The Great Debate: Who is the third best player in the world? | OneFootball

It’s widely accepted that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the two best footballers on the planet right now.

We could wade into the debate about who is the best out of those two behemoths of the modern game, but we won’t.

Instead, here’s who our writers think is the world’s third best player …

Dan Burke

It’s impossible to look past Kylian Mbappé, for me.

The lad is still only 20 yet he has smashed all kinds of records and is, in my humble opinion, already a better player than his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Neymar.

Imagine how good he will be when he actually hits his peak?

Phil Costa

Neymar is my choice – but only just!

Yes, he frustrates, and yes, Ligue 1 may not be the strongest league, but when you actually watch him it’s frightening how complete his game is.

The Brazilian is not just a touchline-hugging winger. He will score, provide and entertain in equal measure. It’s easy to forget this is a player with more goals and assists (189) than games (186) for Barcelona.

Pádraig Whelan

It is certainly a smooth French striker but I’m narrowly giving the nod to Antoine Griezmann over Kylian Mbappé.

His influence on Atlético Madrid is such that they never appear as potent without him and he almost single-handedly led to them to a continental double in 2018.

That is in addition to his World Cup win with France.

Oh, and he makes a pretty mean documentary too.

Lewis Ambrose

I think it has to be Kylian Mbappé.

He’s the only player who springs to mind and there isn’t another, when you go through the top leagues and teams, who is clearly better than him.

This one is pretty straightforward, I’d say.

Alex Mott

To stop this turning into a Mbappé love-fest I’m going for the best player in the Premier League this season, and probably the player who has improved the most of the past 12 months.

That player is Raheem Sterling.

Pep Guardiola has taken Sterling’s game to a completely different level this season, adding a calmness in front of goal to his already exceptional movement.

In a City squad stacked with a talent performing at a level rarely seen in England, Sterling is the stand-out, the one who has decided the most important games.

Added to that, the way he’s become a leader off the pitch – and his calling out of racism in the media – has made him one of the game’s genuine superstars.

Matt Frohlich

There’s so many angles to take on this one.

Whether it’s stats, trophies, recent form or how good they might be in the future, there is a case for so many players. Despite this, I’m going for pure footballing ability that has been shown throughout his whole career – and that means it has to be Neymar.

Regardless of the diving, his injury-hit time in Paris and Brazil’s less than impressive tournament form by their own standards, he is the only one whose ability puts him alongside Ronaldo and Messi.

I actually believe he is more gifted than the Portuguese star but less productive in his output.