The Best Soccer Players of 2025, Ranked
Soccer in 2025 is filled with electrifying talent, legendary veterans, and new rising stars who are shaping the beautiful game. From goal-scoring machines to defensive powerhouses, these athletes represent the very best of the sport today. This list ranks the top 100 players in reverse order, starting from No. 100 all the way up to the very best in the world right now.
100. Patrik Schick
The Czech forward continues to shine at Bayer Leverkusen, where his strength, vision, and lethal finishing have made him one of Europe’s most consistent strikers.
99. Leonardo Bonucci
The Italian veteran defender remains a pillar of leadership and tactical awareness for Juventus, proving experience is still invaluable at the top level.
98. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Known for his pace and finishing, the Gabon striker has been a prolific scorer throughout his career, leaving a lasting mark on every team he’s played for.
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97. Ciro Immobile
A natural finisher for Lazio and Italy, Immobile continues to demonstrate his clinical goal-scoring ability and tireless work ethic.
96. Christian Eriksen
The Danish playmaker remains a midfield maestro, combining creativity and precision passing to dictate the tempo for Manchester United and Denmark.
95. Serhou Guirassy
The Guinea striker has emerged as one of Bundesliga’s surprise stars, using his physicality and sharp finishing to torment defenses.
94. Dayot Upamecano
The French centre-back brings pace, strength, and aerial dominance to Bayern Munich’s back line, cementing himself as one of Europe’s elite defenders.
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93. Aymeric Laporte
Now at Al-Nassr, the Spanish defender continues to show his composure, passing range, and strength at the heart of defense.
92. Kalidou Koulibaly
A rock at the back for Al-Hilal, Koulibaly’s defensive power and leadership make him one of the most respected defenders of his generation.
91. Édouard Mendy
The Senegalese goalkeeper has been a reliable presence between the posts, combining agility with commanding aerial ability.
90. André Onana
The Cameroonian goalkeeper has established himself as one of Europe’s top shot-stoppers, known for his quick reflexes and distribution.
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89. Keylor Navas
The Costa Rican legend continues to deliver top-level performances, showcasing his experience and incredible reflexes.
88. Hugo Lloris
France’s long-time captain has had a stellar career with Tottenham and Les Bleus, renowned for his leadership and consistent saves.
87. Álvaro Morata
The Spanish striker remains a versatile forward, combining aerial ability with smart movement and technical finishing.
86. Sergio Busquets
The midfield anchor has been Barcelona’s heartbeat for years, known for his vision, composure, and defensive intelligence.
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85. Marco Verratti
The Italian playmaker’s vision and control in midfield make him one of the most influential creative forces of the past decade.
84. David de Gea
Once Manchester United’s hero between the sticks, De Gea remains a top-level goalkeeper with incredible reflex saves.
83. Riyad Mahrez
The Algerian winger dazzles with flair, dribbling, and decisive left-footed finishes, continuing his legacy at Al-Ahli.
82. Raphaël Varane
The French centre-back remains one of the most composed defenders in the game, bringing calmness and consistency to Manchester United.
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81. Romelu Lukaku
The Belgian striker remains a powerhouse in attack, combining physicality with goal-scoring instincts to terrorize defenses.
80. Jadon Sancho
The English winger continues to show flashes of brilliance with his creativity, dribbling, and eye for goal.
79. Christopher Nkunku
The French forward brings versatility and flair, capable of scoring and creating chances at the highest level.
78. Raheem Sterling
The Chelsea winger is still one of England’s most dynamic forwards, known for his pace, agility, and ability to get behind defenses.
77. Ferran Torres
The Barcelona winger has impressed with his speed and finishing, establishing himself as a key figure for Spain.
76. Marco Reus
Borussia Dortmund’s captain continues to lead with experience, creativity, and a knack for scoring important goals.
75. Matthijs de Ligt
The Dutch defender combines strength and tactical intelligence, standing out as a reliable presence at Bayern Munich.
74. Federico Chiesa
The Juventus winger remains one of Italy’s most exciting attackers, known for his pace, dribbling, and big-game mentality.
73. Dušan Vlahović
The Serbian striker is a powerful presence up front for Juventus, with an eye for goals and sharp positioning.
72. Andrew Robertson
Liverpool’s tireless left-back continues to impress with his energy, leadership, and relentless attacking support.
71. Nicolò Barella
The Inter Milan midfielder is a dynamic box-to-box force, combining technical skill with endless energy.
70. Paul Pogba
Despite ups and downs, Pogba remains a creative and physical presence in midfield, capable of brilliance on his day.
69. Diogo Jota
Liverpool’s versatile forward brings energy, sharp finishing, and constant movement in the final third.
68. Jules Koundé
The Barcelona defender has developed into one of Europe’s top centre-backs, blending athleticism with composure.
67. Gabriel Jesus
The Arsenal striker is a tireless worker up front, combining creativity with pressing and intelligent link-up play.
66. David Alaba
A true utility man, the Austrian international is invaluable for Real Madrid thanks to his versatility across defense and midfield.
65. Casemiro
The Brazilian midfield destroyer provides Manchester United with steel and leadership, dominating the center of the pitch.
64. Éder Militão
The Real Madrid defender has become a reliable presence in defense, known for his tackling and aerial ability.
63. João Félix
The Portuguese forward is a creative spark, capable of dazzling dribbles and spectacular goals.
62. İlkay Gündoğan
The German midfielder brings intelligence and calm to midfield, always controlling games with precision passing.
61. Mike Maignan
The AC Milan goalkeeper has established himself as one of Europe’s most consistent and agile shot-stoppers.
60. Leroy Sané
The Bayern Munich winger continues to shine with his blistering pace, dribbling, and attacking flair.
59. Kyle Walker
Still one of the fastest defenders in the game, Walker remains a vital part of Manchester City’s backline.
58. João Cancelo
The versatile Portuguese defender is known for his attacking full-back play, providing creativity from wide positions.
57. Thomas Müller
Bayern Munich’s veteran attacker remains a master of space, intelligence, and clutch goal-scoring moments.
56. Marc-André ter Stegen
Barcelona’s reliable shot-stopper continues to impress with his reflexes, distribution, and composure.
55. Christian Pulisic
The American star has become a key player in Europe, admired for his direct dribbling and creativity.
54. Jack Grealish
The Manchester City winger is known for his flair, creativity, and ability to unlock defenses.
53. Ederson Moraes
Manchester City’s goalkeeper is one of the best with the ball at his feet, pairing shot-stopping with distribution.
52. Marquinhos
The PSG captain is a defensive leader, combining intelligence and composure at the back.
51. Jan Oblak
Atletico Madrid’s goalkeeper remains one of the world’s best, admired for his consistency and reflex saves.
50. Frenkie de Jong
The Dutch midfielder is a technical gem for Barcelona, controlling the tempo with passing and composure.
49. Ángel Di María
The Argentine veteran remains a creative force, known for his crossing, flair, and big-game performances.
48. Paulo Dybala
The Roma forward dazzles with his left foot, creativity, and ability to score from anywhere.
47. Sadio Mané
The Senegalese winger is known for his explosive pace, work rate, and knack for crucial goals.
46. N’Golo Kanté
The tireless French midfielder remains one of the best ball-winners in the game, admired for his humility and consistency.
45. Julián Álvarez
The Argentine striker has become a key weapon for Manchester City, known for his pressing and finishing.
44. Theo Hernández
AC Milan’s flying full-back is known for his speed, power, and attacking threat from deep.
43. Marcus Rashford
The Manchester United forward combines pace, finishing, and leadership, making him a fan favorite.
42. Gavi
The Barcelona prodigy is already a midfield star, showing maturity, energy, and fearless play.
41. Alphonso Davies
Bayern Munich’s Canadian star is one of the fastest players in the game, excelling at both defense and attack.
40. Ousmane Dembélé
The PSG winger is a dribbling magician, capable of unbalancing defenses with his flair.
39. Karim Benzema
The French striker remains a world-class forward, combining experience and clinical finishing.
38. Bruno Fernandes
The Manchester United playmaker is a creative dynamo, known for his vision, goals, and leadership.
37. Achraf Hakimi
The Moroccan full-back is one of the most dynamic in the world, providing pace and attacking support from defense.
36. Joshua Kimmich
Bayern Munich’s midfield general sets the tempo with his intelligence, versatility, and passing range.
35. Manuel Neuer
The legendary German goalkeeper remains a top shot-stopper, still setting the standard for modern keepers.
34. Rúben Dias
The Manchester City defender is a leader at the back, bringing stability, intelligence, and strength.
33. Antonio Rüdiger
Real Madrid’s powerhouse defender is a commanding presence, combining physicality with composure.
32. Martin Ødegaard
The Arsenal captain is a midfield artist, orchestrating play with vision and technical skill.
31. Rodrygo
The Brazilian winger is a rising star for Real Madrid, combining flair with goal-scoring ability.
30. Rafael Leão
The AC Milan forward is a game-changer, known for his pace, dribbling, and attacking instincts.
29. Bernardo Silva
Manchester City’s creative midfielder continues to shine with his intelligence, versatility, and technical brilliance.
28. Trent Alexander-Arnold
Liverpool’s right-back redefined his position with world-class crossing, creativity, and attacking output.
27. Declan Rice
Arsenal’s midfield general is one of the Premier League’s most reliable defensive midfielders.
26. Neymar
The Brazilian icon remains a superstar, dazzling fans with flair, creativity, and decisive goals.
25. Antoine Griezmann
The Atlético Madrid star is as versatile as ever, combining creativity with tireless work rate.
24. Thibaut Courtois
Real Madrid’s goalkeeper continues to prove why he is among the world’s very best.
23. Phil Foden
The Manchester City midfielder is one of England’s brightest stars, combining creativity with finishing.
22. Lautaro Martínez
The Inter Milan striker is a relentless forward, known for his movement and lethal finishing.
21. Alisson Becker
Liverpool’s No. 1 remains one of the finest keepers in the world, balancing calmness with quick reflexes.
20. Toni Kroos
The German legend remains a midfield metronome, dictating play with his world-class passing.
19. Rodri
Manchester City’s midfield anchor is one of the most complete defensive midfielders in the world.
18. Son Heung-min
The Tottenham star remains one of the most beloved and effective forwards in the world.
17. Federico Valverde
The Uruguayan midfielder is a tireless box-to-box engine for Real Madrid.
16. Bukayo Saka
Arsenal’s young winger continues to impress with his dribbling, creativity, and maturity.
15. Luka Modrić
The Croatian maestro continues to age like fine wine, orchestrating games with elegance.
14. Florian Wirtz
The German wonderkid is one of the brightest prospects, dazzling with creativity and vision.
13. Kevin De Bruyne
The Manchester City talisman remains the best playmaker in the game, dictating attacks with precision.
12. Pedri
The Barcelona star is a generational talent, blending creativity, intelligence, and flair.
11. Jamal Musiala
The Bayern Munich attacker is a dazzling dribbler, already becoming a key star for club and country.
10. Harry Kane
The Bayern Munich striker is a world-class finisher and leader, consistently among the top goal scorers.
9. Robert Lewandowski
The Barcelona forward is still one of the most feared goal-scorers in world football.
8. Vinícius Júnior
The Real Madrid winger is one of the most electrifying players, combining flair with deadly finishing.
7. Erling Haaland
The Manchester City striker is a goal machine, redefining modern No. 9 play.
6. Lionel Messi
The Argentine legend continues to mesmerize fans, his legacy unmatched in the history of the sport.
5. Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool’s defensive leader is a colossus at the back, combining strength with tactical awareness.
4. Jude Bellingham
The young English midfielder has taken the world by storm, becoming Real Madrid’s midfield engine.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese icon remains one of the greatest ever, still delivering goals and inspiration.
2. Mohamed Salah
Liverpool’s Egyptian King is a lethal forward, admired worldwide for his consistency and skill.
1. Kylian Mbappé
The French superstar is the face of football’s present and future, a once-in-a-generation talent leading the sport into a new era.
