2021 Football in Retrospect
If you ask football fans who the best footballer in the world is, at any given time, you’re likely to get answers that range across every club in existence. Some would base their answers on actual data: how many goals, their team’s position in the league and so on, and some would answer from the heart with slightly less verifiable proof. Between 2010 and 2020, you might have found the prevailing answers to be Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, but as time moves on, so too do the stars of the players we have always loved. The next generation of football greats is rising through the ranks and continue to blow fans away with incredible performances at every match. Looking back over the best footballers of 2021 will likely give us a good idea of football to look forward to in the coming year. After all, you can’t know where you’re going unless you know where you’ve come from! Let’s take a look at the top football players of 2021.
5. Harry Kane- Tottenham
While Kane is in a difficult position after trying and failing to move from the disgraced Tottenham, his talent has never been questioned. He has scored a whopping 166 goals in total in his 242 Premier League appearances. Last season saw him score 21 goals, which is nothing to sneeze at. This put him ahead of Thierry Henry, Sergio Aguero, Andy Cole and Frank Lampard in the ranks of the top Premier League goal scorers in history. He only needs to beat the all-time scores of Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer, and he’ll be able to claim the top spot. Kane is a genuinely incredible link-up player whose ability to see into the immediate future when it comes to passing is almost unsurpassed. If he stays on his current track, experts say he’ll have at least another five Premier League seasons left at top form, and another hundred goals.
4. Cristiano Ronaldo- Manchester United
While Ronaldo does fall into the older generation of footballers, as we mentioned previously, it’s going to take a lot to knock him out of the top five spots. Ronaldo has conquered much of Europe as a surprisingly adaptable footballer in his time playing the beautiful game. At every turn, he has fitted in where needed and adapted to his circumstances with remarkable ease, and this makes him a deadly player to face off against. Ronaldo seemed to miss a step here and there at Juventus, and, as a result, his move back to Manchester United raised more than a few eyebrows. Naturally, he has proved every critic wrong once again, as his form has been impeccable since returning to his old stomping ground. While Ronaldo has slipped in the rankings over time, ever so slightly and as is natural over the progression of even the most illustrious career, his unmatched desire to win keeps him at his best. Any team hoping to win against such a lethal striker should say their prayers before the match. Ronaldo is also one of the highest-paid footballers in the world.
3. Kevin De Bruyne- Man City
Technically gifted beyond all belief, Kevin De Bruyne uses his eagle eye and smarts to dominate on home soil and abroad. For some reason, opposing teams continue to underestimate his physical speed and strength, and it does nothing to help their chances of winning against Man City. Without him in their ranks, Man City just wouldn’t be the same. The number of assists he has given has boosted their goal scoring to a significant effect. He is one star among many, with City, but he has also shown his mettle when playing for Belgium. In his 181 Premier League matches, De Bruyne has played an average of 53 passes per match and, as of this season, has 120 goal contributions to his name made up of 78 assists and 42 goals scored. Fans have the feeling that one outstanding season could push De Bruyne even further up our list, and we agree.
2. Robert Lewandowski- Bayern Munich
Lewandowski has hung around on many lists like this for a long time now, always falling below players like Ronaldo. There’s no more leeway for those who have overlooked him in the past because, as of this season, Lewandowski is topping these lists, and he looks to stay. He also makes the list of the most incredible strikers in the game, with a talent for adapting to whatever a match throws his way. The Polish player has a remarkable eye for goal scoring. To date, he has topped the record for most Bundesliga goals ever scored; 49 in 29 matches, to be exact. He was last year’s European Footballer of the Year as well as FIFA’s Player of the Year. As far as strikers go, he is the current king.
1. Lionel Messi- Paris Saint-Germain
There’s not much that we could say about Lionel Messi that the world doesn’t already know. The numbers speak for themselves: Messi has scored 30 goals in 35 La Liga games over the past year without solid support. While this season has been his fifth poorest, poorest is a relative term when it comes to Messi. In total, he has scored 672 goals in 778 games. Critics love to bring up his failure to succeed on an international level, but he has silenced them by getting Argentina to Copa America and winning it in 2021. Numbers aside, watching Messi play is like watching poetry in motion. He is the undisputed king of footballers.
Wrap Up
Well, there you have it! Did your favourite player make the list?
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