FIFA Best Player Awards Power Rankings: September 2020

Who is on top?
Who is on top?

While France Football decided to cancel the Ballon d'Or Awards in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, we are being told that the FIFA Best Player Awards could still take place. The latest suggestion in this direction was given by Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge who told Kicker (via GivemeSport)

"According to a statement by the President of Fifa, this award should take place.
"Gianni Infantino told me that the award should be given to the best player, the best goalkeeper and the best coach. That is very welcome."

Football fans are quite happy now that the new season has kicked off without much of a season break and we're back in the thick of the action. It also looks like the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly at the top might finally come to an end now.

Without further ado, let's take a look at the FIFA Best Player Awards Power Ranking for the month of September.


#10 Virgil Van Dijk

Virgl Van Dijk and his Liverpool teammates
Virgl Van Dijk and his Liverpool teammates

The usually dependable and steady Virgil Van Dijk has had a rather underwhelming ending to the last season with two of his errors leading to Liverpool crashing out of the FA Cup in the semi-final stage against Arsenal.

He has not started the new season as well as he would have expected either. Van Dijk's error at the back was taken advantage of by Patrick Bamford of Leeds United in Liverpool's season opener. It could be that the Dutchman is a bit rusty and he is likely to get back to his best without much fuss.

However, owing to the underwhelming nature of his recent showings, he falls down the order and rests and 10th on our list now.

#9 Raheem Sterling

Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling

In all fairness, there hasn't been a whole lot of football to report on since the last iteration of the Power Rankings. But the cream of the crop manage to give a good account of themselves whenever they feature.

After scoring 30 goals across all competitions for Manchester City in the 2019-20 season, Raheem Sterling seems to be kicking on in the same vein for both club and country.

He scored for England in their UEFA Nations League campaign opener against Iceland and also picked up an assist in Manchester City's Premier League season opener against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Pep Guardiola will continue to rely heavily on Sterling after not adding new marquee signings to his already stacked frontline and it's highly likely that the faith that he keeps in Sterling will pay off once again.

#8 Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema continues to spearhead the attack for Real Madrid. It's a transfer window which has caused a few changes at Real Madrid and the Frenchman continues to be one of the veterans in whom Zinedine Zidane is happy to invest a lot of trust in.

Benzema scored a total of 27 goals from 47 appearances and also registered 10 assists last season. He has just kickstarted his 2020-21 campaign and we are expecting to see more of the same as he has not shown any signs of fading of late.

#7 Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe

Paris Saint-Germain have got off to an abysmal start in the Ligue 1 and are currently eighth on the Ligue 1 table after four games. To make matters worse, several of their players including Neymar, Di Maria and Kurzawa were suspended after getting into a scuffle at the end of their derby against Marseille.

Mbappe keeps his place in the rankings thanks to his exploits from last season that helped take PSG to the finals of the UEFA Champions League. He has only made an appearance each for his national side and his club this season so far but has already bagged a goal apiece from them.

#6 Ciro Immobile

Ciro Immobile
Ciro Immobile

The recipient of the European Golden Shoe, Ciro Immobile is yet to get his 2020-21 campaign truly underway. For that reason, he has fallen down the rankings but if he can replicate his run of form from last season, Immobile will have no problems climbing up the table.

Immobile scored 36 goals in the Serie A last season and is now counted as one of the most elite strikers in the world right now. However, a severe lack of silverware is almost certain to stop him from finishing on the podium.

#5 Thomas Muller

Thomas Muller
Thomas Muller

One of the most intelligent footballers on the planet, Thomas Muller had one heck of a season last term and played a pivotal role in Bayern Munich winning the continental treble and it looks like we will see more of the same from the German this time around.

Thomas Muller racked up 26 assists and scored 14 goals across all competitions last season. He scored and assisted in Bayern's opening day annihilation of FC Schalke where the Bavarians put 8 past their opposition.

#4 Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo
Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo

In the past month, Cristiano Ronaldo became the second player to score 100 international goals by scoring a brace for Portugal against Sweden. It's like he reserved two absolute peaches to fit the occasions because both of those goals were a treat to watch.

Ronaldo looked sharp in all his outings this month and also scored in Juventus' season opener against Sampdoria. Andrea Pirlo is aware that Ronaldo is heading into the latter stages of his career and has said that he will be resting the Portuguese a bit over the course of the season.

He scored 37 goals and racked racked up 5 assists from 46 games across all competitions for the Bianconeri last season.

#3 Lionel Messi

FC Barcelona v Girona - Pre-Season Friendly
FC Barcelona v Girona - Pre-Season Friendly

Lionel Messi's transfer saga was the most sensational one from this transfer window but it was rather short-lived. After threatening to leave Barcelona owing to poor management, Messi pulled a 180 and decided to stay.

They are yet to kickstart their 2020-21 La Liga campaign but his exploits from last season are good enough to keep him in course for a podium finish. Lionel Messi scored 31 goals and picked up 24 assists for the Cules in the 2019-20 season across all competitions.

But Messi will need a lot more support from the rest of the team this season particularly now that Luis Suarez is also on the verge of leaving the club. It is time for the likes of Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Griezmann to step up.

#2 Kevin de Bruyne

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester City - Premier League
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester City - Premier League

Arguably the finest midfielder in the game right now, Kevin De Bruyne has been Pep Guardiola's main man for several seasons now. He continues to be the provider-in-chief for Manchester City's talented attackers.

The Belgian rarely has an off game and has started his 2020-21 campaign on a high, scoring a goal and registering an assist in Manchester City's season opener against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Last season, Messi notched up 16 goals and 22 assists from 46 appearances across all competitions for the Cityzens and we expect more of the same from the 29-year-old this time around.

#1 Robert Lewandowski

FC Bayern Muenchen v FC Schalke 04 - Bundesliga
FC Bayern Muenchen v FC Schalke 04 - Bundesliga

It's not even up for debate this time around. Robert Lewandowski has been a cut above the rest over the past year and he deserves to bag this award for the ridiculous numbers he clocked in the 2019-20 season alone.

Lewandowski was Bayern Munich's main man as they went all the way in Europe and won the continental treble. The Pole has been extraordinary and has been scoring at more than a goal a game.

He has already opened his account this season, converting from the spot in Bayern's 8-0 trouncing of FC Schalke in their season opener. Lewandowski scored 56 goals from 48 games last term and it would be a crime to rob him off the FIFA Best Player Award this time.

Lewandowski scored 15 goals from 10 UEFA Champions League games last season and was the chief architect behind the Bavarians' European triumph.

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Edited by Shambhu Ajith