2025 FC 100: Yamal, Mbappe amongst easiest males’s football gamers

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It’s that point once more: with the UEFA Champions League ultimate in the back of us and the 2024-25 season formally over, it is time to rank the highest 100 gamers in males’s football presently. Welcome to the FC 100.

The FC 100 is other than maximum countdowns. It isn’t a Nos. 1-100 score. We bear in mind the entire main positions at the pitch, whilst maximum rankers cross talent-first with little regard for the place the celebrities play. It ends up in uninspiring lists which can be closely weighted towards function scorers (forwards) and gamers who create targets from midfield, paying little consideration to the skillability in much less glamorous — however similarly necessary — roles.

Our scores are divided into seven lists and provides readers the nearest factor to a position-by-position “depth chart” throughout international football. This yr, reflective of the ever-changing recreation, we have break up defenders into two teams (huge and central), with two sections for midfield (so extra defensive guys get their due along the playmakers) and two for ahead, with the wing and center-forward positions obviously outlined.

The 2024-25 FC 100, function through function

Previous editions

Go to: 2023-24 | 2022-23 | 2021-22 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016

Which ever-present ESPN FC 100 participant is in essentially the most threat of lacking out?

Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Jan Oblak were in all 9 editions of the ESPN FC 100, however who may now not make it to the 10th?

What’s new, and what has modified for 2025

This yr’s poll had just about 100 entries from far and wide the globe and from all spaces of ESPN from writers to newshounds, from editors to manufacturers, from behind-the-scenes workforce to on-air skillability. Writers Gab Marcotti, Julien Laurens and Mark Ogden, and previous gamers Don Hutchison, Nedum Onuoha and Alejandro Moreno had been simplest probably the most key electorate in English, however each house of ESPN’s international football protection got here in combination to weigh in at the listing and be offering their votes, with ESPN Brazil (Leonardo Bertozzi, Renato Senise), ESPN Deportes (Fernando Palomo, Barak Fever), ESPN Argentina (Mariano Closs, Diego Latorre), ESPN Netherlands (Kees Kwakman, Yordi Yamali) and extra.

We have additionally reverted to treating the positions with extra distinct admire given how fullbacks and wingers play such multifaceted, cutting edge roles within the trendy recreation. The necessary difference in midfield has additionally been stated, with separate ballots for defensive/protecting midfielders (whose number one function is to disrupt fighters and distribute the ball) and attacking midfielders, who’re tasked with taking part in that crucial ultimate move.

As such, the listing is divided into seven classes: goalkeeper, fullback, middle again, defensive midfield, attacking midfield, wing and middle ahead. This offers complete consideration to each key component at the pitch and lets in prior to now unheralded gamers an opportunity to be favored.

Main takeaways

A brand new era emerges: This season’s version of the FC 100 has 40 first-time entrants at the listing, which displays the replacing faces of the sport and the emergence of an exhilarating new team of stars.
Three gamers made the listing for a 9th instantly yr: As we head towards our 10th anniversary of the FC 100 in 2026, it is price calling out 3 gamers particularly for his or her fantastic longevity and function, for it has observed them named to each unmarried version of our annual ranker. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF), Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) and Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid), take a bow.
Once once more, Pulisic represents for the USMNT: For the second one consecutive yr and 0.33 time general, Christian Pulisic made the FC 100 in acknowledgment of any other glowing season at AC Milan.
The Premier League continues to be the highest pageant: Once once more, the English league laws the roost with over one-third (35) of the FC 100, a bunch that might building up over the approaching weeks as gamers comparable to Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen) finalize strikes. But simplest two of the ones names got here from Manchester City (reflecting their subpar season) as 12 other PL groups had gamers within the FC 100, a testomony to the league’s energy extensive: Liverpool (10) and Arsenal (8) understandably crowned their friends, however Nottingham Forest had 4 gamers decided on.
Paris Saint-Germain cleared the path: What a season it’s been for PSG. Winning their first UEFA Champions League identify Saturday was once the cherry on most sensible of a outstanding marketing campaign, and the FC 100 electorate have identified their resurgence as 11 gamers made the FC 100, making them the most-represented membership for 2024-25. (Liverpool had been in 2d, with 10.)
A dominant yr for France: In addition to PSG main all golf equipment with 11 nominations, the French nationwide group too can declare supremacy when breaking down the listing through nation. Les Bleus cleared the path with 12 gamers at the 2024-25 FC 100, with Spain (11), England (9) and Brazil (9) shut in the back of.

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How our electorate treated the poll

Conducting an international vote at the international’s easiest gamers is not any simple feat, and we gave some pointers with the ballots as to how most likely easiest to continue. Voters had been inspired to take the next issues under consideration: Who are the most efficient gamers presently, weighted towards their 2024-25 seasons? Voters got discretion as to how a lot of a component accidents performed in votes; some gamers made the lower in spite of lacking chunks of the season given the size in their contributions and performances when wholesome. Equally, performances in particular person competitions (e.g., Champions League) had been regarded as, however weren’t the overarching issue, in casting a vote. Players whose efforts spanned the biggest pattern of video games must naturally rank upper than those that excelled in brief match codecs.

What each and every listing of the FC 100 is ready

The key this is twofold: why each and every participant made the listing in 2024-25, and what they challenge to do subsequent season.

Goalkeeper

It’s now not sufficient for the trendy goalkeeper to be just right along with his gloves. These days, shot-stoppers are anticipated to start out the attacking strikes through taking part in out from the again, along with shutting them down.

Agility and reflexes are par for the route, however the most efficient goalies on the earth additionally fuse a way of self belief and composure of their penalty spaces that cause them to appear larger than lifestyles.

See the total listing right here.

Fullbacks

What do you are saying a couple of trendy fullback? Players comparable to Trent Alexander-Arnold and Achraf Hakimi have revolutionized what the location may also be, taking it from a stolid behind-the-ball function to turning into a number one playmaker who provides simply as many targets and assists as they save you fighters from reaching.

The easiest within the recreation will marry a robust positional consciousness with blinding velocity, in addition to the bold sense to surge ahead and fortify their groups in assault. Comfort and precision crossing is a valued high quality, too, as the highest fullbacks shall be at their easiest on an overlap sooner than curling in the easiest ball.

See the total listing right here.

Center backs

If you are going to have a perfect group, you want a perfect middle again — two, if you are in reality fortunate. The easiest within the recreation are bold and assertive however also are blessed with the grace to time tackles and await a striker’s actions to win again ownership.

Elegance at the ball and rancid is very important, whether or not taking part in a weighted move upfield or feinting their well beyond fighters to ease the power.

See the total listing right here.

Defensive/central midfielders

Midfield is steadily the largest battleground in football, and gamers who occupy that valuable territory take many paperwork and feature many jobs. There are defensive midfielders who create assaults or thwart the ones of an opponent. There also are central midfielders who attach the dots in transition with defense-splitting passes or otherworldly energy in ownership.

These scores have a good time each paperwork, from the disruptors comparable to Aurelien Tchouaméni and Alexis Mac Allister to the space-covering, two-way stars comparable to Declan Rice and Bruno Guimarães.

See the total listing right here.

Attacking midfielders

Mischief, creativity, tempo and self belief — those are the inventory equipment of the most efficient attacking midfielders. Sometimes known as the No. 10, those gamers are as comfy scoring the targets as they’re teeing up teammates. With unfastened rein to flow across the pitch and exploit the distance, their skill to conjure one thing from not anything makes them essentially the most entertaining gamers.

See the total listing right here.

Wingers

Wing is a function of trickery, showmanship and talent. Whether beating fighters for tempo or at the dribble, roaming freely infield to take high quality photographs or hugging the touchlines to supply best passes for teammates, the wing is not any position for the timid. These are your showboats, scorers and free-roaming forces of nature.

Though a variety of groups have typical huge forwards, rising stars comparable to Lamine Yamal and Désiré Doué have proven there’s a variety of get advantages to having speedy, forward-thinking gamers in huge positions. Blessed with tempo and patience to overcome their markers and make it to the byline for a cut-back pass, or coming into scoring function, they’re a threat for fighters and a pride for fanatics.

See the total listing right here.

Center forwards

Center forwards are your closers. They’re a potent mix of close-range finisher, playmaker and area author for teammates across the field. They’re gifted sufficient to maintain the unfastened function and sleek sufficient beneath power to repeatedly ship. They’ll rating in any recreation, in opposition to any group from any function. Fleet of foot and fast of thoughts, their skill to learn the play and await the place the ball shall be 3 passes sooner than it will get there’s what units them aside.

It’s now not simplest the tap-ins they will rating, both. The easiest can improvise with any a part of the frame (with the exception of the fingers, in fact) to get the task achieved. Clever flicks, nifty methods, brash backheels and calm set items are their easiest attributes.

See the total listing right here.