Lionel Messi has been the undisputed king of the football world for the past decade, but his time at the top has drawn to a close. The 25-year-old is one of the fastest footballers we’ve ever seen grace the field, with shooting technique like no other. He can strike the ball on the run or with immense power from a dead standing start, he can finesse shots low into the corners or drill the ball high and rising into the roof of the net. Some might say it’s a season too soon to include him on this list of behemoths, but Bellingham has already shown enough to convince the world of his obscene talent at Dortmund, Real Madrid and on the international stage. Get your single bets paid out if the team you back goes 2 goals ahead – for multiple bets the selection will be marked as a winner with bet365. Our comprehensive round-up of the 10 best football players in the world in 2024.

Federico Valverde — Midfield, Real Madrid

Analyze matchupsAnalyze the upcoming matchups for your players and opponents to determine which players to start in your lineup each week. Look for favorable matchups and take into account the strength of the opposing team’s defense. Last year was tough for Liverpool, as the system that had worked so well for them under Jurgen Klopp started malfunctioning. It was reinvented with the help of new signings and a different role for Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Past winners of The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper award

Football is undoubtedly the most popular sport in world (even if some people call it soccer – we’ll forgive them). Eyed as a potential heir to Casemiro, Moscardo already faces huge pressure in the early stages of his career. The 18-year-old has put in some promising displays with Corinthians and is already being touted with a move to Europe. The Liverpool academy product, who Klopp dubbed ‘Virgil 2.0’, has blossomed in the Europa League and Carabao Cup, while he is also starting to earn more minutes in the Premier League. With England also lacking a young and authoritative centre-back, Gareth Southgate will be keeping an eye on his progress. There is also a chance that Roque’s move is brought forward to January, with the youngster set to return from a serious injury imminently.

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He is currently playing at Inter Miami, where he has made impressive results in the MLS. When looking at Messi’s individual accomplishments, it’s hard to look at anything else than the shining Ballon d’Or 1st place. Valuing a player is currently an arbitrary process where teams, players and representatives simply estimate what they are worth. Together with SciSports, FT aims to use advanced football data, current and future skill level as well as contract length and other details to create our unique internal calculation. From there we derive our own valuation for each and every player in the world’s major football competitions.

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The early signs are that he’s ready to take over both the league and Europe in order to jump to the top of this list next year. With eight goals and 11 assists in 23 Bundesliga games, Sane is back at his attacking powerhouse best, and the addition of Harry Kane is seeing him improve week-by-week. The year is 2030, Lionel Messi is retired on a beach somewhere, and he’s still winning awards as football’s greatest player. Like Neymar, like Messi, like many before, he has made a mockery of Ligue 1 but his form on the global stage for both club and country puts him out in front. His World Cup final hat-trick will go down as the stuff of legends – a big time performance from a big time player. The 23-year-old has continued to score a goal per game in the best league in world football, despite injury problems preventing him from hitting the 20-goal milestone by 2024 – an abject failure by his standards.

Bernardo Silva — Winger/Midfield, Manchester City

Despite being out of action since then, Erling Haaland remains the Premier League’s joint-top goalscorer alongside Mohamed Salah. He’s unlikely to match last season’s incredible tally but it won’t be for want of trying. “Sometimes, I score a goal and get an assist but I might still be unsatisfied with myself,” Sane said earlier in the season. “I have very high demands of myself there, which I always want to meet.” While he is a key figure for Bayern, it remains to be seen how he fits in for Germany this summer with Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz potentially their first-choice front three. These are your showboats, your certain goal scorers, your free-roaming forces of nature.

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GOAL OF THE MONTH WINNERElsewhere, our Goal of the Month prize has also been declared, with Christian Eriksen winning the accolade for the month of September. Wolvaardt will seek to captain her side to the final step having been runners-up at the last edition. The 25-year-old has a wealth of experience having made her debut as a 16-year-old in an ODI against England in 2016. The right-handed opening batter is fifth in the T20 rankings, her country’s highest in any discipline, and has one century and 11 fifties in 66 T20 innings for her country.

Fantasy Football Rest-of-Season Rankings: Week 5 (

The Gunners had to adapt their build-up play to accommodate Declan Rice but he’s contributed so much out of possession to make them a more balanced team. Chipping in with vital goals against Manchester United, Chelsea and Luton Town has helped his cause too. No player has featured in more matches for Pep Guardiola than Bernardo Silva. There can be no higher compliment to his talent, work rate and tactical awareness than perhaps the greatest manager of all time relying on him so much. The 29-year-old’s versatility has seen him fill multiple roles at Manchester City and he’s been at his fluent best this season. The Norwegian goal machine showed no signs of slowing down until fracturing a bone in his foot against Aston Villa in early December.

• After concreting himself in Premier League history with first Leicester City, and then Manchester City, Mahrez jumped ship to Saudi Arabia, where he joined Al-Ittihad.
• The Gophers don’t have much to offer offensively, but I do think they can get some pressure on Miller Moss and keep things very uncomfortable for the SC offense.
• The Egyptian King is enjoying a transition phase, from an elite Premier League player into an all-time legendary one.
• Antoine Griezmann is back is the top after his transfer to Athletico Madrid.
• His cheese is really earned by what he offers to Bayer Leverkusen when they have the ball, a one man ball progression machine down the right flank who averages more progressive passes received than Jack Grealish, more progressive carries than Kingsley Coman.
• On his arrival at Real Madrid he plugged the great hole that Carlo Ancelotti had at center forward, weighing in with a big goal whenever required on his road to La Liga’s player of the season.
• His play recognition is superb, and his knack for batting down passes at the line of scrimmage makes him even more of a nuisance for quarterbacks.
• Avoid having too many players with the same bye week, which can leave your team short-handed.
• When considering a possible drop in touches while also facing a team that is one of the top run defenses, the stars are not aligning for Moss.

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Besides the Norwegian striker, you’ll find Argentinian, French and English footballers on this list. They have all had an incredible 2023 season that manifested their placement at the top of this list. One of them is obviously the winner of this year’s Ballon d’Or Lionel Messi, and the 3rd place and French captain, Kylian Mbappe. McCaffrey flourished during his first full season in San Francisco, becoming the NFL’s rushing champion (1,459 yards) while leading the league in yards from scrimmage (2,023) and touchdowns (21) in 16 games played. The two-time All-Pro running back was the fireball within Kyle Shanahan’s potent offense, and opposing defenders had a tough time stopping McCaffrey, who led the NFL in yards after contact (949), according to Next Gen Stats. McCaffrey, whose breakaway speed makes him the prototypical backfield weapon, became the first 49ers player since Jerry Rice (1993) to win Offensive Player of the Year and his image will grace the cover of Madden NFL 25 following his best season to date.

The world’s richest football clubs in 2023

The West Indies captain currently enjoys the position of the world’s top all-rounder and is third in the batting rankings. Matthews’ reputation long preceded her international debut at the age of only 16, and at 25 she has already amassed 180 appearances for West Indies and has two centuries and 13 fifties in 96 T20 internationals. Ecclestone is the highest-ranked bowler in both the ICC T20 and ODI rankings.

Akter is one wicket shy of 100 in T20 internationals with an average of only 16. The left-arm finger spinner has best bowling figures of 5-8 in 87 T20 internationals at only 24 years of age. Akter claimed 2-17 on debut nine years ago as a 15-year-old against Pakistan in Karachi. Opening batter Mooney currently tops the ICC’s T20 batter rankings and is one of the many big-name players in an experienced Australian squad. The 30-year-old, who made her debut for Queensland aged 16, has registered two centuries and 23 fifties in 95 innings for the reigning champions. Backing the manager to the hilt is a pre-requisite for a healthy working relationship, and if Emery continues to hit the sweet spot in terms of transfer business and level of performance, there’s no reason why the good times can’t continue to roll at Villa Park.

FC 100: Mbappé, Ronaldo among best men’s soccer players

Man Utd’s season has been far from dreamy, but one shining light has been midfielder Mainoo. The promising prodigy has a ridiculously low £8m release clause in his contract, and as such Boca currently trying to tie him to a new contract in order to maximise the fee they receive. However, such a valuation has interested the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and Brighton, all of whom are eyeing a move for Barco. Liverpool have been touted with an interest in the youngster as they continue to explore the Bundesliga market, and Beier reportedly has a release clause of just £26m inserted in his current contract. The French Under-21 international has been linked with some of the top clubs in Europe, including Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool in the Premier League, as well as Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain on the continent. The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.

Some of cricket’s finest talent will be on display at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, which gets under way with a match between Bangladesh and Scotland in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates, on Thursday. Things will begin to get tougher as we go deeper into the season, and it will be interesting to see just how far Villa can go. Pittsburgh’s running backs aren’t healthy at the moment either, as Jaylen Warren and Corarrelle Patterson are both dealing with injuries that look like they could keep them out this week. Good usage in a good matchup is enough to give Harris a nice bump in fantasy this week. Ranking the top 25 left-backs in the world is no easy task, but here’s our attempt at doing exactly that as part of our 2023 Welcome to World Class series. Moose Muhammad III, WR, Texas A&M (No. 148)I thought Muhammad had a Jimbo Fisher issue, but it turns out there’s likely more to it.

Xavi Simons — Midfielder, RB Leipzig

• The winner of the The Best FIFA Men’s Player award is usually a player who wins or shines deep in either the biggest international tournaments of the year, and/or the Champions League.
• Sharma will be crucial to India’s chances as her nation’s highest-ranked bowler (2nd) and all-rounder (3rd) in the T20 format.
• As the sport continues to evolve, these elite athletes set new standards, pushing the game to exhilarating new heights and inspiring millions around the world.
• The Belgian midfielder has put his signing on a renewed contract in the summer of 2021.
• At just 21 years old, Eduardo Camavinga exemplifies just that, whether he plays his preferred defensive midfield role or slots in anywhere across the back line.

If anything, it would appear that the weight of expectations crushes players of real talent. There’s a reason Arsenal fans chant that they got him half-price at £105 million. The Golazo 100 is here, in full, CBS Sports’ attempt to ask a question that might be more contentious now than it has been at any stage for well over a decade.

• Though his feisty side might still shine through on occasion, Granit Xhaka, the once-hot-blooded former captain of Arsenal, was the cool head who guided Bayer Leverkusen beyond their wildest dreams last season.
• Not only did he have several noteworthy players to choose from, he also had enough options to rotate through as the Reds made deep runs in four different competitions.
• Lindsay Shiver‘s ex-boyfriend Terrance “Adrien” Bethel was arrested alongside the mom of three and alleged hitman Faron “Faylo” Newbold in July 2023, when the trio was accused of attempting to kill former Auburn football captain Robert Shiver.
• This is an impressive record that makes very clear the impact that Messi has had on the global football scene.
• There remain questions over whether he should be moved into midfield, but he offers something incredibly unique from defence.
• Fans make up 25% of the vote, with the other 75% coming from national coaches of FIFA Member Associations, their team captains, and a select group of media from those countries.

• With eight goals and 11 assists in 23 Bundesliga games, Sane is back at his attacking powerhouse best, and the addition of Harry Kane is seeing him improve week-by-week.
• Neymar Jr’s sensational transfer from PSG to Saudi Arabia side Al Hilal has made the Brazilian the highest paid footballer in the world – and by some margin.
• The young group is led, of course, by left tackle Jordan Seaton, a five-star recruit from IMG Academy in Florida who was the No. 1-rated offensive lineman in the 2024 class.
• And again, if they’ve been out a long time, decide whether you think the injury has had a long-term impact to the point that their performance will decline permanently.
• Possibly the best American soccer player ever produced, Pulisic has won a Champions Leauge title with Chelsea, a DFB Pokal with Borussia Dortmund along with multiple honors for the United States men’s national team.
• Opening batter Mooney currently tops the ICC’s T20 batter rankings and is one of the many big-name players in an experienced Australian squad.
• He has scored an impressive 26 goals and made 16 assists in 2023, making him one of the best players in the Spanish La Liga, if not the best.

Aging like a fine wine, Williams is the highest-ranking offensive lineman on the Top 100 at 36 years old. Anchoring Kyle Shanahan’s potent offense the past three seasons, Williams’ skill set as an elite run- and pass-blocking left tackle renders the complex scheme into a seemingly painless process. In 2023, the 11-time Pro Bowler earned the second-highest run-blocking grade from PFF (92.5) while helping to pave the way for the league’s rushing champion. He also didn’t allow a single sack last season despite seeing weekly matchups against the opposition’s best pass rusher. It resulted in Williams earning his third consecutive All-Pro honor and receiving the proverbial flowers from his NFL contemporaries. He boasts the knack of scoring critical goals in crucial moments – see the Champions League final – and in mid-January 2024, he struck a milestone of 50 games undefeated for City.

A tall, strong, physical presence, Rodri has all the muscle City require in a combative midfielder, combined with the grace, skill and drive of an attacking midfielder capable of drifting high up the pitch. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were the two greatest footballers of a generation, the former earning the Greatest of All Time tag in many quarters after capping off an outrageous career with the World Cup, the ultimate prize. There’s always a level of uncertainty attached to a youth prospect, some of whom unfairly carry the hopes and dreams of idealistic supporters on their shoulders. Newcastle United’s £45 million bet in January 2023 to sign Anthony Gordon from Everton was a good one, though, and the 23-year-old’s stock is only rising after a career-best season with the Magpies.

Mike Maignan — Goalkeeper, AC Milan

Then, when he put up huge numbers against the Rams in Week 2, I figured this was the start of something big. Sure, he can turn things around and he will have strong fantasy games, but this isn’t the week I’m going to bet on that happening. Bayer Leverkusen finally dethroned Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and Xabi Alonso’s wing-backs were key to their success.While Jeremie Frimpong marauds down one flank, Alex Grimaldo masterfully conducts his orchestra down the left. Suddenly, Grimaldo has to be regarded among the very best in the world at his position. The diminutive Portugal international is so fun to watch.Guerreiro stands out with his efficient work in the final third but he’s also an exceptional ball-carrier. He’s the epitome of a modern-day full-back.While there are physical shortcomings, Guerreiro boasts the defensive nous to ensure such drawbacks are minimised.

He has just four catches for 47 yards and one touchdown, against McNeese State. I’m not sure what the deal is, especially on an offense desperate for playmakers, but I’m out. The latter clause wrecked a bid by Belgian club Charleroi to sign Diarra following his departure from Lokomotiv. So, if you are looking to throw a few bucks down on the big games, I’ve got you covered. He is arguably the best player in the world right now, and that quality is reflected in a hefty wage packet. Now in his 30s, Kante is another player to make big bucks in Saudia Arabia – joining up with his fellow Frenchman Benzema at Al-Ittihad.

What makes Bellingham’s achievements all the more stunning this season is that he was never previously relied upon for goals in his career. Salah’s now in that special territory where it’s all about records, standing fifth in all-time scoring for the Reds and tenth in the history of the Premier League, and he’s yet to show any signs of slowing down. Able to defend, attack, press, score and provide at an elite level, Griezmann is now getting the recognition he deserves, and there’s a good chance he will get even more as France’s most important player at the Euros.

They rely on him heavily, perhaps too much sometimes, but his influence and ability more than justify that faith. The Gunners haven’t been anywhere near as impressive going forward as they were last season, but Saka remains the difference-maker in attack. Josko Gvardiol arrived at Manchester City primarily as a central defender, but the 22-year-old spectacularly transformed into a goal-scoring left back, making him one of the Premier League’s biggest matchup nightmares for opposing teams. Known for his mesmerising dribbling, speed and clinical finishing, Kylian Mbappe has been one of the premier players on an awesome France national team in recent years. A winner is crowned via a voting system, with several media outlets from across Europe all nominating five players each. Their top pick gets 10 points, their second seven, their third five, their fourth three and their fifth pick gets one.

“The rules in question are such as to impede the free movement of professional footballers wishing to develop their activity by going to work for a new club,” said the Luxembourg-based CJEU. I don’t expect this to be an easy one for the Trojans, as they have Penn State on tap next week and Lincoln Riley’s teams have struggled in the role of road favorite. The Gophers don’t have much to offer offensively, but I do think they can get some pressure on Miller Moss and keep things very uncomfortable for the SC offense. The Razorbacks had no business losing in Stillwater, then they dropped a close one to A&M last week.

Although Ruben Dias hasn’t quite been at his imperious best this season, he remains  the lynchpin of one of the Premier League’s meanest defences. Pep Guardiola infamously loves to rotate his team but, when available, the powerful Portuguese centre-back is almost certain to start. Those early struggles in the Premier League, after arriving from Liverpool for a big fee, have been forgotten amid a superb resurgence. Dominic Solanke has led the line with presence and purpose for Bournemouth, scoring an impressive 12 goals. Gvardiol’s unique skill set positions Croatia nicely to play the role of spoiler at Euro 2024. The 23-year-old impressed in an attacking midfield position for City and should Gareth Southgate play him in the same position instead of out wide, Foden could be the Three Lions’ dangerman.

Lacking confidence under Steven Gerrard, reassurance and clear instruction from his replacement has turned the 28-year-old into one of the Premier League’s top strikers. Wirtz is one of the brightest stars to emerge out of Germany in the last decade, with a rare talent to control and dominate the midfield in a way few other players in world football can. Jude Bellingham’s stunning debut season at Spanish mega club Real Madrid has rapidly turned the attacking English midfielder into one of the hottest commodities in European football. There is no doubt that the expectations are high for all these players going into the 2024 season.

• I don’t expect this to be an easy one for the Trojans, as they have Penn State on tap next week and Lincoln Riley’s teams have struggled in the role of road favorite.
• Fans are responsible for 50% of the votes cast, with a panel of football experts providing the other 50% to decide the eventual winner.
• He was arguably one of the heroes of their round of 16 triumph, making two stops in a penalty shootout as the Spanish side overcame a 2-0 aggregate disadvantage to force spot kicks.
• One of the most impressive individual performances in 2023 is that of the young Jude Bellingham.
• Even as Klopp spread the love, some players naturally ranked above others in the team’s most important games.
• Indeed Al-Ittihad are widely considered the most successful team in Saudi history.

Though his feisty side might still shine through on occasion, Granit Xhaka, the once-hot-blooded former captain of Arsenal, was the cool head who guided Bayer Leverkusen beyond their wildest dreams last season. The player that Xabi Alonso wanted to set standards both on and off the pitch ended up breaking records, making and completing more passes while registering more touches than anyone else in a Bundesliga campaign. Soccer remains a global passion, uniting fans through riveting matches and unforgettable talent.

• Mahomes course-corrected in the playoffs, however, guiding the Chiefs to a third Lombardi Trophy and winning his third Super Bowl MVP within a five-year span.
• The Bears rank second in pass defense EPA and third in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks.
• He has a bright future and will face a tough decision about whether to stay for another season or leave early.
• Federico Dimarco’s breakout performances at left-back for Inter saw the Italian giants quickly ditch previous signing Robin Gosens.His searing pace has become crucial for Simone Inzaghi and his sweet left foot is a proven threat in the attacking third.
• I can’t fade Nico Collins, as he is just too good, but this Bills pass defense is not one you want to mess with.

Expect more trophies to follow for the little fellow with a big heart – and a bank balance swelled to the tune of £21m a year. Henderson is now the highest paid English footballer in history and still has hopes of making the Euro 2024 squad. The Senegalese striker will always have the affection of Liverpool fans for his role in their Premier League and Champion League triumphs alongside Mo Salah and Robert Firmino. Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest footballer https://st-bet.net/mobile/ in history and naturally his salary reflects his status. Despite frequently stating his desire to play for Real Madrid, Mbappe opted against joining the Spanish giants and instead committed his future to Paris in a deal that apparently gives him control over coaching appointments and player recruitment. Neymar Jr’s sensational transfer from PSG to Saudi Arabia side Al Hilal has made the Brazilian the highest paid footballer in the world – and by some margin.

The cool-headed Indian star was one of the leading performers at the Women’s Hundred tournament in England, where her monstrous six-off sealed the title for London Spirit. The Vikings defense is good, but they have allowed 22 receptions to tight ends, ranking them sixth-worst. Conklin isn’t going to blow anyone’s socks off, but he has caught nine of 15 targets over the last two games and should be in line for another shot at a decent workload this week. Cooper has had some bad drops this season, but he’s getting open and getting targets, which is about all you need when facing the Commanders secondary. Washington has allowed 10 passing touchdowns to wide receivers and intercepted no passes. The Jets defense is solid, but they have been more effective against the pass than the run.

Elegance on the ball and off it is essential, whether playing a weighted pass up-field or feinting their way past opponents to ease the pressure. In a nod to the modern game’s shift from specialist position players to flexibility and fluidity, we’ve moved away from the old approach of “10 top 10s across positions and coaches” to a broader list that acknowledges the four key positions. Now, you’ll see a top 10 of goalkeepers followed by our top 30 defenders, midfielders and forwards. Athapathuthu, with her impressive all-round skills, will be at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s campaign in the tournament.