2024 FC 100: Mbappé, Ronaldo amongst greatest males’s soccer gamers

We’re again! With the 2023-24 European membership season closed after the Champions League closing, and the European Championship and Copa América on the horizon, we’re returning with our eighth annual rankings of the most effective males’s gamers in world soccer. Welcome to the FC 100.

The FC 100 is totally different than most countdowns. It isn’t a Nos. 1-100 rating. Relatively, we really have in mind all 11 positions on the pitch, whereas most rankers go talent-first with little regard for the place the celebs play. That results in uninspiring lists which are closely weighted towards objective scorers (forwards) and gamers who create objectives from midfield, paying little consideration to the expertise in much less glamorous areas of the sphere.

Our rankings are divided into 4 lists and provides readers the closest factor to a position-by-position “depth chart” throughout world soccer.

LISTS: 2024 FC 100, POSITION BY POSITION

Go to: Goalkeeper | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards

Earlier editions: 2022-23 | 2021-22 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016

What’s new and what has modified for 2024

This yr’s poll had over 50 entries from everywhere in the globe and from all areas of ESPN FC; from writers to reporters, from editors to producers, from behind-the-scenes employees to on-air expertise. Gab Marcotti, Julien Laurens, Mark Ogden and Alejandro Moreno had been simply a few of the key voters.

The most important change is how we compiled the checklist. In a nod to the trendy sport’s shift from specialist place gamers to flexibility and fluidity, we have moved away from the previous method of “10 prime 10s throughout positions and coaches” to a broader checklist that acknowledges the 4 key positions. Now, you may see a prime 10 of goalkeepers adopted by our prime 30 defenders, midfielders and forwards.

The opposite main replace? No extra managers. The evolution of the function, from the standard steward of the entire membership to extra of a specialist on the crew and ways, means we’re specializing in the gamers right here. We are going to deal with our world supervisor rankings individually later in the summertime. This resolution has additionally yielded a whole lot of new faces within the checklist this yr in comparison with any earlier version: Greater than 1 / 4 of the gamers listed are new to the FC 100 universe in 2023-24, guaranteeing the checklist retains up with the instances.

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Did Messi or Ronaldo have a greater season?

ESPN FC’s pundits & writers reveal whether or not they suppose Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi had a greater season.

Most important takeaways

• A brand new format means a whole lot of new names: This season’s version of the FC 100 has 28 new names for the primary time within the rankings’ eight-year historical past, which is a testomony to each the evolution of the sport and the following technology breaking via in Europe’s prime leagues.

• Cristiano Ronaldo is BACK: After dropping out of the FC 100 universe in 2022-23 due to a horrible yr through which he had a bitter exit from Manchester United, a poor World Cup and an underwhelming transfer to the Saudi Professional League, the Portugal star is again on the radar heading into Euro 2024.

• Behold, an American participant! Off the again of an outstanding season with AC Milan, United States captain Christian Pulisic returns to the FC 100, making his second look. Canada’s Alphonso Davies makes his fourth FC 100 look following one other robust marketing campaign for Bayern Munich.

• The Premier League reigns supreme once more: In complete, 38 members of the FC 100 this yr are from the English prime flight, with a variety of golf equipment past Manchester Metropolis, Liverpool and Arsenal contributing to its energy in depth. LaLiga hangs robust in second place with 19 names on the checklist, although the German Bundesliga has come via with 18 choices — thank Bayer Leverkusen (seven names) and their unbelievable unbeaten home season for the resurgence.

• Man Metropolis are additionally nonetheless on prime: Pep Guardiola’s facet may need fallen brief within the FA Cup and Champions League, however their fifth Premier League title in six years is rewarded with 11 gamers making the FC 100 in 2023-24, with each place on the pitch coated. From there, Actual Madrid contribute 10 names after a dominant LaLiga marketing campaign and run to the Champions League closing, whereas Liverpool are third with eight nominees to this yr’s checklist.

How our voters dealt with the poll

Conducting a world vote on the world’s greatest gamers is not any straightforward feat, and we gave some pointers with the ballots as to how individuals would possibly proceed. Voters had been inspired to take the next issues into consideration: who’re the most effective gamers proper now, weighted towards their 2023-24 seasons. Voters got discretion as to how a lot of an element accidents performed in votes; some gamers made the minimize regardless of lacking chunks of the season given the dimensions of their contributions and performances when wholesome. Equally, performances in particular person competitions (e.g., Champions League) had been thought of, however weren’t the overarching issue, in casting a vote. Gamers whose efforts spanned the most important pattern of video games ought to naturally rank increased than those that excelled in brief match codecs.

Listed below are a few of the questions we requested our voters:

On what foundation ought to I rank my gamers?
On who you suppose are the most effective gamers proper now, if they’re totally match.

How a lot ought to I take the present season under consideration?
It should possible be an essential element, however this isn’t a rating of the most effective gamers in 2023-24. Relatively, this season will most likely weigh closely in your evaluation as a result of it displays more moderen performances. If someone is excellent in 2023-24 there’s purpose to consider they’re an impressive participant proper now.

What if someone has carried out at a really excessive degree for a very long time however this yr hasn’t been pretty much as good?
That is when it turns into a judgment name. For instance, Mohamed Salah is a good participant, however this previous season he scored solely 25 objectives in 44 video games, the primary time he is scored fewer than 30 in all competitions for the reason that 2019-20 season. He is 31, so that you would want to determine whether or not it is the beginning of a downward trajectory or whether it is only a slight blip that can be corrected subsequent season.

How can we deal with gamers who had been injured for vital durations of the season?
Assess them on the durations through which they had been match and their physique of labor earlier than. And once more, if they have been out a very long time, determine whether or not you suppose the damage has had a long-term influence to the purpose that their efficiency will decline completely.

Ought to we give extra weight to performances in main competitions just like the World Cup and the Champions League?
Not essentially. If there’s a participant who excelled within the Champions League (suppose Divock Origi a number of years in the past) however was abnormal within the league, he most likely should not be in your rating.

What every checklist of the FC 100 is about

The important thing right here is twofold: why every participant made the checklist in 2023-24, and what they challenge to do subsequent season.

Goalkeeper

It is not sufficient for the trendy goalkeeper to be good together with his gloves. Nowadays, shot-stoppers are anticipated to start out the attacking strikes typically by enjoying out from the again in addition to shutting them down.

Agility and reflexes are par for the course, however the most effective goalies on the earth additionally fuse a way of confidence and daring of their penalty areas that make them appear larger than life.

See the complete checklist right here.

Defenders

In our first daring break from earlier ranks, we’re grouping all these within the defensive third beneath a single banner, although do not suppose that this checklist is proscribed to center-backs. All three most important positions — right-back, center-back, left-back — are coated within the run-down, and rightly so.

Proper-back was by no means probably the most glamorous place, however the sport’s many evolutions have seen it change into an exciting and unpredictable spot on the pitch. The perfect within the sport will marry a robust positional consciousness with blinding velocity, in addition to the daring to surge ahead and assist their groups in assault.

If you are going to have an amazing crew, you want an amazing center-back (two, for those who’re actually fortunate). The perfect within the sport are formidable in each dimension and energy but additionally blessed with the grace to time tackles and anticipate a striker’s actions with the intention to win again possession. Magnificence on the ball and off it’s important, whether or not enjoying a weighted move up-field or feinting their well beyond opponents to ease the strain.

Similar to their counterparts on the other flank, the most effective left-backs mix tempo and intelligence to be a menace in assault or in protection. Consolation and precision crossing with the left foot is a uncommon commodity, too, however the prime gamers can be at their greatest when on the overlap earlier than curling within the excellent ball.

See the complete checklist right here.

Midfielders

We used to have two positional rankings to cowl the guts of the sphere, however we’re combining these with talent with and with out the ball right here for 2023-24. There are defensive midfielders who might create or destroy. Both they’re like Rodri, protecting loads of distance to disrupt the opposition with precision and elan, or like Martin Odegaard, who management the rhythm of the sport with crisp ball distribution and imaginative and prescient.

Mischief, creativity, tempo and confidence: these are the inventory instruments of the most effective attacking midfielders. Generally known as the No. 10, these guys are as snug scoring the objectives as they’re teeing up teammates. With free rein to float across the pitch and exploit the house, their means to conjure one thing from nothing makes them probably the most entertaining gamers round.

See the complete checklist right here.

Forwards

Lastly, the glamour positions! These are your showboats, your objective scorers, your free-roaming forces of nature. From wing to wing and every thing in between, the attacking third is the place your high-skill, high-quality expertise is usually discovered.

Wingers have change into a little bit antiquated within the trendy sport, however there’s nonetheless loads of profit to having quick, forward-thinking gamers in large positions. Blessed with tempo and persistence to beat their markers and make it to the byline for a cut-back cross, they are often really harmful.

From there, forwards and strikers are tougher to outline. They are a potent mix of close-range finisher, playmaker and space-creator for teammates across the field. They’re proficient sufficient to deal with the free function and swish sufficient beneath strain to consistently ship. They’re going to rating in any sport, towards any crew from any place. Fleet of foot and fast of thoughts, their means to learn the play and anticipate the place the ball can be three passes earlier than it will get there’s what units them aside.

It is not simply the tap-ins they will rating, both: the most effective can improvise with any a part of the physique (besides the fingers, after all) to get the job performed. Intelligent flicks, nifty tips, brash back-heels and calm set items are their greatest attributes.

See the complete checklist right here.