Messi, Neymar, Haaland: Who is the best player in the world right now? | OneFootball

The Qatar 2022 World Cup is very nearly upon us.

On Sunday, the latest edition of sport’s biggest tournament kicks off with the host nation locking horns with Ecuador in Group A.

After that, it’s pretty much non-stop international football right up to December 18th, which is the date of the final.

As well as the excitement of an upcoming World Cup, the break in the European domestic season means people can take a more measured look at the best performing players right now.

That’s exactly what the folks over at FourFourTwo have done.

Just a few days before Qatar lock horns with Ecuador, the publication have named who they believe are the 50 best footballers on the planet at this moment in time.

Cristiano Ronaldo makes the cut, although only just…

The 50 best footballers in the world right now

50. Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)

49. Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)

46. Gavi (Barcelona)

45. Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United)

44. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

40. Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid)

39. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

38. Heung-min Son (Tottenham Hotspur)

37. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli)

36. Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)

35. Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)

34. Phil Foden (Manchester City)

32. Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle United)

30. Rodri (Manchester City)

29. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

28. Pedri (Barcelona)

27. Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain)

26. Federico Valverde (Real Madrid)

25. Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)

24. Ruben Dias (Manchester City)

23. Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)

22. Ederson (Manchester City)

21. Joao Cancelo (Manchester City)

20. Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)

19. Rafael Leao (AC Milan)

18. Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)

17. Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)

16. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)

15. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

14. David Alaba (Real Madrid)

13. Luka Modric (Real Madrid)

12. Alisson Becker (Liverpool)

11. Sadio Mane (Bayern Munich)

10. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)

9. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)

8. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

7. Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain)

6. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)

5. Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)

4. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)

3. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)

2. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)

So, it’s the world’s most feared striker, Haaland, who takes top spot, with the in-form Messi having to settle for fifth.

Despite the fact he’s enjoyed a stunning start to the 2022/23 season, Neymar has to make do with seventh, while Ronaldo is way back in 44th position.

Does Haaland’s place at the top of the pile make him the frontrunner for the 2023 Ballon d’Or?

Well, unfortunately he won’t be at the Qatar World Cup, which will almost certainly have a significant bearing on the award.

If Messi, Neymar or Mbappe lift the Jules Rimet trophy next month, then the accolade is there’s to lose…

Quiz: Can you name all 30 of these ‘streets won’t forget’ players from World Cups?

1 of 30

A nice easy start…

James Rodriguez Fredy Guarin

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