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Serie A is one of the top 5 European leagues and is widely known as being the most tactical top-flight competition in the world. It is also famous for housing teams that are sound in a defensive sense. Thriving in Serie A would require a player to not only be technically adept but also tactically intelligent.
Serie A is back to being one of the most competitive top-flight leagues on the planet
Juventus have dominated Serie A in the past decade, winning the Scudetto nine times in a row. But Antonio Conte's Inter Milan were able to knock them off their perch and restore a modicum of order by winning the league title in the 2020-21 season.
Teams like Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Napoli, AS Roma and Lazio, among others, are rich in football heritage and always trying to get the better of each other. They have also been able to house some of the best players in the history of the game as well.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the five most consistent footballers in Serie A at the moment.
#5 Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan)
24-year-old Italian midfielder Nicolo Barella has been absolutely sensational for Inter Milan in recent seasons. He is one of the most technically sound central midfielders in Serie A and has a wide array of skills at his disposal.
Barella is what one would call an 'all-action midfielder'. He can break up attacks, dribble his way out of tight spaces, orchestrate play and also put the ball in the back of the net. He prefers to play the role of a 'mezzala' which translates to half-winger.
The Inter Milan man can shuttle from box-to-box and is also great at set-pieces. He has been one of Inter Milan's most consistent players in recent times and has quickly become one of the most sought-after midfielders in the world.
In 88 matches across all competitions for the Nerazzurri, Barella has scored seven goals and provided 21 assists so far. He was chosen as the best midfielder in Serie A for the 2020-21 season.
#4 Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
37-year-old Giorgio Chiellini has been a watchful guardian at the back for Juventus for 16 seasons now. The Italian international will go down in history as one of the greatest defenders of his generation.
Chiellini is a versatile, aggressive and reliable defender with a great reading of the game. His awareness, strength, aerial ability and tenacity to hound down opposition attackers make him one of the toughest defenders to go up against.
A traditional centre-back in the truest sense of the term, Chiellini complements his tough-tackling with some neat passing as well. This makes him a vital cog in the Juventus side that likes to build from the back.
Chiellini most recently won Euro 2020 with Italy and was inarguably one of the Azzurri's standout performers. The defensive duo of Chiellini and Bonucci weren't dribbled past even once at the continental competition.
#3 Ciro Immobile (Lazio)
After being a journeyman for most of his career, Ciro Immobile found his home in Lazio. A striker with great positional awareness, the 31-year-old is known for his ability to attack and exploit space in and around the final third.
Immobile is technically seasoned and can finish with either foot. His game is not merely limited to poaching or being a fox-in-the-box. Immobile is a team player who gives his all for the side, chasing down opposition players and relentlessly fighting to win the ball back for his side.
Immobile won the European Golden Shoe in the 2019-20 season, scoring 36 goals in 37 appearances in Serie A. The Italian international is considered to be one of the best strikers in the world. He has scored a whopping 151 goals and provided 42 assists in 220 appearances across all competitions for Lazio.
#2 Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli)
The diminutive winger Lorenzo Insigne is a pocket-sized dynamite. One of the most technically gifted players of his generation, Insigne can run rings around defences and score some absolute peaches.
He most recently played a starring role in Italy's Euro 2020 triumph. The 30-year-old has been phenomenal for the Partenopei and has established himself as one of the best wide forwards in the world.
In 397 appearances across all competitions for Napoli, Insigne has scored 109 goals and provided 85 assists so far. His low center of gravity enables him to execute quick turns and he loves cutting inside and curling shots into the top bin.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers of all time. Juventus knew exactly what they were going to get when they broke the bank to sign him in 2018. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has been Juventus' most consistent player over the past three seasons.
We've run out of superlatives to describe the Portuguese international. He won the Serie A Golden Boot in the 2020-21 season, scoring 29 goals from 33 appearances in the Italian top flight.
He has scored 101 goals and provided 22 assists in 133 appearances across all competitions for the Bianconeri in three seasons. Despite being 36-years-old, Ronaldo continues to be one of the best footballers on the planet.
He will be one of Juventus' main weapons this season as they try to regain the Scudetto after a rather dull 2020-21 campaign.
