World Cup Archives

Chances are you are wondering right now who exactly is the best footballer from every country.

While some players like Messi and Ronaldo may be no-brainers for some, other countries the decision on who is considered the best may be more difficult.

One thing is for sure is that there are many quality footballers around the world playing for many different countries.

This is due to how massive the sport is with an estimated 250 million footballers worldwide.

Within this post, I am going to go through the top 50 ranked countries according to Fifa and will give you the best and highest rated footballer for each one.

1. Kevin De Bruyne – Belguim

The choice for Belgium’s best footballer is quite difficult due to how talented their current squad is.

However while they may have a golden generation, and enough players to fill two squads, their best player is undeniably Kevin De-Bruyne.

The attacking midfielder has been phenomenal since he joined Manchester City in 2015 and was instrumental in his country’s run to the 2018 World Cup Semi-Finals.

With 88 appearances and 23 goals to his name, he has also won the Belgian Sportsman Of The Year two times.

2. Neymar Jr – Brazil

Neymar Jr carried the weight of his country going into the 2014 World Cup on home soil.

While he was only 21 at the time, you can see why that was the case, as the player has some of the rawest talents out there.

So much so that he has not only his countries main star but one of the best footballers in the world right now.

Brazil is blessed with a pool of talent, with new players coming through to both the national side and clubs all around Europe.

But when it comes to one player its Neymar Jr’s name that will come to everyone’s heads when thinking of Brazilian footballers.

3. Kylian Mbappe – France

France is spoilt for choice for quality football players from Manchester United’s Pogba to the red hot Karim Benzema.

However, its Kylian Mbappe who is France’s best footballer and is one of the biggest prospects in football right now.

Teammate of Neymar Jr, Mbappe has shown an incredible amount of maturity on the highest level.

Showcasing his ability to tear apart elite football teams with his blistering pace and clinical finishing

While Mbappe’s rise started at Monaco FC as a teenager, it was the World Cup 2018 that really made him.

Aged 19 at the time, he inspired the team to their first win since these France players did it in 1998 becoming the youngest footballer of this century to score in a World Cup final.

4. Harry Kane – England

While England’s Euro disappointment will leave many fans upset, one thing it shows is how talented a squad they have.

With players, playing for top clubs around the Premier League its therefore hard to single certain players out.

Especially when you have youngsters in Phil Foden, Mason Mount, and Declan Rice making breakthroughs.

However, as of now, you can’t look past the target man Harry Kane, who while has had a recent dip with Tottenham is still Englands best player.

Part of the Premier League 100 goal club, the 29-year-old who still has plenty of time on his career left will go down as one of the best strikers in Premier League history.

5. Lionel Messi – Argentina

Lionel Messi is more than just Argentina’s best footballer but is one of the best to ever play the game.

Messi is unlike any other player out there, as he does everything when it comes to attacking to a high degree.

He dribbles with the ball close to his feet, is lethal in and outside the box, and has one of the best footballing brains of the current era.

Now normally when a footballer reaches his mid-thirties they start to slow down, however, Messi isn’t showing those signs at all.

This all just shows you how special a player he is and how its unlikely we will see someone like him for a while.

6. Gianluigi Donnaruma – Italy

Gianluigi Donnaruma may only be 22 years of age, however, the Italian goalkeeper has been playing in the top leagues of Europe for 7 years.

Back when he was 17 and establishing himself in the Milan first team despite his young age, he was destined for greatness.

So far he has been living up to expectations, helping Milan mount a push for the title in 2021 and helping Italy win the Euro 2020.

A famous shootout that showcased his fantastic ability to save penalties, saving each of England’s last three.

For 2021, the Italian was nominated as the best keeper in the world, with the inclusion in the Men’s Fifpro World XL.

7. Sergio Ramos – Spain

Spain has produced some of the most talented footballers of the past decade, which is shown by their domination of football in the early 2010s.

However, from that golden generation consisting of Iniesta, David Villa, Torres, and others who won the World Cup and Euros are either retired or playing at a lower level.

From those players and still considered as Spain’s best footballer is Sergio Ramos.

Despite being 35 now, he is still one of the best ball-playing defenders in the game.

Not only is he really solid defensively, but he is a technically gifted player who can take a penalty too.

Ramos has with the exception of last year, been in Fifa’s team of the year since 2011 and Uefa’s 9 times out of the last 11.

8. Cristiano Ronaldo – Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo has maintained an impressive goalscoring record over the years, despite being well into his thirties.

His clinical nature with both head and feet in front of goal, his pace, and skills, has put him as one of the best in his countries history.

For someone who is closer to 40 and what is the case for so many players, you expect a decline of some sort.

However, 14 goals in 23 games since joining Manchester United, and 36 goals in 44 games for Juventus tell you he is not slowing down anytime soon.

9. Christian Eriksen – Denmark

Denmarks best footballer may not have been here today if it wasn’t for the heroics of the medical staff and Simon Kjaer back in Euro 2020.

While Eriksen is lucky to be alive, you will know that everyone would have missed his presence in the Danish side for the Euro campaign in which they reached the Semis.

Eriksen who has a terrific eye for goal and is one of the best passers around may only be 29 however he is a leader for his countries team and a quality footballer.

10. Virgil Van Dijk – Netherlands

Despite missing the majority of the 2020/21 season Virgil Van Dijk has been classed as an elite defender for a number of years.

His presence, leadership, defensive traits along with even pace, make him one of the hardest centre backs to get past.

In fact, the commanding Dutchman went on a whopping streak of 65 games without being dribbled past in 2018/19.

It was the same year, that his Liverpool team only lost one game in 38 in the premier league.

11. Christian Pulisic – USA

The USA currently has a promising generation of footballers currently coming through, with more players moving from the states to elite clubs around Europe.

From as recently as Auston Trusty to Arsenal to Weston Mckennie who has stamped his place in a competitive Juventus midfield.

With that said its Christian Pulisic who is the best player in the USA, currently their captain and carrying the country on his shoulders with the World Cup on home soil in 2026 upcoming.

Pulisic is a player with electric pace and trickery, which is why you can Chelsea bringing him in.

However he still has bags of potential, and in a few years could be even better than he is now.

12. Joshua Kimmich – Germany

With the amount of talent Germany produces, there are so many top footballers to choose from.

However one that stands out is Joshua Kimmich, who has gone from strength to strength since being brought into Bayern by Guardiola in 2015.

Nowadays more a holding midfielder, Kimmich is not only excellent in many areas but he can play multiple positions without any issues.

He boasts a wide variety of high-quality passing in his game and reads the game very well.

13. Yann Sommer – Switzerland

Switzerland is a nation that does well on the international stage, due to having numerous footballers in Europe’s top leagues.

Despite having such a good world ranking they don’t really have any superstars, so a lot of that is because of how well they play as a team.

But since we are choosing footballers, the one for Switzerland would be Borussia Monchundgladbachs Yann Sommer.

Playing alongside national teammates Embolo and most recently Zakaria, Sommer has been an ever-reliable keeper in Germany.

For a keeper, he is great with his feet and has great reflexes to pull of top saves.

Essentially he has everything you could wish for in a modern-day goalkeeper.

14. Raul Jimenez – Mexico

Mexicos best player over the last few years as arguably been Raul Jimenez of Wolverhampton in the premier league.

The target man has done wonders for what was a struggling Wolves side, helping them to reach the Europa League quarter final in 2019.

The Mexican has scored 52 goals in 4 seasons with the club, this includes the 2020 season where he missed the bulk of it, due to a unfortunate head injury.

15. Luka Modric – Croatia

Luka Modric who is also Croatians highest-paid footballer has been his countries player for nearly a decade now.

Not only will he go down as a legend when he retires, but he will be among the greats such as Davor Suker and Darijo Srna to come out of the country.

The 2018 Ballon D’or winner continues to show no signs of aging still performing week to a high level at Real Madrid, making at least 40 appearances in each of the last 4 seasons.

16. Luis Diaz – Columbia

If the question on Columbias best footballer was asked a few years ago, it would of no doubt have been James Rodriquez.

However, the form of the footballer has gone down a lot, with him no longer playing the big role he once played for the country and with him also switching England for Saudi.

Nonetheless, with him out of favor, there are shoes to fill, and the player to do that might just be Luiz Diaz.

Liverpool’s new player has been a great player for Porto, bringing pace, attacking threat, and important goals to the Portugal side.

Something he will be looking to build on in England after signing a 5 and a half year contract.

17. Luis Suarez – Uruguay

A country that has been blessed with top strikers over the years, from Diego Forlan in the 2000s to still present Edinson Cavani.

However, from is now an aging squad, Luis Suarez is still their best player and arguably one of the best strikers of all time.

Playing for Atletico Madrid he scored 21 goals in 32 games in La Liga, one of which all importantly sealed the 2021 league title.

18. Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Sweden

If anybody proves that age is just a number then its AC Milan’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic who while turning 41 in 2022, is still scoring goals for fun in Italy’s top division.

His goalscoring record to this day is due to his shooting traits, ability to outduel most players in the air, and use his body to his advantage. All of this makes him a great striker even in his early 40’s.

19. Gareth Bale – Wales

While Gareth Bale has struggled in recent times, he still remains as the countries best and most talented player.

Bale who played for Tottenham last year on a short loan spell, is back at Real Madrid where he has won 3 Champions League titles.

20. Sadio Mane – Senegal

Not only is Sadio Mane Senegals talisman, but he is one of the deadliest wingers in world football.

A stat that I recently came across was that Mane has been involved in 50 percent of his countries goals.

This doesn’t just tell you how good he is, but also how is by far his countries best footballer.

21. Sardar Azmoun – Iran

Iran is one of many top nations within Asia, that have some quality footballers around Europe.

A few could be chosen as Iran’s best, but one name that has been in prolific goalscoring form around Europe is Sardar Azmoun.

Playing most of his career in Russia, in quite recently had a three-year spell for Zenit where he scored 52 goals in 79 appearances.

It was this reign of form, that has led to him getting interest from top clubs around Europe, with Bayer Leverkusen signing him on a free contract at the start of 2022.

21. Raul Ruidiaz – Peru

On paper, Raul Ruidiaz is the best footballer from Peru currently. A designated player for Seattle Sounders, the poacher has been in fine form since switching Mexico for the USA.

I say on paper though, as while his brilliant goalscoring record made him one of the best in MLS with 50 in 79 appearances.

This shows how much the Peruvian has enjoyed life in the MLS as he’s struggled to translate that form into success at the international level, with only 4 in 50 games.

23. Dusan Tadic – Serbia

For many footballers who leave the premier league, they tend to be forgotten as they go on to play for mid-league teams around Europe.

This is what was expected of Dusan Tadic when he moved to Ajax, who while doing well in England with Southampton never really hit the heights expected.

However, since going to Amsterdam the player has been nothing short of phenomenal helping a young Ajax team to win three titles on the spin.

Included in this run was a fantastic but also unlucky run to the Champions League Semi’s in which Tadic scored 9 in 18.

Serbia’s captain had a terrific 2021 too, shattering the record for assists in a year with 37 aswell as guiding his team to Qatar 2022.

24. Arturo Vidal – Chile

A somewhat underrated midfielder, Arturo Vidal is his countries leader at the now age of 35.

On a mission to get his country to the 2022 Qatar World Cup after missing out in 2018, Arturo has been a consistent performing midfielder for over 10 years.

Someone who can do anything in midfield, from getting forward and scoring to defending, Vidal played a key role in Inter’s first title since 2011 last year in 2021.

25. Oleksandr Zinchenko – Ukraine

Oleksandr Zinchenko is Ukraine’s best player, who plays for one of the best teams in the world in Manchester City.

The full-back who moved in 2016 aged 20, recently won Ukrainian player of the year for 2019 and has been a frequently used footballer in Manchester since his move.

Going into Euro 2020, he was made the youngest captain of his countries history.

Countries 26 To 50

26 – Japan – Takumi Minamino (Liverpool FC)
27 – Poland – Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
28 – Morocco – Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea FC)
29 – Algeria – Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)
30 – Tunisia – Wahbi Khazri (St Etienne)
31 – Japan – David Alaba (Real Madrid)
32 – Czech Republic – Patrick Schick (Bayer Leverkusen)
33 – South Korea – Heung Min Son (Tottenham Hotspur)
34 – Russia – Mario Fernandes (CSKA Moscow)
35 – Australia – Tom Rogic (Celtic)
36 – Japan – Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City)
37 – Japan – Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter Milan)
38 – Japan – Andy Roberston (Liverpool FC)
39 – Hungary – Thomas Szoboszlai (RB Leipzig)
40 – Canada – Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich)
41 – Norway – Erling Braut Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)
42 – Slovakia – Marek Hamsik (Trabzonspor)
43 – Paraguay – Miguel Almiron (Newcastle United)
44 – Romania – George Puscas (Reading)
45 – Egypt – Mohammed Salah (Liverpool FC)
46 – Ireland – Shane Duffy (Brighton)
47 – Ecuador – Enner Valencia (Fenerbache)
48 – Qatar – Akram Afif (Al Saad FC)
49 – Costa Rica – Joel Campbell (Monterrey FC)
50 – Cameroon – Vincent Aboubakar (Al Nassr)

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