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The No. 10 jersey holds a special place in football. From the great Diego Maradona to the mesmerizing Lionel Messi, many icons and legends have worn the number, making it immortal with unforgettable performances.
That number is not given to just any player in the squad. It usually goes to standout performers, to the leading men of the world’s sport.
Over the course of the 2021-22 campaign, we have had the privilege of seeing many No. 10s weave their magic on the pitch.
Today, we will take a look at the cream of the crop, at players who have added to the number’s legacy.
Here are the top five No. 10s who stood out in the 2021-22 campaign:
#5 Neymar - Paris Saint-Germain
Brazilian superstar Neymar had a tough time keeping himself fit in the 2021-22 campaign. But whenever he managed to take to the field for Paris Saint-Germain, he tried his best to produce magical moments.
Thanks to the red-hot form of his teammate Kylian Mbappe, Neymar was not missed much, especially in Ligue 1. But every time he played alongside the Frenchman and his former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi, the opposition had a considerably tougher time containing them.
The 30-year-old maverick featured in only 22 league games for the Parisians, chipping in with 13 goals and six assists.
Neymar also took part in six Champions League matches, providing two assists.
His cheeky assist to Mbappe in the second leg of their Champions League Round of 16 clash with Real Madrid was the highlight of his European campaign.
#4 Dimitri Payet - Marseille
Marseille star Dimitri Payet emerged as one of the best players in Ligue 1 in the 2021-22 campaign. The former West Ham United player could not inspire Marseille to a title triumph, but his performances were undeniably top-drawer.
The Frenchman's movement was excellent as always. He slid into little pockets of space, created goalscoring chances, and scored quite a few goals himself.
Over the course of the 2021-22 campaign, Payet served as the creative fulcrum of the team. Every time he missed a game, Les Olympiens looked toothless in attack, struggling to unlock the opposition.
The 35-year-old featured in 31 Ligue 1 matches, recording 12 goals and 10 assists.
He also pitched in with three goals and as many assists in seven Europa Conference League games.
#3 Harry Kane - Tottenham Hotspur
Widely hailed as one of the best strikers in the world, Harry Kane had to endure a topsy turvy campaign in 2021-22. The England international had a slow start to the season, not scoring in his first six Premier League games. Things gradually started to change for the better following Antonio Conte’s arrival in November.
Under Conte, Kane rediscovered his confidence and started playing with his typical flair. He created chances, scored goals, and once again made himself an invaluable member of the team.
His best spell in the Premier League this year came between February and March. The forward scored seven goals in six games, including a brace against eventual champions Manchester City.
The England international ultimately capped off the 2021-22 campaign with 27 goals and 10 assists in 50 appearances in all competitions.
Having scored 17 Premier League goals, Kane finished the season as the league’s fourth-highest goalscorer.
#2 Sadio Mane - Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool team are filled to the brim with top attacking talents. Standing out in such a competitive squad is easier said than done, but Sadio Mane makes the task look rather straightforward.
The Senegalese forward is freakishly quick, never shies away from a challenge, and has the quality to punish any opponent. To top it off, he always puts his team ahead of individual milestones, which makes him an invaluable asset to Klopp’s well-oiled unit.
Sadio Mane moved to Anfield from Southampton for a reported fee of €41.2 million in 2016. Over the last five years, he has played in multiple attacking positions, excelling in all.
In the first half of the 2021-22 campaign, he primarily operated as a left-winger. But since Luis Diaz’s arrival from Porto in January, he has played more centrally. As expected, the Senega international has not allowed the shuffling of positioning to mess up his output.
Since the start of the season, Mane has taken part in 50 games across competitions for Liverpool, recording 23 goals and five assists.
With 16 goals in the Premier League alone, he ended the campaign as the league’s fifth-highest goalscorer.
#1 Luka Modric - Real Madrid
Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric is slowly turning out to be a biological anomaly. The 36-year-old runs like the wind, chases down every ball, never switches off, and continues to produce moments of magic on cue. Modric is arguably the best No. 10 in La Liga and possibly in the world.
In his previous stint, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti saw his entire campaign (2014-15) fall apart following an injury to the Croat. In 2021-22, he has allowed him some rest, but the veteran has taken part in every big match of the campaign, and understandably so.
Without him pulling the strings on the right side of midfield, Dani Carvajal does not get the same freedom. The midfield does not look as cohesive. And most importantly, there is neither enough penetration into the opposition box nor much of a goal threat from outside the box.
In the 2021-22 campaign, Modric has featured in 43 games for Real Madrid across competitions, recording three goals and 12 assists.
His assist to Rodrygo in the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Chelsea has been the biggest highlight of his campaign.
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