Guardian top 100 Footballer list

[jem]

So this should be coming out in a few weeks, and I'm genuinely curious to see what it will look like (and yes I know how subjective lists can be...) The top 10 from last year's edition:

1. Messi
2. Van Dijk
3. Mane
4. Ronaldo
5. Salah
6. Mbappe
7. Lewandowski
8. Sterling
9. Allisson
10. De Jong

Some other notables: Firmno at 11 (ahead of De Bruyne!!); Hazard at 14; Neymar at 31; Donny Van de Beek at 33 (ahead of players such as Kimmich and Gnabry); Ericksen at 41 (can't imagine him being anywhere near the top 100 now); Pogba and Cavani at 55 and 56 respectively; Bruno Fernandes at 69; Rashford at 72; Teemu Pukki at 84 (ahead of Havertz, Sane, and Zlatan); De Gea at 93.

Any guesses on what the top 10 will look like this year? Does Bruno have a chance at cracking it? Who will be the big fallers? I'm guessing Firmino, Hazard, Ericksen and obviously Pukki.

I'll hazard this guess:
1. Lewandowski
2. Messi
3. Mane
4. VVD
5. Kimmich
6. Mbappe
7. Kane
8. De Bruyne
9. Haaland
10. Bruno

 

[altodevil]

You forgot Ronaldo

 

[Grande]

You forgot Ronaldo

1.Ronaldo
2.Ronaldo
3.Ronaldo
4.Ronaldo
5.Ronaldo
6.Ronaldo
7.Ronaldo
8.Ronaldo
9.Ronaldo
10.Bruno

 

[sullydnl]

Firmino at 11 last year is hilarious.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Don't think Bruno will get Top 10 sadly. But expecting Top 30 for Rashford and Top 20 for Bruno Fernandes.

Would guess that Cavani, Pogba, Van de Beek make the list. Possibly Greenwood but don't think so.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Firmino at 11 last year is hilarious.

to be fair, he’s the best world class non scoring striker in the world.

@MyOnlySolskjaer - I wouldn’t have thought Cavani makes the list given how little football he’s played, but then I don’t know how much weight is on the current season, compared to historical?

 

[jem]

You forgot Ronaldo

I won't pretend to say I've watched enough matches outside of the EPL to properly assess his play in the past year, but I could see the list including a surprise like this (putting him at number 11.)

 

[Ronaldo's ego]

No Lingard?

 

[kaiser1]

1. Lewandowski
2. Debruyne
3. Messi
4. Neuer
5. Ronaldo
6. Salah
7. Ramos
8. Neymar
9. Mane
10. Bruno

 

[JakeC]

Our players who are in with a shout

Nailed on top 100: Bruno, Rashford, Pogba
Should make it: De Gea
Half a chance: Van De Beek, Greenwood, Cavani
Outside bet: Maguire, Martial,
Distant but maybe possible: Telles, AWB

 

[Trezeguet17]

Kimmich should be top 5 easily.
Second best player in the best team in the world right now. (yes i am a huge Kimmich fanboy)

@kaiser1 You, as a Bayern Fan don't have him in your Top 10?

 

[MrEleson]

So this should be coming out in a few weeks, and I'm genuinely curious to see what it will look like (and yes I know how subjective lists can be...) The top 10 from last year's edition:

1. Messi
2. Van Dijk
3. Mane
4. Ronaldo
5. Salah
6. Mbappe
7. Lewandowski
8. Sterling
9. Allisson
10. De Jong

Some other notables: Firmno at 11 (ahead of De Bruyne!!); Hazard at 14; Neymar at 31; Donny Van de Beek at 33 (ahead of players such as Kimmich and Gnabry); Ericksen at 41 (can't imagine him being anywhere near the top 100 now); Pogba and Cavani at 55 and 56 respectively; Bruno Fernandes at 69; Rashford at 72; Teemu Pukki at 84 (ahead of Havertz, Sane, and Zlatan); De Gea at 93.

Any guesses on what the top 10 will look like this year? Does Bruno have a chance at cracking it? Who will be the big fallers? I'm guessing Firmino, Hazard, Ericksen and obviously Pukki.

I'll hazard this guess:
1. Lewandowski
2. Messi
3. Mane
4. VVD
5. Kimmich
6. Mbappe
7. Kane
8. De Bruyne
9. Haaland
10. Bruno

Ronaldo has scored the most goals out of any player in the top 5 leagues in 2020. Quite surprising that he doesn't even make your list while Messi is as high as 2nd despite his very poor start to the 20/21 campaign (mostly scoring from the spot) and Barca struggling in more than half of the games they've played with him in the side. He also went trophyless last season and was a non-factor against Bayern in August while Ronaldo was the only player who turned up for his side against Lyon. Additionally, he went on an 11 game scoring streak this year and broke a near 100 year goal record for Juve for most goals in a single season. He picked up at the same pace this season, scoring 8 goals in 6 games in league play. There's definitely no way Messi has been better than him in 2020 nor good enough to be ranked 2nd only to Lewandowski.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

he’s the best world class non scoring striker in the world.

Indeed, he's special, a class of his own, should've been best #1 really

 

[Web of Bissaka]

No Lingard?

Sadly he's injured, if he's not, definitely above Messi

 

[kaiser1]

Kimmich should be top 5 easily.
Second best player in the best team in the world right now. (yes i am a huge Kimmich fanboy)

@kaiser1 You, as a Bayern Fan don't have him in your Top 10?

Kimmich has been great for us. I will have him behind Lewandowski and Neuer. I agree he should be top 10 currently

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

1. Lewandowski
2. Debruyne
3. Messi
4. Neuer
5. Ronaldo
6. Salah
7. Ramos
8. Neymar
9. Mane
10. Bruno

Bruno should be higher. He near single hand idly took us from midtable to 3rd. Van Dijk & Son should probably be in there too. Neuer & Ramos a bit high for me.

1. Lewa
2. Van Dijk
3. Messi
4. Bruno
5. Mane
6. De Bruyne
7. Salah
8. Ronaldo
9. Son
10. Kimmich

 

[kaiser1]

Bruno should be higher. He near single hand idly took us from midtable to 3rd. Van Dijk & Son should probably be in there too. Neuer & Ramos a bit high for me.

1. Lewa
2. Van Dijk
3. Messi
4. Bruno
5. Mane
6. De Bruyne
7. Salah
8. Ronaldo
9. Son
10. Kimmich

I don't think Van Dijk should be top 10 since January. Since the restart in June, he has been below par
I agree Bruno should be higher. And Son or Kane deserves a top 10

 

[simonhch]

1. Lewandowski
2. Messi
3. De Bruyne
4. Salah
5. Kimmich
6. Mane
7. Fernandes
8. Son
9. Ronaldo
10. Mbappe

 

[archiebald]

1. Lewandoski
2. Kimmich
3. Messi
4. Neuer
5. Salah
6. De Bruyne
7. Kane
8. Son
9. Van Dijk
10. Haaland

 

[el3mel]

Messi
Lewa
Ronaldo
Kane
Neur
KDB
Salah
Mane
Neymar
Haaland

 

[The Boy]

I don't think VVD will make top ten as his form has fallen since Jan. Am surprised everyone seems to be putting Messi above Ronaldo. I think it should be the other way around. And if influence on team results has any weighting in the judging of this, I would expect Bruno to easily make the top ten. I haven't seen anyone have such an impact on a team since maybe Cantona.

 

[LARulz]

Genuine question. Why is Messi so high up on people's lists? Hasn't he been poor? It's the whole year performance and he has been shit since the start of the new season

 

[hasanejaz88]

1. Neuer
2. Lewandowski
3. Messi
4. Kimmich
5. De Bruyne
6. Van Diyk
7. Ronaldo
8. Salah
9. Ramos
10. Mane

I really hope Neuer is number 1, though it's very unlikely. It's shocking that he wasn't even considered for the FIFA Player of the year award because this last season, and start of this season, has been arguably the best I've seen him play.

Though I expect the Guardian Top 100 to continue to be EPL centric, Kane might come into the top 10 given his form this season and I'd be surprised if Kimmich is as high as I have him.

 

[jem]

Ronaldo has scored the most goals out of any player in the top 5 leagues in 2020. Quite surprising that he doesn't even make your list while Messi is as high as 2nd despite his very poor start to the 20/21 campaign (mostly scoring from the spot) and Barca struggling in more than half of the games they've played with him in the side. He also went trophyless last season and was a non-factor against Bayern in August while Ronaldo was the only player who turned up for his side against Lyon. Additionally, he went on an 11 game scoring streak this year and broke a near 100 year goal record for Juve for most goals in a single season. He picked up at the same pace this season, scoring 8 goals in 6 games in league play. There's definitely no way Messi has been better than him in 2020 nor good enough to be ranked 2nd only to Lewandowski.

Sorry - I should clarify: it was me predicting what I think the list will be. I don’t watch other leagues closely enough to offer my own analysis of why player x should be rated more highly than player y.

 

[berbatrick]

For the year, not the season:

Lewandowski
Ramos
Mane
Muller
Ronaldo
Kimmich
Salah
Bruno
VVD
Neuer

 

[calodo2003]

Sadly he's injured, if he's not, definitely above Messi

Good thing Lingard’s got youth on his side.

 

[Lay]

Don’t think Messi on current form deserves to be top 5, not sure about top 10

 

[OleBoiii]

If it's purely based on performances in 2020:

The top 10-15 will consist of Haaland, Bruno, Messi, De Bryune and a whole bunch of Bayern and Liverpool players. Son will probably at least make top 15. As will probably Neymar and Mbappe.

 

[slored1]

Lewandowski
Neuer
Neymar
Ronaldo
Kimmich
Mane
Haaland
Müller
Bruno
De Bruyne

 

[FrankDrebin]

Messi will be in the top 5 based on reputation. Guardian journo's have a real boner for him irrespective of his form in the past 2 seasons.

 

[OleBoiii]

I reckon the top 20 is gonna consist of at least 8 Liverpool and Bayern players combined. Maybe as many as 10. Therefore, it's more fun to have a separate list of the top 10 non-Liverpool and Bayern players

So, who'd make that list? I reckon: Haaland, Bruno, De Bryune, Son, Neymar, Mbappe, Messi and Ronaldo. I can't decide on the last 2, though. Maybe Sancho and Kane?

 

[FrankDrebin]

If the Guardian journo's got their way no United player would be in the top 100.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

I don't think Bruno will make top 10, maybe top 20...

Top 10 (not in order) will be

Lewa
Kimmich
Messi
Ronaldo
VVD
Salah
Mane
KDB
Mbappe
Haaland or Kane.

 

[Welbeckham]

Top 20 prediction (not in order)

Lewandowski
Neuer
Kimmich
Messi
Ronaldo
Neymar
Müller
Salah
Mane
Kane
Håland
Bruno
KDB
TAA
Robertson
Davies
Mbappe
Ramos
Gnabry
Oblak

 

[Annihilate Now!]

So they've just the top 10 left to reveal, which you'd imagine will be (in no order) Mane, Salah, VVD, KDB, Lewa, Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Mbappe, Haaland

In terms of us, we've got two in - Rashford (41) and Bruno (21)... which I'd say is about right (I guess you could argue some of our players are better then some of the players low down the list if you really care too)

We have a few ex-players in the list... Lukaku (19), Zlatan (25), Di Maria (38), Depay (64)... and the one that got away, Sancho, is (29)

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...e-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2020

 

[hasanejaz88]

They've released uptil 11 rank.

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...e-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2020

Kimmich and Neuer being outside the top 10 is ridiculous. Neuer for me is the best player in the world right now and is only not being recognized for it because he's a goalkeeper. His performances in the later stages of the UCL were brilliant. Crucial saves versus Lyon, MOTM in the final, brilliant save in the last minute versus Sevilla in the Super Cup, and add to that his performances domestically have been amazing as well.

Kimmich is arguably Bayern's most important outfield player as their level goes up a level when he's there. He's been the best midfielder in the world this season.

Lukaku being above Fernandes is funny as well. Ramos should be in the top 10.

So they've just the top 10 left to reveal, which you'd imagine will be (in no order) Mane, Salah, VVD, KDB, Lewa, Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Mbappe, Haaland

In terms of us, we've got two in - Rashford (41) and Bruno (21)... which I'd say is about right (I guess you could argue some of our players are better then some of the players low down the list if you really care too)

We have a few ex-players in the list... Lukaku (19), Zlatan (25), Di Maria (38), Depay (64)... and the one that got away, Sancho, is (29)

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...e-100-best-male-footballers-in-the-world-2020

Haaland has not right being in the top 10, but yea that's what it seems the top 10 will be. I would take Mbappe, Mane/Neymar and Haaland out for Neuer, Kimmich and Ramos.

 

[Pretzels81]

1 Lewa
2 Muller
3 Gnabry
4 Van Dijk
5 Davis
6 Boateng
7 Neymar
8 Robertson
9 Henderson
10 Mbappe
Bonus 11 Messi

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

Why do they even bother with these kinds of lists, they are clearly absolute rubbish.

 

[Dumbstar]

In that list of 11-100 there is only one stand out "must have" player (obviously going unnoticed ). Step forward Mr. Fabinho. I would want no one else right now. In fact if we didn't have him right now we'd be in Europa and sitting in 3rd place in the PL.

Incidentally, he is by far the best defensive midfielder in the world when he's doing his day job too.

Number 51!!

 

[SilentWitness]

VVD shouldn’t be in the top 10 based on this year.