There are many forms, too: the tough tackler, box-to-box machine and the nimble playmaker. It's the first edition of Shaka Hislop's Power Rankings of 2020, but there's no change at the top as Liverpool's dominance continues. Not only has Muller been one of the best players in the world over the past year, with his own unique sense of humour, but he's also one of the most entertaining. Just look at the 3-0 semifinal win over RB Leipzig that put them through to their first Champions League final. Cruised past 150 goals for Tottenham in 2020 as well, prompting Mourinho -- never one for effusive praise -- to say that Kane is "fantastic and he very much represents the spirit of the team.". Statistics and scores. Gab Marcotti reacts to Kevin De Bruyne being named the best attacking midfielder in ESPN's FC 100. At that point, the Argentinian looked like a solid professional, albeit performing below the potential he'd shown as a youngster at River Plate, with underwhelming spells in Ligue 1 and Serie A. A prime example of their partnership. As Neymar has struggled with injuries, Mbappe has picked up the slack and made PSG his own. Firmino's creativity and unpredictability have made him Jurgen Klopp's go-to "difference-maker" up front. High point of 2020: Tough to say in a year when Barcelona lost La Liga to Real Madrid and were humiliated 8-2 by Bayern Munich, so perhaps it was finally venting his rage at Barcelona and making journalists around the globe look up what exactly a "burofax" is. Last season they were top scorers in Serie A with a remarkable 98 goals (17 ahead of Inter, next on the list) and has turned the likes of Papu Gomez (named Serie A midfielder of the year) and Josip Ilicic into some of the best players in the world. A midfielder who excels with the ball at his feet and who knows how to create space, it's not hard to understand why he's been linked to both Manchester United and Manchester City in 2020. In the 2018-19 season, he scored 12 goals in 31 games to help Atalanta qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history, and maintained that form the next season. Not only was it his only game with goals in 2019-20 but it put the tiny Serie A side into the Champions League's last eight in Lisbon. The French league decided to curtail the 2019-20 season in March, and when PSG eventually returned to competitive action in the French Cup final and Champions League in the summer, Verratti was injured. "Imagine the best teams in the world lose their best central defender. Some aren't even left-footed, using their positional awareness to drift infield and be another central defender or midfielder if needed. If there's one Tottenham player thriving under Jose Mourinho, it's Son. Winner of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, German Bundesliga and German Cup , the FC Bayern München won for the second time after 2013 the IFFHS CLUB WORLD RANKING in 2020, the greatest Ranking in World … The Spanish manager helped extend Sevilla's love affair with the Europa League, as they won last season's tournament thanks to a 3-2 victory over Inter Milan in the final. Club/country: Wolverhampton Wanderers/Mexico. His absence due to an ACL injury has been a major challenge for the Foxes, who have missed Pereira's pace and poise on the flank. At his best, he's a peerless deep-lying playmaker, perfect for unlocking packed defenses -- something Liverpool face often -- with a clever pass or swivel of the hips. Picture : FC Bayern München logical winner of the IFFHS CLUB WORLD RANKING 2020. High point of 2020: Played a big role in Bayern's Treble-winning season. Who makes the Manchester derby combined XI? It's hard to believe Mbappe is still so young. "He is a great champion above all else," Lloris said. Liverpool Premier League England 2.6 0.4 88.5 5 Chelsea Premier League England 2.3 0.3 88.1 6 +1 Real Madrid La Liga Spain 2.4 0.3 87.8 7-1 Man. He is capable of the sublime, if he can stay fit. Sancho's thrilling, mutually beneficial partnership with Erling Haaland will surely be flourishing again. Will fans be allowed? "I was almost ashamed of how happy I was after scoring, because it was 99% his goal," Kimmich said afterward, and it was hard to disagree. High point of 2020: Winning his second Champions League title, though an eighth consecutive Bundesliga trophy is no small feat, either. 1 let a back pass roll straight past him into goal. In the meantime, he continues to set records, having passed the 100-goal mark for Los Blancos and also set a record with his 45th El Clasico appearance when Real Madrid beat Barcelona 3-1 in late October. That assist was classic Ter Stegen, a confident sweeper-keeper who's comfortable with the ball at his feet and can convert saves into counterattacks in a flash. Coman joined PSG at the age of 10 and became their youngest-ever debutant at 16 before deciding to continue his career elsewhere. Last season, he alternated effortlessly between the right-back and defensive midfield positions. High point of 2020: His only goal for the club so far, a thunderous near-post finish against Granada as Real Madrid closed in on the La Liga title. "Every team in the world would miss Virgil van Dijk," Klopp said soon after his injury. After all, they've got Plans B, C and D. Top coaches can ease their big-ego, big-talent squads through the emotional ups and downs while keeping everyone happy, harmonious and fully committed to the cause. High point of 2020: Notched a goal and an assist against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup semifinals, putting City on course to win their only trophy of the 2019-20 season. High point of 2020: That assist, obviously, though winning a domestic/European Treble with Bayern was also extremely special. Not bad, right? Understated and always willing to let more talented teammates get the glory, Kante is the perfect pivot for club and country. They are one of the most entertaining teams in world football, with Gasperini's tactics finding their foundations in Sun Tzu's proverb: "Defending makes you invincible, but if you want to win, you must attack." High point of 2020: It's tempting to say the Europa League win, but let's face it: the brilliant madness of stand-in keeper Ocampos saving from actual Eibar keeper Dmitrovic (yes, really) in the 99th minute is hard to beat. Now comes the fun part. Toni Kroos hails Zidane as the "best coach you could ask for," but it's his man management that really sets him apart. He already has won three Champions Leagues, one Premier League, one FA Cup, one Bundesliga, one Serie A and a Ligue 1 title, but did add the September manager of the month award to his collection. My skills on the ball are also very good. High point of 2020: Becoming the first player in Europe's top leagues to hit double figures for goals and assists last season. Navas didn't hold back his tears when Sevilla won the 2019-20 Europa League in Germany this summer. It was ultimately a disappointing season for City -- second in the league and beaten by Lyon in the Champions League quarterfinals -- but Sterling's reputation as a player continues to grow, as does his knack of timing runs into the box to finish City's typically flowing attacking moves. It's difficult to keep track of Lewandowski's records. De Bruyne won't want to come second again, meaning his motor and creativity will be pivotal to City wrestling the title back from Merseyside. It's testament to Van Dijk that when he suffered his season-ending injury against Everton in October, the mood around Liverpool changed. High point of 2020: Superb in PSG's Champions League campaign, scoring two key goals against Atalanta and RB Leipzig to help the side into the final. What you admire most about him, perhaps, is his seemingly infinite self-belief. His record of seven goals and 16 assists in the Italian top flight belies his true influence: He is the conduit for his team's attack (a team that scored the most goals in the Italian top flight last season) and his form saw him named Serie A midfielder of the year. The government reversed its decision within a day. In an interview with ESPN, he spoke of how he doesn't bother with formations, but instead has a series of systems that he alternates among depending on how matches are going. They already spend £208 million on their team players. Unwaveringly intense, forever animated and brilliantly dressed, Guardiola will dearly want another title at Manchester City this season. 10 spot is secured for years to come. Hernandez excelled on loan at Alaves in 2016-17, looked out of his depth at Real Madrid in 2017-18 and was decidedly average at Real Sociedad in 2018-19. He's never been a player who captures the imagination at Liverpool -- or anywhere, for that matter -- but there's a reason his is the first name Jurgen Klopp puts on the team sheet. We're nearly at the end of 2020, which means it's time for ESPN's annual ranking of the best men's players and coaches in world soccer! His role is hard to define; he's not a true No. He converted 14 of his 15 penalty attempts in all competitions last term. High point of 2020: A scorer of three hat tricks last Bundesliga season, Werner's most impressive match came in an 8-0 win against Mainz in which he provided three goals and three assists. He racked up his 100th Premier League appearance for the club, and the £10m that Liverpool spent on Robertson in 2017 from Hull City increasingly looks like one of the best bits of transfer business ever. High point of 2020: Scoring twice in the Champions League round of 16, first leg against Paris Saint-Germain. High point of 2020: Helped Chelsea to finish runner-up in the FA Cup despite missing much of the season through injury and concerns around COVID-19. PSG are a different side with pass-master Verratti in their midfield, and he's also playing a big role in the rejuvenation of the Italian national team under Roberto Mancini. He has excelled for Jurgen Klopp's side at the base of the midfield as an imposing figure who also offers a touch of class on the ball. Their pace and persistence on the flanks give their teams another angle of attack; their ability to cut infield and shoot adds a dimension too. High point of 2020: Notched three assists in the spectacular 4-3 Champions League win over RB Salzburg, albeit overshadowed by Erling Haaland's exploits on a memorable night at Anfield. The best central defenders combine timing and power with elegance and poise under pressure. Reguilon is good enough to be starting for Real Madrid right now. Euro 2020, 100 Days Out: Will the tournament go ahead? Plucked from Metalist Kharkiv for just £4m in 2014, he's now regarded as one of the world's best midfielders. FC 100: It. As defender Jules Kounde reflected on their draw at Camp Nou, he said "I'm a bit disappointed." High point of 2020: Taking RB Leipzig to the Champions League semifinals, even without Timo Werner at the tail end of the competition following his move to Chelsea. And he's 21 years old. High point of 2020: Playing every single minute (and scoring five goals) in Liverpool's 2019-20 Premier League-winning season, the club's first league title in 30 years. Here's the key: We didn't use one megalist with all players mixed together -- such conceits inevitably favor attackers, because everyone loves a good goal, don't they? Take it from ZZ himself, who enjoys simply watching the German midfielder at practice. It's about seeing the whole field -- and exploiting it. Bayern manager Hansi Flick says Alaba "holds the defence together," while Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in August likened Alaba's impact at centre back to the transformational qualities of Franz Beckenbauer. In his first match back in Europe's top flight since 2015, Immobile scored against old club BVB. In terms of creating chances, taking set pieces and working tirelessly off the ball, he is a cut above. Kroos is into his seventh season with Madrid and remains as important to Zinedine Zidane's side as ever. No one doubts his talent and personality, though, and on his day, there are few footballers who are more fun to watch. After excelling as the deepest midfielder at Ajax, he is playing a more attacking role under first Ernesto Valverde and later Quique Setien in Spain. The best players in the game seem to have positions as hard to define as their individual talents. At 26, he's approaching his peak, and chose to sign a new deal in October 2019 despite reported interest from Barcelona and PSG. Nagelsmann has a glowing reputation in the sport: he's loved by his players, has an incredible ability of making a team greater than the sum of its parts and is tactically brilliant. He frustrates as often as he thrills, a view shared by his own Real Madrid teammates at times, as evidenced by Karim Benzema blasting Vinicius to another player while the Brazilian watched back in October. "I love to be there for his training sessions. Kimmich is a coach's dream. In the biggest games, against Barcelona in La Liga or Manchester City in the Champions League, Mendy -- not Marcelo -- gets the nod. Liverpool's long injury list this season, especially in central defense, means Alisson is more crucial to their hopes of retaining the title than ever. He netted four goals against Valencia to put the Italians through to the quarterfinal, at one point outscoring Cristiano Ronaldo in Serie A. The only place to visit for all your LFC news, videos, history and match information. One game summed up his season: Not only did Ocampos score in Sevilla's 1-0 win over Eibar in July but he also went in goal when keeper Tomas Vaclik got injured, even making a crucial save in the ninth minute of added time. His defensive failings are well known, and unlikely to change at this stage. Wasting no time at Stamford Bridge, Chilwell provided a goal and assist on his Premier League debut. Having spent over a billion euros to get within touching distance of the trophy they crave above all others, they were denied by a headed goal from Coman -- one of their own, discarded youth products. He lasted just 4½ months in the Spanish capital before getting sacked, but he's comfortably reaffirmed his undoubted ability at Sevilla, winning the Europa League and guiding them into this season's Champions League. After scoring six goals and providing six assists for Dortmund last season and forming a superb relationship with England star Jadon Sancho while on loan in the Bundesliga, Hakimi joined Inter Milan this summer and has continued to entertain on the wing. He also breathed new life into the careers of Thomas Muller and Jerome Boateng, who looked as though they were on the way out of Bayern having fallen out of favour and form. Rashford notched 17 goals and eight assists last season to keep an uneven Manchester United team in the top four, but his biggest wins came far away from Old Trafford. High point of 2020: A peak Lewandowski performance at Stamford Bridge and the Allianz Arena paved the way for Bayern to win the Champions League. At Real Madrid, his teammates used to call him "Keylor Paras" ("Keylor Stops"), and he's lived up to that name after moving to Paris. Numbers Valuation Breakdown Nearly half the list -- 47 out of 100 -- were either new to the FC 100 or not ranked in 2019, which reflects not only the challenges of the 2019-20 season amid the coronavirus pandemic but also the turnover of top players and the generational "passing of the guard" to a younger group of superstars. In July, he suddenly went on leave for personal reasons, later revealed to be depression after contracting COVID-19. Julien Laurens believes Kylian Mbappe will be the next generational player once Messi and Ronaldo retire. Carvajal was a part of the Real side that won La Liga for the first time since 2016-17, and despite his missing the start of the campaign through injury, his imminent return will boost Zinedine Zidane's squad immensely. He's the special one," former Leeds captain Lucas Radebe told ESPN. was founded following a dispute between the Everton committee and John Houlding, club president and owner of the land at Anfield.After eight years at the stadium, Everton relocated to Goodison Park in 1892 and Houlding founded Liverpool F.C. (Alisson was so delighted he sprinted the length of the pitch, past all of his teammates, to celebrate with the Egypt international.) CWUR - World University Rankings 2019-2020 … The key to playing central midfield is a good sense of rhythm: knowing when to speed up in transition and when to slow the pace. -- against one of his former clubs, Sheffield United, in his 100th Premier League appearance for Manchester City. The England international remains on the way up, but a muscle injury has curtailed his progress this season. Taking fourth place in our list for the fourth year in a row suggests Sandro is consistency personified. Should Atletico be worried Simeone is following Wenger's path? A force in aerial duels and his side's intricate passing game, he pairs a superhuman work rate with positional intelligence in a demanding position. The young defender, who was originally a midfielder in the Liverpool academy, continues to define, and redefine, what full-back play can be in the modern game. The Brazilian won the Champions League in his first season with Liverpool and the Premier League title in his second. That's especially true in attack, where Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Mane combine so seamlessly as a trio that we probably don't appreciate just how good Mane is as an individual. Jimenez is much more than the Wolves' aerial target, rather an attacker who loves to distribute the ball from a deeper position. In one of the last big matches played in front of fans before the coronavirus shut down the sport, Trippier was instrumental in Atletico's 3-2 win at Liverpool back in March, ably shutting Sadio Mane and Andy Robertson down before coming off in extra time. A well-rounded player, he contributed an impressive eight goals to Dortmund's second-placed Bundesliga finish. High point of 2020: Grealish scored twice and set up three goals in Villa's extraordinary 7-2 win against Liverpool in October. High point of 2020: Whatever it was, it wasn't Barca's 8-2 defeat to Bayern. His goals and assists, including a diving header against Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16, were instrumental in taking PSG to the Champions League final, the closest they've ever been to reaching their dream of European glory. Real Madrid didn't always look as though they would win the league last season, but Courtois was a giant in goal. It was his own moment of redemption, and the aftermath of their 1-1 draw against Barcelona in October is proof of how far Lopetegui has taken Sevilla in a short time after taking over in June 2019. A Definitive Ranking Of The World’s Greatest Soccer Players In 2020 by Eric Sumner July 14, 2020 Soccer These soccer stars have worked tirelessly to achieve the heights of success on the pitch that they have. Find out in which position is Everton FC in the latest world club ranking. He has now gone without a goal in Premier League since scoring the 1-0 win at Sheffield United on Jan. 21 amid various knee injuries, but it speaks volumes that when fit, he's still Pep Guardiola's go-to up front: "If he's playing at his level, we don't have any doubts that he's a player to stay until he decides because he's unique. An underrated striker, Benzema continued his fine form ever since Cristiano Ronaldo's departure to Juventus. 9 (a bit of a dying breed) will score against anyone, at any time, from anywhere. For his performances on the pitch, his influence as the club's captain and his work with the #playerstogether initiative during the coronavirus lockdown, he's finally getting the respect his career has demanded. De Gea has been a constant through United's many ups and downs since he joined the club in 2011. The Dutch midfielder was the poster boy of European football when he joined Barca from Ajax for €70 million in 2019, but his first season in Spain showed him that not everything is always rosy in football. High point of 2020: Beating the prolific Robert Lewandowski to the Golden Shoe, awarded to Europe's leading scorer across all leagues. City have struggled with injuries and have been uncharacteristically fragile at the back, but last season Ederson still managed to keep 16 clean sheets, earning him the Premier League Golden Glove. I'll forgive you for waking me up at 3:30 a.m. to tell me you have won the league.". However, while staying fit remains a problem, his absences from Thomas Tuchel's side serve only to highlight his importance. They might even be favorites this season. The other goal was scored by Karim Benzema, but guess who set it up? In the meantime, he's become an integral part of Jose Mourinho's Spurs side, one that has a very real shot at winning the Premier League. Despite being moved around and having to adapt to a new country and a new language, De Jong showed glimpses of his talent, and there are signs of improvement in his second season at the club. -- as our voters leaned into their on-field domination. He's started the new season in wonderful form and in October, he became the first player since Steven Gerrard to score 100 goals for the Reds. Still improving and into his sixth season at Bayern, he has an experience beyond his years and a trophy cabinet to match. His next steps: helping City finally deliver in Europe and performing for England at Euro 2020. High point of 2020: Helping Liverpool end their 30-year wait for a Premier League title. The 2019-20 season was Sterling's best when it comes to scoring goals. He's already a World Cup winner, a four-time French champion and has been the leading scorer in Ligue 1 for the past two seasons. Mendy might lack his teammate's eye-catching skills, but he offers a defensive solidity that helped the team keep clean sheet after clean sheet post-lockdown. In a modern game that is so often defined by rigid tactical discipline, his unpredictability can be priceless. Now in his 11th season in Germany and his seventh at Bayern Munich, Lewandowski was finally able to lift the Champions League trophy this summer. The efficient, reserved Slovenian is the perfect keeper for Diego Simeone's hardworking, disciplined side. Though when needed, he can do it alone, too: witness his mesmeric, Puskas Award nominee goal against Burnley back in December, when he collected the ball at the edge of the Spurs area and ran the length of the field, evading six tackles and bypassing everyone before calmly slotting the ball home. High point of 2020: Successfully defending Juventus' Serie A title. He was also on target against Borussia Monchengladbach in October as Zinedine Zidane's side came from behind to draw 2-2 in the Champions League. ... You can see just the way he receives the ball, the way he moves. It hasn't gone unnoticed by his contemporaries: "It would be difficult to write more history in eight months!" The consummate modern goalkeeper, Alisson can turn defense into offense in the blink of an eye. In his first season at PSG, he kept five clean sheets -- trailing Bayern's Manuel Neuer by just one despite playing 191 fewer minutes -- to guide his team to the Champions League final. City eventually went for Nathan Ake and Ruben Dias, but Manchester United are also interested in the man who now has his sights on supplanting Raphael Varane and Dayot Upamecano with the France national team. Former Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher says Mane is pushing John Barnes for the title of Liverpool's best left winger ever. The French maestro returned to Real Madrid in March 2019 and finished the fragmented 2019-20 season with the La Liga title, his Los Blancos side also smashing a number of Spanish top flight records along the way. And that's a development I'm pleased with." He could be the leading scorer in 2020 across Europe's biggest leagues, he'll soon overtake the all-time men's international goal record (he's seven shy of Ali Daei's 109), and he's averaged nearly a goal game for Portugal since he turned 30. The Polish star had his hand in every single one of the seven goals Bayern scored in the 7-1 aggregate win over Chelsea. "He's God. And yet, the 27-year-old was named Serie A's MVP last season, helped Juve to a ninth consecutive title and is undoubtedly one of the world's most talented attackers. Lucky for City, he has extended his contract, good news for the club's long-term goals and bad news for those teams standing in their way. Their campaign would eventually come to an abrupt end against RB Leipzig in the quarterfinals, but that was a real triumph for Simeone. At his best, Ederson can feel like an extra outfield player who also happens to be fantastic at stopping shots. Still just 25, he is Bayern's present and future. Though the 2019-20 season finished with more a whimper than a roar, the signs this term are extremely encouraging. Well, maybe once. Neymar and Kylian Mbappe get all the attention, but Di Maria is every bit as important to Paris Saint-Germain's success. The kid from Liverpool is living the dream at Anfield. Liverpool entered the competition in the third round. Gab Marcotti believes Sadio Mane "smartness" is one of the reasons he tops ESPN's FC 100. Under his third coach at Camp Nou -- his compatriot Ronald Koeman -- he looks more comfortable in a "double pivot" (a pair of deep-lying midfielders who shield the defense and share creative responsibilities), and Barca hope he can rule their midfield for the next decade. Guerreiro doesn't attract the headlines of others on this list -- or of some high-profile teammates at Dortmund -- but he quietly had the best season of his career in 2019-20. If Son isn't assisting Kane, Kane is assisting Son. He conceded 20 goals in 34 league matches, kept 18 clean sheets and boasted the highest save percentage in La Liga. And his Real Madrid teammate Eden Hazard has also been impressed: "I've come across some fantastic defenders during my career, such as John Terry and Vincent Kompany. Being a great central defender requires more than size, assertiveness and strength. Luckily for Gunners fans, he signed a new three-year deal in September. "When you reach the maturity necessary to understand that hard work leads to results, you no longer feel tired," Gasperini said. Julien Laurens is full of praise for N'Golo Kante, who finishes just 5th in ESPN's FC 100. High point of 2020: Notching two assists for Virgil van Dijk in the 2-1 win against Brighton in late November, both from set pieces. Barcelona have tried to prepare for life after Alba -- the Spain international will be 32 in March -- but Lucas Digne and Junior Firpo have already failed to supplant him at the Camp Nou. High point of 2020: A stunning long-range goal against Huesca in October 2020 suggested that better things could be just around the corner. Laporte is one half of a formidable partnership at the back for City alongside new signing Ruben Dias, and they will form the foundations for another push for trophies. His link-ups with Lionel Messi -- once one of the most fruitful attacking partnerships in football -- remain dangerous, albeit less frequent. High point of 2020: Taking Lyon to within 90 minutes of the Champions League final with a string of match-winning performances. High point of 2020: Matching the Premier League's single-season assist record. High point of 2020: Claiming his second career assist in December 2019, when Antoine Griezmann ran onto his goal kick to score against Mallorca. He offers much more to Madrid than just protection to the back four, and you could even argue he's become their most important player. This kind of refreshment is exactly what we're seeing in the game as aging legends fade and new stars are made. High point of 2020: It's rare for defenders to show up on the scoresheet, but Pereira put together a superb game against West Ham in January, notching a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win. There's not a transfer window that goes by without a handful of the European giants being linked with the Napoli defender. Arguably the best full-back in La Liga last season, Reguilon was a blur of constant movement on the left flank of Julen Lopetegui's Sevilla team as they cruised to a top-four league finish and won the Europa League. High point of 2020: An impressive two-goal performance in the Champions League round of 16, first leg, against Valencia. Some of the modern greats are cultured in possession; others are the epitome of no-nonsense force. For old time's sake, it was at right-back, with Benjamin Pavard returning from injury, where he took on the role of chief creator in Bayern's run to Champions League glory in the summer. He has arguably flattered to deceive since returning to Manchester United from Juventus for €100m in 2016 -- together, they've won just one League Cup and a Europa League in four seasons -- but the underlying feeling is that he is still one of the best box-to-box midfielders on his day.