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Football is a team game and while individual brilliance is appreciated and recognized, it takes 11 players to make a winning side. Passing is one of the most important aspects of football as it helps sides progress on the pitch as a unit.
But simply passing the ball around to recycle and retain possession won't cut it. Teams need players who are good at progressive passing. Players who can pass the ball through the lines and take opposition players out of the game with one swift move are often the difference makers.
In order to execute such passes, a player needs to have a good amount of awareness and vision. He also needs to have the technique to pull off ambitious passes.
When we're ranking the best passers in world football, we need to take plenty of aspects into consideration. For example, the pass completion rate is only part of the equation. The higher up the pitch we move, the lesser the pass success rate will be due to obvious reasons and therefore, it can't be the only criterion.
We have to factor in range, technique and vision as well. Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the best passers in football right now.
#5 Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
Joshua Kimmich is one of the most versatile footballers on the planet. The German international has impeccable technique and that's exactly why he possesses such versatility. He can play at right-back and anywhere across midfield.
One of Kimmich's standout attributes is his passing. He is brilliant at conducting play from a deep-lying role in midfield for Bayern Munich. Kimmich can often be found probing in midfield, looking to pick out one of his forwards who is trying to make a run in behind the opposition defence.
Whether it be swift, well-weighted, grounded passes, accurate crosses or cross-field diagonals, Kimmich has the vision and technique to execute them. The 26-year-old is easily one of the most technically gifted footballers in the world and is also one of the best passers in the game.
In the 2020-21 season, Kimmich registered a pass completion rate of 88.3% in the Bundesliga. He scored six goals and provided 14 assists in 39 appearances across all competitions last term as well.
#4 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool aren't too reliant on their midfielders to orchestrate play. While midfielders are crucial to winning the ball back and keeping things ticking, it's the advanced full-backs who create a lot of opportunities for Klopp's men.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is one of the best attacking full-backs in the world. The youngster was a vital cog in the Liverpool side that won the Champions League and the Premier League in back-to-back seasons.
Alexander-Arnold is one of the best passers in the Premier League. His pickouts from out on the right wing are incredibly accurate. The 22-year-old's early crosses are David Beckham-esque and his set-piece delivery is top-notch as well.
In 45 appearances across all competitions for Liverpool in the 2020-21 season, he scored two goals and provided nine assists from the right-back position.
#3 Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
After years of trying to understand what Paul Pogba's best position in midfield is, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seems to have finally figured it out. The Manchester United talisman has been phenomenal this year and has been playing in a much more advanced position.
He plays as a left forward for the Red Devils and the freedom to roam seems to bring out the best in him. There has never been any doubt about Pogba's passing credentials. His passing range is exceptional and the 28-year-old was arguably France's best player in their run to the Round of 16 at Euro 2020.
Pogba registered as many as four assists in Manchester United's 2021-22 season opener against Leeds United. All four passes were highlight-reel worthy and he added one more to his assist tally for the season in the subsequent game against Southampton. The Frenchman is one of the most technically gifted players in the world and it's truly starting to translate to match winning performances.
#2 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Kevin De Bruyne runs the Manchester City midfield with so much authority that it's hard to take one's eyes off him. He pulls off passes that would be inconceivable even to other top midfielders in the world.
The Belgian international has it all in his kitty. He can fashion outside the boot passes, swing in vicious crosses and also play the most perfectly weighted through balls for his attackers.
The midfield maverick has impeccable technique and can use both feet to pass and shoot. He has so often been the difference maker for Manchester City in recent years and that's purely down to his vision and passing range.
The 30-year-old has been chosen as the PFA Player's Player of the Year for two seasons running, in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
#1 Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
Toni Kroos was signed by Real Madrid for a sum in the ballpark of €30 million. At that price, the German international was an absolute bargain. Renowned for his passing range, vision and set-piece ability, Kroos is one of the most technically astute players in the world.
He is also inarguably one of the best midfielders of the modern era. Kroos excels in a deep-lying playmaker's role. He is exceptional at picking out his teammates from anywhere on the pitch.
Whether it be little give-and-go's to wriggle out of tight spaces or diagonals infused with the perfect amount of power and precision, Kroos does it all with elegance. Alongside Luka Modric and Casemiro, Kroos has formed the most dominant midfield trio in the Champions League in recent times.
Toni Kroos maintained a pass completion rate of 93.6% in 28 La Liga appearances in the 2020-21 season. He also scored three goals and provided 12 assists in 42 appearances across all competitions. Kroos is, hands down, the best passer of the ball in the world at the moment.
