![]() ![]() Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid, Portugal) Rightly ended Messi’s domination to win his second Ballon d’Or earlier this year after consistently starring for club and emphatically firing his country to the World Cup. He still has plenty left at age 27, which is a scary thought for Barcelona opponents.Ģ. Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Argentina) Has had a tough past year and rarely looked fully fit, but showed again the once-in-a-generation ability he possesses when dragging Argentina to the latter stages of the World Cup despite not being at his best. Here are our rankings for the best players entering the 2014-2015 club season.ġ. A total of 13 play in the English Premier League. Of the 50 players on the list, 24 come from three teams with eight player each: Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid. Meanwhile, veterans like Italy's Gianluigi Buffon are still going strong after several years between the sticks.Īn IB Times list of the top 50 footballers in the world also illustrates that the current top talent is skewed toward attack, as well as the fact that the best players have become increasingly concentrated among a few of Europe’s elite clubs. Germany's Manuel Neuer was exceptional at the World Cup, while Belgium's Thibaut Courtois has proven to be star on the rise. There are still plenty of great goalkeepers in the world, but few true superstars. ![]() Barcelona's Sergio Busquets appears to be a throwback to that era as the only elite player at the position. It wasn't long ago when players like Dunga, Claude Makelele, Gennaro Gattuso, and Esteban Cambiasso were in top form and receiving praise for their versatility on both sides of the ball. Perhaps the most notable area lacking in superstar talent is at defensive midfielder. This summer’s transfer market reflects that, with former Chelsea center back David Luiz, a player with some clear flaws, being purchased for close to £50 million by Paris Saint-Germain. ![]() In part that confirmed that the best players around today are in forward areas of the pitch, rather than at the defensive end. It was also a tournament where attacking play dominated, at least for the early stages. The 2014 World Cup saw several players announce themselves on the global stage and many others confirm their world-class status. ![]()
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