A number of crucial qualities are necessary to be a professional football player, much less one of the highest calibre. A high-level player must possess a variety of qualities, including physicality and strength, as well as speed, technique, attitude, and adaptability. Strong players are essential for every position on the pitch; midfielders fight opponents all game long, while defenders and strikers are always vying for space and the ball.
The top players in the world at the moment have been ranked with this in mind.
Ranking Elements
Physicality
Playing against Overall Strength is challenging.
10Viktor Gyokeres
Club: Sporting Lisbon
Viktor Gyokeres made an impression in Coventry before joining Sporting Lisbon, where he became a complete revelation. Gyokeres, who is six feet two inches tall, is a formidable presence at the top of the pitch and a great flyer. With his back to the goal, he holds the ball up nicely, making it extremely difficult for defenders to take it away from him. When in full flight, the Swedish forward is a formidable runner who is incredibly difficult to stop.
With a wealth of skills, the former Brighton player quickly caught the attention of several elite clubs in Europe, and his physicality was a major factor in that. However, he was acquired by Arsenal, and he will be the captain of their lines moving forward. He can play high-intensity football and win the ball back high up the pitch, making him the ideal modern striker. Given his unsurprising success in Portugal and his incredibly amazing strength, he has a good chance of excelling in the Premier League as well.
Statistics for Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres
Looks
102
Objectives
97
Helps
28
9Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa
Club: Napoli
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, a midfielder from Cameroon, took a few years to settle down and find his footballing home, but he is currently playing the finest football of his life at Napoli.
Anguissa is a tough opponent since he is a powerful, ball-winning midfielder. Competitors must be at the top of their game to match his physical prowess, and even then, it’s difficult. He is extremely strong in the tackle and excellent in the air. He is a strong runner with the ball, charging forward from midfield and helping his teammates inflict damage on opponents.
One of Anguissa’s most valuable qualities is his power, which enables him to initiate assaults and break up play for his club. This was crucial in the 2022–2023 season, when Anguissa helped Napoli win their first Serie A championship in thirty-three years. Then, in 2024–2025, they did it again.
Serie A Statistics for Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa 24/25
Looks
35
Attacks
42
Interceptions
35
Blocks
24
8Joao Palhinha
Club: Bayern Munich
Joao Palhinha is an incredible defensive midfielder who has comfortably led the Premier League tackle stats in his two years there.
Joao Palhinha transformed tackling into an art form and was a nightmare for opponents to play against by using his excellent footballing intellect and physical abilities to rob them. The Portuguese midfielder’s performances were noted, and in the summer of 2024, Bayern Munich recruited him after being impressed by his ability to stop attacks.
One of the strongest players in the game, Palhinha is extremely difficult to take off the ball, and his powerful midfield dashes are frequently difficult to stop. When he is defending, his physicality is most effective, easily robbing opponents of the ball.
| Joao Palhinha Tackling Statistics 2022-2025 | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 85 |
| Tackles | |
7Joelinton
Club: Newcastle
One of the biggest positional shifts in football history may have been Joelinton’s transfer from striker to central midfield.
Joelinton is a threat in the middle of the pitch and has gone from being one of the Premier League’s worst strikers to one of the best and most dominant midfielders. With or without the ball, the Brazilian outmuscles opponents with his 6’1 size to either drive forward towards goal or regain control.
He occasionally goes too far and commits a foul, but his tenacity and aggression in midfield are unrivalled. He is not afraid to tackle. Joelinton is extremely powerful in the air and is always closing down and leaving his foot in, making him a nightmare for midfielders to play against.
Joelinton Premier League Statistics for 2024–2025
Looks
29
Attacks
57
Interceptions
23
Blocks
37
6William Saliba
Club: Arsenal
Despite having a rough start to his career at Arsenal, William Saliba never looked back once he established himself with Mikel Arteta’s team. Saliba, an imperious defender who is considered to be among the finest in the league, forms a powerful partnership with Gabriel at the core of the Gunners’ defence. In addition to being extremely powerful, quick, and intelligent, he constantly positions himself perfectly. He is difficult to defeat in the air and nearly always prevails when facing an attacker one-on-one.
The Frenchman, who is only 24 years old, is expected to be among the best in the world for many years to come. His dominance in his own box is impressive. It is not surprising that he is so well-liked in north London because attackers hardly ever beat him.
William Saliba’s Premier League Statistics for 2024–2025
Looks
35
Attacks
62
Interceptions
21
Blocks
25
5Antonio Rudiger
Club: Real Madrid
Antonio Rudiger is unquestionably one of the world’s greatest defenders. Like Saliba, the German is rarely outwitted by an attacker because he possesses all the qualities that make a modern defence ideal. The German centre-back is quick, shrewd, and incredibly powerful. He frequently engages in odd behaviour to intimidate opponents, but when it comes to the art of simple defence, he excels.
Antonio Rudiger has established himself as one of the greatest in the world and was a vital member of the Chelsea and Real Madrid teams that won the Champions League in recent years. His power is his most notable quality, but he can also be at ease with the ball at his feet and occasionally launch it from a great distance.
Antonio Rudiger’s Premier League stats for 24/25
Looks
29
Attacks
20
Interceptions
9.
Blocks
22
4Romelu Lukaku
Club: Napoli
Romelu Lukaku weighs 93 kilogrammes and stands six feet three inches tall, but he is remarkably strong and quick.
With some incredible stints at clubs and some fairly lacklustre ones, the Belgian striker, who leads his country in goals, has had a rather erratic career. With his incredible physical strength and all the qualities of a top striker, he has troubled defences throughout his career. He has scored many goals in his career because he enjoys bullying defenders by either defeating them in the air or pushing the ball past them and rushing.
Due in large part to his physical dominance, the former Chelsea and Inter Milan player has had a stellar career and is as strong as they come.
Statistics for the Romelu Lukaku Premier League
Looks
278
Attacks
121
Interceptions
35
3Adama Traore
Club: Fulham
It is somewhat perplexing that Adama Traore isn’t among the world’s top players given his physical characteristics.
When in full flight, Traore’s incredible strength and lightning-fast speed—possibly the fastest in the Premier League—make him impossible to stop. Although he may not have made the grade at Barcelona due to his frequent poor finishing, Adama Traore is a unique physical marvel.
The Spanish winger has absurd strength and is more like an American football player in terms of build. Because of his amazing qualities, opponents frequently have to simply foul him because they don’t know how to stop him. Adama would undoubtedly be among the best in the world if he were more reliable, especially in front of goal.
Premier League Statistics for Adama Traore
Looks
247
Objectives
14
Helps
26
2Erling Haaland
Club: Man City
Erling Haaland has scored goals continuously since joining Molde in 2017. When you watch him play, it’s simple to understand why he has such an impressive goal total everywhere he has played. The Norwegian striker possesses all the qualities of a great striker, and he is just that—very strong, incredibly swift, and a deadly finisher. When he is determined to score, he is exceedingly difficult to stop. He frequently bullies opponents off the ball, pushing them away with ease to generate chances for himself.
Despite only being 25 years old, Haaland is already among the greatest in the world and has no intention of stopping. He will need to be physically defeated by defenders worldwide, but it seems highly unlikely.
Premier League Statistics for Erling Haaland
Looks
97
Objectives
85
Helps
17
1Virgil van Dijk
Club: Liverpool
For several years, Virgil van Dijk was the world’s top defender and one of the best centre backs in football history.
Forwards who are quick, at ease with the ball, and absurdly powerful have had a lot of trouble against the Dutchman, who easily dismisses opponents. Van Dijk is constantly in the proper position to cut out attacks and defeat opponents in aerial battles, rarely even needing to make a tackle.
The former Celtic player is a constant threat from set pieces, using his physical size in both boxes to cause opponents all kinds of problems. One of the primary reasons Van Dijk is a football icon is his unquestionable overall skill and incredible strength.
Van Dijk, Virgil Premier League Statistics for 24/25
Looks
37
Attacks
38
Interceptions
56
Blocks
27
xz
