It is that point once more: with the UEFA Champions League closing behind us and the 2024-25 season formally over, it is time to rank the highest 100 gamers in males’s soccer proper now. Welcome to the FC 100.
The FC 100 is totally different than most countdowns. It’s not a Nos. 1-100 rating. We take note of all the main positions on the pitch, whereas most rankers go talent-first with little regard for the place the celebs play. It results in uninspiring lists which can be closely weighted towards purpose scorers (forwards) and gamers who create objectives from midfield, paying little consideration to the expertise in much less glamorous — however equally vital — roles.
Our rankings are divided into seven lists and provides readers the closest factor to a position-by-position “depth chart” throughout world soccer. This 12 months, reflective of the ever-changing recreation, we have break up defenders into two teams (vast and central), with two sections for midfield (so extra defensive guys get their due alongside the playmakers) and two for ahead, with the wing and center-forward positions clearly outlined.
The 2024-25 FC 100, place by place
Go to: Goalkeeper | Fullbacks | Center backs | Defensive/central midfielders | Attacking midfielders | Wingers | Center forwards
Earlier editions
Go to: 2023-24 | 2022-23 | 2021-22 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016
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Which ever-present ESPN FC 100 participant is in essentially the most hazard of lacking out?
Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Jan Oblak have been in all 9 editions of the ESPN FC 100, however who may not make it to the tenth?
What’s new, and what has modified for 2025
This 12 months’s poll had almost 100 entries from everywhere in the globe and from all areas of ESPN from writers to reporters, from editors to producers, from behind-the-scenes workers to on-air expertise. Writers Gab Marcotti, Julien Laurens and Mark Ogden, and former gamers Don Hutchison, Nedum Onuoha and Alejandro Moreno have been solely among the key voters in English, however each space of ESPN’s world soccer protection got here collectively to weigh in on the checklist and provide 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.
Now we have additionally reverted to treating the positions with extra distinct respect given how fullbacks and wingers play such multifaceted, modern roles within the fashionable recreation. The vital distinction in midfield has additionally been acknowledged, with separate ballots for defensive/holding midfielders (whose major position is to disrupt opponents and distribute the ball) and attacking midfielders, who’re tasked with enjoying that crucial closing move.
As such, the checklist is break up into seven classes: goalkeeper, fullback, middle again, defensive midfield, attacking midfield, wing and middle ahead. This provides full consideration to each key factor on the pitch and permits beforehand unheralded gamers an opportunity to be appreciated.
Primary takeaways
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A brand new technology emerges: This season’s version of the FC 100 has 40 first-time entrants on the checklist, which displays the altering faces of the sport and the emergence of an thrilling new group of stars.
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Three gamers made the checklist for a ninth straight 12 months: As we head towards our tenth anniversary of the FC 100 in 2026, it is price calling out three gamers specifically for his or her unbelievable longevity and efficiency, for it has seen them named to each single version of our annual ranker. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF), Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) and Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid), take a bow.
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As soon as once more, Pulisic represents for the USMNT: For the second consecutive 12 months and third time total, Christian Pulisic made the FC 100 in acknowledgment of one other glowing season at AC Milan.
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The Premier League remains to be the highest competitors: As soon as once more, the English league guidelines the roost with over one-third (35) of the FC 100, a quantity that might enhance over the approaching weeks as gamers corresponding to Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen) finalize strikes. However solely two of these names got here from Manchester Metropolis (reflecting their subpar season) as 12 totally different PL groups had gamers within the FC 100, a testomony to the league’s energy in depth: Liverpool (10) and Arsenal (8) understandably topped their friends, however Nottingham Forest had 4 gamers chosen.
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Paris Saint-Germain prepared the ground: What a season it has been for PSG. Successful their first UEFA Champions League title Saturday was the cherry on high of a exceptional marketing campaign, and the FC 100 voters have acknowledged their resurgence as 11 gamers made the FC 100, making them the most-represented membership for 2024-25. (Liverpool have been in second, with 10.)
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A dominant 12 months for France: Along with PSG main all golf equipment with 11 nominations, the French nationwide staff also can declare supremacy when breaking down the checklist by nation. Les Bleus prepared the ground with 12 gamers on the 2024-25 FC 100, with Spain (11), England (9) and Brazil (9) shut behind.
2:05
Ogden: Salah is the face of this Premier League period
Mark Ogden praises Mo Salah’s influence on the Premier League and says his legacy has surpassed Thierry Henry’s.
How our voters dealt with the poll
Conducting a world vote on the world’s finest gamers isn’t any simple feat, and we gave some tips with the ballots as to how probably finest to proceed. Voters have been inspired to take the next issues into consideration: Who’re one of the best gamers proper now, 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 regardless of lacking chunks of the season given the size of their contributions and performances when wholesome. Equally, performances in particular person competitions (e.g., Champions League) have 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 greater than those that excelled in brief match codecs.
What every checklist of the FC 100 is about
The important thing right here is twofold: why every participant made the checklist in 2024-25, and what they venture to do subsequent season.
Goalkeeper
It is not sufficient for the trendy goalkeeper to be good along with his gloves. As of late, shot-stoppers are anticipated to start out the attacking strikes by enjoying out from the again, along with shutting them down.
Agility and reflexes are par for the course, however one of the best goalies on the planet additionally fuse a way of confidence and composure of their penalty areas that make them appear larger than life.
Fullbacks
What do you say a few fashionable fullback? Gamers corresponding to Trent Alexander-Arnold and Achraf Hakimi have revolutionized what the place will be, taking it from a stolid behind-the-ball position to changing into a major playmaker who provides simply as many objectives and assists as they stop opponents from attaining.
The perfect within the recreation will marry a powerful positional consciousness with blinding pace, in addition to the daring sense to surge ahead and assist their groups in assault. Consolation and precision crossing is a valued high quality, too, as the highest fullbacks shall be at their finest on an overlap earlier than curling within the excellent ball.
Heart backs
If you are going to have an important staff, you want an important middle again — two, if you happen to’re actually fortunate. The perfect within the recreation are formidable and assertive however are additionally blessed with the grace to time tackles and anticipate a striker’s actions to win again possession.
Class on the ball and off is important, whether or not enjoying a weighted move upfield or feinting their well past opponents to ease the stress.
Defensive/central midfielders
Midfield is usually the most important battleground in soccer, and gamers who occupy that treasured territory take many types and have many roles. There are defensive midfielders who create assaults or thwart these of an opponent. There are additionally central midfielders who join the dots in transition with defense-splitting passes or otherworldly energy in possession.
These rankings rejoice each types, from the disruptors corresponding to Aurelien Tchouaméni and Alexis Mac Allister to the space-covering, two-way stars corresponding to Declan Rice and Bruno Guimarães.
Attacking midfielders
Mischief, creativity, tempo and confidence — these are the inventory instruments of one of the best attacking midfielders. Typically known as the No. 10, these gamers are as snug scoring the objectives as they’re teeing up teammates. With free rein to float across the pitch and exploit the area, their capacity to conjure one thing from nothing makes them essentially the most entertaining gamers.
Wingers
Wing is a place of trickery, showmanship and ability. Whether or not beating opponents for tempo or on the dribble, roaming freely infield to take high-quality pictures or hugging the touchlines to supply excellent passes for teammates, the wing isn’t any place for the timid. These are your showboats, scorers and free-roaming forces of nature.
Although loads of groups have standard vast forwards, rising stars corresponding to Lamine Yamal and Désiré Doué have proven there’s loads of profit to having quick, forward-thinking gamers in vast positions. Blessed with tempo and persistence to beat their markers and make it to the byline for a cut-back cross, or stepping into scoring place, they’re a menace for opponents and a delight for followers.
Heart forwards
Heart forwards are your closers. They seem to be a potent mix of close-range finisher, playmaker and area creator for teammates across the field. They’re gifted sufficient to deal with the free position and sleek sufficient below stress to continually ship. They’re going to rating in any recreation, in opposition to any staff from any place. Fleet of foot and fast of thoughts, their capacity to learn the play and anticipate the place the ball shall be three passes earlier than it will get there’s what units them aside.
It is not solely the tap-ins they’re going to rating, both. The perfect can improvise with any a part of the physique (besides the arms, after all) to get the job performed. Intelligent flicks, nifty methods, brash backheels and calm set items are their finest attributes.
The 2024-25 FC 100, place by place
Go to: Goalkeeper | Fullbacks | Center backs | Defensive/central midfielders | Attacking midfielders | Wingers | Center forwards
