2023 has been a wild ride – and these were the 100 best football players in the world for the year.
Here at FourFourTwo HQ, we all clubbed together to create this list of the great and the good of the past 12 months, who have defined the sport in 2023. There are some who may never feature on this list again and some who have dropped out altogether; there are some returnees and some first-time faces.
But it's a tough call. Do you pick players based on what they can do? What they did do? A mixture of both? It's all subjective. So tell us who you think should be on the list – tweet us @FourFourTwo…
The 100 best football players in the world of 2023: 100. Sergio Busquets
The phrase "rolling back the years" has been somewhat overused in recent years (30-year-old Ross Barkley is far too young to qualify for it, used during his virtuoso performance against Arsenal for Luton recently) – but Sergio Busquets' year typifies the term. One final title with Barcelona was followed by the retirement move to Fort Lauderdale, where he's had the time and space at Inter Miami to truly be appreciated for his work on the ball. An all-time great in his twilight.
99. Nahuel Molina
€10 million is looking like an absolute steal for Atletico Madrid. World Cup winner Nahuel Molina has enjoyed another consistent season at the top for Diego Simeone, bombing forward from wing-back and contributing at both ends of the pitch. One of the best full-backs in Spain, he's one of European football's unsung heroes.
98. Diogo Costa
It was only a matter of time before Diogo Costa would get his flowers. Tipped for greatness at a ludicrously young age, a stunning Champions League group stage performance last season has led to more steady performances between the sticks for Porto. He's going to the top.
97. Micky van de Ven
Micky van de Ven gets injured and Tottenham's defence falls apart for a little bit. Coincidence? Nope – the Dutchman has been one of the signings of the season in Europe this term, with frightening recovery pace that makes Ange Postecoglou's philosophy really click. A top buy.
96. Karim Benzema
2023 was the year that King Karim finally departed the Bernabeu for Saudi Arabia. Over the past few years, his ascension to godlike status in the absence of both Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo has been stunning to see – our loss is Al-Ittihad's gain.
95. Lucas Paqueta
He delivered arguably the most important assist of West Ham's modern history, threading Jarrod Bowen in for the Europa Conference winner. And perhaps no other Hammer has the composure and the quality in such a moment, either: Lucas Paqueta is the most mercurial man at David Moyes' disposal. He's had an electric 12 months.
94. Isco
The renaissance of Isco Alcarcon has been beautiful. The ex-Real Madrid playmaker has rediscovered his brilliant best at Betis in 2023, weaving through defences like the player of old. At 31, he surely has a couple more seasons like this left?
93. Olivier Giroud
So rare is a striker like Olivier Giroud. Physical, dominant, aggressive and lethal, yet almost with a deft and grace to his game. The ultimate late bloomer, he's still arguably at his best at Milan – and as 2023 proves, he's not bad between the sticks either.
92. Enzo Fernandez
Benfica multiplied their investment when Todd Boehly was so enamoured with a World Cup superstar, he had to drop nine figures on him. Chelsea has been a tough gig for Enzo Fernandez but the young midfielder has shown glimpses of his world-class potential in a blue shirt.
91. Serhou Guirassy
We're not going to judge if you've never heard of him before – but Serhou Guirassy has been the surprise competition to Harry Kane's expected one-man march to Bundesliga Golden Boot. A steady one-in-two ratio on loan at Stuttgart last term led to a permanent deal, where the 27-year-old has torn up this season, netting 16 in his first 11 appearances. Unsustainable? Perhaps – but undoubtedly one of the stars of the past calendar year.
90. Nico Williams
Athletic Club have got the Christmas present they wanted: penning Nico Williams to another four years in the Basque country. The winger has been excellent all year, showing two-footedness, directness and intensity out wide. At 21, he's only getting better.
89. Marcus Thuram
Marcus Thuram was one of the Bundesliga's worst-kept secrets and he's been solid in Serie A, too. Just like his World Cup-winning father Lilian, he's an incredibly intelligent, hungry footballer who has shown a lot of promise at Inter Milan thus far.
88. Ivan Martin
Girona's surprise title assault might be Spain's answer to Leicester City in 2016 – but in truth, Ivan Martin doesn't have an equal from that Foxes side. With silky technique and brilliance on the ball, Martin has been a revelation this campaign – his performances may just earn him a huge move in the future.
87. Christoper Nkunku
Yet to play competitively for Chelsea, Christopher Nkunku is still deserving of his place in the top 100 players on Earth, if just for his brilliance over the past couple of years. The forward is like a lightning bolt through the centre of his side, able to create, drift and attack the box with bluster: he might just be the catalyst to a faltering Blues side.
86. Viktor Gyokeres
Coventry to Lisbon isn't the most commonly trodden path but Viktor Gyokeres is something of a trendsetter. The Swedish hitman was the Championship's best player last season and has taken to Sporting with ease. With an £87m release clause, perhaps English football beckons once more in the future.
85. Martin Zubimendi
Real Sociedad have had a fantastic year under Imanol Alguacil. The Basque side qualified for the Champions League, won their group and Martin Zubimendi in the centre of midfield has been responsible for keeping the side ticking over. Barcelona and Arsenal loom with future offers, if you believe the rumour mill, and it's understandable: he's one of the best midfielders in Europe this season.
84. Federico Chiesa
Injuries and bans from UEFA competition have robbed English fans of watching Federico Chiesa a little more often – but the Juventus star is simply out of this world when he's at his best. Chiesa is dynamic, can beat a man both ways and has an intensity to him that few forwards do: no doubt English fans will be hoping that they don't see too much of him this summer, mind.
83. Douglas Luiz
Aston Villa is a complex ecosystem of a side organised meticulously by Unai Emery. It's hard to pick out one star but Douglas Luiz is perhaps the most obvious one. Controlled yet aggressive, able to carry or sit, and integral box-to-box, the Brazilian has been superb as the Midlands outfit have transformed under Emery into one of the most exciting sides to watch in Europe.
82. Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling is a lesson in mentality. He has speed, strength, creativity and intelligence – but his finest asset is that one can simply never write him off. He always has a 10/10 in his locker just waiting when you least expect it… as former employers Manchester City found out to their detriment in that 4-4 draw. He's been wonderful this season but that game in particular might be the performance of the season from anyone in the Premier League.
81. Federico Valverde
He is the glue of that midfield. Fede Valverde can be anything depending on who's alongside him, as shown by winning a Champions League from right-wing and adapting to four-man diamond to do the hard-running alongside the likes of Jude Bellingham, Modric and Kroos. Is he still underrated?
80. Victor Boniface
Bayer Leverkusen have been outstanding under Xabi Alonso – and Victor Boniface has been superb up front. The Nigerian is perfect for his manager, offering the physicality and presence up front that enables the German side to bully teams in the final third. Nigeria have one hell of an attack when this guy is your Plan B…
79. Dominik Szoboszlai
Arguably one of Liverpool's most important players already, Dominik Szoboszlai cost £60m but has already adapted to English football excellently to become one of the most consistently creative, hard-working midfielders in the Premier League, able to operate in either No.8 role and showing his ability to drift and fill the spaces that others vacate. The Hungarian is one to build around.
78. Jack Grealish
The transformation from one-man attack at Villa to just another cog in the Guardiola masterplan has underwhelmed some who preferred watching Young Jack slaloming around defenders like skittles. But there's no denying his importance to that Treble-winning group – and it's testament to his patience as an attacker that he was able to adapt and become a key man in such a ferociously good unit.
77. Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford may be ending the calendar year with question marks over his work ethic or his ability to lead his hometown club – but it shouldn't be forgotten that for the first half of 2023, there was arguably no better left-winger in English football. The Manchester United star looked like his final form under Erik ten Hag for a while: class is permanent, he'll get back to that level.
76. Moussa Diaby
It didn't look like a no-brainer to bring Moussa Diaby to the Premier League for a huge fee – but the Frenchman has been a massive hit at Villa Park. Playing in that hybrid role behind Ollie Watkins, Diaby has been energetic and direct, chipping in with goals and rotating nicely with Leon Bailey. Could 2024 be an even bigger year for Villa?
75. Hakan Calhanoglou
Hakan Calhanoglu's evolution has been sublime. From a set-piece master who would hang on the edge of a penalty area almost waiting for the opportunity for the ball to stop dead, he now dictates from deep in the absence of Marcelo Brozovic. He's been excellent for Inter this season.
74. Dejan Kulusevski
Tottenham's "Ginger from Sweden" has been about as good a signing as Daniel Levy has made in recent years. Creative, controlled and with a knack for popping up when he's needed, Dejan Kulusevski has had another solid year in north London: with Ange at the wheel, perhaps he's on the cusp of something bigger, too.
73. Julian Brandt
Borussia Dortmund is built on quicksand with the biggest talents often not at Signal Iduna Park long enough to build around – but Julian Brandt has been a consistent mainstay for several seasons, now. One of the most reliable sparks in a side who consistently challenge, the German is one of European football's more underappreciated stars, capable of magic.
72. Phil Foden
Most often limited to cameos in City's greatest-ever season, Phil Foden has had a great 2023 by anyone else's standards. He's still one of the most exciting talents in the division, despite competition for places and he may well be a starter for England next year at the Euros.
71. Sven Botman
Sven Botman has been an absolute monster in the Newcastle United defence. For someone so young to be quite so composed, dominant and able to lead a backline is frightening: he looks like a pillar for this club for the next decade.
70. Theo Hernandez
No longer living in his brother's shadow, Theo Hernandez is one of the most consistent full-backs in world football these days, going from strength to strength ever since winning the Scudetto. The Frenchman is a jewel for Milan and still improving year on year.
69. Aurelien Tchouameni
Aurelien Tchouameni is still finding his feet at the Bernabeu but already a starter for his country. He has one of the most impressive skillsets of any midfielder in Europe and though he's still got so much more to show, he's been solid at Real Madrid and will surely grow further.
68. Granit Xhaka
Granit Xhaka has shown shades to his game that no one knew he had. Previously thought of as a deep-lying speader of play with a lack of mobility, he's developed into one of the best No.8s in world football, a real leader of men and he's one of the biggest reasons that Leverkusen are where they are.
67. Anthony Gordon
Anthony Gordon admitted himself that he wasn't up to speed with Eddie Howe's demands when he first moved to Tyneside: it's safe to say he is now. The England U21 hero of the summer, Gordon has been superb in the second half of this year, turning into one of the most unpredictable footballers on Earth with a lethal final product and pace to burn.
66. Joao Palhinha
A surprise revelation when he moved to west London, Joao Palhinha has been nothing short of exceptional in the Premier League. The Portuguese is a big reason that Marco Silva's side didn't just survive but pushed on up the table: interest from the likes of Bayern Munich isn't a coincidence.
65. Toni Kroos
Toni Kroos may go down as one of the most decorated players of a generation – but he's also one of the best. Beginning his career as a No.10, slipping alongside Luka Modric when he moved to Madrid and now controlling from deep: the German is a sumptuous player, who operates in his own time and space away from everyone else.
64. Marquinhos
Paris Saint-Germain's captain and leader at the back is as good as he ever has been – still the man for PSG, despite playing alongside Sergio Ramos. Marquinhos is one of football's most reliable characters and though Europe still eludes them, almost every title they do scoop can be attributed in part to the main man at the back.
63. Gavi
Cruelly ruled out of much of 2024, Gavi has defined the last 12 months for Barcelona. Able to operate in midfield or out left, putting in a superb destroyer's display in the Clasico and being one of the key men in a La Liga title despite barely being old enough to drink – there's no doubt that if he comes back as strongly as he left, he'll become a generational star for the Catalans.
62. Santiago Gimenez
A goal machine for Feyenoord this year, Santiago Gimenez has burst into the Eredivisie as perhaps the complete striker. Strong, physical, prolific and with good hold-up play, it's only a matter of time before the big move comes calling for the Mexican.
61. Florian Wirtz
After serious injury, it's not just good to have Florian Wirtz back, but back to his best, dovetailing in Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen to devastating effect. The German is one of the most watchable young stars on the planet and living up to that wonderkid hype with excellent displays every week.
60. Rodrygo
Rodrygo has the 'clutch gene' to pop up when it matters – but this season has seen him adapt into a forward in a front two, and it's been refreshing. The Brazilian is devilishly talented and although he hasn't developed a consistency that Vinicius Jr has just yet, he's a pure game-changer. The future is bright.
59. Achraf Hakimi
The face of the nation during Morocco's magical World Cup, Achraf Hakimi might just be the most box office right-back on Earth right now. He attacks not just like a wing-back or a winger, but a full-blown attacker: he's had another good year at PSG and still looks like one of the world's greatest.
58. Alexander Isak
Alexander Isak is perhaps the closest thing to Thierry Henry that we've since in the Premier League since. It's not just the long-legged stride, the body shape when he's knocking the ball across goal or even the way he pauses in front of defenders to beat them and cut in from the left – it's the pure arrogance of his play. Isak knows he's this good and knows how brilliant he is to watch.
57. Bruno Fernandes
One wonders where Manchester United would be without their captain, digging them out of holes on a weekly basis. Bruno Fernandes is a unicorn in that side, able to conjure moments of genius like no one else in red – and though 2023 has had its tough moments for United, the Portuguese has had another good 12 months, moving deeper, dictating, assisting and being a shining star during hard times.
56. Lois Openda
The fulcrum of the Lens side who pushed PSG closest in Ligue 1, Lois Openda has since upped sticks to RB Leipzig, where he's proceeded to run the show with just as much authority. The Belgian is quick, slight and direct: he's been great fun to watch all year and set for an even bigger move on the horizon.
55. Dusan Vlahovic
Juventus have been a basket case for a while now but Dusan Vlahovic is unequivocally their best signing in years. Tailor-made for bullying centre-backs, the Serbian has been just as good in Turin as he was in Florence and is undoubtedly one of the best centre-forwards on Earth.
54. Kingsley Coman
Kingsley Coman's trophy haul is simply ridiculous. The Frenchman is more than just a spare part, however, proving himself as one of Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel's most trusted weapons in a stacked attack.
53. Luis Diaz
2023 will be remembered by Luis Diaz for being a rollercoaster of emotion for personal reasons. The Colombian has lit up English football, mind, with bolts of brilliance, becoming the heir to Sadio Mane's throne and winning a place in Merseyside hearts for his genius and guile in equal part.
52. Alphonso Davies
Sooner or later, we need to have the conversation about whether Alphonso Davies should be playing right-wing – but for now, he's an overpowered left-back who burns the grass for fun. The Canadian has recovered well from injury and setback to go from strength to strength: is he the most fun left-back to watch in football? He is in our book.
51. Gabriel Martinelli
Gabriel Martinelli's physical strengths are obvious: his quicksilver pace, his ball-striking, the fact he always gets his head first to balls. But what separates him can't be taught. The Brazilian will run himself into the ground for Mikel Arteta and will track back with as much intensity as he will on a counter. Having that much ability and work ethic is a manager's dream.
50. Mike Maignan
Mike Maignan was integral to Milan getting to the semi-finals of the Champions League and has emerged as one of the finest goalkeepers in Europe over the past few seasons. The best compliment you can pay him is that the Rossoneri feel they've upgraded on homegrown Gigi Donnarumma by bringing in the Frenchman – and considering what he was tipped for, that's saying something.
49. Emilano Martinez
The archtypal 'love him if he's yours, hate him if he's not' goalkeeper, Emi Martinez has spent 2023 the same way he spent the previous 12 months. The Argentine has been the rock between the sticks for Aston Villa with key saves and moments of big-game brilliance, even crowned as the best keeper on Earth at the Ballon d'Or ceremony.
48. Randal Kolo-Muani
From a superb season with Eintracht Frankfurt to returning home to France to replace Lionel Messi and Neymar, Randal Kolo Muani has had a massive 12 months. His stock as continually risen, however, as RKM has become one of the most exciting forwards in world football.
47. Kim Min-jae
He joined Napoli, slotted into Kalidou Koulibaly's old position and won the title – then he earned a huge move to Bayern Munich and hasn't looked back Kim Min-jae has become one of the best defenders on Earth through his unique blend of power, precision and physical might: he might just be the edge that the Bavarians need to conquer Europe once more.
46. Frenkie de Jong
Frenkie De Jong has gone under the radar somewhat in recent seasons. Some pondered that he was intended to replace Sergio Busquets or reinvent the centre-back role – but as a No.8 in Xavi's system, he's been nothing short of excellent with his ball-carrying, ball-winning and overall intelligence. There have been tough times, but De Jong is still a top player.
45. Joshua Kimmich
Now a fully-converted midfield metronome, the Philip Lahmification of Joshua Kimmich has been special to see. The German has been as imperious as ever in 2023 and one of the biggest reasons that Bayern don't just dominate the Bundesliga, they strangle it.
44. Takefusa Kubo
There were those that wrote off Take Kubo after he left Real Madrid, fearing that loan moves elsewhere in Spain hadn't unlocked the genius that everyone suspected was within. But in San Sebastian, the Japanese has been one of the most otherworldly wingers in the game, swooping in to create and finish, and being La Real's heartbeat from out wide. He's fulfilling his potential – and he could end up moving on to an even bigger side soon.
43. Luka Modric
Only when the last river has run dry and the last tree has been cut will Luka Modric not be orchestrating play in the Bernabeu, trivela'ing like a boss and running rings about players half his age. The eternal playmaker is still directing traffic for Real Madrid at 38: we wouldn't put it past him to make it to 40 at the top.
42. Kaoru Mitoma
Kaoru Mitoma may just be Brighton's finest signing yet: do you know how crazy that is? Deadly in any space in the final third, able to generate power off either foot and capable of winding his way through when double- and triple-marked, the winger is simply breathtaking to watch and a big reason that the Seagulls have shot up another level under Roberto De Zerbi.
41. Marc-Andre Ter Stegen
For a man who allegedly sees football as nothing more than a job, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen sure is, y'know… good at his job. Last season saw the German conceding record low numbers, showing longevity in a man who has been at the top of his game for the past few years, now. He's just unlucky that he had to represent the same country as Manuel Neuer.
40. Kieran Trippier
Years ago, England fans used to talk of an age where Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James fought for the right-back spot: they didn't envisage that Kieran Trippier would still be this good. A transformational signing on Tyneside, the defender has become arguably the most all-rounded full-back in the country – and a leader, too, dragging the Toon from relegation to the Champions League. He's had another excellent 12 months.
39. Julian Alvarez
He's no one's backup. In truth, Julian Alvarez's first season in Europe may never be bettered – a World Cup, Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup isn't a bad way to begin – and to have done so with quite so many minutes is impressive. He expected to be Haaland's B-side but the pair have jammed together, with the Argentine playing the shadow striker role to perfection for club and country. He's capable of the sublime, too.
38. James Maddison
James Maddison may be the signing of the summer. For £40m, he hasn't just revolutionised the Spurs attack, he's given hope to fans: hope that they can compete on any footing so long as they have Maddison's vision in the final third. He's forced his way into the England setup, matured into a fine midfielder and been one of the most exciting players in Europe over 2023.
37. Alejandro Balde
In an ever-inverting world, Alejandro Balde is a throwback full-back of sorts: the kind to bomb up and down in straight lines rather than adding numbers to midfield. But Balde's development has been thrilling in 2023, winning a title with Barça and establishing himself as one of the best young left-backs in world football. The only way is up (and back down to defend before going back up to attack again)
36. Eduardo Camavinga
That Eduardo Camavinga is so young yet so important to Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid isn't just testament to his versatility but his intelligence as a player. The Frenchman has played multiple roles but he's trusted to complete everything to an elite standard. He's barely scratched the surface of how good he could become.
35. Warren Zaire-Emery
It's scary how good this guy can become. Warren Zaire-Emery is playing with a maturity and an understanding of the game that some players of his age never even develop: there's a case that he could be the most important man in French football since Kylian Mbappe himself. Man of the Match performances for PSG as a teenager in title fights and under the UCL lights won't exactly pour cold water on the hype: he's had a fantastic year.
34. Lautaro Martinez
Lautaro Martinez has seen so much at the San Siro, had so many strike partners and still stands tall as one of the institution of Inter's most defining stars of a generation. He's cold in front of goal but it's the running and the intensity that make him quite so good – and in 2023, he was still one of Serie A's best forwards.
33. Pedri
Pedri already feels like a veteran of the game – and he's still just 21. Having been central to Barcelona's title win and vital to Spain's Euro 2024 qualification, he perhaps has more responsibility than any other player of his age – and he's carrying it all on his shoulders right now with performances of consistency and class.
32. Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk at his peak was a godlike goliath who towered over opponents like he was two school years older. Even at 32, he bullies strikers, and as Liverpool's captain, he's the loudest voice on the field, the most secure passer and the organiser-in-chief of one of football's greatest high lines. Van Dijk will forever go down as one of the best defenders to have ever lived, at this point.
31. Xavi Simons
In hindsight, it's crazy that there wasn't more of a rush to sign Xavi Simons over the summer. PSV's best player for swathes of last season, he's moved to Leipzig to become one of the best players in the Bundesliga, now. Still just 20, he could evolve into one of the best creative players on Earth in time.
30. Son Heung-min
Son Heung-min had been written off by some in 2023 – and he even admitted he hadn't done enough for Antonio Conte. But under Ange Postecoglou, he's been reborn. Losing Kane alongside him hasn't hampered the South Korean, who has taken on the burden of both forward roles and the captaincy. It's time to recognise him as an all-time great in English football, with this past 12 months testament to his sheer will-power.
29. Kyle Walker
One of Manchester City's greatest-ever signings by now. While the left-back spot has never been held down by anyone consistently, the right-back role has never been anyone else's: Kyle Walker has adapted to every tactical tweak to invert, underlap, act as a wing-back, a third centre-back, play on the first line of build-up and receive on the second. His versatility, at this point, is frankly underrated. He's more than just a speed merchant.
28. Robert Lewandowski
By now, Lewandowski is legendary – and while his Barcelona stint was never going to be anything revolutionary, he's fulfilled the brief: score truck-loads of goals and lead them back to the top. The Pole's 2023 has brought more silverware but it's put him in a bracket with some of the greatest-ever strikers in the sport to have played for that great club. He's very clearly slowing down – but 2023 looks to have been a fantastic last dance.
27. Leroy Sane
His most fun years may have come beating defenders on the outside under Pep Guardiola – but it's fair to say Leroy Sane has never been this influential. The winger has taken a while to return to the same kind of level he once was but the Allianz Arena is simply his back yard, now: he's enjoyed another unbelievable year of performance tearing up Bundesliga defences.
26. Ruben Dias
He doesn't feel like a Manchester City player, does he? Can only play one position, while his biggest skills lie in defending and organising rather than space-exploiting with a ball at his feet. Yet Ruben Dias is the glue that holds the Citizens together – and long may he do it for many years to come.
25. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
18 months ago, no one knew his name. Now, 'Kvaradonna' has a certified cult hero status in southern Italy and is tracked by every big club in Europe.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was the breakout star of last season, leading Napoli to a first Scudetto title in decades and taking Italian football by storm. He's powerful, precise and thrilling to watch, assuming a mantle left by the likes of Mertens and Insigne to plug the Stadio Maradona into the mains once more. The excitement lies on where he goes next.
24. Martin Odegaard
It's not been the easiest career trajectory, moving from sleepy Norway to Real Madrid at 15, enduring those headlines and expectations, going on endless loans and then facing up to Premier League expectation.
Martin Odegaard isn't just the captain of Arsenal now, he is the very image of the club: young, hungry, intense off the ball and composed in possession. He leads by example and over the past 12 months, has established himself as Mikel Arteta's very particular general: a man for all midfield roles, whether he receives deep or crashes the box. Odegaard has been exceptional since assuming the Gunners captaincy – and could still grow further.
23. Ederson
Ederson is arguably the most underappreciated player in world football, you know. No.2 goalkeeper for his country – since Alisson is No.1 – while at club level, he's perhaps the last to be waxed lyrical over, with so many flashier outfielders to list.
But the Brazilian has maintained a level of excellence that few in any position have managed over the last five years. He's arguably the best with his feet in his position, and far more commanding between the sticks than he's ever given credit for. And how many absolute howlers can you name from him, ever? He's simply world-class – and he'll go down as a modern great.
22. Bruno Guimaraes
It's fair to call Bruno Guimaraes Newcastle's equivalent to Yaya Toure. A statement centre-midfielder who added the strength to the spine of a burgeoning empire. Both had unbelievable physical prowess, too, capable of bursting box-to-box, assuming various roles depending on what the situation called for.
The Brazilian is at the heart of the Toon. He does everything, from breaking up play to progressing it forward, chipping in with goals and leading with his actions. 2023 was the year that he led his side back to the Champions League – and few could argue against him being one of the most influential footballers on Earth.
21. Alisson
Were it not for Alisson, Liverpool would not have had the season they ended up having last term. Statistically, the keeper kept so much out of his net that he was single-handedly propelling a midtable-level side towards European spots, at one point.
And his shot-stopping is on par with his on-ball brilliance. He's elite in one-v-one situations and his ability to dig his side out of a hole with a moment of unbelievable genius is perhaps unmatched by anyone else on Earth. How long is it before we have a serious conversation about him being among the Premier League greats? There have been few better.
20. Declan Rice
£105m has rarely looked so fantastic value. Declan Rice has established himself not just as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world this season but one of the best midfielders full stop, with all-action performances dragging West Ham away from a spiral, before man-of-the-match displays in a title race for Arsenal.
This was the year that Rice lifted the Irons' first European trophy since 1965's Cup Winners' Cup – and if his performances, age and leadership are anything to go by, it'll be the first of many medals in his cabinet.
19. Rafael Leao
When was the last time that Serie A had a game-changing wide-man in the shape of Rafael Leao? Quality-wise, plenty of matched the Portuguese's levels – but in the land of Catenaccio and Maldini, there have been few stars who have dazzled with such swagger and ferocity.
2022 brought a Scudetto, 2023 saw a Champions League semi. Milan have stuttered, in truth, looking to add youth and look to the sky rather than sit in the present – but Leao has been their Atlas, standing as majestic as the San Siro itself, bulldozing and bludgeoning. He has been electric as ever this year.
18. John Stones
Rarely has a prophecy ever been quite satisfyingly fulfilled. There were those who wondered if John Stones would ever live up to his billing as the best centre-back on Earth-in-waiting – but boy, has he backed up the hype.
An archetypal, cultured ball-player – previously seen as a luxury at the back – has developed into one of the first names on the team-sheet for Pep Guardiola and Gareth Southgate. But it's in his 2023 foray into midfield that Stones has truly excelled in the past 12 months, becoming the lynchpin of the City Treble with his drifts into midfield.
Seemingly, no one else in world football could play that role. In some games, he's played as a centre-back, a defensive midfielder and branched out further forward. It's the kind of year in football that may well be looked back on in the future as the moment that his position truly evolved – and it's been wonderful to watch Stones in full flow.
17. Trent Alexander-Arnold
A player so good that the rest of the game bends to his will. That Jurgen Klopp would rip up a highly-structured formation and re-draw it with Trent Alexander-Arnold at the nucleas.
Following criticisms in 2022 that he was a liability in defence, Liverpool's No.66 has responded in the way that legends often do: by becoming inevitable. Alexander-Arnold is now his side's most important player by an absolute landslide, dictating play and showing himself to be utterly unpressable while doing so. The talk of him actually being a midfielder may be growing – but it still doesn't matter all that much. He's still world-class, wherever he stands.
16. William Saliba
There is an aura about William Saliba that simply shouldn't exit in a 22-year-old. The centre-back has the magical combination that made the likes of Van Dijk, Pique and Ferdinand quite so head-and-shoulders above their contemporaries: impossible to fluster on the ball, impossible to beat off it.
His 90-minute clinic in keeping Erling Haaland quiet in October was a picture postcard of his ascension. He barely broke a sweat while stopping the best striker on Earth from having so much as a sniff on goal – and for many, there's no doubting that had he have stayed fit in the run-in, he'd have beaten the Norwegian to a title, too. The best defender on Earth already? We could be talking about an all-timer in a decade's time.
15. Ilkay Gundogan
Ilkay Gundogan is often categorised simply as the man who finished the moves at Manchester City. The typically German midfielder able to time his arrival and poke one home.
In truth, he's one of the most intelligent footballers of a generation, with innate understanding of a football match's rhythm and what's needed from him. He became immortal this year with a Treble – but his absence has punctuated Man City's faltering 23/24 campaign so far. Gundogan gave them stability, tempo and a player capable of turning his hand to whatever Guardiola asked.
14. Victor Osimhen
The mask-toting gunman of Napoli's crowing glory this year, Victor Osimhen is Serie A's undisputed superstar of 2023 – and that's as predictable as the Nigerian himself. Since joining from Lille, it's been obvious that this man would hold the rest of the league to ransom.
While Napoli assuming the throne was a turn-up for the books, in some respects – a side that had just sold their captain and rock at the back, lost legends recently and were placing faith in an unknown Georgian – Osimhen was clockwork in 2023. There were no off days: he could be shackled for 85 minutes and release the thunder for five. He simply never stops running the channels or drifting wide to pull a defence open for Kvaratskhelia.
For all the speed and the spark, watching Osimhen over the past 12 months or so has been like watching football in slow motion: you can see exactly what's about to happen with a drop of his shoulder or a swing of his leg. He's terrorised defences.
13. Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne is legendary: there's no other way to square it. The Treble-winning campaign won't go down as the one that he invested some of his most extraordinary displays, but City certainly saw some of his most important over the season.
He's perhaps Guardiola's finest tactical achievement at City, turning a playmaker into a Swiss Army knife of a midfielder, forward and winger in one – sometimes all at once, during the heat of big games en route to three trophies. De Bruyne didn't play every minute but the minutes he played had his fingerprints all over them, the metronomic Belgian pulling the strings. The greatest Premier League midfielder… ever?
12. Jamal Musiala
Jamal Musiala's 2023 was the year that he stepped up and became the face of Bayern Munich. The Croydon-raised schemer pulled Die Roten over the edge to win the title race and has now established himself as their most important player.
Its not just his interplay in the pockets, on the half-turn or the way he can drift beyond Harry Kane up front. It's not his intelligence on or off the ball or his creative expression. It's that he puts a six-time European title-winning institution on his 20-year-old shoulders in times of need. Bayern are huge – and Musiala is their north star.
11. Bukayo Saka
Since tweeting that Arsenal fans "deserve more" in 2020 during the absolute nadir of the club's toughest times, Bukayo Saka has developed into quite the footballer. First pick for his club, near as dammit for his country and an absolute icon in English football.
The 22-year-old has the two traits that make him potentially generational. Firstly, that he always steps up from the setback, taller and broader than when he knocked down; secondly, that he has an incredible knack for seemingly downloading new patches to his repertoire as a footballer. Formerly a humble left-back capable of exhilarating with his pace and precision, he now decides and dictates with his stop-start runs, passing and drifts in and out of space.
Most excitingly as Arsenal challenged this year, Saka discovered the ability to cut inside and find the bottom corner. Is it any surprise that he's also designated penalty-taker, two years on from the Euros shootout miss? Rising from that to become the man in those moments is just who he is, by now.
10. Vinicius Jr
It's fair to say he initially struggled in Europe. He's one of the most scintillating footballers on Earth now, though.
Vinicius Jr is still one of the most watchable players around, using his year to reconfigure himself into something altogether different. Real Madrid have commonly deployed him up front in a pairing this season, sometimes with countryman Rodrygo – and though Jude Bellingham has generated most of the headlines, Vini remains a capricious flare of a footballer, able to turn the game at the drop of a hat. He goes from strength to strength.
9. Antoine Griezmann
Few could touch him in Qatar; no one scaled the same heights as him in Spanish football in 2022/23. Antoine Griezmann is testament to coming back from the brink, all right.
The Barcelona nightmare has led to a fabulous renaissance back in his spiritual home in Madrid, with Griezmann reborn as an all-action figure of invention and intelligence. The goals have mounted up – no one has more in the Champions League – but the Frenchman's hard-running and creativity have separated him as being an utterly unique footballer and one that Diego Simeone surely cherishes as the best he's ever had at Atletico.
8. Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah is a picture of staggering consistency. 2022/23 was yet another 30-goal season for the Egyptian King from the right-wing, while the sequel this term has seen him stand alone as the last remaining pillar of the iconic Salah/Mane/Firmino triumvirate.
And he's still the most important member of Liverpool's new front three, dragging the Merseysiders in another title race. Salah has tweaked his game this year, becoming slightly more creative this year to notch more assists, while assuming new positions on the field to play in the spaces that the likes of Szoboszlai and Alexander-Arnold aren't taking.
But the results are largely similar. The No.11 will go down as one of the most reliable players who ever touched the grass at Anfield: he's already a third of the way towards his 30-goal tally this term, too.
7. Bernardo Silva
Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard, according to the cliche. It's the unwritten law that all midfielders must either run their socks off or have vision of a hawk at the very top level – and yet Bernardo Silva is the uniquest case of both.
This was the year that the Portuguese established himself as one of the defining footballers of the 2020s. The masterclasses have come one after another, whether centrally or on the right: he destroyed Real Madrid in one of the most breathtaking Champions League performances in recent memory and has toyed with opponents, always one move ahead. He's the one man that Guardiola dare not let go.
Bernardo's blossomed into the very lifeblood of City's philosophy – and it's been another amazing year. One wonders what's next for him…
6. Lionel Messi
With the scores at 3-3 between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille in February, Lionel Messi had been rather quiet. And then he stepped up to score a free-kick and send the Parc des Princes into rapture. It was the last moment of bedlam that he'd give European football.
He's still football's greatest at walking pace. Still the best passer, mover and striker of a ball. Since winning the World Cup in December 2022, he's notched a 700th senior career club goal, his 300th club career assist, before supercharging soccer. He'd barely played US football for 35 minutes and he'd already netted (yet) another free-kick to open his account for Inter Miami. Weeks later, he'd waltzed to another trophy stateside (literally), as if this game is simply his by now.
Barcelona missed out on signing him over the summer – and he'd probably still be their best player. But while David Beckham was the catalyst for Major Soccer in the 2000s, he was moved to tears by Messi's debut goal in Miami, perhaps recognising that not even he had this impact.
Due to the quality of the league he now plays in, this may be the last time we ever consider Messi as one of the best 10 players on Earth. But the MLS is now his. 2023 belonged as much to him as anyone. And this GOAT is simply ageless.
5. Rodri
He deserves to be recognised as one of the best holding midfielders of a generation – and 2023 was a magnum opus in midfield for the artist less commonly known as Rodrigo Hernandez.
The thunderbolts against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have merely punctuated Rodri's presence as the engine of this machine; as have three successive City defeats without the suspended Spaniard later in the year. The consistency has been almost robotic; it's not that he never loses possession, but he never wastes it either, always looking to progress, always looking for the next move rather than thinking about the last.
Midfield metronomes by their very nature were players able to provide control. Rodri is there to ensure dominance. He has the grace of a Pirlo, for sure, but the edge of a Gattuso, wanting to strangle opponents with incessant strings of passes. The Manchester City Class of '23 might just be one of the best teams that the world has ever witnessed – and Rodri defines it not just in his physical and technical abilities but his mindset, too. The midfielder of the year.
4. Kylian Mbappe
Historians will look back at Neymar's record-breaking 2017 move to Paris Saint-Germain as the moment that stepped out of one all-time great's shadow and right into another's. As a teenager Kylian Mbappe captured the lightning of country and boyhood club, arms folded in defiance as much as celebration.
As a 24-year-old, he stands alone from both Neymar and Messi – but he is the modern-day equivalent to what we said of those two for a decade or longer. If the Ballon d'Or was awarded purely on ability, on the capacity to lift backsides from seats or on sheer dripping talent, it could be awarded to him every damn year. Mbappe is that guy.
That he hasn't achieved more in 2023 is a fault of PSG's project. January brought a 10-minute hat-trick and five in a game; in February, he drew level with Edinson Cavani for PSG goals in 20 fewer games before breaking the record in March. He won Ligue 1 again, the division's Player of the Year award for the fourth consecutive season, was the most coveted star of the summer – staying in France, obviously – before netting a 300th career goal and becoming France's all-time scorer by the close the calendar year.
He's may hit his prime at the 2030 World Cup. It's incomprehensible given how good he is already. We're watching greatness before our eyes.
3. Harry Kane
30 is the prime age for most strikers. There's just about enough speed left in the legs, energy and hunger levels are yet to wane, while a forward's brain has matured like a merlot by this point to be able to read the final third by split seconds.
It's no coincidence that as Harry Kane celebrated his third decade on Earth, he hit his absolute peak as a player. 30 goals in the Premier League, to match his age, before the definitive big-money move to Bayern Munich, where he's made a mockery of all who've faced him. He's been unstoppable.
Critics will seemingly always critique – but Kane has hit his golden form despite of the weather around him rather than because of it. The England captain was phenomenal in his final flourish in England, as the focal point of arguably the worst side he'd led. Then came Hollywood FC, and he had much the same effect. It's the sign of a great to simply perform almost in defiance of opposition or team-mates.
A nation hopes that Kane's 2024 had better be better. As time ticks along though, Kane is gradually growing better and better – who knows where he'll be in another 12 months?
2. Jude Bellingham
There is nothing to say about Jude Bellingham that hasn't been thus far – "Living the dream" being the obvious cliche. So let's avoid the hyperbole and temptation to gaze into a long-distant future to talk solely about the present in black-and-white.
20 Real Madrid games, 17 goals – despite arriving at the club as a tenacious box-to-box midfielder who wasn't guaranteed to start in a stacked line-up – Bellingham has not just bucked all expectations, he's turned into a world-beater at 20. It's like very little football has seen in years.
He's handing out killer blows in the biggest fixtures. He's the most well-rounded footballer on Earth, seemingly netting for fun on work experience up front in the absence of a senior poacher among the bunch. All at the biggest club on Earth, and were it not for injury, he'd have a Bundesliga title to his name in 2023.
He's perhaps his country's best shot at a major trophy since 10 years before his own father was born. Bellingham is the future, for sure, but he's also perhaps the most exciting player to watch right now.
1. Erling Haaland
Those who have been blessed by Erling Haaland's company know him as a man of few words. He will say what he has to with absolute brevity: as minimalist as you would expect from a Scandinavian artist such as himself.
It's not unlike how he's played the game since arriving at the very top table. No fluff, no filler. He may only be graced with a handful of touches across 90 minutes. He will make every single one count as if he feels each could be his last. And though it seems very anti-football to call the best player on Earth the one who does things will the most efficiency – a player who doesn't give you enough time to feel – it's wholly accurate.
2023 belonged to Haaland. Three trophies, a Premier League goal record for a 38-goal season and the fastest man to 50 goals in the competition by an absolute mile. He is Usain Bolt: this sport is a superhuman ability to him. The deadly spread of stoppage time this year, too, means that at a goal every 98 minutes, he's pretty much guaranteed to net if he plays.
Others may be more complete as players but no one does what Haaland does as well as him – and no one has for a very long time. He was the best player in the world this year. That's a fact. As cold and as simple as the man himself would appreciate.
