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South America is regarded as the home of the finest footballers in history. The continent has been producing great superstars for a very long time, starting from the likes of Pele, Diego Maradona, Rivaldo, Gabriel Batistuta, De Lima Ronaldo, down to the likes of Ronaldinho, Robinho, and Diego Forlan, it has never ceased to produce amazing talents.
Over the past few years, European football has welcomed many fantastic players from the continent. In fact, many of these professionals reached their peak while in Europe.
This season, many brilliant players from South America have proven their worth across several leagues in Europe. These superstars have been performing at amazing levels.
Therefore, let us look at the top-five South Americans in Europe this season:
#5 Roberto Firmino (Liverpool)
Mohamed Salah might have grabbed the praises for Liverpool's good season, but the role of Firmino towards the success of the team cannot be dismissed. The Brazilian has been one of the brightest players in the Premier League with his incredible and consistent performances.
He has been operating at an amazing level, combining creativity and goalscoring to ensure that The Reds remain as high as they have been. This is why Jurgen Klopp recently called him 'the engine of the team'.
The attacker has scored 15 goals and assisted 7 more to keep Liverpool in the top 4 race, and has been instrumental in leading the club to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 10 years, scoring 8 goals and bagging 4 assists.
Apart from his goals and assists, the superstar has also earned a lot of praise for his overall contributions this season. The way he works hard to regain the ball anytime it is lost, and his role as both Liverpool's creator and goalscorer clearly shows the kind of impact he has on the team.
All stats according to whoscored.com
#4 Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
After an average campaign last year, Sergio Aguero has come back to his absolute best this season.
Under Pep Guardiola, the Argentine has firmly re-established himself as one of the finest strikers in the English Premier League.
It is true that Manchester City has had many brilliant players this season, but Aguero has been one of the key players in City's success, this season.
In fact, he has contributed heavily to their success this term, scoring freely and at the vital moments. The Argentine stepped up when it mattered most, scoring the opener in their Carabao Cup victory over Arsenal on February 25th.
Moreover, his contributions have also been pivotal in The Citizens' title triumph this season. The striker scored 21 goals and assisted six to help the Manchester club claim the Premier League title.
He also scored four and assisted one to help Manchester City to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
All stats according to whoscored.com
#3 Paulo Dybala (Juventus)
Juventus ace Paulo Dybala has earned a lot of comparisons with his Argentine idol Lionel Messi. The attacker has reached new heights in his career this term, with his incredible performances for the Italian champions.
Dybala has enjoyed one of his most prolific campaigns in recent years, scoring consistently, as Juventus move towards another Scudetto. The attacker has scored an impressive 21 goals and assisted 4 in the Serie A this campaign. He also has one goal in the UEFA Champions League as well as another one in the Coppa Italia.
Despite the intense competition that Napoli has raised in the title race, the Argentine has helped the Old Lady to establish a convincing lead at the top of the Serie A table. They are 4 points ahead of their title rivals with just 5 matches to go.
All stats according to whoscored.com
#2 Neymar (PSG)
It is true that most Brazilian footballers are exceptionally good at what they do with the ball, and Neymar is one of them. The attacker is a typical Brazilian player and has got all the tricks in the bag. His fantastic dribbles, pace, creativity, and goalscoring exploits have caught the attention of many football fans all over the world.
The superstar dominated the headlines this season with his unbelievable transfer to Paris Saint Germain during the summer. He left FC Barcelona for PSG in a world record deal worth €222million.
After moving to the French capital, the attacker quickly established himself in his new team. He linked-up with fellow South American, Edinson Cavani, and French prodigy, Kylian Mbappe, and together, they formed a fearsome attacking trio that took the footballing world by storm.
Neymar has been one of the most impressive footballers in Europe this season. The attacker has contributed heavily towards the progress of his team during the campaign. He has helped the Parisians to reclaim the Ligue 1 title from Monaco, scoring 20 goals and assisting 13.
He also led the club to the second round of the UEFA Champions League before suffering a terrible injury that forced him out of the competition, and scored 6 goals and 3 assists in the tournament.
All stats according to whoscored.com
#1 Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Lionel Messi has been the most influential player in Europe this season. How the Argentine helped FC Barcelona to overturn a very poor start to the season remains a big surprise to many football fans across the world.
Ahead of the season, the Blaugrana faced a lot of serious challenges. First, they lost one of their brightest players, Neymar, to PSG. This was followed by the Supercopa humiliation they suffered at the hands of Real Madrid, which made things even worse. In fact, many people did not expect the club to achieve anything in the campaign.
Then came the Messi-ah, who rescued the Catalans and gradually re-established their position as one of the most dominant clubs in the continent. The Argentine has almost single-handedly led his team from grass to grace with his supernatural abilities.
Messi has helped Barcelona to win the Copa Del Rey for a record 4th consecutive time, scoring 4 vital goals in the tournament. He has been the best player in La Liga this season with 29 goals and 12 assists in 32 appearances. He also has 6 goals and 2 assists to his name in the UEFA Champions League.
In fact, no one has been able to match his impact in Europe this term. He has been everything for the Catalan club. He is their best player, top scorer, most creative player, best dribbler, best passer as well as their best influence this season.
All stats from whoscored.com
