Next step for Hazard: becoming Madrid’s new Cristiano Ronaldo.The records continue to tumble. Scoring a hat-trick as Netherlands captain wrapped up a marvellous year. Adam Vinatieri. JKimmich continues to be hugely influential for Bayern Munich and Germany, whether he is being deployed as a right-back or in his preferred central midfield role. Professional football players start playing early on in their childhood for local clubs and play for several small teams before getting selected for high-ranking teams. A long list of players have competed in the National Football League at age 40 or older. Strong, mobile and fearless, Skriniar boasts excellent pace and awareness, and he is unquestionably one of the best man-markers in Italian football. Griezmann has struggled, that’s undeniable – but his relationship with Lionel Messi is vital to his Champions League ambitions. Over the past year, Di Maria has produced some of his best performances since his days with Real Madrid, and he started the current campaign brilliantly following 12 league goals and 11 assists in 2018-19. He was rewarded with UEFA’s player of the year award, but missed out on the big golden football (and the Best FIFA Men’s Player award) because of a certain Argentine…Barcelona’s wizard continues to dazzle and delight, producing another calendar year of extraordinary consistency in front of goal and almost single-handedly carrying the Catalan club at times. De Ligt’s 2019 started dramatically, his goal eliminating Juventus in the Champions League quarter-finals. Neymar won’t look back on 2019 particularly fondly: it was arguably his worst year as a professional. Occasionally deployed on the left of defence despite his disdain for the position, the 25-year-old’s midfield displays have suffered in turn – yet he remains a trusted lieutenant. Players who played in the National Football League at the age of 40 or older. He relishes battles but also packs a decent turn of pace and, better still, the intelligence to be there one step earlier. The 32-year-old Belgian has passed some major club milestones in 2019, hitting 300 appearances for Napoli and overtaking the legendary Diego Maradona in their all-time goalscoring chart, with the No.1 spot to follow. The best players deliver when it matters most; the truly elite do it consistently. He shoulders responsibility, and he rarely disappoints.It’s hardly surprising that Barcelona struggled at the beginning of this season: Alba, who chipped in with 17 assists in all competitions last season, missed a month of the 2019-20 campaign through injury. He is growing in stature and reputation, and still only 24 years of age.Navas is now enjoying a new lease of life with PSG after inexplicably falling out of favour at Real Madrid, and he wasted little time in reminding people that he remains among the best goalkeepers in the game. So much is made of Bale’s off-field relationship with Los Blancos that it’s easy to forget how decisive he can still be. Rightfully, however, United fans expect more.This was the year Gnabry grew into a true world-class star.
Great beard; even better right-back, though.De Gea has struggled ever since the 2018 World Cup, in truth, but the rate at which he bailed out Manchester United was hardly sustainable. He topped the 2018-19 Bundesliga assists chart with 18, adding a dozen goals for good measure, and against Kosovo in September he netted his first two goals for England.Despite having to endure nearly four months without competitive football in 2019, Icardi is now in excellent form for his new club. The former Monaco favourite grew slowly into his first Premier League season, but now he is key for Liverpool.
The former Liverpool man is a cracking package: set-piece master, workhorse, creator and ever-reliable finisher.Tadic became just the ninth player in history to receive a 10/10 rating from The striker played his part in another record-breaking season at the Etihad Stadium, scoring 21 goals in as many starts across 2018-19. If he adds more goals like the one against Manchester City, he will be some player. The 35-year-old goalkeeper brings a calming influence to the Nerazzurri’s defence and has good command of his 18-yard box – plus, he is an excellent shot-stopper, as an incredible Serie A penalty-saving success rate of 39 per cent illustrates.Age shows no signs of slowing the striker down – Vardy could become the oldest Premier League Golden Boot winner at the age of 33.
But he has certainly tried: following a hideous 2018, when a poor World Cup followed injury woes, the 33-year-old’s 2019 was much brighter thanks to Bayern’s domestic double. The Yorkshireman’s remarkable rise continued in 2019 as he was made the world’s most expensive defender at £80 million, as well as the cornerstone of England’s rearguard. In 2018-19 he netted 20 league goals for a woeful side, keeping them in La Liga almost single-handedly. His injury problems were so terrible that it’s genuinely remarkable Cazorla is even playing again. His 2019 was largely positive, taking in a heartwarming return to Germany’s ranks following his injury nightmare – even if a maiden Bundesliga crown for Reus proves frustratingly elusive.Ramos continues to be a very competent goalscorer, assuming Real Madrid’s penalty duties with enviable nonchalance. In 2019 he stepped up in Harry Kane’s absence, plundering 20 goals across the campaign even as his international commitments stacked up. To buy it for £27.99 with free UK p&p call 0330 333 6846 or go to guardianbookshop.co.uk Topics
And even if he couldn’t make it into five consecutive PFA Teams of the Year, he did, in January, equal his own record of most saves in a Premier League game (11, against Spurs at Wembley).The highly underrated defender prefers distraction to run-of-the-mill thuggery during matches, often asking his opponents about the car they drive or why certain countries’ flags feature the same colours. He was brilliant for Brazil to help them lift the Copa America: the 22-year-old put in goal-and-assist displays in the semi-final and final as his beloved Seleção triumphed on home soil. It’s extraordinary to think now that Sterling once went 27 games without a single goal for England.