Who Is the World’s Best Footballer? 20 Best Footballers in the World

Who Is the Best Soccer Player of 2024?

The world’s passion for soccer is unmatched, and knowing who the top soccer players are right now is a key part of being a true fan. The best players transformed into icons whose skills and personalities light up stadiums and social media platforms.

From last-minute goals to superb saves or brilliant assists, the best of the best define football and push its boundaries giving their fans something to cheer for.

From legends of the game like Leo Messi to Cristiano Ronaldo to amazing youngsters like Lamine Yamal or Jamal Musiala, let’s take a look at the best 20 players in 2024.

1. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)

Fans are insisting that Leo Messi remains the best soccer player in the world following a talismanic performance from the Argentina captain.

Messi is a player who has won everything, claiming an extensive haul of major domestic, international, and individual honors to place himself firmly in the category of an all-time great of the beautiful game.

On top of that, he continues to be one of the top earners in the game with a salary of $54 million playing for Inter Miami.

Messi also features in our list of players who have scored the most goals in the World Cup.

2. Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)

How do you stop Mbappe? You simply can’t… His pace is unmatched, his skills are top-notch, he’s very comfortable with the ball and he signed for the best team in the world, Real Madrid.

He led his team to victory in the FIFA World Cup at the age of just 19 and he’s just 25. We expect him to dominate the Spanish La Liga and be one of the top scorers. He’s priced at Ev money to score the most goals next season in the Spanish top-flight league according to the latest soccer odds. 

3. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

Bellingham is currently one of the most valuable players in the world. He has scored 23 goals across all competitions and bagged a further 12 assists, recording one of the most prolific returns for an Englishman playing in Spain.

At 21 years old and with a contract running until 2029, Bellingham is untouchable for any club, and despite being valued at such a high price, a bid that high would still likely be rejected.

It is difficult to replace his quality in midfield and his youthful hunger and fearlessness make him a prized asset for the 14-time Champions League winners. Despite losing the Euro 2024 final against Spain, Bellingham was definitely the best player for England, a game-decider like no other.

4. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)

Following his goal in Real Madrid’s victory in the 2022 Champions League final, Neymar himself described Vinícius as the best player in the world. Thierry Henry hailed Vini Jr. as the best left winger in the world after the Brazilian player’s incredible Real Madrid transformation.

He’s definitely the livewire for Los Blancos on the left flank fully packed with intricate skill moves coupled with an electric pace.

Under Carlos Ancelotti, Vini became one of the best players in the world and we expect him to play even better in a combo with Mbappe and Bellingham.

5. Rodri (Man City)

There’s much talk about Vinícius, Bellingham, Mbappe, or even Lionel Messi possibly winning the next Ballon d’Or; however, Rodri is a player who hasn’t been widely considered or on fans’ minds, yet his numbers show he should be taken seriously.

Rodri had one of the best seasons for a midfielder globally, closing out his football year by winning the 2024 Euros with Spain.

It’s difficult to produce a legitimate argument that any player consistently outperformed Rodri across the 2023/24 season. The Spaniard seldom has a bad game and he’s comfortably the best player in the world in his position. Rodri enjoys incredible influence on games due to his calmness, tactical intelligence, and technical excellence.

6. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

Lamine Yamal is the definition of a prodigy. He is arguably the best talent to come out of La Masia since the great Lionel Messi. At 16 years and 362 days, he became the youngest man to score in Euros history.

He is very much the future of Barcelona and has enjoyed a breakthrough season with Barcelona, despite being just 16 years old.

7. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

Arsenal and England international, Saka, has continued to star under Mikel Arteta’s guidance and has been a formidable threat in helping the Gunners stay in the Premier League title race alongside Man City.

The 22-year-old is enjoying his best season yet with 16 Premier League goals and nine assists. He scores goals, and he’s certainly a big game player. I think he’s such a clever player for such a young lad and his numbers, goals, assists, he’s got it, but he’s always a threat.

8. Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr)

CR7 is the most capped player at the international level in history with 206 appearances and 128 scored for his country.

He’s the second top scorer in the World Cups with 15 goals netted in 19 games. He won the Euros with Portugal and five times the Ballon d’Or.

Ronaldo is one of the most prolific scorers in the sport’s history, with over 650 goals for both club and country, including 120 alone in the UEFA Champions League, more than any other player.

9. Erling Haaland (Man City)

His numbers speak for themselves. After 52 goals in Man City’s treble-winning season, the Norwegian has backed it up with 38 goals this term.

His 27 Premier League goals included both scores in the vital 2-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur in the final week of the season. Once again, he’s the favorite in our odds to win the Golden Boot in the Premier League in the 2024-25 season.

10. Phil Foden (Man City)

Since Pep Guardiola took over at Manchester City, he has spent over a billion pounds on players from all over the world.

Foden has stepped his game up from the already ludicrously high levels he was operating at over the past few seasons, to become a fully-fledged member of the elite players society.

He is without a doubt the most unpredictable player in the Premier League.

11. Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao)

Williams only turned 22 this summer and was one of the best players during the Euro 2024, winning the title with Spain.

The Athletic Club winger is inevitably being linked with a summer transfer, with Barcelona, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Aston Villa among those reportedly eyeing up his release clause.

That interest will not just be based on his Euro 2024 performances, though. It may have been a breakout tournament for Williams on the European stage, but he has been wowing fans in La Liga for a while now.

Other Top Soccer Players in the World

12. Kevin de Bruyne (Man City)

13. Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)

14. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

15. Rafael Leao (AC Milan)

16. Federico Valverde (Real Madrid)

17. Victor Osimhen (Napoli)

18. Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)

19. Florian Wirtz (Leverkusen)

20. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

As always, make sure to check the latest soccer news before placing your bets at BetUS!