For a lot of the final decade plus, an train akin to this might have appeared completely redundant. There was actually nothing to debate when it got here to the query who’s the best footballer on the planet. What a waste of hours and spreadsheets it might be to current to you all that Lionel Messi is the very best within the enterprise.

Now, nonetheless, the game is in a transitional interval. The good man and his everlasting rival Cristiano Ronaldo have begun their post-imperial initiatives, spreading the sport out to its footballing backwaters. Those that have been cursed to pursue greatness within the Messi age now discover their lights are dimming too. As for those who observe, how can anybody hope to succeed in a bar raised so excessive?

And so welcome to the Golazo 100, a rating of the best gamers within the males’s recreation, with an identical girls’s checklist to observe forward of the Olympics. Every knowledgeable was handed a simple process: Give us the very best you’ve got bought. 

What we bought was a fairly outstanding unfold. Throughout their particular person lists of 100 got here eight completely different gamers dubbed the very best within the recreation.

Over the approaching days we’ll unveil the very best of the very best, beginning on Wednesday with our first 20 names. There might be surprises aplenty and lots to debate in time for June 12, once we will title the inaugural winner of the Golazo 100. 

Golazo 100 schedule

Make sure you tune into Golazo Community, together with Morning Footy to start out your day with a breakdown of every batch of prime gamers launched on daily basis. And, in fact, ensure that to take a look at the complete breakdown and evaluation of who was ranked the place and why

• 100-81
• Thursday, June 6: 80-61
• Friday, June 7: 60-41
• Saturday, June 8: High Individuals to observe for 2025
• Sunday, June 9: High 40 lookahead
• Monday, June 10: 40-21
• Tuesday, June 11: 20-11
• Wednesday, June 12: 10-1

It’s no nice shock that so many gamers had a convincing candidacy. There’s not a lot of a spoiler alert required to have a way of who could be there or thereabouts once we unveil the highest 20 on Tuesday and Wednesday of subsequent week. It took almost 18 months for anybody to beat Rodri in a soccer match. Vinicius Junior has simply delivered for Actual Madrid within the greatest recreation in soccer, once more. Harry Kane, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe proceed to prime the continent’s scoring charts.

None of those supply an iron clad candidacy to be the very best of the very best. Does it matter that each one of Kane’s many objectives haven’t but contributed to membership silverware? Can the best within the recreation play the majority of his soccer in a league whose aggressive steadiness has been nerfed by his employers? Have Vinicius and Jude Bellingham spent lengthy sufficient close to the summit to make the final step? Is the 12 months after the 12 months an acceptable second to acclaim Manchester Metropolis’s Rodri, Haaland or Kevin De Bruyne?

For a few of our panel these questions may have confirmed to be extra persuasive. All of these talked about above — and an important many others who will sit within the prime 20 — have delivered moments of transcendent brilliance on this previous season and past. It is simply that the man earlier than them did that on a regular basis.

In a style that solely Pele and Diego Maradona have completed earlier than, Messi modified the parameters of greatness in soccer. Not one of the greats that occupy the highest of the game have a season to check with 73 objectives and 32 assists in 60 video games. None of them have eight Ballon d’Ors, 12 home titles, a World Cup received by power of will and the 2023 Leagues Cup. None are going to match Messi.

That is the place the enjoyable lies. There are not any locks anymore. After we repeat this train in a 12 months’s time Mbappe, Vinicius and Bellingham’s collective brilliance might need spoiled their case for particular person greatness a la the Kevin Durant-era Golden State Warriors. Age might need caught Kane and De Bruyne. Bukayo Saka, Florian Wirtz, Rafael Leao: All these and plenty of extra may take the final nice leap. For the primary time in a technology, the title of greatest on this planet is there to be grasped.

Do not miss CBS Sports activities Golazo Community’s Morning Footy, now in podcast type! Our crew brings you all of the information, views, highlights and laughs you should observe the Lovely Recreation in each nook of the globe, each Monday-Friday all 12 months lengthy.

Golazo 100 Males’s Listing

81. Christian Pulisic — Winger, AC Milan

What’s a listing of prime gamers on this planet with out the present Captain America on it? Presumably the very best American soccer participant ever produced, Pulisic has received a Champions Leauge title with Chelsea, a DFB Pokal with Borussia Dortmund together with a number of honors for the USA males’s nationwide workforce. Now, coming into the prime of his profession with Milan, it looks as if Pulisic is having fun with his soccer whereas additionally producing outcomes with it. Nonetheless solely 25, the versatile attacker has but to even enter the prime of his profession forward of an necessary summer time the place he’ll lead the USMNT throughout Copa America on residence soil. 

Issues are trending nicely forward of 2026 which might be a crowning 12 months in Pulisic’s profession with an opportunity to guide the USMNT at a World Cup on residence soil. Rising in his function in Serie A will set him up nicely however so will the truth that Pulisic has been a world traveler in a position to combine in three of the 5 main European Leagues whereas scoring alongside the best way reveals that even when Pulisic simply continues to do what he has completed that he’ll go down as top-of-the-line American careers ever. For extra on Pulisic, do not miss this full breakdown on why he made the checklist and what it says about American expertise. — Chuck Sales space

82. Luis Díaz — Left Wing, Liverpool

One of many focal factors of Jurgen Klopp’s ultimate Liverpool workforce was the embarrassment of riches he had in assault. Not solely did he have a number of noteworthy gamers to select from, he additionally had sufficient choices to rotate via because the Reds made deep runs in 4 completely different competitions. At the same time as Klopp unfold the love, some gamers naturally ranked above others within the workforce’s most necessary video games. Luis Diaz was on the pitch most of the time to generate — and rating — probabilities.

Diaz scored 13 objectives and recorded 5 assists in 51 video games this season, doing his half in Klopp’s ultimate season. He did so on necessary events, too — he scored in additional time of Liverpool’s second leg of their EFL Cup semifinal in opposition to Fulham, sending them to the ultimate and enjoying a giant function within the workforce that received the trophy. He additionally managed to carve a spot for himself amongst the highest attackers within the Premier League this season, rating inside the prime 20 for anticipated objectives with 11.88, pictures with 95 and probabilities created with 64. The 27-year-old might be counted on to impress for Colombia on the Copa America, just a few brief months after scoring twice for Los Cafeteros of their first-ever World Cup qualifying win over Brazil in November. Diaz has a behavior of rising from a crowded area as a reliable attacking power, providing each his membership and nation a wholesome likelihood to win every time he is on the pitch. — Pardeep Cattry

83. Viktor Gyokeres — Striker, Sporting CP

A winger turned striker, Victor Gyokeres has damaged out since transferring to Sporting Lisbon. From being a relative unknown in Brighton’s academy to rising as a harmful attacker with potential at Coventry Metropolis to now now displaying that he is the actual deal in Portugal, Gyokeres’ enchancment underneath Rubin Amorim has been putting. Some forwards are the sort to artfully curl pictures into the web, however not Gyokeres who strikes each ball like it is going to be his final. Making the web ripple with each purpose, the Swedish striker places a venom on the ball that even when a keeper will get their hand to it, they could not cease it. It might be an attention-grabbing summer time for him as switch curiosity grows, nevertheless it’s rightly deserved. Add his skills with the ball to power retaining it and being good at urgent and it makes a ahead who any supervisor would need. It is unlucky that he will not be at Euro 2024, nevertheless it does present the additional advantage that he’ll be nicely rested coming into the season, wherever that season could also be. — Chuck Sales space

84. Mike Maignan — Goalkeeper, AC Milan

Established as France’s undisputed No. 1 for the reason that retirement of Hugo Lloris after the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar, this summer time’s UEFA Euro 2024 is the primary likelihood for Milan’s shot stopper to make a reputation for himself at worldwide degree. On the membership scene, consecutive titles in Ligue 1 after which Serie A have been added to by the UEFA Nations League with Les Bleus and Maignan is lastly getting the overdue silverware and particular person recognition that his skill warrants. The 28-year-old French Guiana-born Rossoneri goalkeeper is taken into account top-of-the-line in Europe proper now and formative membership Paris Saint-Germain’s choice to signal Gianluigi Donnarumma which paved the best way for Maignan’s Italy change appears questionable from the French giants given their push for home expertise of late. Count on to see this late bloomer rival the likes of Thibaut Courtois in being acknowledged as Europe’s greatest netminder over the following few years and probably even being coveted by a continental juggernaut earlier than the age of 30. — Jonathan Johnson

85. Lois Openda —  Striker, RB Leipzig

Few anticipated the Belgium worldwide to take care of his scorching type with RC Lens fairly as spectacularly as he managed to do throughout his first season with RB Leipzig with 28 objectives and 7 assists throughout all competitions together with a primary style of UEFA Champions League motion. Openda is one in all European soccer’s most in-form strikers at current and is anticipated to take that scientific edge into this summer time’s UEFA Euro 2024 with the Belgians which may make Domenico Tedesco’s males darkish horses in Germany, which is the place the RBL man now plies his commerce. Die Roten Bullen are often known as a stepping stone membership regardless of their common continental forays so the probabilities are that Openda or strike associate Benjamin Sesko might be needed males sooner slightly than later. Nonetheless, the 24-year-old together with Xavi Simons was one of many Bundesliga outfit’s prime performers all 12 months lengthy and may have one other shot on the UCL subsequent time period earlier than a possible suitor comes calling. — Jonathan Johnson

86. Karim Benzema — Striker, Al-Ittihad

It looks as if solely yesterday that the French famous person was being topped Ballon d’Or winner after some unstoppable type with Actual Madrid, however issues are a far cry from that superb second in Paris lower than two calendar years later. Benzema, like just a few others on this checklist, advantages from type being momentary and sophistication being everlasting — his Al-Ittihad spell in Saudi Arabia has definitely not been going in accordance with plan up to now since his arrival to nice fanfare final summer time. The previous Olympique Lyonnais man’s unbelievable trophy haul with Actual — notably 5 UEFA Champions League and 4 La Liga titles — will reside lengthy within the reminiscence however it’s arduous to not really feel that the 36-year-old’s ultimate few years are fading into obscurity. With fellow Al-Ittihad man N’Golo Kante nonetheless holding down a UEFA Euro 2024 squad berth regardless of being out of European soccer for a 12 months now, it might be that the top of Benzema’s worldwide profession with France introduced in regards to the untimely closure of his membership days too. — Jonathan Johnson

87. Manuel Neuer — Goalkeeper, Bayern Munich

Manuel Neuer’s popularity as one of many recreation’s greatest goalkeepers is already set. The World Cup and UEFA Champions League winner is taken into account a trendsetter for immediately’s shot-stoppers, expert along with his ft in a manner that was as soon as distinctive, however is now the usual for the sport’s elite goalkeepers. At 38 years outdated, there is no have to reinvent the wheel for Neuer however he impressively stays a precious asset for each Bayern Munich and Germany, whilst each storied groups hit a interval of uncertainty.

He needed to overcome his personal hurdles to maintain his inventory excessive almost a decade after successful the World Cup, although. Neuer spent the higher a part of a 12 months away from the pitch after fracturing his proper knee throughout a ski journey in December 2022, however performed his first recreation in 350 days when Bayern beat Darmstadt 8-0 in October of final 12 months. He has since collected new particular person information in his comeback 12 months, chief amongst them breaking Iker Casillas’ document for many clear sheets within the Champions League. Neuer now has 58 clear sheets to his title in European competitors, the latest of which got here in Bayern’s 1-0 win over Arsenal within the quarterfinals, when the normally attack-minded workforce delivered a defensive masterclass.

He can nonetheless come up large in opposition to the very best gamers within the recreation, too. Look no additional than their second leg semifinal tie in opposition to Actual Madrid, when Neuer made 5 saves in a loss. The icon could also be within the twilight of his profession, however there is no cause to counsel he is behind the tempo on the elite ranges of the sport simply but. — Pardeep Cattry

88. Dusan Vlahovic — Striker, Juventus

The Serbian striker had a really robust season at Juventus after a disappointing begin and is now set to start out a brand new chapter underneath Thiago Motta on the membership after the Euros he’ll play with Serbia. Other than the 18 objectives scored in all competitions this marketing campaign, Vlahovic lastly gave the impression to be lastly again on the degree he was at Fiorentina earlier than signing for Juventus. The sensation is that he can solely enhance underneath Motta, and rather a lot will even depend upon how Juventus will play subsequent season once they will even be again to play Champions League soccer. Up to now, Vlahovic carried out higher when he was enjoying with one other striker enjoying subsequent to him, slightly than within the 4-3-3. If the Serbian striker will be capable to make that additional step we’re all anticipating, we must always think about him among the many greatest ones round Europe. –  Francesco Porzio

89. Neymar — Left Wing, Al-Hillal

Nearly scraping onto this checklist, regardless of not having performed a lot soccer in the very best a part of two years is the Brazilian famous person who doesn’t also have a purpose to his title with Al Hilal but after making a mega cash transfer from Paris Saint-Germain final summer time. Neymar is now 32, and though he stays necessary for his nation and a darling of the nation, his greatest days are definitively behind him, and it’s unlikely that he might be that includes in lots of extra lists like these until there’s a dramatic turnaround in fortunes. Given how injury-prone the South American has been in recent times, it could be a greater plan to get again to enjoying usually earlier than contemplating whether or not European soccer is price one ultimate crack. An excellent participant on his day however not constant nor motivated sufficient over the ultimate significant years of his profession implies that this seems like issues ending in ignominy until Neymar can summon big inside power and perception to get again to one thing near his greatest one ultimate time. — Jonathan Johnson

90. Joao Cancelo — Fullback, Barcelona

When he began to present all promise at Valencia a decade in the past (how is he already 30 years outdated?), he appeared destined for superstardom. One other Portuguese prodigy ripped from Benfica for large cash, solely to then play for Inter Milan, Juventus, Manchester Metropolis, Bayern Munich and Barcelona in a six-year span. Whereas his maturity is usually questioned, his skill will not be. He is as quick as they make them, he can dominate you along with his technical talent, and regardless that he is a fullback, he is an attack-minded participant with all of the potential on this planet. 

His 4 objectives for Barca this season are a profession excessive, and regardless of these defensive woes, he provides sufficient to be on this checklist because of expertise and manufacturing.

Now, if he have been merely enjoying as an attacking winger (I feel he ought to), I feel he’d be a lot increased on his checklist as a result of he does posses the talent to arrange his teammates and create area to cross it in from the wing. Although he can wrestle passing if he drifts centrally, he balances it out with the one-on-one skill. — Roger Gonzalez

91. Ademola Lookman — Ahead/Winger, Atalanta

Lists like these are usually a celebration of the glamorous aspect of sports activities, that includes gamers who most anticipated could be stars and lived as much as the billing from a younger age. Most sports activities journeys, although, aren’t linear however a prolonged highway to touchdown in the correct place on the proper time generally is a triumphant one. Simply ask Ademola Lookman, who’s lastly hitting his stride.

The 26-year-old Lookman landed at his sixth membership in three international locations when he joined Atalanta in 2022. It was a kind of strikes that attracted restricted consideration — the England-born Lookman was chewed up and spit out of the Premier League and landed at a membership on the rise however removed from anybody’s checklist of prime contenders for silverware. Rapidly sufficient, these perceptions didn’t matter — he scored on his Serie A debut, a 2-0 win over Sampdoria and scored 15-plus objectives in consecutive seasons throughout all competitions. He blended that in with approval for Nigeria, scoring three objectives en path to this 12 months’s Africa Cup of Nations ultimate and making the workforce of the match.

Lookman’s crowning achievement, although, is the hattrick he scored on this 12 months’s UEFA Europa League ultimate in Dublin. The promise many had recognized in him as soon as upon a time was clearly on show — he barely put a foot mistaken that day, scoring on every of his pictures and beating his defender on nearly each event. Lookman’s success is a reminder that there is no one proper technique to the highest, and there is loads to rejoice about that. — Pardeep Cattry

92. Raphinha — Proper Wing, Barcelona

His play could be overshadowed by Barcelona’s unbelievable consistency of being inconsistent, however the Brazil worldwide simply wrapped up his third straight season (two at Barca) with double-digit objectives. The previous Leeds United man can end in quite a lot of methods, nevertheless it’s his skill to be in the correct spot on the proper time, on prime of making hazard down the correct, that makes him such a priority for opposing defenses. He figures to have a stable function with the Brazil nationwide workforce at Copa America, and if it weren’t for him, Barca’s season in all probability would have been worse than it already was. 

Raphinha is phenomenal relating to beating a defender in tight areas as his skill to react to the slightest hesitation will see him clear via most of the time. With the pace to beat you down the flanks, he does an outstanding job of placing the ball into harmful areas for his teammates to complete. — Roger Gonzalez

93. Vitinha — Midfield, PSG

The Portuguese midfielder has actually come into his personal over the past season, changing into an integral a part of a Paris Saint-Germain workforce that made it to the semifinals of the Champions League whereas additionally successful Ligue 1 and the French Cup. The 24-year-old Portuguese worldwide joined from Porto in 2022 and had a stellar marketing campaign this season with 9 objectives in 46 video games. His creativity on the ball and skill to shoot from a distance has made him PSG’s most harmful participant, arguably, behind Kylian Mbappe. He solely wants a little bit little bit of room to launch a rocket, and he appears to get pleasure from pulling the set off from vary over stepping into the field. 

There isn’t a doubt he is extra settled within the French capital and his performances point out a participant on the prime of his recreation, with a knack for recovering the ball excessive up the sector simply an added bonus to an all-around star. With Mbappe leaving PSG, he’s set to change into one of many new faces of the membership as they pursue European glory, and he is anticipated to be a key a part of Roberto Martinez’s Portugal plans this summer time at Euro 2024. — Roger Gonzalez

94. Alvaro Morata — Striker, Atletico Madrid

The one trait all nice strikers share is a capability to search out themselves in nice scoring positions with frequency. For the very best a part of half a decade, Alvaro Morata did that, however the ball simply didn’t go within the internet as usually because it must. At virtually each membership he ended up at he could be the whipping boy, the participant who infuriated a portion of the fanbase as a result of so many large probabilities got here and went.

In his second spell at Atletico Madrid, all that has modified, a minimum of at membership degree. The 31-year-old is admired by his teammates for the standard of his all-around play and the management he brings to the locker room. Extra necessary even than that, he’s scoring objectives and extra of them than his anticipated purpose complete would counsel. His 21 this season are the very best of his profession up to now, whereas he additionally has 11 objectives in his final 21 caps for Spain. It has taken time and lots of mis-steps for Morata to get to a peak decrease than it might need been if he had ever discovered a secure atmosphere. Nonetheless, the summit he’s at now’s increased than most. — James Benge

95. Nico Williams — Winger, Athletic Membership

The Spain worldwide has managed to burst onto the scene at Athletic Bilbao alongside his brother Inaki, who narrowly missed this checklist, however it’s the youthful Williams brother who appears destined for stardom. A winger with pace, technical skill and unbelievable expertise, he can beat virtually any defender along with his tremendous dribbling expertise. Defenders are sometimes left with the one recourse being to hack him down as his foul-winning skill is likely one of the greatest round. Already a key member of the Spanish workforce, he is aiming for a deep run at this summer time’s Euros. 

He continues to enhance in his skill to ship crosses and hearth on purpose, and people early minutes in his profession are paying off for his growth with larger golf equipment prone to come calling earlier than lengthy. His skill to play on both aspect of the wing makes him simply that rather more precious. — Roger Gonzalez

96. Anthony Gordon — Winger, Newcastle 

There’s at all times a degree of uncertainty connected to a youth prospect, a few of whom unfairly carry the hopes and desires of idealistic supporters on their shoulders. Newcastle United‘s £45 million wager in January 2023 to signal Anthony Gordon from Everton was a great one, although, and the 23-year-old’s inventory is simply rising after a career-best season with the Magpies.

Gordon wrote the prologue to his robust first full season in Newcastle finally 12 months’s European U-21 Championships, scoring two objectives and notching one help as England received the competitors and he picked up the Participant of the Match award. The follow-up act was simply as spectacular — he scored 12 objectives and recorded 11 assists in 48 video games for Newcastle in the course of the 2023-24 season, behind solely Alexander Isak within the former class. Gordon has not simply carved out a spot in Eddie Howe’s lineup but in addition within the membership’s historical past, changing into the primary Englishman to attain in 4 league residence video games in a row for the Magpies since Alan Shearer did so in 1999.

As a altering of the guard takes place on the prime ranges of the sport, Gordon’s title is a worthy inclusion amongst proficient younger gamers who’re rising as the game’s new stars. There’s nonetheless room to develop for the 23-year-old, however he’s starting to exhibit a reliability that serves as a foundational aspect for any top-tier goal-scorer. — Pardeep Cattry

97. Dominik Szoboszlai — Midfield, Liverpool

It is arduous to imagine he’s simply 23 years of age, however not way back he was that teenage sensation starring at Purple Bull Salzburg. A transfer to RB Leipzig and back-to-back 10-goal seasons resulted within the switch to Liverpool final summer time. Since then, he is delivered with seven objectives in 45 video games with 4 assists. He is been a part of a rebuilt Reds midfield alongside Alexis Mac Allister, and the versatile Hungary worldwide can play broad or centrally. He has the power to beat a defender one-on-one or ship scientific vertical passes, whereas additionally displaying he can put the correct amount of contact on a via ball. 

Any coach’s dream, he needs to be concerned in duels, he seeks contact, and he’ll combat for the person subsequent to him in any state of affairs. That aggression and toughness can rub off on others, and it was a lot wanted in a Liverpool workforce that appeared just like the Europa League and Premier League favorites at one level. — Roger Gonzalez

98. Teun Koopmeiners — Midfield, Atalanta

The Dutch midfielder was one of many surprises of the season underneath Atalanta supervisor Gian Piero Gasperini. He confirmed stunning attacking qualities, exploding for 15 objectives in all competitions. These are numbers which might be normally reserved for strikers have round Europe. The Dutchman has been a key participant for Atalanta since he joined the Italian aspect in 2021, and has attracted the pursuits of a number of European golf equipment, together with Juventus, who appear extremely concerned with signing him this summer time. Koopmeiners is the kind of participant who may simply make that bounce up in notoriety this summer time forward of the brand new season, however then again, staying at Atalanta would imply the possibility for him to play Champions League soccer with a workforce that simply received their first European trophy in opposition to Bayer Leverkusen. Bear in mind his title, Koopmeiners is a kind of gamers that would change into one of many greatest names round European soccer over the following few years. – Francesco Porzio 

99. Federico Chiesa — Winger/Ahead, Juventus

The Italian winger narrowly slides onto the checklist, regardless that just a few years in the past he may have been in the next place. Chiesa, nonetheless solely 26, had a powerful begin to his Juventus spell whereas additionally successful the Euro 2020 as one of many stars of Roberto Mancini’s Italy. Nonetheless, an ACL damage suffered in January 2022 sidelined him for a complete 12 months and when he got here again he was not in a position to rise to his forrmer degree. Over the previous two seasons, Chiesa performed in several roles as winger within the 4-3-3 and likewise as a striker within the 3-5-2 because the Bianconeri performed, and generally not whilst a starter. The sensation now’s that he wants a coach who can get the very best out of him, as a result of the expertise is there and there’s no cause to suppose that he cannot get again to his earlier greatest. Thiago Motta could be the correct supervisor for him at Juventus, however there are additionally rising rumors he may also depart Juventus this summer time, as his contract at present expires in 2025. – Francesco Porzio 

100. Ronald Araujo — Middle Again, Barcelona

Persevering with the custom of Uruguay’s manufacturing of elite heart backs, the 25-year-old Rivera native is a menace within the center. At 6-foot-2, he performs even larger along with his excellent aerial skill. He is bought pace and energy to push almost any participant off the ball along with his aggression. A key piece for Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay nationwide workforce, if the Charrua make any noise on the Copa America this summer time, he must play a giant function. His 2023-24 season, whereas robust for an inconsistent Barcelona, will sadly be remembered by his questionable pink card on Bradley Barcola of PSG within the Champions League quarterfinal second leg. Barca have been up 4-2 at that time earlier than their stunning elimination. These occasional high-profile errors are what preserve him from being increased up the checklist. — Roger Gonzalez