the goals scored and tied with the most assists at the tournament, he was one of the most impactful players in the tournament. He also became the first player in the history of the World Cup to score a goal in the group stage, round of sixteen, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals.

Looking at Messi’s resume, talent, and career achievements, it is safe to say that he has a very strong case and that he might be considered the greatest footballer ever when he finally hangs his cleats and retires.

Who was the best young player of the 2022 World Cup?

Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez is handed the trophy for the Best Young Player at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He was an integral part of the team and had priceless contributions to the team’s success.

Final Words

Although there are numerous lists of the best football players in the world right now, there are certain parameters that can determine which player is ranked where. We judged by the players’ successes over the last couple of seasons, and we believe our list to be pretty accurate.

We hope you enjoyed our article and that you find it informative. Our team updates sports news and articles on a daily basis, so drop by again, as this list will likely bring some new names to it in the upcoming season, about which the world of football fans is highly excited.