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#3 Neymar Jr. (Paris Saint-Germain)
Neymar Jr. is one of the best footballers of his generation. The Brazilian international is a joy to watch with the ball at his feet. He epitomizes street smartness and the kind of adroitness in possession that makes us fall in love with the beautiful game.
Not only is Neymar a tricky winger who can run rings around defenders all day but he is also one of the most intelligent and technically proficient players on the planet. The 29-year-old is a prolific goalscorer but his playmaking abilities are extraordinary as well.
In the 2020-21 season, Neymar scored 17 goals and provided 11 assists in 31 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain. His skillset is replete with deft touches, tricks and flicks which enable him to become a terrifying prospect to go up against for defenders.
Neymar also possesses great vision and has always been able to strike up great partnerships with his fellow forwards. He was part of the MSN (Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar Jr.) trio which is arguably the finest attacking triumvirate we've seen in the 21st century.
He has also formed a deadly combination upfront for Paris Saint-Germain alongside the incredibly talented Kylian Mbappe.
#2 Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Lionel Messi hasn't enjoyed an ideal start to life at Paris Saint-Germain. The former Barcelona man has scored just a single goal in six appearances for the Ligue 1 side so far this term. Even though his numbers are underwhelming, he has been pretty good at dictating play for his side.
Messi is inarguably one of the best footballers of all time. There are very few things that he cannot do with the ball. A product of the famed La Masia academy, Messi is as technically accomplished as they come.
His vision and skill on the ball is unmatched and can pick out passes that his peers would even fail to conceive. In his final season for Barcelona, Messi scored 38 goals and provided 14 assists in 47 appearances. He is the favourite to win the Ballon d'Or this term and if he does it will be for a record seventh time.
#1 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema has remained world-class for over a decade now. The Real Madrid striker is now being accepted as one of the greatest strikers to have ever worn their storied whites and for good reason.
The Frenchman's technical qualities are already well-known. He has had no problems playing a supporting role to superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in the last decade. That was solely because Benzema could be as effective at creating chances for his side as he is at putting them away.
Benzema has been on fire in 2021. He earned a call-up to the French national side for Euro 2020 after a gap of six years. Benzema justified his inclusion by scoring four goals in four appearances in the continental competition.
He has been in sublime form in the 2021-22 season as well. The 33-year-old has scored 10 goals and racked up seven assists in just 10 appearances across all competitions for Los Blancos thus far.
