Due to how late we moved into the season before I put the final touches on the overall 300 ranking, I have a little bit of a disclaimer when it comes to the ranking of various players who's fortunes and form has changed dramatically in all the time that passed between finishing the various positional rankings, it took months, and where we are now in the season. Well beyond what you could normally call mid-season.
In an attempt to desperately cling on to that mid-season "feel", I purposely didn't change the rankings of quite a few players from where they were a couple of months ago (to where they really are now), holding out on those, sometimes dramatic changes, until whenever I start the End of the Season list, probably some time between the end of the 2013 Confederations Cup in June and the beginning/early parts of the 2013-14 season.
Some notables who's advancement I'm delaying:
Arjen Robben who back when I started this had barely played and the most recent memory of him was his nightmare finish to the 2011-2012 Season. That earned him a pretty harsh dump down the list (one I think that I even predicted myself during the attacking mids/winger rundown that he would probably make look silly) but currently of course he is back to looking like basically his usual Robben-self.
Mario Balotelli was barely playing, let alone starting for Manchester City, and now he is starting and scoring every week for AC Milan, getting a chance to show his immense talent. Not that he doesn't still have weaknesses or has suddenly just like that fulfilled all that potential, but it is still any way you look at it, a great improvement from the injury and controversy plagued earlier parts of the season. Balotelli will have a better ranking at the end of the season.
Rio Ferdinand could also be mentioned. It's kind of hard to remember now, but back when I started this, Manchester United was leaking goals in a fashion that was unheard of and while that should almost never be blamed on a centreback alone in what is always a team context, Ferdinand mostly didn't look very good and his ranking suffered. Not as dramatically as some others and in fact rising up again on the central defender list will still be tough, but it can't be denied that in the time that has passed since then, he has arguably been the best defender in England. That fact won't exactly hurt his overall ranking the next time around.
I'm sure there are many any other examples but hopefully they are mostly more minor ones, like some of the best young players using the time that has passed to establish themselves even further, Paul Pogba is one example (Marco Verratti higher up the list another one who I right now want to debut even better), but again, just keep in mind that in an attempt to make mid-season somewhat meaningful here in April, and the upcoming end of the season list not too much of a carbon copy, some changes have not been made from when this was compiled based on the positional rankings months ago and with that hopefully this really will reflect mid-season.
The final positional rankings:
Top 100 Forwards
Top 100 Attacking midfielders + Wingers
Top 100+ Midfielders
Top 50 left and right-backs
Top 50 Central Defenders
Rundowns on the positional rankings containing plenty of thoughts on virtually all the players on the list and why they are ranked the way they are (or sometimes the way they were) can be accessed in the following thread on the 2+2 Sporting Events forum, which I definitely recommend visiting for anyone interested in more context and content than just the more or less naked list itself. Here are the links:
Top 100 Forwards
Top 50 defenders
Top 50 left and right-backs
Top 100 attacking midfielders/wingers
Top 125 Midfielders
And finally here is the overall list itself:
The 2012/13 Mid-Season best players in the world:
300 NR NR 280 296: Gonzalo Castro - Germany - Leverkusen
299 175 126 85 Giampaolo Pazzini - Italy – Milan
298 Paul Pogba - France - Juventus
297 Victor Wanyama - Kenya - Celtic
296 Apoño - Spain - Zaragoza
295 NR NR 266: Fredy Guarin - Colombia - Inter
294 288 270 209: Aaron Lennon - England - Tottenham
293 Paolo Guerrero - Peru - Corinthians
292 Adel Taarabt - Morocco - QPR
291 238 Andrea Barzagli - Italy - Juventus
290 Phil Jagielka - England - Everton
289 186 177 252: Alvaro Arbeloa - Spain - Real Madrid
288 Jermain Defoe – England - Tottenham
287 Fabio Quagliarella - Italy - Juventus
286 Lucas Biglia - Argentina - Anderlecht
285 Miguel Veloso - Portugal - Dynamo Kiev
284 289 Raúl García - Spain- Atletico Madrid
283 Diego Costa - Brazil - Atletico Madrid
282 176 128 122: Kevin Gameiro - France – PSG
281 Aaron Hunt - Germany - Werder Bremen
280 Romelu Lukaku - Belgium - WBA/Chelsea
279 NR NR NR 280 Bafétimbi Gomis - France - Lyon
278 224 214 295: Chiek Tiote - Ivory Coast – Newcastle
277 274 288 Felipe Melo - Brazil - Galatasaray
276 Mario Suárez - Spain - Atletico Madrid
275 150 124 177: Scott Parker - England - Tottenham
274 NR NR 155 Simon Rolfes - Germany - Bayer Leverkusen
273 182 181 113: Raul Meirelles - Portugal – Fenerbahce
273 295 284 284 Rafael - Brazil - Manchester United
271 Alex Sandro - Brazil - FC Porto
270 269 280 Mathieu Debuchy - France - Lille/Newcastle
269 Chico - Spain - Swansea
268 239 232 Benoit Assou-Ekotto - Cameroon – Tottenham
267 68 52 55 Maicon - Brazil - Inter/Manchester City
266 Leonardo Bonnucci - Italy - Juventus
265 217 Dede - Brazil - Vasco da Gama
264 Jerome Boateng - Germany - Bayern München
263 Burak Yilmaz - Turkey - Galatasaray
262 138 102 62 Diego Forlan - Uruguay – Internacional
261 Ruben Castro – Spain - Betis
260 199 255 Rodrigo Palacio - Argentina – Inter
259 279 251 Cristian Ledesma - Italy – Lazio
258 146 94 65 Mikel Essien - Ghana - Chelsea/Real Madrid
257 246 263: Sven Bender - Germany – Dortmund
256 91 85 27 Nuri Sahin - Turkey - Real Madrid/Liverpool/Dortmund
255 243 196 134: Anderson - Brazil - Manchester United
254 214 Nikica Jelavic - Croatia - Everton
253 258 203 Tom Cleverley - England - Manchester United
252 Siem de Jong - Netherlands - Ajax
251 112 109 100: Eric Abidal - France – Barcelona
250 174 216 258: Domenico Criscito - Italy - Zenit
249 Koke – Argentina – Atletico Madrid
248 Yevhen Konoplianka - Ukraine - Dnipro
247 168 178 254: Landon Donovan - USA - LA Galaxy
246 172 199 276: Andres Guardado - Mexico – Valencia
245 145 135 154: Yann M'Vila - France – Rennes
244 106 116 140: Nene - Brazil – PSG
243 171 105 133: Andre Ayew - Ghana - Marseille
242 Pizzi - Portugal - Deportovo La Coruna
241 NR NR 291 Lewis Holtby - Germany - Schalke/Tottenham
240 188 180 104: Patrice Evra - France - Manchester United
239 NR NR 237 Steven Pienaar - South Africa – Everton
238 149 145 131: Mark Van Bommel - Netherlands - PSV
237 277: Gael Clichy - France - Manchester City
236 275 292 Gary Medel - Chile - Sevilla
235 190 206 Jonas - Brazil – Valencia
234 Cristian Tello - Spain - Barcelona
233 Jose Callejon - Spain - Real Madrid
232 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - Gabon - Saint-Étienne
231 218 225 Daniel Agger - Denmark – Liverpool
230 155 156 150: Thomas Vermaelen - Belgium – Arsenal
229 276 Jonny Evans - Northern Ireland - Manchester United
228 Benedikt Höwedes - Germany - Schalke 04
227 246 276 Kwadwo Asamoah - Ghana - Juventus
226 Oribe Peralta - Mexico - Santos Laguna
225 283 Filipe Luís - Brazil - Atletico Madrid
224 248 231 Stephan Lichtsteiner - Switzerland - Juventus
223 259 258 Fred - Brazil - Fluminense
222 Kevin Mirallas - Belgium – Everton
221 Rodrigo – Spain – Benfica
220 205 261 277: Clint Dempsey - USA -Tottenham
219 200 235 111: Ibrahim Afellay – Netherland - Schalke 04
218 121 91 241 Lukas Podolski - Germany -Arsenal
217 NR NR 267: Leighton Baines - England - Everton
216 227 223 299: Holger Badstuber - Germany - Bayern München
215 161 166 214: Adil Rami - France - Valencia
214 Leandro Castán - Brazil - Roma
213 165 169 220: Marvin Martin - France - Lille
212 211 284 Roman Shirokov - Russia - Zenit
211 215 262 Fabricio Coloccini - Argentina - Newcastle
210 Iago Aspas - Spain - Celta Vigo
209 160 Younès Belhanda - Morocco - Montpellier
208 Vedad Ibisevic - Stuttgart - Bosnia and Herzegovina
207 191 226 212: Alexandr Kerzhakov - Russia - Zenit
206 173 171 210: Oscar Cardozo - Paraguay - Benfica
205 Per Mertesacker - Germany - Arsenal
204 270 Jakub Blaszczykowski - Poland - Dortmund
203 292 Andriy Yarmolenko - Ukraine - Dynamo Kiev
202 NR NR 222 Alan Dzagoev – Russia – CSKA Moscow
201 130 118 180: Danny - Portugal - Zenit
200 144 130 224 Jadson - Brazil - Sao Paulo
199 Giuliano - Brazil – Dnipro
198 154 131 109: Robinho - Brazil - Milan
197 115 127 Danny Welbeck - England - Manchester United
196 NR NR 172 Stefan Kießling – Germany - Leverkusen
195 197 256 Seydou Doumbia - Côte d'Ivoire - CSKA Moscow
194 141 236 205: Papiss Cisse - Senegal - Newcastle
193 126 132 77 16 Fernando Torres - Spain -Chelsea
192 58 43 32 Lisandro Lopez - Argentina – Lyon
191 148 176 268: Thiago Motta - Italy - PSG
190 185 195 Kevin Strootman - Netherlands – PSV
189 80 62 70 Nemanja Vidic - Serbia - Manchester United
188 216 285 Younes Kaboul - France – Tottenham
187 Fernando Reges - Brazil - FC Porto
186 Selçuk İnan - Turkey - Galatasaray
185 202 194 Javi García - Spain - Manchester City
184 90 81 69 Esteban Cambiasso - Argentina – Inter
183 NR NR 274 Pablo Osvaldo – Italy - Roma
182 Jordy Clasie - Netherlands - Feyenoord
181 142 170 181: Bruno Soriano - Spain -Villarreal
180 NR NR 242 Moussa Sissoko - France - Toulouse/Newcastle
179 79 72 83 Bacary Sagna - France - Arsenal
178 187 179 75 Ashley Cole - England – Chelsea
177 151 110 84 Rio Ferdinand - England - Manchester United
176 Ezequiel Garay - Argentina - Benfica
175 Miranda - Brazil - Atletico Madrid
174 281 Adriano - Brazil – Barcelona
173 184 197 273: Neven Subotic - Serbia - Dortmund
172 134 163 136: Branislav Ivanovic - Serbia - Chelsea
171 170 149 235: Mathieu Valbuena - France - Marseille
170 Kevin De Bruyne - Belgium -Werder Bremen/Chelsea
169 284 Hatem Ben Arfa - France - Newcastle
168 288 Eduardo Salvio - Argentina - Benfica
167 NR 294 Maxime Gonalons - France - Lyon
166 240 222 216: Ivan Rakitić - Croatia – Sevilla
165 Christian Benteke - Belgium - Aston Villa
164 Marco Verratti - Italy - PSG
163 Etienne Capoue - France - Toulouse
162 125 108 144: Lass Diarra - France - Anzhi
161 280 Luiz Gustavo - Brazil - Bayern München
160 118 120 Axel Witsel - Belgium – Zenit
159 123 136 223: Jeremy Toulalan - France - Malaga
158 Paulinho - Brazil – Corinthians
157 114 164 130: Gokhan Inler - Switzerland - Napoli
156 147 144 71 Lucho Gonzalez - Argentina - FC Porto
155 159 168 Ander Herrera - Spain - Athletic Bilbao
154 Blaise Matuidi – France - PSG
153 213 245 Lars Bender - Germany - Leverkusen
152 208 192 189: Theo Walcott - England – Arsenal
151 156 200 289: Sebastian Giovinco - Italy - Juventus
150 83 53 41 Kaka - Brazil - Real Madrid
149 116 93 163: Mario Balotelli - Italy - Manchester City
148 167 151 123: Mirko Vucinic - Montenegro – Juventus
147 166 172 121: Luis Fabiano - Brazil - Sao Paulo
146 225 217 153: Sandro - Brazil - Tottenham
145 81 44 89 Ever Banega - Argentina – Valencia
144 278 Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa - France - Montpellier/Newcastle
143 102 152 Laurent Koscielny - France – Arsenal
142 Dante - Brazil - Bayern München
141 117 87 94 Fabio Coentrao - Portugal - Real Madrid
140 157 161 120: David Luiz - Brazil – Chelsea
139 108 103 106: Michael Carrick - England - Manchester United
138 194 153 129: Borja Valero - Spain - Fiorentina
137 82 65 230: Nicolas Gaitan - Argentina – Benfica
136 164 137 244: Christian Eriksen - Denmark - Ajax
135 158 185 160: Jefferson Farfan - Peru - Schalke 04
134 77 70 21 Samir Nasri - France - Manchester City
133 84 76 26 Steven Gerrard -England-Liverpool
132 139 281 Łukasz Piszczek - Poland - Dortmund
131 153 173 Olivier Giroud - France – Arsenal
130 228 287 Michu - Spain – Swansea
129 103 111 103: Gerard Pique - Spain – Barcelona
128 133 143 92 Pepe - Portugal - Real Madrid
127 272 286 233: Gabi - Spain - Atletico Madrid
126 169 183 246: Darijo Srna - Croatia - Shakthar Donetsk
125 95 95 93 Javier Zanetti - Argentina – Inter
124 119 140 Jordi Alba - Spain - Barcelona
123 192 229 165: Alvaro Negredo - Spain – Sevilla
122 Jackson Martinez - Colombia - Porto
121 107 117 167: Miralem Pjanic - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Roma
120 127 133 207: Roberto Soldado - Spain - Valencia
119 86 77 39 Antonio Di Natale - Italy – Udinese
118 74 69 59 Hulk - Brazil - Zenit
117 110 139 271: Miroslav Klose - Germany - Lazio
116 50 90 173: Klaas Jan Huntelaar - Netherlands - Schalke 04
115 104 113 Demba Ba -Senegal – Newcastle/Chelsea
114 67 67 63 Diego Milito - Argentina - Inter
113 65 54 108: Emmanuel Adebayor - Togo - Tottenham
112 39 92 19 Didier Drogba - Ivory Coast - Shanghai Shenhua/Galatasaray
111 100 98 81 Jesus Navas - Spain - Sevilla
110 60 100 Iker Muniain - Spain - Athletic Bilbao
109 46 41 68 Antonio Valencia - Ecuador - Manchester United
108 273 Beñat Etxebarria - Spain - Real Betis
107 61 48 33 Rafael Van der Vaart - Netherlands - Hamburger SV
106 222 182 88 David Pizarro - Chile - Fiorentina
105 89 83 44 Pedro - Spain – Barcelona
104 135 165 174: Joaquin - Spain - Malaga
103 59 59 80 Javier Pastore - Argentina – PSG
102 96 104 158: Carlos Puyol - Spain – Barcelona
101 NR NR 271 Gonzalo Rodríguez-Argentina-Fiorentina
100 196 186 191: Francesco Totti - Italy – Roma
99 120 150 171: Jeremy Menez - France – PSG
98 111 122 105: Giorgio Chiellini - Italy – Juventus
97 209 210 Pablo Zabaleta - Argentina - Manchester City
96 124 115 125: Andre Schürrle - Germany - Leverkusen
95 87 101 169: Ezequiel Lavezzi - Argentina - PSG
94 Henrik Mkhitaryan - Armenia - Shakhtar Donetsk
93 131 119 249: Arda Turan - Turkey - Atletico Madrid
92 163 157 138: Keisuke Honda - Japan - CSKA Moscov
91 122 121 218: Lucas Moura - Brazil - Sao Paolo/PSG
90 98 106 Xherdan Shaqiri - Switzerland - Bayern München
89 53 37 20 David Villa - Spain - Barcelona
88 132 155 159 Antonio Cassano – Italy - Inter
87 93 86 128: Lucas Leiva - Brazil - Liverpool
86 78 75 60 Ramires - Brazil - Chelsea
85 71 55 42 Javier Hernandez - Mexico - Manchester United
84 140 David Alaba - Austria - Bayern München
83 109 123 116 Mikel Arteta - Spain - Arsenal
82 70 56 24 Frank Lampard - England – Chelsea
81 128 134 149 Marouane Fellaini - Belgium – Everton
80 178 NR 241 Moussa Dembélé - Belgium - Tottenham
79 76 97 132 Alex Song - Cameroun - Arsenal
78 66 96 99 Sami Khedira - Germany - Real Madrid
77 101 112 110 Riccardo Montolivo - Italy - Milan
76 63 49 184 Thiago Alcântara - Spain - Barcelona
75 99 107 148 Claudio Marchisio - Italy - Juventus
74 51 42 52 Mario Gomez - Germany - Bayern München
73 38 47 57 Fernando Llorente - Spain - Athletic Bilbao
72 31 27 29 Nani - Portugal - Manchester United
71 43 39 64 Alexis Sanchez - Chile – Barcelona
70 193 Mario Mandzukic - Croatia - Bayern München
69 72 66 114: Yohan Cabaye - France - Newcastle
68 52 68 101: Vincent Kompany - Belgium - Manchester City
67 55 60 90 Marcelo - Brazil - Real Madrid
66 25 16 9 Arjen Robben - Netherlands - Bayern München
65 233 271 Isco - Spain - Malaga
64 64 80 96 Diego - Brazil – Wolfsburg
63 40 40 58 Daniele De Rossi - Italy – Roma
62 Erik Lamela – Argentina - Roma
61 85 79 50 Edin Dzeko - Bosnia/Herzegovina - Manchester City
60 94 82 38 Dimitar Berbatov - Bulgaria – Fulham
59 189 259 Leandro Damião - Brazil – Internacional
58 49 61 82 Sergio Ramos - Spain - Real Madrid
57 Stephan El Shaarawy – Italy - Milan
56 162 174 278: James Rodriguez - Colombia - FC Porto
55 28 23 08 Samuel Eto'o - Cameroun -Anzhi
54 113 142 170: Jan Vertonghen - Belgium - Tottenham
53 47 45 86 Javier Mascherano - Argentina - Barcelona
52 152 125 87 Jack Wilshere - England - Arsenal
51 21 16 13 Wesley Sneijder - Netherlands – Inter/Galatasaray
50 69 58 78 Philipp Lahm - Germany - Bayern München
49 33 33 36 Dani Alves - Brazil - Barcelona
48 290 Ilkay Gündogan - Germany - Dortmund
47 57 73 54 Arturo Vidal - Chile - Juventus
46 183 201 Fernandinho - Brazil - Shakhtar Donetsk
45 62 57 48 Hernanes - Brazil - Lazio
44 206 Oscar - Brazil - Chelsea
43 54 63 119: Mats Hummels - Germany - Dortmund
42 75 74 117 Stevan Jovetic - Montenegro - Fiorentina
41 92 88 79 Joao Moutinho - Portugal - FC Porto
40 41 71 127: Shinji Kagawa - Japan - Manchester United
39 23 31 25 Gonzalo Higuain - Argentina - Real Madrid
38 56 46 40 Marek Hamsik - Slovakia – Napoli
37 30 25 28 Angel Di Maria - Argentina - Real Madrid
36 45 30 35 Thomas Müller - Germany - Bayern München
35 37 51 126: Marco Reus – Germany – Dortmund
34 21 28 47 Karim Benzema - France - Real Madrid
33 129 148 Willian - Brazil -Shakhtar Donetsk/Anzhi
32 44 138 283: Robert Lewandowski - Poland - Dortmund
31 26 22 06 Carlos Tevez - Argentina - Manchester City
30 18 17 15 Luka Modric - Croatia –Real Madrid
29 73 99 143 Javi Martinez - Spain - Bayern München
28 29 38 66 Neymar - Brazil - Santos
27 48 50 98: Thiago Silva - Brazil - PSG
26 36 36 45 Sergio Busquets - Spain – Barcelona
25 34 34 46 Gareth Bale - Wales - Tottenham
24 27 35 53 Santi Cazorla - Spain -Arsenal
23 17 19 22 Yaya Tore - Ivory Coast - Manchester City
22 15 13 31 Bastian Schweinsteiger - Germany - Bayern München
21 13 14 43 Eden Hazard - Belgium - Chelsea
20 12 11 12 Sergio Aguero - Argentina - Manchester City
19 14 12 10 Xabi Alonso - Spain - Real Madrid
18 19 26 30 Edinson Cavani - Uruguay – Napoli
17 05 05 05 Wayne Rooney - England - Manchester United
16 32 32 51 Juan Manuel Mata - Spain – Chelsea
15 35 24 56 Mario Götze - Germany – Dortmund
14 11 09 14 Mesut Özil - Germany - Real Madrid
13 42 64 147: Toni Kroos - Germany - Bayern München
12 16 15 18 Franck Ribery - France - Bayern München
11 24 18 11 Luis Suarez - Uruguay - Liverpool
10 09 08 17 David Silva - Spain - Manchester City
09 08 20 61 Andrea Pirlo - Italy – Juventus
08 07 06 07 Cesc Fabregas - Spain – Barcelona
07 22 29 49: Radamel Falcao - Colombia - Atletico Madrid
06 10 10 34 Robin Van Persie - Netherlands - Manchester United
05 06 07 13 Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Sweden - PSG
04 03 03 02 Xavi - Spain - Barcelona
03 04 04 04 Andrés Iniesta - Spain - Barcelona
02 02 02 03 Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal - Real Madrid
01 01 01 01 Lionel Messi - Argentina - Barcelona
The numbers following the current rank are the previous 3 rankings. There are a few instances where I've included the 4th in the history, in cases where a player has been NR (not ranked) since four lists ago.
I'm not sure when exactly I'll add more player profiles. It will probably be randomly but I am planning a Player Index in alphabetic order making every profile I've done so far easily accessible. In the meantime go to the various positional rankings in the beginning of this entry and the (linked to) rundowns there which will have many thoughts on the various players and their ranks.
Thanks for following.
Previous rankings:
2011/2012 End of season ranking
2011/2012 Mid-season ranking
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12 ranking
2010/2011 Mid-season ranking:
