2016/17 Rankings: WORK HAS STARTED

2017 April update:

A lot of work has been done over what is now a long stretch of time and once this is finally done it will definitely be the most thorough rankings ever.

The current plan is for it to be presented one way or the other towards the very end of the 2016/17 season or into the off-season which from experience I've now concluded is by far the best time for something like this to at least resemble a finished product.

During the season(s), and the work on the next rankings now stretch just about a couple of those, there is constant new information and never ending change making closure difficult to find.

Currently I have completed 15/16 as well as 2016 rankings on all the positions to work with and from now on it's simply a matter of adding all the new information from the last couple of months of the season and the end will be near.

2014/15 Season Rankings: The 300 Best Players in the World

The end destination that is the 300 best players in the world has now officially been reached.

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE 300 LIST ITSELF!

No more tinkering with the different lists. This shall stand even if it in various places will inevitably look silly sooner rather than later.

On the overall ranking the different players are very hard to compare (and goalkeepers are still so hard to compare that they are still excluded), and perhaps the different-position-rankings are more interesting, they're the essential skeleton of the overall list, but for all the players featuring on more than one positional-ranking for an example with one being ahead of x-player while on the other list perhaps behind that very same player, the overall ranking here is when the truth finally comes out.

For an example Fabregas is ahead of Toni Kroos on the attacking midfielder list while Kroos gets the nod on the top 200 (central) midfielder list. Who is ahead overall? Well, scroll down some and have a look!

For analysis, comments and context I definitely recommend any football fan coming across this to check the position rankings below where there will be links to a Sporting Events Forum containing many words and analysis on almost of all these players, whether it was done in strong detail for the ranking specifically this time around or for one of the previous editions. Writing about all these fantastic players was a big motivation for doing this and while the blog here itself will have player profiles, much is pretty dated + possibly embarrassing, and for new stuff instead head to the links at the start of the various position-rankings found here below.

If you want to listen to me discussing some select players on here and their individual rankings you can listen to the Low Limit Futbol Podcast HERE  or HERE or simply find it on your phone-podcast-app.

The numbers following a player's rank both here and on the position-rankings are of course the previous rankings (the history!) which in their glorious entirety can be found at the bottom of this page going all the way back to 2010!

That is old.

In with the new:

2014/15 Position rankings:

Top 100 Centrebacks
Top 200 Attacking Midfielders/Wingers
Top 100 Left and Right-backs
Top 125 Forwards
Top 200 Midfielders

2014/15 Overall Rankings: 

The 300 Best Players in the World

300 Patrick Herrmann - Germany - Mönchengladbach
299 Stefan De Vrij - Netherlands - Lazio 
298 250 181 142 170 181 Bruno Soriano - Spain -Villarreal
297 142 187 Fernando Reges - Brazil- Manchester City
296 Adam Maher - Netherlands - PSV
295 Kurt Zouma - France - Chelsea
294 83 109 46 41 68 Antonio Valencia - Ecuador - Manchester United
293 Raffael - Brazil - Mönchengladbach
292 240 168 288 Eduardo Salvio - Argentina - Benfica
291 Stewart Downing - England - West Ham/Middlesbrough

290 286 Adrien Rabiot - France - PSG
289 Youri Tielemans - Belgium - Anderlecht
288 197 227 246 276 Kwadwo Asamoah - Ghana - Juventus
287 Radja Nainggolan - Belgium - Roma
286 257 NR NR 267 267 Dries Mertens - Belgium - Napoli
285 Denis Cheryshev - Russia -Villarreal/Real Madrid
284 Nolito - Spain - Celta Vigo
283 Derlis González - Paraguay - FC Basel/Dynamo Kiev
282 Talisca - Brazil - Benfica
281 177 201 130 118 180 Danny - Portugal - Zenit

280 122 77 101 112 110 Riccardo Montolivo - Italy - Milan
279 255 235 190 206 Jonas - Brazil – Benfica
278 Taison - Brazil - Shakhtar Donetsk 
277 219 218 121 91 241 Lukas Podolski - Germany - Arsenal/Inter/Galatasaray
276 235 156 200 289 Sebastian Giovinco - Italy - Juventus/Toronto
275 Aleksandar Mitrovic - Serbia - Anderlecht/Newcastle
274 117 73 38 47 57 Fernando Llorente - Spain - Juventus
273 Paco Alcácer - Spain - Valencia
272 188 Lazar Markovic - Serbia - Liverpool
271 James Ward-Prowse - England - Southampton 

270 Rafinha Alcantara - Brazil - Celta Vigo/Barcelona
269 258 300 NR NR 280 Gonzalo Castro - Germany - Bayer Leverkusen/Dortmund
268 130 92 163 157 138 Keisuke Honda - Japan - CSKA Moscov/Milan
267 170 62 Erik Lamela – Argentina -Tottenham
266 232 Jay Rodriguez - England - Southampton
265 202 NR NR 290 Gary Cahill - England - Chelsea
264 201 NR 232 219 157 John Terry - England - Chelsea
263 Saido Berahino - England - WBA 
262 173 85 71 55 42 Javier Hernandez - Mexico - Real Madrid/Manchester United
261 NR 172 199 276 Andres Guardado - Mexico - PSV

260 129 138 194 153 129 Borja Valero - Spain - Fiorentina
259 231 213 245 Lars Bender - Germany -Bayer Leverkusen
258 Demba Ba -Senegal - Besiktas/Shanghai Shenhua
257 163 NR 198 175 201 Loic Remy - France – Chelsea
256 Salomón Rondón - Venezuela - Zenit/WBA
255 Roberto Pereyra - Argentina - Juventus 
254  Aymen Abdennour - Tunisia - Monaco 
253 158 101 NR NR 271 Gonzalo Rodríguez-Argentina - Fiorentina
252 273 291 238 Andrea Barzagli - Italy - Juventus
251 292 Mamadou Sakho - France – Liverpool 

250 125 87 93 86 128: Lucas Leiva - Brazil - Liverpool
249 Ivan Perisic - Croatia - Wolfsburg 
248 Jefferson Montero - Ecuador - Morelia/Swansea
247 Yannick Ferreira Carrasco - Belgium - Monaco/Atletico Madrid
246 247 Adnan Januzaj - Belgium - Manchester United
245 Max Meyer - Germany - Schalke 04 
244 155 95 87 101 169 Ezequiel Lavezzi - Argentina - PSG
243 242 222 Kevin Mirallas - Belgium – Everton
242 100 64 64 80 96 Diego - Brazil – Wolfsburg/Atletico Madrid
241 Kevin Kampl - Slovenia - Red Bull Salzburg/Dortmund

240 Dušan Tadić - Serbia - Twente/Southampton
239 149 72 31 27 29 Nani - Portugal - Sporting CP/Fenerbahce
238 Mile Jedinak - Australia - Crystal Palace
237 Andrea Bertolacci - Italy - Genoa/Milan
236 Granit Xhaka - Switzerland - Borussia Mönchengladbach
235 Emre Can - Germany - Liverpool
234 Layvin Kurzawa - France - Monaco 
233 NR 243 171 105 133 Andre Ayew - Ghana - Marseille/Swansea
232 161 NR 289 Raul Garcia - Spain - Atletico Madrid
231 Georginio Wijnaldum - Netherlands - PSV/Newcastle

230 Corentin Tolisso - France - Lyon
229 287 Sebastian Rode - Germany - Bayern München
228 Francis Coquelin - France - Arsenal
227 Nabil Bentaleb - Algeria - Tottenham
226 141 Asier Illarramendi Spain - Real Madrid
225 Pierre-Emile Højbjerg - Denmark - Augsburg/Bayern München
224 277 Aleksandar Kolarov - Serbia - Manchester City
223 Nathaniel Clyne - England - Southampton/Liverpool
222 Gregory Van der Wiel - Netherlands - PSG
221 189 132 139 281 Łukasz Piszczek - Poland - Dortmund

220 Rafinha - Brazil - Bayern München
219 194 224 248 231 Stephan Lichtsteiner - Switzerland - Juventus
218 165 174 281 Adriano - Brazil – Barcelona
217 193 141 117 87 94 Fabio Coentrao - Portugal - Real Madrid
216 192 225 283 Filipe Luís - Brazil - Atletico Madrid
215 196 César Azpilicueta - Spain - Chelsea
214 75 127 286 233 Gabi - Spain - Atletico Madrid 
213 Daryl Janmaat - Netherlands - Newcastle
212 Sadio Mané - Senegal - Southampton 
211 133 96 124 115 125 Andre Schürrle - Germany -Chelsea/Wolfsburg

210 Danilo Pereira - Portugal - Maritimo/FC Porto
209 121 82 70 56 24 Frank Lampard - England – Chelsea/New York City FC
208 128 78 66 96 99 Sami Khedira - Germany - Real Madrid/Juventus 
207 127 86 78 75 60 Ramires - Brazil - Chelsea
206 175 159 123 136 223 Jeremy Toulalan - France - Monaco
205 103 111 100 98 81 Jesus Navas - Spain - Manchester City
204 245 Antonio Candreva - Italy - Lazio
203 Alex Teixeira - Brazil - Shakhtar Donetsk 
202 186 110 60 100 Iker Muniain - Spain - Athletic Bilbao
201 Yacine Brahimi - Algeria - FC Porto 

200 205 81 128 134 149 Marouane Fellaini - Belgium – Manchester United
199 Aleix Vidal - Spain - Sevilla/Barcelona 
198 146 191 148 176 268 Thiago Motta - Italy - PSG
197 210 233 Jose Callejon - Spain - Napoli
196 124 197 115 127 Danny Welbeck - England - Manchester United/Arsenal
195 William Carvalho - Portugal - Sporting CP
194 176 160 118 120 Axel Witsel - Belgium – Zenit
193 Fred - Brazil - Shakhtar Donetsk
192 113 NR 300 NR Julian Draxler - Germany - Schalke 04
191 106 100 196 186 191 Francesco Totti - Italy – Roma

190 263 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - England - Arsenal
189 96 52 152 125 87 Jack Wilshere - England - Arsenal
188 253 99 120 150 171 Jeremy Menez - France – Milan
187 Lucas Biglia - Argentina - Lazio
186 140 79 76 97 132 Alex Song - Cameroun - Barcelona/West Ham
185 143 Enzo Perez - Argentina - Valencia
184 204 145 81 44 89 Ever Banega - Argentina – Sevilla
183 Wilfried Bony - Côte d'Ivoire - Swansea/Manchester City
182 Kevin Gameiro - France - Sevilla
181 Kevin Volland - Germany - Hoffenheim

180 Mauro Icardi - Argentina - Inter
179 145 Max Kruse - Germany - Mönchengladbach/Wolfsburg
178 33 07 22 29 49 Radamel Falcao - Colombia - Manchester United/Chelsea
177 José Maria Giménez - Uruguay - Atletico Madrid
176 144 128 133 143 92 Pepe - Portugal - Real Madrid
175 Kostas Manolas - Greece - Roma
174 109 175 Miranda - Brazil - Atletico Madrid/Inter
173 Matteo Darmian - Italy - Torino/Manchester United
172 Michy Batshuayi - Belgium - Marseille
171 72 54 113 142 170: Jan Vertonghen - Belgium - Tottenham

170 195 Séamus Coleman - Ireland - Everton
169 Roman Eremenko - Finland - CSKA Moscow
168 Jose Gaya - Spain - Valencia
167 212 Maxwell - Brazil - PSG
166 190 217 NR 267 Leighton Baines - England - Everton
165 191 126 169 183 246 Darijo Srna - Croatia - Shakthar Donetsk
164 215 Ricardo Rodriguez - Switzerland - Wolfsburg
163 198 271 Alex Sandro - Brazil - Porto/Juventus
162 154 172 134 163 136 Branislav Ivanovic - Serbia - Chelsea
161 Fabinho - Brazil - Monaco

160 184 137 82 65 230 Nicolas Gaitan - Argentina – Benfica
159 99 51 21 16 13 Wesley Sneijder - Netherlands – Galatasaray
158 Felipe Anderson - Brazil - Lazio 
157 169 134 77 70 21 Samir Nasri - France - Manchester City
156 108 152 208 192 189 Theo Walcott - England – Arsenal
155 111 Lima - Brazil- Benfica/Al Ahli
154 Mohamed Salah -Egypt - Chelsea/Fiorentina/Roma
153 NR NR 217 Douglas Costa - Brazil - Shakhtar Donetsk/Bayern München
152 152 Carlos Vela - Mexico - Real Sociedad
151 Johannes Geis - Germany - Mainz/Schalke 04

150 241 203 292 Andriy Yarmolenko - Ukraine - Dynamo Kiev
149 Grzegorz Krychowiak - Poland - Sevilla
148 123 139 108 103 106 Michael Carrick - England - Manchester United
147 Andre Gomes - Portugal - Valencia
146 114 Ross Barkley - England - Everton
145 162 NR NR NR 226 Jordan Henderson - England - Liverpool
144 Oliver Torres - Spain - FC Porto/Atletico Madrid
143 Charles Aranguiz - Chile - Internacional/Bayer Leverkusen
142 288 Daniel Parejo - Spain - Valencia
141 Cristoph Kramer - Germany - Mönchengladbach/Bayer Leverkusen

140 102 171 170 149 235 Mathieu Valbuena - France - Dynamo Kiev/Lyon
139 185 209 160 Younès Belhanda - Morocco - Dynamo Kiev
138 80 40 41 127 Shinji Kagawa - Japan - Manchester United/Dortmund
137 Luiz Adriano - Brazil - Shakhtar Donetsk/Milan
136 Luciano Vietto - Argentina - Villarreal/Atletico Madrid
135 151 90 98 106 Xherdan Shaqiri - Switzerland - Bayern München/Inter/Stoke
134 150 103 59 59 80 Javier Pastore - Argentina – PSG
133 Domenico Berardi - Italy - Sassuolo
132 Mateo Kovacic - Croatia - Inter/Real Madrid
131 68 68 52 68 101 Vincent Kompany - Belgium - Manchester City

130 159 129 103 111 103 Gerard Pique - Spain – Barcelona
129 79 176 Ezequiel Garay - Argentina - Zenit
128 164 Mehdi Benatia - Morocco - Roma/Bayern München
127 Gianelli Imbula - France - Marseille/FC Porto
126 74 63 40 40 58 Daniele De Rossi - Italy – Roma
125 92 161 280 Luiz Gustavo - Brazil - Wolfsburg
124 Marquinhos - Brazil - PSG 
123 62 Juan Guillermo Cuadrado - Colombia - Fiorentina/Chelsea/Juventus
122 86 42 75 74 117 Stevan Jovetic - Montenegro - Manchester City/Inter
121 166 140 157 161 120 David Luiz - Brazil – PSG

120 Daley Blind - Netherlands - Manchester United
119 77 280 Romelu Lukaku - Belgium - Everton
118 Anthony Martial - France - Monaco
117 160 Raheem Sterling - England - Liverpool/Manchester City
116 Bernardo Silva - Portugal - Monaco
115 252 Dimitri Payet - France - Marseille/West Ham
114 Memphis Depay - Netherlands - PSV/Manchester United
113 171 248 Yevhen Konoplianka - Ukraine - Dnipro/Sevilla
112 81 94 Henrik Mkhitaryan - Armenia - Dortmund
111 Roberto Firmino - Brazil - Hoffenheim/Liverpool 

110 Hakan Calhanoglu - Turkey - Bayer Leverkusen 
109 244 Alexandre Lacazette - France - Lyon
108 Paulo Dybala - Argentina - Palermo/Juventus
107 23 06 10 10 34 Robin Van Persie - Netherlands - Manchester United/Fenerbahce
106 50 46 198 201 Fernandinho - Brazil - Shakhtar Donetsk/Manchester City
105 262 Morgan Schneiderlin - France - Southampton/Manchester United
104 71 190 185 195 Kevin Strootman - Netherlands – Roma
103 48 29 73 99 143 Javi Martinez - Spain - Bayern München
102 Hector Herrera - Mexico - FC Porto
101 36 69 72 66 114 Yohan Cabaye - France - PSG/Crystal Palace
100 22 09 08 20 61 Andrea Pirlo - Italy – Juventus/New York City FC

99 60 NR 237 209 296 Daniel Sturridge - England - Liverpool
98 Serge Aurier - Cote d'Ivoire - PSG
97 59 70 193 Mario Mandzukic - Croatia - Atletico Madrid/Juventus
96 216 Daniel Carvajal - Spain - Real Madrid
95 168 124 119 140 Jordi Alba - Spain - Barcelona
94 214 Juanfran - Spain - Atletico Madrid
93 21 04 03 03 02 Xavi - Spain - Barcelona/Al Sadd
92 295 Danilo - Brazil - FC Porto/Real Madrid
91 90 97 209 210 Pablo Zabaleta - Argentina - Manchester City

90 107 105 89 83 44 Pedro - Spain – Barcelona/Chelsea
89 78 33 129 148 Willian - Brazil - Chelsea
88 Karim Bellarabi - Germany - Bayer Leverkusen 
87 101 91 122 121 218 Lucas Moura - Brazil - PSG
86 98 74 69 59 Hulk - Brazil - Zenit
85 Juan Bernat - Spain - Bayern München
84 Casemiro - Brazil - FC Porto/Real Madrid
83 Heung Min Son - South Korea - Bayer Leverkusen 
82 132 Coutinho – Brazil - Liverpool 
81 Nicolas Otamendi - Argentina - Valencia/Manchester City 

80 167 264 Jerome Boateng - Germany - Bayern München
79 91 Raphael Varane France - Real Madrid
78 207 232 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - Gabon - Dortmund
77 51 43 54 63 119 Mats Hummels - Germany - Dortmund
76 239 266 Leonardo Bonnucci - Italy - Juventus
75 110 Diego Godin - Uruguay - Atletico Madrid
74 64 41 92 88 79 Joao Moutinho - Portugal - Monaco
73 42 16 32 32 51 Juan Manuel Mata - Spain – Manchester United
72 73 45 62 57 48 Hernanes - Brazil - Inter
71 82 93 131 119 249 Arda Turan - Turkey - Atletico Madrid/Barcelona

70 67 58 49 61 82 Sergio Ramos - Spain - Real Madrid
69 66 141 102 152 Laurent Koscielny - France – Arsenal
68 97 165 Christian Benteke - Belgium - Aston Villa/Liverpool
67 Alvaro Morata - Spain - Real Madrid/Juventus
66 84 122 Jackson Martinez - Colombia - Porto/Atletico Madrid
65 89 55 60 90 Marcelo - Brazil - Real Madrid
64 112 49 33 33 36 Dani Alves - Brazil - Barcelona
63 27 48 290 Ilkay Gündogan - Germany - Dortmund
62 65 154 Blaise Matuidi – France - PSG
61 Geoffrey Kondogbia - France - Monaco/Inter

60 70 155 159 168 Ander Herrera - Spain - Manchester United
59 55 38 56 46 40 Marek Hamsik - Slovakia – Napoli
58 56 24 27 35 53 Santi Cazorla - Spain -Arsenal
57 69 121 107 117 167: Miralem Pjanic - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Roma
56 Nabil Fekir - Algeria/France - Lyon 
55 87 61 85 79 50 Edin Dzeko - Bosnia/Herzegovina - Manchester City/Roma
54 95 131 153 173 Olivier Giroud - France – Arsenal
53 41 136 164 137 244: Christian Eriksen - Denmark - Tottenham
52 53 44 206 Oscar - Brazil - Chelsea
51 118 Carlos Bacca - Colombia - Sevilla/Milan

50 Harry Kane - England - Tottenham
49 32 17 05 05 05 Wayne Rooney - England - Manchester United
48 76 65 233 271 Isco - Spain - Real Madrid
47 63 75 99 107 148 Claudio Marchisio - Italy - Juventus
46 29 22 15 13 31 Bastian Schweinsteiger - Germany - Bayern München/Manchester United
45 37 NR 250 212 219 Aaron Ramsey - Wales – Arsenal
44 39 15 35 24 56 Mario Götze - Germany – Bayern München
43 35 27 48 50 98 Thiago Silva - Brazil - PSG
42 58 84 140 David Alaba - Austria - Bayern München
41 20 37 30 25 28 Angel Di Maria - Argentina - Manchester United/PSG

40 25 19 14 12 10 Xabi Alonso - Spain - Bayern München
39 46 36 45 30 35 Thomas Müller - Germany - Bayern München
38 38 249 Koke - Spain - Atletico Madrid
37 153 Antoine Griezmann - France - Atletico Madrid
36 43 39 23 31 25 Gonzalo Higuain - Argentina - Napoli
35 30 18 19 26 30 Edinson Cavani - Uruguay – PSG
34 45 34 21 28 47 Karim Benzema - France - Real Madrid
33 44 31 26 22 06 Carlos Tevez - Argentina - Juventus/Boca Juniors
32 47 166 240 222 216 Ivan Rakitić - Croatia – Barcelona
31 61 53 47 45 86 Javier Mascherano - Argentina - Barcelona

30 54 164 Marco Verratti - Italy - PSG
29 49 Nemanja Matic - Serbia - Chelsea
28 31 283 Diego Costa - Brazil/Spain - Chelsea
27 11 47 57 73 54 Arturo Vidal - Chile - Juventus
26 28 76 63 49 184 Thiago Alcântara - Spain - Bayern München
25 26 30 18 17 15 Luka Modric - Croatia –Real Madrid
24 13 50 69 58 78 Philipp Lahm - Germany - Bayern München
23 24 32 44 138 283 Robert Lewandowski - Poland - Bayern München
22 14 14 11 09 14 Mesut Özil - Germany - Arsenal
21 52 298 Paul Pogba - France - Juventus

20 12 23 17 19 22 Yaya Toure - Ivory Coast - Manchester City
19 34 26 36 36 45 Sergio Busquets - Spain – Barcelona
18 88 170 Kevin De Bruyne - Belgium -Wolfsburg
17 57 56 162 174 278 James Rodriguez - Colombia - Real Madrid
16 15 25 34 34 46 Gareth Bale - Wales - Real Madrid
15 07 12 16 15 18 Franck Ribery - France - Bayern München
14 17 35 37 51 126 Marco Reus – Germany – Dortmund
13 10 10 09 08 17 David Silva - Spain - Manchester City
12 40 71 43 39 64 Alexis Sanchez - Chile – Arsenal
11 09 08 07 06 07 Cesc Fabregas - Spain – Chelsea

10 06 13 42 64 147 Toni Kroos - Germany - Real Madrid
09 04 03 04 04 04 Andrés Iniesta - Spain - Barcelona
08 19 20 12 11 12 Sergio Aguero - Argentina - Manchester City
07 05 05 06 07 13 Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Sweden - PSG
06 16 21 13 14 43 Eden Hazard - Belgium - Chelsea
05 18 66 25 16 09 Arjen Robben - Netherlands - Bayern München
04 03 11 24 18 11 Luis Suarez - Uruguay - Barcelona
03 08 28 29 38 66 Neymar - Brazil - Barcelona
02 02 02 02 02 03 Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal - Real Madrid
01 01 01 01 01 01 Lionel Messi - Argentina - Barcelona



All previous 300 Best Players in the World Rankings:

End of 2012/13 - Mid 2013/14 ranking
2012/13 Mid-Season ranking
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: