The Best Footballer Players in Europe, Position by Position

The Best Footballer Players in Europe, Position by Position

Every season the question comes up for who the best players in every position are. As we have reached the halfway point in the season, we can start to see the standout players and who has been performing to the best. Every fan loves to say that their players are the best in the world in their position, however, who are the best players in every position?

Goalkeeper – Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City)

Honourable Mention – Diogo Costa (FC Porto)

We all saw him last season and we all saw the number of times he managed to pull out saves that looked impossible to save PSG and was a large reason for why they managed to win everything they did. Now in England playing for Manchester City we can see him doing this again. He has managed to keep 8 clean sheets this season and has the 3rd most clean sheets in the league having played 3 less games than every other keeper above him. To make this even more impressive he has conceded 17 goals in 19 games, less than a goal per game and has stopped almost 3 xG from going in, he has definitely carried on his form from last season into this season. However, Diogo Costa is definitely giving him a run for his money in the Portuguese league having only conceded 4 goals this season and yet to have lost a match in the league, we could see him push Donnarumma for that top spot by the end of the season.

Left Back – Nuno Mendes (PSG)

Honourable Mention – Marc Cucurella (Chelsea)

Once again, a name that was well known for help PSG win all the trophies that they did Nuno Mendes has been one of the best defenders and attackers in Europe for the last 18 months. His speed and positioning make him one of the hardest players in Europe to get past. However, this isn’t the only factor that makes him the best, his ability to overlap a winger and cause issues going forward also had so much influence on PSG and their ability to win everything, and you can see the damage that missing him has had on them as they struggle this season. However, he is being challenged by someone who was part of the only team that managed to stop them from winning a trophy in Cucurella in the Club World Cup.

Centre back – Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal)

Honourable Mention – William Saliba (Arsenal)

We can see that both players named for this position belong to Arsenal as their defence has been one of the hardest things to beat in Europe this season and they are a large reason to why they sit top of both the Premier League and Champions League. However, Gabriel just edges out Saliba as his ability when going forward and from set pieces can’t be overlooked. With Arsenal having both the best defence in the Premier League and Champions League, there is a reason for why both names belong to them and with Gabriel having scored 4 goals and provided 3 assist this season from centre back, he deserves a spot on this list as the best centre back in Europe this season, whenever he plays Arsenal looks levels better.

Do you think Saliba and Gabriel can break the most clean sheets by center back duo’s in the prem? pic.twitter.com/SO9R4ZT2Bv

— Arsenal Team (@_ArsenalTeam) January 22, 2026

Right Back – Achraf Hakimi (PSG)

Honourable Mention – Reece James (Chelsea)

Both defensively solid and the best defender when going forward in Europe, Hakimi has reached a new level and showed what a truly complete modern fullback is. He managed to get 21 goal contributions last season in 48 matches including the opening goal in the Champions League final and so far, this season has 9 goal contributions in 21 matches. While he has been injured a lot this season, his loss has caused even more issues for PSG than Nuno Mendes as his ability to go forward is that high. PSG have been struggling down the right side this season because of his absence and his return after helping Morocco to an AFCON final will be greatly received by them and their fans. But there are definitely some right backs looking to challenge him for that top spot with one of them being Blues Captain Reece James, while deployed more as a midfielder currently, when playing as a right back all that talent that we saw destroyed by injury looks to be back at its best.

Defensive Midfielder – Moises Caicedo (Chelsea)

Honourable Mention – Vitinha (PSG)

This was one of the hardest positions to pick between the 2 options as both of them operate in different ways. Vitinha operates as someone who dictates the pace of the game and causes a lot of issues with his passing ability playing more as a deep lying playmaker. Whereas Caicedo operates more as a traditional 6, someone who is there to breakup play and tackle players. Caicedo has just edged this position as his numbers when defending is on a different level to everyone else in this position having. With 50 tackles 100 duels won and 39 interceptions already this season, you can see why he is so important to Chelsea. Adding onto his defensive attributes he has also started to score goals already with his best scoring season of his career with 5 goals, he has been a wall for Chelsea this season.

Moisés Caicedo for Chelsea vs Newcastle:

🥇 Most touches
🥇 Most duels won
🥇 Most possessions won
🥇 Most interceptions
🥇 Most fouls won
🥇 Most tackles
🥇 Most take-ons completed

One of the best midfielders in the world 🌍 pic.twitter.com/wheehzFixm

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 20, 2025

Central Midfielder – Pedri (Barcelona)

Honourable Mention – Declan Rice (Arsenal)

Both of these players have been vital in their team’s charges to their leagues. However, Pedri just edges if over Rice as his ability to be a playmaker both in advanced and defensive situations has been vital for Barcelona and we have seen the impact it has on them when his isn’t fit and playing. His technical ability is one of the best in the world and while Rice is stronger defensively, Pedri just has the bit more technical ability and more to his creative game that he just edges it over Rice.

Attacking Midfielder – Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

Honourable Mention – Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

One of the hardest to pick a player for, as while these are many options, a lot of the top options aren’t having the strongest seasons so far. While Bellingham hasn’t been near the level he was when he first joined Real Madrid, he is still having a very good season after returning from his shoulder injury having provided 7 goal contributions in 16 matches in La Liga and 12 in 31 games in all competitions. While Bellingham has been good this season, with Fernandes looking to be played back in this attacking midfielder role, he looks back to his best and we got a taster of that against City so Bruno could definitely take that position as the best attacking midfielder in Europe by the end of the season.

Left-wing – Luis Diaz (Bayern Muchen)

Honourable Mention – Raphinha (Barcelona)

Someone who joined Bayern in the summer for big money and has been performing very well in Germany. Having played 17 league matches so far, he has produced 18 goal contributions with both 9 goals and assists. While Raphinha has been very strong this season with 7 goals and 3 assists in 12 matches, his injuries have limited his game time and after a very strong pervious season, if he stays fit he could reclaim his thrown as the best leftwinger, however, so far this season Diaz has been incredible with 24 goal contributions in 26 matches in all competitions, he is in the form of his life and helping Bayern to both the league and a very strong claim to the Champions League.

Right-wing – Michael Olise (Bayern Munchen)

Honourable Mention – Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

Olise isn’t just one of the best wingers in the world currently but footballers in general. After a good first season at Bayern, he has stepped into another gear for them this season. With 23 goal contributions in 18 matches in the Bundesliga and 35 in 34 matches in all competitions, his output has been on a different level to add onto this his ability to run at people and beat them is on a different level as well. It says a lot for you to be considered better than the player who finished second in the Ballan D’or and while Yamal is having an incredible season with 15 goal contributions in 16 matches in La Liga and 21 in 25 in all competitions, Olise has just been that bit better and Yamal has suffered with some injures that have hindered him a bit this season.

Striker – Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)

Honourable Mention – Harry Kane (Bayern Munchen)

The single hardest position to pick when it comes to the best as I am leaving out the best striker in the Premier League Haaland and the Ballan D’or winner Dembele. However, these 2 have been on a different level this season Kane has scored 21 goals and provided 4 assists in 18 Bundesliga matches this season and scored 37 in all competitions in 34 matches this season. He is having his best goal scoring season ever and looks to have reached a different level even scoring 7 goals in 7 games in the Champions League. However, Mbappe has really made Madrid his own this season and looks to be the best player in the world currently. 33 goals in 30 matches including 11 goals in 6 Champions League matches. This alone makes him look that much more incredible scoring 4 more goals in 1 less game than Kane. He truly looks to have reached that level that everyone thought he would reach when he first announced himself.

Mbappé is only the second player 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 to score 11 goals in his first 6 games of a UCL campaign, after Cristiano 😮

Mbappé this UCL season:
🆚 Marseille ⚽⚽
🆚 Kairat ⚽⚽⚽
🆚 Juventus ❌
🆚 Liverpool ❌
🆚 Olympiacos ⚽⚽⚽⚽
🆚 Monaco ⚽⚽

Cristiano in the first 6 games… pic.twitter.com/ZXDjdcUkiG

— 433 (@433) January 21, 2026