This is part two of a four part article series where I attempt to determine who the 100 best footballers of this last club campaign are. As in the last article, the stats used in this are from all competitions, provided from FBref. The positions that the players are listed as are from Transfermarkt. Now, let’s get into the top 75 of the list. Also, since I didn’t make this clear in my first entry I thought I’d say it here, but FBref’s stat tracking is partially incomplete for leagues outside of Europe’s top five.
75. Leicester City, AM James Maddison
Stats: 3620 MP, 18G, 12A, 0.76 GA/90, 125 SCA, 4.11 SCA/90, 48 Dribbles
James Maddison has been rumored to leave Leicester City several times over the past couple of seasons, but the sentiment around the last batch of rumors felt more concrete than others past. Arsenal made several offers over the summer for Maddison, as the belief was that Real Madrid wasn’t actively selling Ødegaard, and the club was desperately searching for the attacking midfielder they had lacked. But, Ødegaard eventually pushed for a move to Arsenal, and Maddison did not move on from Leicester. It honestly couldn’t have worked out better for him. Although Leicester as a whole were significantly less successful than in the 2020–2021 season, Maddison stepped it up another level this season. The club only finished 9th, largely due to Wesley Fofana’s preseason injury, which kept him out of all but seven Premier League contests. Despite this, Maddison had a career-best effort in both goals and assists in all competitions, and he performed very well in the Europa League despite Leicester’s early exit.
74. Juventus, CB Matthijs de Ligt
Stats: 3689 MP, 3G, 1A, 0.10 GA/90, 41.5 Press %, 54 Int, 67.9 Duel %
Similarly to Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt earned his recognition on a global stage by excelling as a youngster for the 2018–2019 Ajax squad. It’s been over three years since that moment, and it’s honestly surprising that he’s still just 22 years old. He’s been starting for some of the biggest clubs in the world since he was 17, yet similar to de Jong, he still hasn’t reached the level that he was at with Ajax. He’s a great passer, and it allows Juventus to play out the back very effectively. He’s also very strong in the air, and he doesn’t make a lot of defensive mistakes. He’s been a cog in a Juventus defense that featured two of Italy’s Euro-winning centerbacks, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci. But with Chiellini set to sign for LAFC this summer, and Bonucci being 35, it’s a changing of the guard in Turin, and de Ligt will be instrumental in leading the next great Juventus team.
73. Roma, CF Tammy Abraham
Stats: 4174 MP, 27G, 5A, 0.69 GA/90, 97 Shots, 34 SOG, 35.1 SOG %
Pellegrini got plenty of praise in his entry, and it was absolutely deserved. But I would be remiss if I didn’t say that Tammy Abraham was the most important player for Roma last year. Abraham was left in a tough spot after Chelsea signed Romelu Lukaku from Inter in the summer, as he didn’t have a role in the team. Fortunately, Mourinho signed him for 40 million euros, and it was an absolute bargain. He had shown potential at Chelsea, when he bagged 15 goals in the 2019–2020 Premier League season. But his role was diminished with the arrival of Timo Werner, and Lukaku’s signing essentially left him out of the club’s plans entirely. Abraham unlocked his full potential upon arriving at Roma. He works very effectively in the box, making smart runs and finishing chances efficiently. He has the physicality to win aerial duels against weaker center backs, and he’s a very active presser. He’s a very good striker, and his career best performance this season was arguably the biggest reason behind Roma’s success.
72. Borussia Dortmund, AM Marco Reus
Stats: 3431 MP, 13G, 15A, 0.73 GA/90, 113 SCA, 3.21 SCA/90, 45 Dribbles
Marco Reus deserved a much better career than he got. In his prime, he was one of the best attacking midfielders in the world, and his linkup with Mario Gotzë and Robert Lewandowski made Dortmund an electrifying team. But nine years have passed since then, and Reus has seen everyone around him leave while his career has stagnated. Gotzë and Lewandowski both moved on to Dortmund’s biggest rival, Bayern Munich. Many great talents have since come through the club, such as Ousmané Dembele, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, Jadon Sancho, and Erling Haaland. But all of them have left as well. The only constant at Dortmund for the last decade has been Marco Reus. Reus has dealt with a plethora of injuries throughout his career that have hindered the potential he once had. But this season gave fans a glimpse of what he could’ve been had he remained healthy for most of his career.
71. Villarreal, CB Pau Torres
Stats: 4145 MP, 6G, 1A, 0.15 GA/90, 36.0 Press %, 73 Int, 64.8 Duel %
Villarreal have accomplished so much in recent years, and no one has been more important to their recent success than Pau Torres. In the 2020–2021 campaign, he was the leader of the Villarreal defense that defeated RB Salzburg, Arsenal, and Manchester United on the way to a Europa League title, earning Villarreal its first spot in the Champions League group stage since the 2011–2012 season. In the summer, the Spain international was arguably the best center back on a Spanish side that made it to the semi-finals at the Euros. Even with all that, Pau Torres’ biggest accomplishments came this season. At just 24 years old, he led a Villarreal defense that finished fourth in La Liga in goals allowed, with just 37. The club allowed less goals in La Liga play than Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. In European play, Torres was even better, leading Villarreal past Juventus and Bayern Munich as they earned their first UCL semi final appearance in club history. Torres is so crucial to Villarreal’s newfound success.
70. Sassuolo, RW Domenico Berardi
Stats: 2877 MP, 15G, 14A, 0.91 GA/90, 147 SCA, 4.69 SCA/90, 33 Dribbles
Sometimes I ask myself why Domenico Berardi has not left Sassuolo yet. I still haven’t found a satisfactory answer to that question. There were concerns over his temperament as a youngster, as he racked up yellow cards at an alarming rate, and he was even suspended from representing Italy’s U19s after not responding to his call-up in 2013. But even then, the talent speaks for itself. As a teenager playing for a Sassuolo side that just made it into Serie A for the first time in its history, Berardi managed to score 31 goals and get 16 assists in his first two seasons. Now 27, Berardi has managed to keep Sassuolo in Serie A every season since then, even earning top ten finishes from time to time. In a football landscape where loyalty isn’t often rewarded anymore, and talent is becoming consolidated among the top clubs, Berardi defies the traditional definition of a successful footballer. His unchanging loyalty to Sassuolo is admirable, and he deserves his recognition.
69. Chelsea, GK Edouard Mendy
Stats: 4437 MP, 39 GA, 0.79 GA/90, 74.4 Save %, 23 CS, -2.2 PSxG +/-
Edouard Mendy would have been much higher on this list a year ago, when his shot-stopping heroics essentially won the Champions League for a Chelsea side that was mediocre in some aspects. Chelsea wouldn’t have won the Champions League with Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal, and they likely wouldn’t have even qualified for the Champions League. But this year, Mendy’s performance wasn’t as sharp. His save percentage in all competitions was down by two percent, and his PSxG +/- decreased by five goals. This isn’t to say that Mendy was bad, as he was still among the five best goalkeepers in the world this season. He still deserves credit for his role in Senegal’s AFCON win, where he kept four clean sheets and was named the goalkeeper of the tournament. But his performance declined, which is a big factor behind Chelsea’s lack of success in the Champions League this year.
68. Milan, DM Sandro Tonali
Stats: 3141 MP, 5G, 2A, 0.20 GA/90, 62 Tackles, 32.3 Press %, 68 Int
AC Milan is starting to make a triumphant return to the top of the footballing world, and Sandro Tonali is vital to their success. He’s rock solid defensively, tracking back and making ball recoveries with ease. He presses at a high rate with good efficiency, and he rarely gets caught out of position. In all competitions over the past year, Tonali allowed just 0.74 players to dribble past him per 90 minutes. That mark ranks in the 94th percentile among midfielders in Europe. Tonali made life very easy for Mike Maignan, and he’s a big reason why the club finished with the joint least goals of any team in Serie A last year. Tonali is just 22, and he still has room to develop and improve. Milan’s midfield will be in safe hands for years to come, even with Franck Kessié’s departure.
67. Milan, CB Fikayo Tomori
Stats: 3353 MP, 1G, 0A, 0.03 GA/90, 36.0 Press %, 90 Int, 51.2 Duel %
In the last entry, I talked about how Sandro Tonali made Mike Maignan’s life easier in goal, and how he was a big factor in Milan conceding the least goals of anyone in Serie A. Fikayo Tomori is the other reason for that. Tomori started in Chelsea’s academy, going on loan spells to Brighton, Hull City, and Derby County before he got a chance with the first team. He had gotten sporadic playing time, but Chelsea’s center back room was crowded, with Thiago Silva, Rüdiger, Christensen, and Azpilicueta all competing for playing time. So, similar to Tammy Abraham, the former Cobham product went to Italy, and he flourished. He’s not as strong in the air as other center backs, but he’s very solid in other aspects of his defense. He intercepts lots of passes, and he’s very good at pressing opposing attackers. He’s also really comfortable on the ball, which is crucial in progressing the attack.
66. Bayern Munich, LB Alphonso Davies
Stats: 2359 MP, 0G, 5A, 0.19 GA/90, 36.4 Press %, 55 Int, 90 Dribbles
When making this list, I almost left off Alphonso Davies entirely, as I originally wasn’t sure if he met the minutes requirement to be considered for the list. After reconsidering, I put him on the list, but it wasn’t an easy season for Davies. He suffered from a heart condition that was found in January, and it led to him missing 12 games. Fortunately, he recovered from it and was back in April, but the setback did affect his position on the list. Ever since moving from Vancouver to Munich, Davies has been one of the world’s best fullbacks, and he was still excellent when he played this year. The skills he developed when he was a winger make him a special talent at left back. His dribbles completed and attempted per 90 both rank in the 99th percentile among fullbacks, and he’s been steadily improving his defensive capabilities as well. While he still hasn’t reached the form he once did in Bayern’s Champion League run two seasons ago, a healthy Davies can rise further up this list.
65. Chelsea, DM N’Golo Kanté
Stats: 2546 MP, 2G, 5A, 0.25 GA/90, 67 Tackles, 33.3 Press %, 59 Int
N’Golo Kanté had somewhat of a down year this year. He missed games five separate times this year, due to COVID-19 and knee problems. As he continued to miss time, it was hard for him to get in any sort of rhythm. He still played enough minutes to earn a spot on the list, and he was still a good player when he did play, but the injuries definitely did affect his play. Kanté’s not exactly a defensive midfielder, although Transfermarkt lists him as one, but he’s still very solid in defense. He progresses the ball forward very well, and he also tracks back very well. He’s a very versatile player, who operates best as a box-to-box central midfielder. He’s a great presser, he’s a good tackler, he makes tons of ball recoveries, and his pace and stamina are among the best in the world. Kanté could run for days. Had he remained healthy for most of the year, he likely would have been even higher on this list.
64. Manchester United, CF Cristiano Ronaldo
Stats: 3186 MP, 24G, 3A, 0.76 GA/90, 140 Shots, 55 SOG, 39.3 SOG %
Cristiano Ronaldo might have been the hardest player to rank on this entire list. When developing this list, I often asked myself, what am I supposed to make of his last season? Was Ronaldo simply a victim of the toxic environment at Old Trafford last season, or does he still have some prime years left in him? He’s 37 now, and similar to Manuel Neuer, it looks like he’s seemingly starting to look human again. His 24 goals in all competitions was still an impressive mark, although it was far from the tally that he used to routinely hit in his prime. The fact is, even if Old Trafford wasn’t doing him any favors, Ronaldo’s heliocentric style of play didn’t help the team either. He’s been used to teammates adjusting their play styles to accommodate his game for years. Karim Benzema even did it for him at Real Madrid. But the fact is, Ronaldo isn’t the same player he was at Real Madrid, and while he still scores a decent amount of goals, he’s no longer a top 50 player in the world.
63. Manchester City, RW Riyad Mahrez
Stats: 2935 MP, 24G, 9A, 1.02 GA/90, 111 SCA, 4.03 SCA/90, 42 Dribbles
Mahrez didn’t actually play that much in the Premier League for Manchester City this year, only playing 28 matches and starting just 15 of them. It’s a sign of transition for the club, who may be looking for a future without Mahrez and Raheem Sterling patrolling the wings for them. Still, with his role at the club seemingly being phased out, Mahrez still turned up on those Champions League nights. He scored seven goals and two assists in just 11 Champions League matches, and he was crucial in Manchester City’s semifinal run, even scoring what would’ve been the winner against Real Madrid before Rodrygo’s 90th minute heroics. Manchester City would not be as good as they were without Riyad Mahrez, and if he does end up moving on, whichever team gets him will be getting one of the most talented wingers in the world.
62. Liverpool, LW Luis Díaz
Stats: 3698 MP, 22G, 8A, 0.53 GA/90, 81 SCA, 1.97 SCA/90, 60 Dribbles
Luis Díaz first gained notoriety for his performance in the 2021 Copa America, as he finished tied with Lionel Messi as the tournament’s top goalscorer. He kept his top form going into the club season, as he scored a career high 16 goals in all competitions for Porto. Even more impressive was the fact that his mark of 16 goals came in just 24 games, as he parlayed this success into a €45m move to Liverpool in January. Luis Díaz’s stock soared almost immediately after his move to Liverpool. Premier League football fans who had never heard of the Colombian star were watching him pick apart fullbacks on a routine basis. Díaz is an amazing dribbler, and his first touch is exquisite. His touch against Everton even went viral for how well he controlled the ball. He’s in position to replace Sadio Mané, and Liverpool is in good hands with Díaz on the wings.
61. Bayern Munich, RW Serge Gnabry
Stats: 2742 MP, 17G, 8A, 0.82 GA/90, 130 SCA, 4.55 SCA/90, 77 Dribbles
Gnabry is facing an uncertain summer as the season wraps up, due to the fact German international still has not secured a contract extension with Bayern. Kingsley Coman has already signed an extension with the club, Leroy Sané is still under contract with the club, and Sadio Mané is set to complete a €41m move from Liverpool to Munich. If he is unable to sign a contract extension, and he ends up being the odd man out, whichever club signs him will be getting one of the best wingers in the world. Gnabry is an incredible creative outlet for Bayern. He progresses the ball very well, has sharp technique that allows him to dribble past defenders very easily, he’s a great passer who can create chances for others, and he’s a solid finisher. He’d start on most teams in the world, but Bayern’s current attack may leave him out of the equation.
60. Ajax, LW Dušan Tadić
Stats: 3564 MP, 15G, 20A, 0.88 GA/90, 40 SCA, 5.71 SCA/90, 4 Dribbles
Tadić’s stats undersell him massively, as they suffer from the fact that FBref’s stat tracking is incomplete for leagues outside of Europe’s top five. But don’t let that fool you, he has been one of the best wingers in the world since he arrived at Ajax. I’ve talked in other entries about the 2018–2019 Ajax side that made it to the Champions League semifinal, but I haven’t mentioned the fact that Dušan Tadić was easily the most important player on that team, and it wasn’t even close. Three years later, unlike the others, he remains at Ajax. And three years later, he’s still playing at an incredibly high level. Tadić is a very creative winger, who relies more on passing to progress the ball forward than he does on dribbling and skills. He creates chances for others at a very high level, for both club and country. Tadić’s performance for Serbia was also very impressive, as he managed to lead his country to the World Cup with a goal and an assist in the win over Portugal that clinched Serbia’s spot.
59. Barcelona, CB Ronald Araújo
Stats: 3274 MP, 4G, 0A, 0.11 GA/90, 39.9 Press %, 52 Int, 72.7 Duel %
The first year of the post-Messi era of Barcelona football was one of trials and tribulations, to say the least. The season had its own peaks and valleys, with the lows coming in the form of a 0–1 defeat to Rayo Vallecano, which led to the firing of Ronald Koeman. This is not to say that Barcelona didn’t have success, as their 4–0 victory over Real Madrid gave fans a preview of what Xavi ball could look like for years to come. But, even as Barcelona underwent a tumultuous season, Ronald Araújo was the one constant in the eleven. The one player who was excellent almost every single time that he played. He’s strong in the air, he’s great on the press, he’s a good passer at the center back position, and he rarely lets anyone dribble past him. He tackled 76.7% of attempted dribbles last season, which ranked in the 98th percentile of all center backs in the world. Araújo is crucial to Barcelona’s future, and he will be a staple in their back four for years to come.
58. Bayern Munich, LW Leroy Sané
Stats: 2970 MP, 14G, 15A, 0.88 GA/90, 137 SCA, 4.55 SCA/90, 75 Dribbles
Sané’s performance in the Bundesliga wasn’t particularly spectacular. In league play, he only managed to score seven goals and seven assists. But similar to Riyad Mahrez, Sané knew how to turn it up when the lights were brightest. On those weekday nights in the Champions League, Leroy Sané was simply electric, providing Bayern fans with glimpses of the player they thought they were getting when he signed from Manchester City for over €62m back in 2020. In just ten Champions League matches, Sané scored six goals and got six assists. His 12 goal contributions in the Champions League almost equaled his 14 in the Bundesliga, and he did it with 22 less matches. If Sané could play at that level more consistently, he’d be unanimously regarded as a world class winger, not just one with world class talent. But still, even if he doesn’t play as well in the Bundesliga, his performance this year was more than deserving of a placement on this list.
57. Benfica, CF Darwin Núñez
Stats: 2590 MP, 32G, 4A, 1.25 GA/90, 101 Shots, 51 SOG, 50.5 SOG %
Recently, Jürgen Klopp decided to break Liverpool’s transfer record by over €10m in order to sign Núñez from Benfica. There are several reasons for that. For starters, he’s great at dribbling and progressing the ball forward, even for a striker. His dribbles completed per 90 and players dribbled past per 90 are both above the 88th percentile compared to all forwards in Europe. Furthermore, his progressive carries into the penalty area per 90 ranks in the 99th percentile among all forwards in Europe. He’s also a lethal finisher. His goals per shot and goals per shot on target both ranked in the 99th percentile among all forwards in Europe. So, why is he only at 57 on this list? There’s two reasons. The first is that the quality of competition in the Primeira Liga isn’t as high as it is in other leagues across Europe, so his goalscoring record may be inflated a bit because of that. The second reason is his first touch. Similar to Lukaku, Darwin Núñez really struggles with controlling the ball on his first touch. His miscontrols per 90 ranked in just the 16th percentile among all forwards in Europe. It’s his one flaw as a striker, and if he can improve on it, he could be a legend at Anfield for years to come.
56. Sevilla, CB Jules Koundé
Stats: 3748 MP, 3G, 1A, 0.10 GA/90, 37.6 Press %, 82 Int, 65.8 Duel %
Earlier, I talked about Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who’s been a very impressive shot-stopper since joining Sevilla. Jules Koundé is a massive reason why he has improved so much in his time at the club. This season, Sevilla allowed just 30 goals in La Liga play, despite finishing 4th in the table. That mark was the best in the entire league, even ahead of Real Madrid, who went on to win La Liga as well as the Champions League. Jules Kounde has been linked with moves to lots of clubs, such as Barcelona and Chelsea. And there’s good reason for that. Despite not being six foot, Koundé’s physicality allows him to win aerial duels over strikers who are taller than him. He’s also very comfortable on the ball, completing progressive passes and carries at a very high rate compared to other center backs. Whichever club wins the race for his services will have their defense locked up for the foreseeable future.
55. Liverpool, CB Joël Matip
Stats: 3705 MP, 3G, 3A, 0.15 GA/90, 42.0 Press %, 76 Int, 68.8 Duel %
Liverpool struggled mightily without Virgil van Dijk in the 2020–2021 campaign, but it was Joël Matip’s absence that arguably hurt the team even more. The Cameroonian international missed 23 games due to an ankle injury in that season, and he lost 19 additional games to a knee injury the year before that. All of the injuries he’s suffered over these past couple campaigns have made some forget how good a healthy Matip can be. I’ve said that several center backs are very good at controlling the ball, and this will not be the last time I say it, but I mean it when I say that Joël Matip might be the best among all center backs at getting involved in the attack. He averages 7.97 progressive carries per 90 minutes, which ranks in the 99th percentile among all center backs. He’s very good defensively as well, making him one of the more complete center backs in the Premier League. Although he may be lined up for a more depth role in the future, with Ibrahima Konaté potentially starting over him next year, Matip is still a very good player.
54. Bayer Leverkusen, AM Florian Wirtz
Stats: 2311 MP, 10G, 14A, 0.93 GA/90, 130 SCA, 5.12 SCA/90, 51 Dribbles
Between Kai Havertz, Leon Bailey, Jeremie Frimpong, and Moussa Diaby, it feels like Leverkusen has found a formula for acquiring and developing talent. Florian Wirtz is no exception. He had eight goals and eight assists across all competitions in just his age 17 season in the 2020–2021, and he managed to outdo that this past season. Wirtz is unbelievably talented. He’s a technical dribbler, a great passer, and makes very smart decisions. At just 18, it seems like he processes the game at a different level than everyone else. He’s a very creative footballer, as his 5.12 shot creating actions per 90 minutes ranks in the 94th percentile among all attacking midfielders and wingers. He’s also a willing defender, pressing at both a high rate and with decent efficiency, which is something that can’t be said for all attacking midfielders. Wirtz is one of the world’s most exciting youngsters, and don’t be surprised if he earns a spot in the top ten on this list as he continues to develop.
53. Lazio, CF Ciro Immobile
Stats: 3349 MP, 32G, 3A, 0.94 GA/90, 126 Shots, 54 SOG, 42.9 SOG %
I guess you could say Ciro Immobile had somewhat of a down year in the 2020–2021 season. He only followed up a monstrous 39-goal outburst with just a measly 25 goals that season. Obviously I’m being facetious here, as 25 goals is still a very good figure for any of Europe’s top strikers, especially in a league as tough as Serie A. However, the fact that 25 goals is a departure from peak form for Immobile shows the level that he is at as a player. Immobile won the Euros with Italy in 2021, despite the fact that he wasn’t performing at a very high level. Apparently, Immobile wasn’t satisfied with his performance internationally, as he immediately returned to his top form for Lazio in the 2021–2022. This season, Immobile became Lazio’s all-time leading scorer, and he bagged another 32 goals. He’s a great finisher, makes very good runs into the box, and he just has a preternatural ability to put the ball in the back of the net.
52. Liverpool, LB Andrew Robertson
Stats: 3998 MP, 3G, 14A, 0.38 GA/90, 33.0 Press %, 70 Int, 21 Dribbles
Five seasons ago, Jürgen Klopp signed a little-known 22 year old left-back from Hull City named Andrew Robertson. Five years later, and Klopp has made Robertson into one of the world’s best fullbacks. He’s thrived in Klopp’s system, playing a crucial role in the back four alongside van Dijk, Matip, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Most full backs struggle to find a balance between being sharp defenders or being great attackers. A notable example of this would be Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who’s a great tackler and can defend one on one duels very well, but cannot control the ball well at all. But Robertson doesn’t struggle at all in that regard. He’s struck a very delicate balance between being a great attacker and a great defender. Other full backs are ahead of him on this list, because they are superior in different aspects of their games, but Robertson is still a world class full back.
51. Napoli, CB Kalidou Koulibaly
Stats: 3035 MP, 3G, 1A, 0.12 GA/90, 40.7 Press %, 55 Int, 58.6 Duel %
Ask anyone who knows about European football, they will all tell you that Kalidou Koulibaly is and has been one of the world’s best center backs for years. He’s been Napoli’s best player for years, and he’s the main reason behind their return to the Champions League. Led by Koulibaly, Napoli finished tied with Milan for the least amount of goals allowed in Serie A, with 31. Furthermore, Napoli allowed the least amount of xG by over two goals, with 31.9. He’s the biggest reason for that. Furthermore, while Koulibaly is a lockdown defender, he’s also very comfortable controlling the ball. His 0.74 dribbles per 90 minutes ranks in the 98th percentile among all center backs. Koulibaly had a very successful season internationally as well, as he led Senegal to a win over Mohamed Salah’s Egypt side in the African Cup of Nations. He’s a world class center back, and everyone recognizes it.
