Playmakers are the lifeblood of any squad in contemporary football. With a simple pass, a deft dribble, or a flash of magic, these uncommon skills can open defences. The game has a blend of up-and-coming sensations and established players who are influencing play at the greatest level as of March 2025. Based on their vision, flair, and overall influence, these are my picks for the top 20 playmakers on the field right now.
10. Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Playmakers are the lifeblood of any squad in contemporary football. With a simple pass, a deft dribble, or a flash of magic, these uncommon skills can open defences. The game has a blend of up-and-coming sensations and established players who are influencing play at the greatest level as of March 2025. Based on their vision, flair, and overall influence, these are my picks for the top 20 playmakers on the field right now.
The transformation of Vinicius Jr. into a full-fledged playmaker has been impressive. The Brazilian, who was before renowned for his raw speed and dubious finishing, has elevated his game to the point where he is now a candidate for the Ballon d’Or. In addition to his typical rushes that cause chaos, he is pulling the strings for Real Madrid with 10 assists and 12 goals in all competitions by mid-March 2025. He has had a deadly relationship with Jude Bellingham.
8. Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala
Jamal Musiala is already among the smoothest operators in world football at the age of just 22. The Bayern Munich player is entertaining to watch because of his deft handling and skill at slipping past opponents. This season, he has scored 17 goals and provided five assists in the Bundesliga. He has exceptional vision in confined areas. Consider his DFB Pokal performance against Mainz, where he scored three goals while navigating a crowded midfield. Musiala’s ceiling appears to be infinite.
7. Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal
Despite only being seventeen, Lamine Yamal is already a powerful playmaker. Barcelona’s young phenom, who combines incredible skill with maturity beyond his years, has taken La Liga by surprise. Part of the story is revealed by his March 2025 stats of 13 goals and 16 assists. He got here because of his ability to make opportunities out of nothing. Raphinha’s outside-foot assist versus Mallorca in October 2024 was a magnificent move. Yamal is both the present and the future.
6. Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United’s creative force is still Bruno Fernandes. Even though his team’s inconsistency occasionally overshadows his genius, the Portuguese maestro’s work rate and vision are unrivalled. He has 16 goals and 15 assists this season in all competitions. He still has excellent long-range passing and set-piece delivery skills. He defeated Real Sociedad with a hat-trick. He reminded everyone of the reason he is the talisman for United.
5. Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi’s brilliance has not diminished with age. The 37-year-old Argentine legend is still performing magic, this time with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. So far in the 2025 season, he has four goals, two assists, and five games played. He remains elite because of the manner he does things. Messi’s playmaking is eternal; he can drop deep to direct play, thread impossible passes, and yet score spectacular goals like his Chip strike against Atlanta United.
4. Barcelona’s Pedri
For Barcelona, Pedri’s return to full fitness has changed everything. The 22-year-old Spaniard’s statistics demonstrate his remarkable ability to manage the speed of a game: This season, I have five goals and seven assists in La Liga. His skill and vision, such as the pass he scooped to set up Fermin Lopez against Sevilla, remind me of Xavi at his best. Barca’s offensive is at its best when Pedri is on the ball. His condition is just improving.
3. Bayer Leverkusen-based Florian Wirtz
The face of the future of Germany is Florian Wirtz, who consistently performs well for Bayer Leverkusen. By March 2025, the 21-year-old had an incredible 15 goals and 12 assists in the Bundesliga. His intelligence is what makes him unique. He can be found anywhere, whether it’s springing up in the box, dropping deep to link play, or slicing open defences with explosive deliveries. In January, he provided a magnificent hat-trick of assists against RB Leipzig. Wirtz is destined to become a celebrity.
2. Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah
Because of his goal-scoring prowess, Mohamed Salah’s playmaking is frequently disregarded, but this season, he has been Liverpool’s creative centre. The Egyptian monarch is playing brilliantly in the Premier League, with 32 goals and 22 assists. He is much than just a finisher, as evidenced by his ability to find teammates with whipping crosses or deft flicks, such as the one that set up Darwin Nunez against Arsenal. Salah is still at the top of his game at the age of thirty-two.
1. Barcelona’s Raphinha
It’s difficult to dispute Raphinha’s status as the greatest playmaker in the world as of 2025. At Barcelona, the Brazilian winger has elevated his game by fusing his rapid dribbling with a fresh creative spark. With 27 goals and 19 assists in all competitions, his numbers are outstanding. He maintains the top rank because of his consistency. Raphinha is in control, whether it’s through passes, precise crosses, or individual runs like the one he used to tear apart Bayern Munich’s defence in the Champions League.
Across all competitions this season, he has generated the most opportunities of any player.
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