It’s out! The Guardian’s eagerly anticipated annual list of the 100 best male football players of the year is now available for all to see.
The publication assembled a panel of 225 football experts, from 69 nations, and the winner was a deserved one: Luka Modric.
The Croatian superstar was recently crowned the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner, and it will surprise few that he’s finished top of the pile in The Guardian’s Top 100.
Next in the running was Cristiano Ronaldo, while Lionel Messi completed the top-three - the Barcelona icon infamously could only scoop fifth in the Ballon d’Or.
The top-10 also happens to feature five players who ply their trade in the Premier League. Step forward Mo Salah, Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Harry Kane, and N’Golo Kante.
Salah, ranked fifth behind fourth-placed Kylian Mbappe, has enjoyed a simply stunning 2018, one in which he bagged the Premier League Golden Boot with a record 32 goals, along with the PFA Players' Player of the Year, the Football Writers' Player of the Year, and the PFA Fans' Player of the Year awards. He played an integral part in Liverpool’s riveting run through to the Champions League final, while the club are currently one win away from securing top spot at Christmas. Let’s not forget Salah also scored for Egypt in the World Cup finals.
Antoine Griezmann secured sixth spot, ahead of Chelsea’s star man Hazard who helped his club side win the FA Cup, before starring in Belgium’s third-placed finish at the 2018 World Cup. Next up was Hazard’s fellow countryman De Bruyne following his scintillating record-breaking season for Man City.
Kane, the 2018 World Cup Golden Boot winner, was the highest-ranked Englishman on the list in 9th spot, with World Cup winner Kante making up the top-10.
Other notable Premier League inclusions in the top-20 were Sergio Aguero (15th), Paul Pogba (16th), Sadio Mane (19th), and David Silva (20).
The Liverpool duo of Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk were 23rd and 24th respectively, followed by former Reds playmaker Philippe Coutinho who of course now plays over in Spain at Barcelona.
Raheem Sterling came 31st, Christian Eriksen 36th, while goalkeepers Thibaut Courtois, David De Gea, and Hugo Lloris were also present in the top-40. There were also top-50 spots for Romelu Lukaku, Alisson, and Dele Alli.
Click Here for the full list of 100 players.
