Ranked: The most important player for each of the 10 biggest clubs

Bhargav
Cristiano Ronaldo remains a key player for his club.
Cristiano Ronaldo remains a key player for his club.

#3 Robert Lewandowski - Bayern Munich

Robert Lewandowski has been a key player for club and country.
Robert Lewandowski has been a key player for club and country.

Robert Lewandowski is arguably the hottest striker in the game at the moment. Bayern Munich's Polish goal machine has plundered 302 goals and 65 assists in only 334 appearances across competitions for the club.

Last season, the 33-year-old striker scored 41 times to break the late Gerd Muller's five-decade-old record of most goals (40) in a Bundesliga campaign. Lewandowski has already hit the ground running this season, scoring six times in only four games.

Suffice to say, Lewandowski is one of the first names in Julian Nagelsmann's XI, as the Pole looks good for another blistering goal-rich campaign.


#2 Cristiano Ronaldo - Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo scored on his return to Manchester United.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored on his return to Manchester United.

Cristiano Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the best players to have graced the game. During an illustrious, nearly two-decade-long career, he has scored goals and won big titles galore for club and country.

The 36-year-old recently scored on his second debut for Manchester United, 12 years after he left English shores to join Real Madrid. Last season, Ronaldo won his first Capocannoniere award - scoring 29 times - even as Juventus' nine-year Serie A reign came to an end.

After scoring five times at Euro 2020, Ronaldo has overtaken Ali Daie (109) to become the most prolific scorer in men's international football. With the kind of form Ronaldo is in, Manchester United will fancy their chances of a first Premier League title since 2013.


#1 Lionel Messi - PSG

Lionel Messi arrived at PSG this summer.
Lionel Messi arrived at PSG this summer.

Lionel Messi, along with Ronaldo, is arguably one of the finest players to have played the game.

After an illustrious 17-season stint with Barcelona, the 34-year-old arrived at Ligue 1 giants PSG this summer. Messi plundered almost 1100 goal contributions (672 goals, 305 assists) during his stay at Camp Nou.

He won ten La Liga titles, two continental trebles, eight Pichichi awards and six Ballon d'Or awards, among others.

That explained the warm reception Messi received at his unveiling as a PSG player last month.

The 2021 Copa America winner did not score on his PSG debut. But he is expected to inspire Mauricio Pochettino's charges to a maiden Champions League title this summer.

It remains to be seen how Messi fares at his new club. But expectations are abuzz that he will replicate his Barcelona exploits in an 'easier' league.

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