Your 100 best football players in the world of 2023, featuring Treble winners, Ballon d'Or scoopers and everyone in between
80. Victor Boniface
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Bayer Leverkusen have been outstanding under Xabi Alonso – and Victor Boniface has been superb up front. The Nigerian is perfect for his manager, offering the physicality and presence up front that enables the German side to bully teams in the final third. Nigeria have one hell of an attack when this guy is your Plan B…
79. Dominik Szoboszlai
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Arguably one of Liverpool's most important players already, Dominik Szoboszlai cost £60m but has already adapted to English football excellently to become one of the most consistently creative, hard-working midfielders in the Premier League, able to operate in either No.8 role and showing his ability to drift and fill the spaces that others vacate. The Hungarian is one to build around.
78. Jack Grealish
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The transformation from one-man attack at Villa to just another cog in the Guardiola masterplan has underwhelmed some who preferred watching Young Jack slaloming around defenders like skittles. But there's no denying his importance to that Treble-winning group – and it's testament to his patience as an attacker that he was able to adapt and become a key man in such a ferociously good unit.
77. Marcus Rashford
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Marcus Rashford may be ending the calendar year with question marks over his work ethic or his ability to lead his hometown club – but it shouldn't be forgotten that for the first half of 2023, there was arguably no better left-winger in English football. The Manchester United star looked like his final form under Erik ten Hag for a while: class is permanent, he'll get back to that level.
76. Moussa Diaby
(Image credit: Getty Images)
It didn't look like a no-brainer to bring Moussa Diaby to the Premier League for a huge fee – but the Frenchman has been a massive hit at Villa Park. Playing in that hybrid role behind Ollie Watkins, Diaby has been energetic and direct, chipping in with goals and rotating nicely with Leon Bailey. Could 2024 be an even bigger year for Villa?
75. Hakan Calhanoglou
(Image credit: Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Hakan Calhanoglu's evolution has been sublime. From a set-piece master who would hang on the edge of a penalty area almost waiting for the opportunity for the ball to stop dead, he now dictates from deep in the absence of Marcelo Brozovic. He's been excellent for Inter this season.
74. Dejan Kulusevski
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Tottenham's "Ginger from Sweden" has been about as good a signing as Daniel Levy has made in recent years. Creative, controlled and with a knack for popping up when he's needed, Dejan Kulusevski has had another solid year in north London: with Ange at the wheel, perhaps he's on the cusp of something bigger, too.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
73. Julian Brandt
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Borussia Dortmund is built on quicksand with the biggest talents often not at Signal Iduna Park long enough to build around – but Julian Brandt has been a consistent mainstay for several seasons, now. One of the most reliable sparks in a side who consistently challenge, the German is one of European football's more underappreciated stars, capable of magic.
72. Phil Foden
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Most often limited to cameos in City's greatest-ever season, Phil Foden has had a great 2023 by anyone else's standards. He's still one of the most exciting talents in the division, despite competition for places and he may well be a starter for England next year at the Euros.
71. Sven Botman
(Image credit: George Wood/Getty Images)
Sven Botman has been an absolute monster in the Newcastle United defence. For someone so young to be quite so composed, dominant and able to lead a backline is frightening: he looks like a pillar for this club for the next decade.
70. Theo Hernandez
(Image credit: Getty Images)
No longer living in his brother's shadow, Theo Hernandez is one of the most consistent full-backs in world football these days, going from strength to strength ever since winning the Scudetto. The Frenchman is a jewel for Milan and still improving year on year.
Aurelien Tchouameni is still finding his feet at the Bernabeu but already a starter for his country. He has one of the most impressive skillsets of any midfielder in Europe and though he's still got so much more to show, he's been solid at Real Madrid and will surely grow further.
68. Granit Xhaka
(Image credit: Marco Steinbrenner/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Granit Xhaka has shown shades to his game that no one knew he had. Previously thought of as a deep-lying speader of play with a lack of mobility, he's developed into one of the best No.8s in world football, a real leader of men and he's one of the biggest reasons that Leverkusen are where they are.
67. Anthony Gordon
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Anthony Gordon admitted himself that he wasn't up to speed with Eddie Howe's demands when he first moved to Tyneside: it's safe to say he is now. The England U21 hero of the summer, Gordon has been superb in the second half of this year, turning into one of the most unpredictable footballers on Earth with a lethal final product and pace to burn.
66. Joao Palhinha
(Image credit: Getty Images)
A surprise revelation when he moved to west London, Joao Palhinha has been nothing short of exceptional in the Premier League. The Portuguese is a big reason that Marco Silva's side didn't just survive but pushed on up the table: interest from the likes of Bayern Munich isn't a coincidence.
65. Toni Kroos
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Toni Kroos may go down as one of the most decorated players of a generation – but he's also one of the best. Beginning his career as a No.10, slipping alongside Luka Modric when he moved to Madrid and now controlling from deep: the German is a sumptuous player, who operates in his own time and space away from everyone else.
64. Marquinhos
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Paris Saint-Germain's captain and leader at the back is as good as he ever has been – still the man for PSG, despite playing alongside Sergio Ramos. Marquinhos is one of football's most reliable characters and though Europe still eludes them, almost every title they do scoop can be attributed in part to the main man at the back.
63. Gavi
(Image credit: Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Cruelly ruled out of much of 2024, Gavi has defined the last 12 months for Barcelona. Able to operate in midfield or out left, putting in a superb destroyer's display in the Clasico and being one of the key men in a La Liga title despite barely being old enough to drink – there's no doubt that if he comes back as strongly as he left, he'll become a generational star for the Catalans.
62. Santiago Gimenez
(Image credit: Getty Images)
A goal machine for Feyenoord this year, Santiago Gimenez has burst into the Eredivisie as perhaps the complete striker. Strong, physical, prolific and with good hold-up play, it's only a matter of time before the big move comes calling for the Mexican.
61. Florian Wirtz
(Image credit: Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)
After serious injury, it's not just good to have Florian Wirtz back, but back to his best, dovetailing in Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen to devastating effect. The German is one of the most watchable young stars on the planet and living up to that wonderkid hype with excellent displays every week.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Mark White is the Digital Content Editor at FourFourTwo. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robson’s time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer.
