Soccer is a popular sport and for this reason, people always want to know more about this game. They want to know about upcoming championships and reigning champions. They want to know about various football clubs and who the clubs are hiring for next season.
There is so much to know about soccer that you can keep reading for hours. For example, you can get soccer news about who left which club and who joined which team. But people are more interested in knowing about top-ranking soccer players. Also, soccer gamblers want to know about the present rank of players they can bet upon.
The rank of a soccer player tells many things about the player. A high rank is an indication of popularity, acceptability, and reliability. But ranks keep changing according to performance. It is for this reason; there can’t be one list of top-ranking players.
Here I’ve compiled a list of top ranking soccer players for 2023
1. Lionel Messi
Unrivalled.
— Team Messi (@TeamMessi) December 2, 2019
Leo Messi becomes the first player in history to win 6 Ballon d’Or awards, and he’s not done yet.
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/MpWxGr2SaR
This Argentinian footballer is the optimum choice for the first position. Hero of the 2022 World Cup, Lionel Messi presently heads Argentina’s national team. He also plays for Paris Saint-Germain club which he recently joined after spending almost his entire career with Barcelona. Also, he has been a top scorer throughout his career for which he has been awarded Ballon d’Or awards for a record seven times and European Golden Shoes for six times. He was even named to the 2020 Ballon d’Or team.
2. Erling Haaland (Norway)
Last session 🇳🇴 pic.twitter.com/Wi5E8cNZIh
— Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland) June 19, 2023
Erling Haaland could be a new name for many but as I have already said that ranks of players keep changing with their performance, he has got an opportunity to come on top of the list of top-ranking soccer players. Erling Haaland plays as a striker for the Norway football team and Manchester City club. He currently holds the record for highest goals (36) by a player in a Premier League season.
3. Kylian Mbappé (France)
Évitez de mettre mon nom dans vos salades et vérifiez vos sources svp…
— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) May 11, 2023
Bonne soirée 👍🏽 https://t.co/ltxDriB15L
Kylian Mbappé is a teammate of Lionel Messi as he also plays for the Paris Saint-Germain. Kylian Mbappé also captains the French football team. As a striker, Kylian Mbappé displays immense control over the ball. Also, he is one of the few players known for exceptional dribbling and finishing capabilities. In 2017, when he joined Paris Saint-Germain for €180 million, he became the second most expensive and the most expensive teenage player of all time.
4. Vinícius Júnior (Brazil)
— REAL MIL GRAU (@realmilgrauu) September 16, 2022
Vinícius Júnior or Vini Jr. as he is fondly called by teammates and fans is a winger for the Brazilian football team. He also plays for the Real Madrid club that bought Vini Jr. at a high price. Vini Jr. joined Real Madrid in 2017 at the age of 16. At that time, the deal was finalized for £38 million which became a national record for a U-18 player. He stunned the world with his exceptional dribbling capabilities.
5. Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)
Lost for words! 💙🤯 pic.twitter.com/TrApOfja9t
— Kevin De Bruyne (@KevinDeBruyne) June 12, 2023
Captain of the Belgium football team and midfielder of Manchester City club, Kevin De Bruyne is often described as a complete player by his coaches and managers. His international football career began in 2010 and he has scored 26 goals for this country. Also, he has been awarded with over 90 caps for his contribution. He was named to the FIFA World Cup Dream Team of the 2018 World Cup where Belgium finished third.
6. Robert Lewandowski (Poland)
Poland star Robert Lewandowski has scored in each of his last 8 appearances in the European Qualifiers. 💪 pic.twitter.com/A5QxpbK8Bs
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) November 8, 2016
One of the finest strikers of Barcelona club, Robert Lewandowski is a force to reckon with. He has scored over 600 goals and earned 141 caps so far. But it is just the beginning of a fascinating career as he has the potential to become one of the greatest footballers of all time. His striking abilities won him many awards and accolades including IFFHS World’s Best International Goal Scorer Award in 2015 and 2021.
7. Neymar (Brazil)
— Neymar Jr (@neymarjr) June 13, 2023
Neymar plays as a forward for the Brazilian football team and the club Paris Saint-Germain. Also, he is one of the four players to score at least 100 goals for three different clubs. He has been to the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season three times, the UEFA Team of the Year two times, and the FIFA FIFPro World11 two times. Also, he has been awarded the FIFA Puskás Award for outstanding performance.
8. Karim Benzema (France)
Thank you Jeddah, from the bottom of my heart. Tonight was a very special moment that i will never forget 💛🇸🇦#alhamdulillah #benzema2ittihad #here2inspireKSA #nueve pic.twitter.com/y0Prde6rDM
— Karim Benzema (@Benzema) June 8, 2023
Karim Benzema is a French football and the captain of the La Liga club Real Madrid. But he will soon join Saudi Professional League club Al-Ittihad. He also has a short stint with the French football team but he has retired from international football. In the sports world, he is considered one of the best strikers in the world. He is the second-highest goal scorer of Real Madrid. The Saudi Club selected him after seeing his striking capabilities.
9. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Yesterday , we are making one of my lifelong dreams a reality: investing and offering you something that drinks from the very essence of life and health and has played a vital role in shaping who I am today. Here is URSU alkaline and antioxidant water 💧 pic.twitter.com/HSymJVlALP
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) June 8, 2023
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the players who need little introduction. He captains the Portuguese national team and heads the Saudi Professional League club Al Nassr as well. Also, he is a five times Ballon d’Or awardee and four times European Golden Shoes awardee. He has won 32 trophies and has made over 1000 appearances and scored over 800 goals. Cristiano Ronaldo certainly deserves a place on our list.
10. Luka Modrić (Croatia)
Uno de los mejores centrocampistas contra los que he jugado. Ha sido un placer. 🤝🤝 @5sergiob pic.twitter.com/0DgKB33t3c
— Luka Modrić (@lukamodric10) May 10, 2023
Captain of the Croatian football team and central-midfielder of Real Madrid club, Luka Modrić stands is known for his outstanding game. His advantage for his teams is that he can switch to an attacking or defending position according to the need of the time. Displaying amazing football, Luka Modrić led his national team to the final of the 2018 World Cup and won the Golden Ball for his country. In the 2022 World Cup, Croatia finished third with a Bronze Ball.
Conclusion
In soccer, every player is important. Everyone has capabilities and shortcomings. The list of top-ranking players will change from time to time. Senior players will retire making way for the new generation of soccer players to occupy top positions. I have based my list on the online votes received by the players.
