To be the best amongst the best in the game of football, it takes immense hard work and rigorous practice to always be on the lookout to improve your game and take it a step forward; in a sport that is played all around the globe and hence the competition is accordingly extremely intense.
Also Read: FIFA Top 10 Players of all the times.
Here in this list, we look the top 10 fifa players in 2016 – the criteria remains their consistent performance matched with their contribution to the respective performances of their clubs and countries’.
David Silva
He is a Spanish footballer who also plays for the English club, Manchester United. A pre-dominant left footed player, Silva’s mainly an attacking mid-fielder.
Earlier this year, in his side’s 4-0 home league win against Crystal Palace, Silva scored one goal but set up 2 goals and was a key pass in the remaining goal – which goes onto highlight the kind of impact he has in his team. On February 28, Silva’s club Manchester United won against Liverpool to win the league, this marks Silva’s second league win with the club.
Thiago Silva
Coming from the nation of footballers, where this sport is seen with immense respect in people’s eyes, Silva’s passion for the sport is visible through his play. Since 2009, Silva has been rated as one of the best defenders in the world. In 2012, he was signed for €42 million which made him second most expensive player to be bought in history of Rio Ferdinand. His appearance in 2016 for his ligue-1 team Paris Saint-Germain was described as a showcase of “intelligence and athleticism” throughout the match, marking another positive beginning to the year for Silva.
Neymar
A footballer who has gained immense popularity across the globe and rightly so; his achievements at such young age (24) are incredible. At just 19 years old, Neymar won the prestigious South American footballer of the year. Neymar has 46 goals in 70 matches for his national team Brazil, making him the 5th highest in all time list already. Neymar’s formidable play makes Brazil look like an extremely threatening side to the opposition and with his age in his favor; he can surely go on to do great things in this sport.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
For some sportsperson, age is definitely just a number. In case of Ibrahimovic, at the age of 34 – things are just started to fall into place and he looks in as good a form as ever. Often grabbing media highlights for his moody nature, Ibrahimovic’s career includes titles with as many as 6 teams in countries – Holland, Italy, Spain and France. Regarded as one of the smartest footballers in the world, he definitely finds a place in top 10 footballer players around.
Eden Hazard
He is a Belgian footballer who represents Chelsea club. He is an attacking midfielder and a winger. He is often compared to current footie greats in Ronaldo and Messi – something that’s special in Hazard is the speed with which he carries out his game. In 2014-15 season, Hazard won FWA footballer of the year and PFA player’s player of the year. The recently concluded Chelsea vs Leicester match, it was Hazard who scored equalizer for Chelsea (who were 0-2 down), hence his popularity amongst Leicester fans is bound to increase.
Arjen Robben
Plays for Netherlands and Bayern Munich. Robben’s skills in the game can be best judged by the fact that he is one of the highest paid footballers in the German Bundesliga 2016. At world cup 2014, it was Robben’s inspired performance that helped Netherlands finish 3rd in the tournament, making him 4th best player in the world; the popularity only continues to grow.
Manuel Neuer
A top-10 list without inclusion of a goal-keeper would be highly unfair, wouldn’t it! Our top 10 list included perhaps the world’s finest goal keeper in the moment in Manuel Neuer, it’s his formidable skills with the gloves that seized 2014 world cup for Germany and won the Bayern Munic double-success in domestic. In 2016, Neuer has extended his contract with Bayern till 2021.
Luis Suarez
Sometimes when success doesn’t come your way, you’ve to bite your way to success – yes yes, pun intended. It’s hard to argue that Suarez is popular for his football skills and equally for his “biting incidents” but thankfully the latter doesn’t overtake the primarily role of Suarez i.e. being a quality footie player for his national side Uruguay and domestic Barcelona. Suarez’s has had an impactful 2016. Scoring 4 goals in his side’s 7-0 win in Copa Del Rey against Valencia. On 20th april, he again scored 4 times in a match for Barcelona in La Liga and it that wasn’t enough; just 3 days later, Suarez seized to amaze fans with another 4 goals against Sporting De Gijon. Suarez became first player in La Liga to score 4 times in 2 consecutive games. Suarez became 2nd player for his club to score 35 goals in one season.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Who doesn’t know him! As much as he’s criticized, he’s widely loved by football fans across the globe. The criticism he receives is because there’s so much expected from him that he’s bound to succumb to the pressure at times and yet he’s a consistent performer for Portugal and Real Madrid. In 2016, he is the top league scorer in Europe, with Suarez at 2nd – going onto show the incredible 2016 season that Ronaldo is having. Ronaldo is Portugal’s and Euro’s all time highest goal scorer.
Lionel Messi
It seems kind of odd for a top 10 fifa players list and not have Messi at no.1 and we don’t want. Messi is ideally the great that you see in sports, who come and go; but they change the sports forever. Coming from Argentina, the land which produced the great footballer legend in Maradona; Messi has taken forward the legacy and has perhaps only bettered it. Year after year, Messi’s performance seizes to amaze fans. On 17 april 2016, Messi scored his 500th senior career goal for Club against Barcelona’s 2-1 home loss against Valencia. At 28, Messi still has few years of quality football to contribute to the sport of football and we only hope that he reaches new heights of success.
