20. Manuel Neuer
Arguably the greatest goalkeeper of the modern era – perhaps even of all time – Neuer has redefined the 'sweeper-keeper' role throughout a glittering career which, even as he inches towards his 37th birthday, shows no sign of slowing down.
An undeniably elite shot-stopper, Neuer's unique pace, athleticism and first-rate reading of the game allow him to take control of an area far bigger than the immediate vicinity of his goal. He's almost as important to starting attacks as he is to thwarting them.
Throughout a glittering career for club and country, the Bayern Munich and Germany captain has won 10 Bundesliga titles, two Champions Leagues and the World Cup – as well as countless individual accolades.
19. Rafael Leao
Involved in no fewer than 19 goals in AC Milan's scudetto-winning campaign of 2021/22, Leao is an all-round attacking threat who's become one of the most sought-after players in Europe.
The Portuguese Mbappe's goalscoring and creative exploits saw him named Serie A's Most Valuable Player last term, while the 23-year-old also finished joint 14th in the Ballon d'Or ranking (six places ahead of legendary compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo).
Compared to Thierry Henry by Milan boss Stefano Pioli, Leao's combination of scintillating speed and devilish dribbling ability make him an exceedingly exciting talent to watch – and really, he's only just getting started.
18. Joshua Kimmich
When you think about Kimmich, one of the first words which springs to mind is 'versatility' – such is his ability to seamlessly switch between various midfield roles and right-back.
Lots of players are versatile, though; few apply their elasticity to such a world-class degree as the man who's been one of Bayern Munich and Germany's main men for the past five years plus.
In the words of his former Bayern boss, Pep Guardiola, Kimmich "has everything a player needs" – including some spectacular goals. Simply put, he's one of the very best midfielders on the planet.
17. Thibaut Courtois
16. Bernardo Silva
City’s midfield maestro was one of the key men behind their Premier League title win last season, providing eight goals and four assists as Pep Guardiola’s side edged out Liverpool by one point.
Silva scored one goal and set another up in their two-legged Champions League semi-final clash with Real Madrid, but that wasn’t enough to stop the eventual champions from progressing.
Operating in a variety of roles in midfield and attack, Silva showed his footballing intelligence and versatility and earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year, while he’s already surpassed last seasons assist tally this season by setting up five goals in the Premier League, scoring twice.
15. Virgil van Dijk
It has been a difficult season so far for Van Dijk, like many of his Liverpool team-mates, but the Dutchman remains one of the best in the business in his position.
The centre-back was the cornerstone of Liverpool’s fight on four fronts last season, making 51 appearances in all competitions and earning a place in the PFA Team of the Year and Champions League Team of the Season as the Reds went all the way in every competition they entered.
Van Dijk ended the season as a League Cup and FA Cup winner, but Liverpool fell short in the Champions League final against Real Madrid and finished one point behind Man City in the Premier League.
14. David Alaba
13. Luka Modric
Rumour has it airports have tried to recruit Modric as radar, such are the accuracy and reliability of his passing. The greatest Croatian footballer of all time is so much more than that, though.
A Pirlo-esque presence in midfield, the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner never looks even a little bit fazed in possession – which he maintains and manipulates with metronomic consistency.
Still pulling the strings for Real Madrid and Croatia at 37, Modric has enjoyed an accolade-laden career: he's won the Champions League five times, and scooped the Golden Ball after captaining his country (for whom he's earned a record [...] caps) to their first-ever World Cup final in 2018.
12. Alisson
As far as FFT are concerned, Alisson is the best goalkeeper in the world right now. Liverpool and Brazil's number one excels in all areas you'd want a 21st-century custodian to.
Cool as the most zen of cucumbers under pressure, the 30-year-old is the master of the one-on-one and has always produced enough worldie saves to to fill multiple dubiously-soundtracked YouTube compilations.
And then there's his distribution: we could pick out countless examples, but it's hard to see past his assist for Mo Salah's winner against Manchester City earlier this season for a ball which sums up Alisson's ability with the ball at his feet.
11. Sadio Mane
It's no coincidence that Liverpool have struggled badly since Mane's departure this summer: the Senegalese speed demon set the standard for insanely intense forward play during his six years at Anfield.
But the Reds' loss has very much been Bayern Munich's gain: the 2018/19 (joint) Premier League Golden Boot winner has kept the goals coming under another coach who loves a good bit of gegenpressing: Julian Nagelsmann.
All in all, it's been a fantastic year for Mane – who inspired Senegal to their very first Africa Cup of Nations triumph, scoring the decisive penalty of the shootout in the final against Egypt.
