The FFT100: Champions League vs the rest

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UEFA's primary competition sucking up the world's best talent...

This may come as little surprise, but the Champions League hoovers up most of the talent in the FourFourTwo 100 Best Players in the World 2014.

Although it's perhaps predictable that UEFA's primary competition features many of the players on the list, the extent of its domination is an eye-opener: 85% of the list are playing in the group stage.

By comparison, the Europa League is a talent vortex, with just seven FFT100 players – a number matched by Manchester United, who account for all but one of the eight not in European competition (the other being Udinese veteran Antonio Di Natale).

It may also be of interest to economists that none of the FFT100 are based outside Europe...

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Gary Parkinson

Gary Parkinson is a freelance writer, editor, trainer, muso, singer, actor and coach. He spent 14 years at FourFourTwo as the Global Digital Editor and continues to regularly contribute to the magazine and website, including major features on Euro 96, Subbuteo, Robert Maxwell and the inside story of Liverpool's 1990 title win. He is also a Bolton Wanderers fan.