Barcelona dynamic duo finishes among world’s most influential players | OneFootball

Barcelona’s golden generation is making waves on the world stage once again.

According to the 506th edition of the CIES Football Observatory rankings, two of the club’s brightest young stars, namely, Pedri and Lamine Yamal, have been named among the top three most influential players in global football.

The report, which studies players from 60 leagues worldwide, placed Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah at the top, with Lamine Yamal in second and Pedri in third.

This recognition is another sign of how strong Barcelona’s project under Hansi Flick is turning out to be, with young talents stepping up and delivering consistently on the pitch.

How are players ranked?

The ranking is based on six specific areas of play, with data gathered exclusively by Impect.

These areas include aerial play, ground defence, distribution, attack, chance creation, and finishing.

Each player’s influence is determined using a combination of their performance in these categories, the number of minutes they’ve played, and the results their teams have achieved.

Although Salah and Pedri did not top any individual category, their balanced and consistent displays helped them earn their places among the best.

Yamal, meanwhile, stood out for his exceptional ability to create chances, ranking highest in that particular field.

Who are the rest?

Other top performers across categories included Alexander Sörloth (aerial play), Moisés Caicedo (ground defence), Nico Schlotterbeck (distribution), Vinicius Jr. (attack), and Ousmane Dembele (finishing).

Raphinha, another Barcelona forward, was also recognised and ranked eighth overall, underlining the club’s attacking depth.

This recognition comes during a season where Barcelona’s young players have taken centre stage.

Yamal and Pedri, both still very young, continue to show maturity well beyond their years, carrying the club’s footballing identity into the next era.