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2022 has been quite an action-packed year in the world of football. The domestic season came to a stop at the end of May and international football action commenced shortly after. Players have now returned to their respective clubs ahead of the 2022-23 season and are currently partaking in pre-season preparations.
They will find little respite in the coming months with the 2022 FIFA World Cup set to start in late November. To say that it's been a grueling year for footballers would be an understatement. But despite that, several footballers have enjoyed their football and even turned in some of the best performances of their careers this year.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the best players in the world this year so far (July 2022).
#5 Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne missed quite a few matches in the first half of the 2021-22 season due to an ankle injury and a bout of COVID-19. He returned to action in December 2021 and subsequently played a massive role in Manchester City's Premier League title triumph last term.
He was in sublime form for Manchester City in the first half of 2022. In 16 Premier League appearances in 2022, De Bruyne scored 10 goals and provided seven assists. He was arguably City's best player in their title-deciding matchup against Aston Villa on the final day of the 2021-22 season as well.
The Belgium international scored the only goal in Manchester City's 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals. He found the net once in Manchester City's 4-3 win over Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals as well.
De Bruyne has without a doubt been the best midfielder of 2022.
#4 Sadio Mane
Sadio Mane has had a wonderful year so far. The former Liverpool forward led Senegal to the 2021 AFCON title and was named the 'Player Of The Tournament' for his exploits. He also guided Senegal to World Cup qualification earlier this year.
Mane was not at his best in the first half of the 2021-22 season. But in 2022, he successfully transitioned into a centre-forward from a winger and started being extremely effective for Liverpool in the final third once again. His goals kept Liverpool in the race for the Premier League title until the final day of the season.
Mane also played a crucial role in Liverpool's run to the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League final. He scored a goal in the first leg of the Merseysiders' quarter-final win over Benfica and scored one in each leg of the semi-finals against Villarreal as well.
Mane bagged a brilliant brace against Manchester City in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, which Liverpool eventually won by beating Chelsea in the final. The 30-year-old has now joined Bayern Munich from Liverpool on a deal worth €32 million.
#3 Robert Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski picked up his second successive European Golden Shoe this year, scoring 35 goals in the 2021-22 Bundesliga season. He is the most prolific goalscorer in Europe's top five leagues and despite being 33, the Polish striker is in the form of his life.
Lewandowski has been excellent in 2022. He scored 16 goals and provided two assists in 17 Bundesliga appearances this year. Lewandowski's contributions were also crucial to Poland securing World Cup qualification earlier this year. He scored a vital goal in their 2-0 win over Sweden in the playoff game in the qualifiers.
Lewandowski also scored a hat-trick in the second leg of Bayern Munich's Champions League Round of 16 tie against RB Salzburg. He also scored a goal for the Bavarians in the second leg of their quarter-final tie against Villarreal, which they lost 2-1.
Lewandowski has now cleared his medical after securing a switch to Barcelona on a deal worth €45 million.
#2 Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe has simply been unstoppable of late. The French forward is a menacing presence on the football field with his blistering pace and incredible close control. Mbappe's finishing has also improved massively, and he was both the top goalscorer (28) and assist provider (17) in Ligue 1 in the 2021-22 season.
He scored a hat-trick for Paris Saint-Germain in the fourth round of the Coupe de France against Vannes. Mbappe also scored a goal in each of the two legs of PSG's Champions League Round of 16 tie against Real Madrid, which they eventually lost.
Mbappe scored 19 goals and provided nine assists in 18 Ligue 1 appearances in 2022. He signed a new three-year deal with PSG in the summer and is now tied to the club until 2025.
#1 Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema has played some of the best football of his career in 2022. His mesmerizing performances propelled Real Madrid to the La Liga and Champions League titles this year.
He netted a 17-minute hat-trick in the second leg of Real Madrid's Champions League Round of 16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain. Benzema followed that up with a hat-trick in the first leg of Los Blancos' quarter-final tie against Chelsea.
He also scored the winner for Real Madrid in the second leg against the Blues. Benzema subsequently bagged a brace in the first leg of their semi-final tie against Manchester City before providing an assist and scoring Real Madrid's winner in the second leg.
He is currently the odds-on favorite to win the 2022 Ballon d'Or. Benzema has scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 14 La Liga appearances this year. That is on top of the 10 goals and one assist he provided in the knockout stages of the Champions League for Real Madrid.
