🏆 Ballon d'OneFootball: A jewel in 19th place ... | OneFootball

Welcome to the fourth annual edition of the Ballon d’OneFootball as we begin our countdown of the top 25 players in the world right now. Here’s an explainer how we decided on a top 25.

Here’s the list so far.

Today we have …

19th: Rafael Leão, Milan and Portugal

(New entry)

Over the past year and a bit, Milan treated their supporters to a long-awaited taste of the glory days again.

One of the game’s most illustrious clubs had been in the doldrums for a decade until Scudetto success last season was followed up by a trip to the Champions League semi-final stage this year.

It isn’t too simplistic to suggest that much of that turnaround in fortunes was down to the evolution of Rafael Leão from exciting yet frustrating forward to a consistent, elite talent capable of unlocking any defence.

In fact, one of the great ifs of last season for the Rossoneri is how their Champions League exit at the hands of rivals Inter may have panned out if they had their star man at full fitness for those ties.

When he started games last season, Milan averaged 1.5 goals. When he didn’t, that number dipped below 0.5 and results were much worse.

In 2021/22 when Milan won the title, Leão was unplayable and spearheaded the charge, claiming the league’s Most Valuable Player award for his part in the win.

During that victorious campaign, as Milan won their first championship since 2011, he was unplayable.

The 24-year-old put all aspects of his game together under Stefano Pioli, unleashed in a fluid left wing role, and went on to finish the campaign with more completed dribbles and shots than any other player in Italy, registering double figures for both goals and assists.

It is why he was rewarded with a bumper new deal until the summer of 2028, one of the most lucrative the club have ever handed out.

This season, he was arguably even better, netting 15 goals and also providing eight assists (16 and 15 in all competitions) but found himself overshadowed by another devastating dribbler in the league’s new flavour of the month, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who helped Napoli to glory.

That said, when they came up against each other in direct opposition, it was Leão who had the upper hand, particularly in the Champions League, as he reminded everyone just why his own scintillating talents shouldn’t be overlooked.

In fact, he again ended up with the most dribbles in Serie A for 2022/23 – even more than the Georgian sensation, while he became the first Milan player since Zlatan Ibrahimović 11 years ago to register over 20 for goal involvements in the league.

But beyond the efficiency that is now such an important part of his game, Leão has the enviable commodity of being one of the most exciting talents in the modern game: a throwback winger with pace to burn and a bag of tricks to embarrass any opponent.

Watching him in action is a guarantee of excitement and you don’t need to follow Milan or Portugal to appreciate what he brings to the game.

Click here for every player named so far and their profiles.