The UEFA Europa League is one of the most prestigious club football competitions in Europe. It was established in 1971 by Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), and serves as the second-tier competition for eligible clubs behind Champions League. The tournament involves teams from all over Europe, competing to be crowned champions within their respective countries or on a continental level with other top sides from across the continent. Winners are rewarded with qualification into higher tier tournaments such as the Champions League, making it an important event for any aspiring team looking to take their game up a notch. With passionate fans, intense rivalries and thrilling matches each season; there’s no doubt that this tournament will continue providing amazing entertainment year after year.
1. Xavi
FC Barcelona
Career
- 1984–1997: Barcelona
- 1997–1999: Barcelona B
- 1998–2015: Barcelona
- 2015–2019: Al Sadd
- 1997: Spain U17
- 1997–1998: Spain U18
- 1999: Spain U20
- 1998–2001: Spain U21
- 2000: Spain U23
- 2000–2014: Spain
- 2019–2021: Al Sadd
- 2021: Barcelona
Xavi is a Spanish midfielder who has spent his entire career with Barcelona. Xavi was part of the Barca youth system and made his senior debut in 1997. He went on to play 505 games for the club, scoring 82 goals.
Xavi played for Spain at every level from Under-16 to World Cup winning manager Vicente del Bosque's final squad in 2014.
In September 2015, Xavi announced that he would be retiring from professional football after 15 seasons with Barcelona and three years with Al Sadd (Qatar).
Since retirement, Xavi has worked as a television pundit and coach, most notably taking charge of Spain's national team at Euro 2020 qualifying matches in October 2019. Xavier Hernández Creus was born on 25 January 1980 in Terrassa, Catalonia, Spain.
After starting out playing for local side FC Barcelona B, he signed for La Liga powerhouse Barcelona[3] during the summer of 1997 alongside teammates Ronaldinho, Deco, Steve McManaman, Rafael Nadal, Samuel Eto'o, Andres Iniesta, David Villa and Fernando Torres.
All players who had just won their first Ballon d'Or award or were considered superstars by many observers around the world: "Barcelona have acquired an absolutely colossal signing when they sign 19-year-old midfield wizard Xavier Hernandez Creus."
At only 18 years old however it quickly became apparent that this new phenom had exceptional potential.
Becoming one of only two players ever to make over 100 appearances before turning 20 – alongside Zinedine Zidane – whilst being captain of both Club Baskonia (1997–1998) and then newly promoted Valencia CF (1999).
Xavier also captained Albacete Balompié), representing Castile & León at U17s level before making his full international début aged 21 against Macedonia coming off the bench late on as a substitute replacing Carlos Puyol.
His performances caught Del Bosque's eye which eventually led him into contention for UEFA Euro 2000 where despite not featuring until extra time in our eventual 4th place finish losing 1–0 to Germany due to Andreas Brehme’s 88th minute equalizer; seeing action + started 3 times throughout tournament including 2 Group.
2. Ruud van Nistelrooy
Netherlands national football team
Career
- 1993–1997: Den Bosch
- 1997–1998: Heerenveen
- 1998–2001: PSV Eindhoven
- 2001–2006: Manchester United
- 2006–2010: Real Madrid
- 2010–2011: Hamburger SV
- 2011–2012: Málaga
- 1997–1998: Netherlands U21
- 1998–2011: Netherlands
Ruud van Nistelrooy is a former Dutch international striker who played for PSV Eindhoven and Manchester United. He was named the Premier League Player of the Year in 2006–07, and won two league titles with United.
Van Nistelrooy began his career at club side Nooit Gedacht before moving to RKSV Margriet in 1990. He made his senior debut for Den Bosch in 1993, where he spent six seasons before joining PSV Eindhoven in 1997.
Van Nistelrooy helped PSV win two league championships during his time at the club, and also lifted the Champions League trophy twice – first with United in 2007–08, and then again with the Netherlands later that same year.
In 2018 he announced his retirement from professional football after 17 years at PSV Eindhoven as their head coach.
Van Nistelrooy represented Holland on 83 occasions between 1995 and 2013, scoring 41 goals along the way; including three major tournaments.
Euro 2000 (where he finished as a joint-top scorer), Euro 2004 (winning both the Golden Boot and Man of The Match awards) and World Cup 2010 (scoring twice).
3. Wayne Rooney
England national football team
Career
- 1996–2002: Everton
- 2002–2004: Everton
- 2004–2017: Manchester United
- 2017–2018: Everton
- 2018–2019: D.C. United
- 2020–2021: Derby County
- 2000–2001: England U15
- 2001–2002: England U17
- 2002–2003: England U19
- 2003–2018: England
- 2020–2022: Derby County
- 2022: D.C. United
- *Club domestic league appearances and goals
Wayne Rooney is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for D.C. United in the MLS. He began his career at Everton before moving to Manchester United in 2004.
Where he has since played over 500 games and scored over 250 goals, making him one of the most successful English footballers of all time.
Rooney was named PFA player of the year in 2010 and 2017 and won two Premier League titles with Manchester United (2007–08, 2013-14).
In 2016 he became England's record goalscorer with 50 goals in internationals, overtaking Bobby Charlton's long standing record of 49 goals.
Rooney has also represented Australia 31 times scoring 10 goals,[5] Republic of Ireland 29 times scoring 12[6] and Northern Ireland 23 times scoring 5.
He made his senior debut for England aged 18 against Scotland on 16 November 2002 becoming only the fourth player to have appeared at both under-21 and senior levels for England after Peter Shilton.
David Beckham and Paul Gascoigne respectively On 30 May 2018, Wayne Rooney announced his retirement from international football following their World Cup campaign which ended with a semi final loss to Croatia.
Also Played For: united kingdom soccer, manchester united f.c
4. Pavel Nedvěd
Juventus F.C.
Career
- 1977–1985: TJ Skalná
- 1985–1986: RH Cheb
- 1986–1990: Škoda Plzeň
- 1990–1992: Škoda Plzeň
- 1990–1992: Dukla Prague (loan)
- 1992–1996: Sparta Prague
- 1996–2001: Lazio
- 2001–2009: Juventus
- 1992–1993: Czechoslovakia U21
- 1994–2006: Czech Republic
Pavel Nedvěd was born in Czechoslovakia in 1972. He started his career with TJ Skalná before moving to Škoda Plzeň. Pavel Nedvěd played for the Czech Republic at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where they reached the quarter-finals.
After playing for Dukla Prague on loan, he signed for Italian side Lazio in 2009 where he spent four seasons until his retirement in 2013. Pavel Nedvěd made over 50 appearances for Juventus, and was a regular in the Czech Republic national team.
He helped lead Sparta Prague to two consecutive league titles during his time there, before moving on to Lazio.
Pavel Nedvěd also represented his country at UEFA European Championships and FIFA Confederations Cups. After retiring from playing, he took up coaching roles with both clubs and countries across Europe.
In 2016, he became coach of FC Porto in Portugal - where he is still employed today.
Also Played For: ac sparta prague, ss lazio
5. Frank Lampard
England national football team
Career
- 1994–1995: West Ham United
- 1995–2001: West Ham United
- 1995–1996: Swansea City (loan)
- 2001–2014: Chelsea
- 2014–2015: Manchester City
- 2015–2016: New York City FC
- 1997–2000: England U21
- 1998: England B
- 1999–2014: England
- 2018–2019: Derby County
- 2019–2021: Chelsea
- 2022: Everton
- *Club domestic league appearances and goals
Frank Lampard is a former English professional footballer who played as a midfielder for Chelsea and Manchester United. He started his career with West Ham United, where he made over 200 appearances in all competitions before joining Chelsea in 2003 for £24 million.
At Stamford Bridge, Lampard won three Premier League titles and two FA Cups before moving to Manchester United in July 2014 for an initial fee of £37 million.
After winning the 2017–18 EFL Cup with Everton, Lampard was appointed manager of the club on 27 October 2018 following the sacking of Ronald Koeman six days earlier.
In international football, Lampard has represented England at every level from under-16s to senior team captaincy; he also had spells with the Republic of Ireland and Italy national teams during his career.
In December 2012, Lampard became one of only eight players to have scored in each stage of the UEFA Champions League competition.[4] He was inducted into the England Hall of Fame in April 2016[5] and received an OBE from Queen Elizabeth II in June 2018.
6. Paul Pogba
Juventus F.C.
Career
- 1999–2006 : Roissy-en-Brie
- 2006–2007 : Torcy
- 2007–2009 : Le Havre
- 2009–2011 : Manchester United
- 2011–2012 : Manchester United
- 2012–2016 : Juventus 124
- 2016–2022 : Manchester United
- 2022 : Juventus
- 2008–2009 : France U16
- 2010 : France U17
- 2010–2011 : France U18
- 2011–2012 : France U19
- 2012–2013 : France U20
- 2013: France
Paul Pogba is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Italian club Juventus and the France national team. He started his career with hometown club Roissy-en-Brie, before joining Torcy in 2007.
In 2009, he moved to English side Manchester United where he made over 200 appearances between 2011 and 2016 winning five Premier League titles and two FA Cups along the way.
He joined Juventus in 2017 after spending six years at Old Trafford, becoming one of the most expensive players in football history when he transferred for £89 million ($127m).
He has been part of France's squads at every World Cup since their debut in 1998 including reaching their first ever Final in 2018 which they lost to Croatia.
With 59 caps, Pogba is currently second on the all time list behind Luka Modric and was included in UEFA's 50 best players of 2019.[4] Paul Pogba is a world-class midfielder who has played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe.
He was born in France but moved to England as a youngster and made his first team debut at United. At Juventus, he has won two Serie A titles and helped them reach the Champions League final this season.
In international football, Pogba has represented France on numerous occasions and was part of their World Cup-winning team in 2018. He is often compared with former United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo due to their similar playing styles and skillset.
As one of the most highly-rated midfielders in world football, there's no doubt that Paul Pogba will continue to develop into an outstanding player.
7. Radamel Falcao
Rayo Vallecano
Career
- 1995–1997: La Gaitana
- 1997–1999: Lanceros Boyacá
- 2001–2005: River Plate
- 1999–2001: Lanceros Boyacá
- 2004–2009: River Plate
- 2009–2011: Porto
- 2011–2013: Atlético Madrid
- 2013–2019: Monaco
- 2014–2015: → Manchester United (loan)
- 2015–2016: → Chelsea (loan)
- 2019–2021: Galatasaray
- 2021–: Rayo Vallecano
- 2001–2005: Colombia U17
- 2005–2007: Colombia U20
- 2007–: Colombia
- *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:27, 29 December 2022 (UTC), ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 November 2022
Radamel Falcao is a Colombian professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Rayo Vallecano and the Colombia national team. Falcao began his career with Deportivo Táchira in 1995, before moving to Atlético El Vigía two years later.
He then played for Monagas SC, River Plate (Argentina) and Monaco (France). After scoring 43 goals in 110 appearances for Monaco, Falcao moved to Manchester United in July 2013 on a £58 million transfer deal.
He was loaned back to Monaco the following season but failed to make an impact there and was sold to Real Madrid at the end of the campaign.
In January 2017, he returned to Valencia on loan where he scored 16 goals in 37 appearances before permanently signing with them six months later. Falcao has represented Colombia at international level since 2007 and won 73 caps overall as of November 2018.
He made his World Cup debut in 2010 and helped Colombia reach the semi-finals of the tournament four years later, losing out against Argentina by two points after a penalty shootout; this marked his first ever major championship final appearance as a player or captain.
Falcao has also been involved in several controversial incidents during his career including being sent off twice during qualification for the 2014 World Cup,[5][6] insulting former Manchester United teammate.
Paul Scholes, assaulting Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio[8], elbowing Barcelona's Neymar while playing for Real Madrid[9], stamping on Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho while playing against PSG, biting.
Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic during their FA Cup semifinal match spitting towards Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi from pitchside during their Premier League fixture, kicking Lazio midfielder Felipe Caicedo whilst both players were down injured after.
Albiol fouled him inside Arena La Luz; subsequently receiving three month ban from football.(16) Radamel Falcoa Garcia Zarate (/ˈrædʒəmɛl fælsjoː/, born 10 February 1986), known simply as Radamel Fal.
Also Played For: atlético de madrid
8. Carles Puyol
FC Barcelona
Career
- 1992–1995: Pobla de Segur
- 1995–1997: Barcelona
- 1996: Barcelona C
- 1997–1999: Barcelona B
- 1999–2014: Barcelona
- 1995: Spain U18
- 2000: Spain U21
- 2000: Spain U23
- 2000–2013: Spain
- 2001–2013: Catalonia
Carles Puyol is a Barcelona defender and international legend. He has won numerous trophies with the club, including La Liga, Copa del Rey, UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.
Carles Puyol was born in 1978 in La Pobla de Segur, Spain. At the age of 10 he moved to Barcelona to pursue his football career and soon became a key member of the team. His first major honour came in 1996 when he helped Barcelona win their first ever La Liga title.
The following year he helped Barca reach the UEFA Champions League final where they were narrowly defeated by AC Milan on penalties after a thrilling match that went into extra time.
In 1998 Carles Puyol helped Barcelona lift another trophy – this time it was the Copa del Rey – before helping them secure their place in Europe's top competition for the first time ever with victory in the UEFA Champions League later that year.
In 2000 Carles Puyol added to his collection of honours by winning both La Liga and Copa del Rey once again as well as being named European Player of Year for 1999/2000 season by French magazine L'Équipe.
Johan Cruyff at Spanish side Atlético Madrid but injury prevented him from playing any significant part in their historic treble-winning season which also included wins in both la Liga andCopa Del Reysharing medals between themselves along way.
Barcelona reeled off successive titles; 2007–08 , 2008–09 (his fourth consecutive league crown), 2009–10|2010-11 (the 5th double) making him one of only five players not just to win 4 domestic doubles but also achieve continental Trebles while still at one club[5]alongside.
Ajax Amsterdam’s Antonie van der Sar Real Madrid’s Alfredo Di Stéfano,[8],Bayern Munich’s Franz Beckenbauer[9],and Liverpool FC’S Mohammed Sohail Khan who achieved all 3 ‘treble-domestic double′ feats).
Finally he lifted what would be his last trophy with Barça on 12 May 2014 beating Real Sociedad 2—1 after coming back from an 8 month long layoff due to surgery on ruptured.
Also Played For: spain national football team
9. Bastian Schweinsteiger
FC Bayern Munich
Career
- 1990–1992: FV Oberaudorf
- 1992–1998: TSV 1860 Rosenheim
- 1998–2002: Bayern Munich
- 2001–2005: Bayern Munich II
- 2002–2015: Bayern Munich
- 2015–2017: Manchester United
- 2017–2019: Chicago Fire
- 2000: Germany U16
- 2001–2002: Germany U18
- 2002–2003: Germany U19
- 2004: Germany U21
- 2004–2016: Germany
Bastian Schweinsteiger is a German professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Manchester United. He started his career with Bayern Munich, before moving to England to play for Manchester United and Chicago Fire.
Bastian Schweinsteiger has won multiple titles with Bayern Munich and Manchester United, including the Bundesliga title, Champions League title and Europa League title. In 2015 he joined MLS side Chicago Fire on a one-year deal but left after only eight appearances due to injury.
Bastian Schweinsteiger was born in Kolbermoor, West Germany on 1 August 1984. He began playing football at FV Oberaudorf in 1990.
After two years with TSV 1860 Rosenheim, he moved to Bayern Munich in 1998 where he made over 350 appearances, winning multiple titles including three Bundesliga championships (2001–03), two Champions League titles (2002–05) and the Europa League title in 2013.
On 31 May 2017 it was announced that Bastian Schweinsteiger had signed for Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire on a one-year contract.
However, after just 8 appearances due to injury[6], he departed the club within days of joining. Since leaving MLS, Bastian Schweinsteiger has returned home to play for Austrian side Vienna FC until the end of season 2020/21.
10. Frenkie de Jong
FC Barcelona
Career
- 2003–2005: ASV Arkel
- 2005–2009: RKC
- 2005–2015: Willem II
- 2015: Willem II
- 2015–2017: Jong Ajax
- 2016–2019: Ajax
- 2019: Barcelona
- 2012: Netherlands U15
- 2014–2015: Netherlands U18
- 2015–2016: Netherlands U19
- 2016: Netherlands U20
- 2017: Netherlands U21
- 2018: Netherlands
Frenkie de Jong is a Dutch midfielder who currently plays for Barcelona. De Jong was born in Gorinchem, Netherlands on May 12th 1997 and started his career with ASV Arkel before moving to RKC in 2005.
He made his professional debut for Willem II in 2015 and has since played a total of 142 games for the club, scoring 22 goals along the way.
In July 2019, it was announced that De Jong had signed a 5-year contract extension with Barcelona which will keep him at the club until 2021.
Dejong has represented Holland at U19 level as well as making 3 appearances for their U21 side; he also scored 2 goals during this time.
Outside of football, Frenkie likes spending time with friends and family, playing video games and going out drinking - something which he attributes to his healthy lifestyle habits off the pitch.
Frenkie de Jong is a talented footballer who has represented his country at various levels. He has already made an impact in the Netherlands with Ajax and subsequently Barcelona, where he has been a key player.
De Jong is highly-rated both domestically and internationally, and looks set to continue his impressive career for some time to come.
11. Rivaldo
Brazil national football team
Career
- 1989–1990: Paulistano
- 1991–1992: Santa Cruz
- 1991–1992: Santa Cruz
- 1992–1994: Mogi Mirim
- 1993–1994: Corinthians (loan)
- 1994–1996: Palmeiras
- 1996–1997: Deportivo La Coruña
- 1997–2002: Barcelona
- 2002–2003: Milan
- 2004: Cruzeiro
- 2004–2007: Olympiacos
- 2007–2008: AEK Athens
- 2008–2010: Bunyodkor
- 2011: São Paulo (loan)
- 2012: Kabuscorp
- 2013: São Caetano
- 2014–2015: Mogi Mirim
- 1991–1993: Brazil U20
- 1994–1995: Brazil U23
- 1996: Brazil Olympic (O.P.)
- 1993–2003: Brazil
Rivaldo was born in Recife, Brazil in 1972 and started his professional football career with Paulistano in 1989. He joined Santa Cruz in 1991 and made a total of 62 appearances for the club over three seasons before moving to Palmeiras in 1993.
Rivaldo scored 14 goals during his time at Palmeiras, helping them win the 1994 Brazilian Cup and 1996 Copa America. In 1997 he moved to Barcelona where he won six La Liga titles, two UEFA Champions League crowns, as well as the 1998 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball award.
After leaving Barcelona in 2002, Rivaldo had spells with Deportivo La Coruña (1997), Inter Milan (1999–2000) and Flamengo (2002). He retired from professional football at the end of 2003 season after playing 156 games for five clubs.
Rivaldo has since been involved with coaching roles at Atlético Madrid (2004–2005), Valencia CF (2007) and Shanghai Shenhua FC (2013–2015).
In 2015 he became manager of Qatar side Al-Gharafa SC but resigned after less than a year due to differences with board members. He currently resides near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with his wife Juliana Paes Ferreira.
Also Played For: olympiacos f.c, brazil barcelona best football players
12. Lorenzo Pellegrini
A.S. Roma
Career
- 2007–2015: Roma
- 2014–2015: Roma
- 2015–2017: Sassuolo
- 2017: Roma
- 2014–2015: Italy U19
- 2015: Italy U20
- 2016–2019: Italy U21
- 2017: Italy
Lorenzo Pellegrini made his Serie A debut for Sassuolo in 2015. He signed for Roma ahead of the 2017-18 season and has since played 47 games for the club.
Pellegrini is a versatile midfielder who can play as an attacking or defensive midfielder, and also possesses good technical abilities.
His strong performances at Sassuolo led to him being linked with Chelsea and Manchester United during the summer transfer window, but he eventually joined Roma instead.
He is seen as one of Rome's key players going forward and will be looking to help them qualify for European competition next season Lorenzo Pellegrini is an Italian footballer who plays for Roma.
Lorenzo Pellegrini started his career with Empoli before joining Roma in 2014. He has since made 24 appearances for the club and scored five goals.
Lorenzo Pellegrini was a part of the Italy U21 team that won 14 caps and 5 goals during his tenure there, including UEFA Nations League qualification campaigns in 2017 and 2019.
Lorenzo Pellegrini is known for being very fast on the ground, which allows him to create chances for teammates easily as he often runs behind defenders looking to make passes into dangerous areas or score himself from short distances near the goal line.
As one of Roma's most important players, it will be interesting to see how well Lorenzo Pellegrin performs this season as they compete in both Serie A and Champions League; two competitions where they have never reached the final stage before now.
13. Henrik Larsson
Celtic F.C.
Career
- 1977–1988: Högaborgs BK
- 1989–1991: Högaborgs BK
- 1992–1993: Helsingborgs IF
- 1993–1997: Feyenoord
- 1997–2004: Celtic
- 2004–2006: Barcelona
- 2006–2009: Helsingborgs IF
- 2007: Manchester United (loan)
- 2012: Råå IF
- 2013: Högaborgs BK
- 1992–1993: Sweden U21
- 1997: Sweden B
- 1993–2009: Sweden
- 2010–2012: Landskrona BoIS
- 2014: Falkenbergs FF
- 2015–2016: Helsingborgs IF
- 2019: Helsingborgs IF
Henrik Larsson is a Swedish professional footballer, who currently plays for Manchester United. He has played in the Premier League for both Celtic and Barcelona, as well as periods on loan at Helsingborgs IF and Manchester United.
Henrik Larsson was born on September 20th 1971 in Helsingborg, Sweden. At the age of 17 he joined Högaborgs BK where he would score 64 goals over two seasons before transferring to Helsingborgs IF.
In 1992, Larsson transferred to Feyenoord where he scored 101 goals over six years including 26 during his time with Feyenoord which earned him selection to play for Sweden at Euro 96 that year.
After leaving Feyenoord in 2004, Larsson signed for Celtic becoming one of their most prolific strikers ever with 174 goals in total across seven seasons with the Glasgow club; this included winning three Scottish Premier Leagues (2005-07).
Two Scottish Cups (2003-05) and one Scottish League Cup (2004). In 2006, after nine successful years at Celtic Park transfer speculation began linking him with some of Europe's biggest clubs including Barcelona and Real Madrid.
It was Manchester United who secured his services on a season long loan deal later that year; this move proved incredibly successful as he helped them win four trophies - FA Cup (2007), Champions League (2008), European Super Cup (2008) and Intercontinental Cup (2009).
Upon returning to Old Trafford from his loan spell at Helsingborgs IF in 2007, rumours circulated once again linking him with Spanish giants Real Madrid but ultimately nothing came of these reports leading.
Many pundits to believe that something had held back negotiations between the two sides until just days before signing officially became official on July 1st 2009 when Barça matched United's £30 million valuation.
On June 30th 2014 it was announced by Manchester united that Henrik Larrson had retired from football due to an ACL injury sustained while playing against Chelsea earlier that month.
However following surgery,[4] Larrson made a return briefly representing Man Utd A team during their pre-season tour of America early 2015 scoring once against Club Tijuana U23.[5][6][7][8] * Senior career includes appearances prior to 1997.
14. Filip Kostić
Juventus F.C.
Career
- 2010–2012: Radnički Kragujevac
- 2012–2014: Groningen
- 2014–2016: VfB Stuttgart
- 2016–2018: Hamburger SV
- 2018–2022: Eintracht Frankfurt
- 2022: Juventus
- 2015: Serbia
- *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 7 January 2023, ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 2 December 2022
Filip Kostić was born on 1 November 1992 in Kragujevac, Serbia. He plays as a winger for Juventus and has made over 100 appearances for the club since joining from Radnički Niš in 2014.
Kostić represented FR Yugoslavia at under-17 level before making his senior international debut in 2013.
He is married to former Miss Universe Srbija contestant Jelena Malović and the couple have two children together - daughter Dara (born 2016) and son Miloš (born 2018).
Filip Kostić is a Serbian-born footballer who plays as a midfielder for German Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt.
Filip began his career with hometown club Radnički Kragujevac before spending two seasons in the Netherlands with Groningen and one season in Germany with VfB Stuttgart.
In 2018, he joined Italian Serie A side Juventus on a long-term contract, making 17 appearances for them so far. Filip has represented Serbia at international level since 2015 and has made 52 appearances overall, scoring three goals.
Also Played For: hamburger sv, serbia football team
15. Casemiro
Manchester United F.C.
Career
- 2002–2010: São Paulo
- 2010–2013: São Paulo
- 2013: Real Madrid Castilla (loan)
- 2013: Real Madrid (loan)
- 2013–2022: Real Madrid
- 2014–2015: Porto (loan)
- 2022: Manchester United
- 2009: Brazil U17
- 2011: Brazil U20
- 2011: Brazil
Casemiro is a Brazilian defensive midfielder who has played for Manchester United since 2016. Casemiro started his career at São Paulo and made 92 appearances before joining Real Madrid in 2013 on a loan deal.
He was part of the team that won La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Champions League during his time at Madrid, before returning to United in 2018.
Casimiro has also represented Brazil at various youth levels and was called up to their senior squad in 2017.
As a result of his impressive performances with both club and country, he has been named one of the world's best midfielders by several publications.
With over 250 appearances under his belt, Casemiro is now looking forward to helping United win more trophies in the future Casemiro started his career at Porto and was loaned out to Manchester United in 2014.
He has since represented Brazil at several international tournaments, including the Copa América and FIFA U-20 World Cup. Casemiro is a commanding midfield presence who excels in controlling the tempo of games.
His calmness under pressure makes him an ideal captain for any team. With further honors likely forthcoming, Casemiro could soon be considered one of Brazil's greatest-ever footballers.
16. Gerard Moreno
Villarreal CF
Career
- 2000–2001: Damm
- 2001–2007: Espanyol
- 2007–2010: Badalona
- 2010–2011: Villarreal C
- 2011–2013: Villarreal B
- 2012–2015: Villarreal
- 2013–2014: Mallorca (loan)
- 2015–2018: Espanyol
- 2018: Villarreal
- 2019: Spain
- 2014: Catalonia
- *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:37, 7 January 2023 (UTC), ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 08
Gerard Moreno is a Spanish footballer who currently plays for Villarreal. He was born on 7 April 1992 in Santa Perpètua, Spain and started his career at hometown club Damm.
In 2010, he joined Valencia and made an immediate impact, scoring 19 goals in 38 appearances during his first season with the club.
His form attracted the attention of several top clubs and he moved to Barcelona in 2012 where he scored 43 goals over two seasons before moving back to Valencia in 2014.
He has since played for Villarreal, Atlético Madrid and Espanyol amongst others, proving himself as one of the best strikers in Europe throughout his career so far.
Gerard made his international debut for Spain national team on 1 March 2017 against Italy coming off the bench to make an impact late into the game as part of Javier Martínez's starting line-up earning him.
Man Of The Match accolades from both media and fans alike across social media platforms worldwide.
17. Thierry Henry
France national football team
Career
- 1997 France U20
- 1997–2010 France
- 2016–2018 Belgium (assistant)
- 2018–2019 Monaco
- 2019–2021 Montreal Impact
- 2021– Belgium (assistant)
Thierry Henry is a former professional football player who played as a striker. He began his career with CO Les Ulis in France before moving to US Palaiseau and then Monaco.
In 1994, he made the move to England to play for Monaco, where he won two Ligue 1 titles and an Intercontinental Cup.
He subsequently transferred to Arsenal, where he enjoyed great success between 1998 and 2002 winning three Premier League titles and two FA Cups.
After leaving Arsenal, Henry spent one season with New York Red Bulls before retiring from playing at the age of 36 due to injury sustained while playing for Barcelona in the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League campaign.
Henry later became an assistant coach at the Belgian side Anderlecht[5]before being appointed Belgium's head coach in November 2017. Known as "The Frenchman", Thierry Henry is one of the greatest strikers and players in French football history.
He played for Monaco, Juventus, Arsenal and Barcelona before moving to New York Red Bulls in 2010. In 1997, at just 20 years old, he made his international debut for France and went on to score 53 goals for his country over a 10-year period.
After retiring from playing in 2014, Henry became manager of Belgium's assistant team but was sacked after less than two months in the role. He has since returned to coaching full time with Monaco.
Henry is married to former model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and they have three children together - Zoë (born 1999), Sabrina (2001) and Teddie (2003).
Outside of football, he is known as a fashion icon thanks to his popular clothing lines including Nike Golfwear and Adidas Predator range of sneakers.
18. Torbjörn Nilsson
Career
- 1966–1970: Jonsereds IF
- 1971–1974: Jonsereds IF
- 1975–1976: IFK Göteborg
- 1976–1977: PSV Eindhoven
- 1977–1982: IFK Göteborg
- 1982–1984: 1. FC Kaiserslautern
- 1984–1986: IFK Göteborg
- 1986–1990: Jonsereds IF
- 1975–1980: Sweden U21
- 1976–1985: Sweden
- 1988–1990: Jonsereds IF
- 1991–1993: Örgryte IS
- 1994–1995: IK Oddevold
- 1997–1999: Västra Frölunda IF
- 2001: BK Häcken
- 2002–2004: Sweden U-21
- 2008–2013: Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC
- 2017: IFK Göteborg (assistant coach)
- *Club domestic league appearances and goals
Torbjörn Nilsson is a retired Swedish striker who played for Jonsereds IF, IFK Göteborg, and PSV Eindhoven during his career. Torbjörn Nilsson was born on July 9th 1954 in Västerås, Sweden.
After playing for Jonsereds IF from 1966 to 1970, he signed with IFK Göteborg in 1975 where he spent the next 14 years of his career. During his time at IFK Göteborg, Torbjörn won three Swedish championships (1975–1976; 1977–1978; 1981), as well as two Dutch titles (1977; 1978).
He also reached the UEFA Cup Final in 1980 but lost to Liverpool Fc 0-1 after going down 2-0 first leg home and 3-1 away.
In 1982, Torbjörn joined PSV Eindhoven where he would spend five years before retiring at the end of 1988 season aged 36 due to an injury sustained while playing against Feyenoord Rotterdam which ruled him out for six months including Euro 1988 tournament.
After retirement from football, Torbjorn started working as assistant manager at Örebro SK between 1990 and 1992 before becoming head coach of Skelleftea AIK 1995 – 1998 where he stayed until 2002.
When he left to become assistant manager at Malmö FF alongside Lars Lagerbäck until 2006 when both resigned amid rumours that they were planning on taking over Djurgårdens IS job which eventually went to Klubbdanser Björne Persson.
Also Played For: swedish football league
19. Edin Džeko
Inter Milan
Career
- 1996–2003: Željezničar
- 2003–2005: Željezničar
- 2005–2007: Teplice
- 2005: Ústí nad Labem (loan)
- 2007–2011: VfL Wolfsburg
- 2011–2016: Manchester City
- 2015–2016: Roma (loan)
- 2016–2021: Roma
- 2021–: Inter Milan
- 2003–2004: Bosnia and Herzegovina U19
- 2006–2007: Bosnia and Herzegovina U21
- 2007: Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:00, 7 January 2023 (UTC)
- National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 September 2022
Edin Džeko is a 36-year-old striker for Inter Milan. He was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and started his career with Željezničar.
He has spent most of his professional career at Inter Milan where he has won numerous awards, including three Serie A titles and two Italian Cups.
In international competition, Džeko has represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at every level from youth to senior levels, making him one of the most capped players in their history. He is also an important member of the Inter squad who will compete in this year's UEFA Champions League tournament.
Edin Džeko was born on March 17th, 1986 in Sarajevo (Bosnia & Herzegovina),[4] to mother Selma (née Pecić) and father Safet Džeko.
From an early age, it was clear that Edin had footballing talent; after watching Manchester United play on TV as a youngster, he decided that he wanted to be like Paul Scholes when he grew up.
After leaving primary school,[9][10], young Džeko began his footballing journey by joining the local club Željezničar, before moving on to Dinamo Zagreb’s academy at the age of 16.
Following successful trials with both clubs, it wasn't long until Edin made his professional debut for Željezničar against FK Radnički Niš on October 18th, 2003 aged just 17 years old - scoring within minutes of coming off the bench.
It would be another 3 years before Edin would score again for Željezničar but during this time he developed into one of Europe’s top strikers; finishing as a joint-top scorer during the 2005–06 season alongside Valencia’s David Villa.
The following season saw him join Italian giants Juventus FC on loan for 6 months but despite impressing throughout Italy, poor form led to Juve canceling.
Part II of his contract midway through the 2006–07 campaign which allowed him to return to Inter immediately. Rejoining them permanently ahead of the 2007–08 campaign where.
20. Raúl Albiol
Villarreal CF
Career
- 1994–1996: Ribarroja
- 1996–1997: Vilamarxant
- 1997–2003: Valencia
- 2003–2004: Valencia B
- 2004–2009: Valencia
- 2004–2005: Getafe (loan)
- 2009–2013: Real Madrid
- 2013–2019: Napoli
- 2019: Villarreal
- 2004: Spain U19
- 2003–2005: Spain U20
- 2005–2006: Spain U21
- 2007: Spain
Albiol is a Spanish defender who most recently played for Villarreal. Albiol has represented Valencia, Ribarroja and Vilamarxant in his career. Albiol was born on September 4th 1985 in Vilamarcaant, Spain[4].
Albiol made his senior debut with Valencia in 2003 and went on to play 131 games for the club over five seasons before joining Villarreal in 2009 as part of a transfer worth £5 million.
In 2018, Albiol won the La Liga title with Villarreal after beating Barcelona 1-0 at the final stage.[6] At 37 years old, Albiol is now one of the oldest players still playing top-level football regularly.[7] Albiol started his career at Getafe and spent most of his time there on loan.
Albiol joined Real Madrid in 2009 and was a key player for the club that won three league titles between 2013-2019. Albiol has also played for Napoli, Villarreal and Spain internationally over the years, winning medals with all 3 clubs.
21. Gabriel Jesus
Arsenal F.C.
Career
- 2010–2012: Anhanguera
- 2013–2015: Palmeiras
- 2015–2017: Palmeiras
- 2017–2022: Manchester City
- 2022: Arsenal
- 2015: Brazil U20
- 2015–2016: Brazil U23
- 2016: Brazil
Gabriel Jesus is a Brazilian forward who currently plays for Arsenal. He began his career with Palmeiras, before moving to Manchester City in 2017.
Gabriel Jesus has been praised for his speed and scoring ability, having scored 58 goals in 159 senior appearances.
Gabriel Jesus is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Manchester City and the Brazil national team. Gabriel Jesus has played for Brazil at various age groups, most notably winning Copa America in 2019.
He was signed by Manchester City in May 2016 for £ 27 million and made his debut later that year against Arsenal.
In September 2018, he scored his first goal for Man City to win the Premier League title which was also their first-ever title with Pep Guardiola as manager.
He has represented Brazil at various youth levels including being part of the victorious U-20 World Cup squad in 2017 where they beat Venezuela 2-1 in the final to become champions.
22. Lilian Thuram
France national football team
Career
- 1981–1982: Portugais de Fontainebleau
- 1983–1984: Fontainebleau
- 1985–1987: Melun
- 1987–1988: Melun-Fontainebleau
- 1989–1990: Fontainebleau
- 1990–1991: Monaco
- 1991–1996: Monaco
- 1996–2001: Parma
- 2001–2006: Juventus
- 2006–2008: Barcelona
- 1994–2008: France
Lilian Thuram was a French international defender who spent his entire professional career with Monaco. He won the Ligue 1 title in 1995 and was named club captain that same year.
Thuram is widely regarded as one of the best defenders of his era, and he helped Monaco to two Champions League titles during his time there.
After leaving Monaco at the end of the 1996 season, Thuram joined Juventus where he played for three seasons before retiring from football at age 35 due to injury sustained while playing for France in the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals against Brazil.
In 2013, Thuram became a manager after being appointed head coach of Al-Gharafa SC in Qatar. Thuram, who played for Parma and Juventus before joining Barcelona in 2006, was a world-class defender.
Thuram helped France win the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship two years later. He retired from international football after the 2008 Euros but returned to play at the 2012 Olympics with France.
Thuram is one of only five players to have won both the Champions League and La Liga titles while playing for Barcelona (the others being Xavi Hernandez, Iniesta, Messi and Ronaldo).
Lilian Thuram has been voted into three French Football Halls of Fame - he received his first honour in 2002, followed by another two in 2009 and 2013 respectively.
Also Played For: football right back, parma calcio 1913
23. Rafael Benítez
Real Madrid Castilla
Career
- 1973–1978: Real Madrid
- Years: Team: Apps: (Gls)
- 1978–1979: Real Madrid Aficionados: :
- 1979–1981: Real Madrid Castilla: :
- 1981: → Parla (loan): :
- 1981–1985: Parla: 124: (8)
- 1985–1986: Linares: 34: (7)
- Total: : 158: (15)
- 1979–1981: Spain Universities XI: 5: (0)
- 1986–1993: Real Madrid U17
- 1993–1994: Real Madrid (assistant)
- 1993–1995: Real Madrid Castilla
- 1995–1996: Valladolid
- 1996: Osasuna
- 1997–1999: Extremadura
- 2000–2001: Tenerife
- 2001–2004: Valencia
- 2004–2010: Liverpool
- 2010: Inter Milan
- 2012–2013: Chelsea (interim)
- 2013–2015: Napoli
- 2015–2016: Real Madrid
- 2016–2019: Newcastle United
- 2019–2021: Dalian Professional
- 2021–2022: Everton
- *Club domestic league appearances and goals
Rafael Benítez is a Spanish defender who started his career at Real Madrid. He spent most of his playing time with Parla and Linares, before joining Liverpool in 1986.
After two years at Anfield, he moved on to Valencia where he won the La Liga title in 1995 and the Copa del Rey in 1996. Benítez then returned to England to manage Newcastle United for four years before moving back to Spain to coach Real Madrid from 2010-2013.
On 14 May 2013, he was announced as new manager of Napoli following the sacking of Walter Mazzarri after just six months in charge (although due to an Italian football league ban imposed by FIGC on Naples pending their own investigation into match-fixing allegations against the club president Aurelio De Laurentiis,[9] Benítez only took up residence there on 1 July).
In February 2018, it was announced that Benítez would leave Napoli at the end of the season.[10] Benítez also managed Atlético Madrid between 2003 and 2006.
24. Stephan Lichtsteiner
FC Augsburg
Career
- 1991–1996: FC Adligenswil
- 1996–2000: Luzern
- 2000–2001: Grasshopper
- 2001–2005: Grasshopper
- 2005–2008: Lille
- 2008–2011: Lazio
- 2011–2018: Juventus
- 2018–2019: Arsenal
- 2019–2020: FC Augsburg
- 2003–2005: Switzerland U21
- 2006–2019: Switzerland
- 2022: Basel (Under-15)
- *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:30, 12 August 2020 (UTC), ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 November 2019
Swiss international defender Stephan Lichtsteiner has spent his entire career playing for Swiss clubs, most notably FC Adligenswil and Luzern.
After a successful youth career with FC Adligenswil, Lichtsteiner joined Swiss Super League side Luzern in 2000.
He remained at the club until 2001, when he moved to Grasshopper Zurich. In 2002, Lichtsteiner joined Italian Serie A side Lazio Roma on loan from Grasshopper Zurich; he made five appearances before returning to Switzerland midway through the season.
At the start of 2003–04 season, Lichtsteiner signed for German Bundesliga side Schalke 04 where he would remain for six seasons (2005–10).
During this time he won two Bundesliga titles and one DFB-Pokal title as well as reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-final stage in 2006–07 campaign.
In 2010, following Schalke's relegation from the Bundesliga and financial difficulties at AC Milan,[4] Lichtsteiner agreed to join Juventus on a free transfer[5] but only played nine games before being sold back to AC Milan.
It was during his spell with AC Milan that he earned his first call up to Switzerland's full national team in 2011. He went on to make 69 caps over 6 years[10], winning three Confederations Cups (2013), a World Cup Qualifying Play-off against Ukraine (2014) and Euro 2016.
On 30 May 2016 it was announced that Juventus had reached an agreement with Bayern Munich for the sale of StephanLichtensteiner after six years with Juve.
=Shortly afterward Bayern Munich confirmed they had received all medical papers required by FIFA which cleared him of any injury concerns meaning Lichtensteiner could now play immediately for them without suspension or risk of missing any competitive matches.
Also Played For: switzerland football team, juventus f.c
25. Pau Torres
Villarreal CF
Career
- 2002–2016: Villarreal
- 2016–2018: Villarreal B
- 2017: Villarreal
- 2018–2019: Málaga (loan)
- 2018: Spain U21
- 2021: Spain U23
- 2019: Spain
Torres is a centre-back who joined Villarreal from Villarreal B in 2016. Torres made his senior debut for Villarreal in 2018 and has since played 59 games for the club, scoring 2 goals.
Torres was born in 1997 and started playing football at youth level with Villarreal. Torres has represented Spain at under-17, under-19, under-21, and senior levels.
Torres signed a new contract with Villaareal in January 2019 which runs until 2021 Pau Torres is a Spanish international footballer who currently plays for Villarreal.
Torres has represented Spain at both the U21 and senior levels, going on to win silverware with the latter in 2019. Born in Málaga, Torres began his career with local side CD Málaga before joining Villarreal in 2017.
Known as a defensive midfielder or centre back by many, Torres has amassed 117 appearances for Villarreal across all competitions - including one loan spell at fellow La Liga side Málaga last season.
26. Dani Parejo
Villarreal CF
Career
- 1998–2000: Coslada
- 2000–2003: Espinilla
- 2003–2006: Real Madrid
- 2006–2008: Real Madrid B
- 2008–2009: Real Madrid
- 2008: Queens Park Rangers (loan)
- 2009–2011: Getafe
- 2011–2020: Valencia
- 2020: Villarreal
- 2007–2008: Spain U19
- 2009: Spain U20
- 2008–2011: Spain U21
- 2018–2019: Spain
- *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:09, 7 January 2023 (UTC)
Dani Parejo was born on April 16th, 1989 in Coslada, Spain. He started his career at hometown club Coslada before moving to Espinilla. Dani Parejo joined Villarreal in the summer of 2017 and has since become a regular starter for the team.
Dani Parejo is best known for his defensive midfield play and possesses great passing ability.
At 33 years old, Dani Parejo still has plenty of potential to improve as a player and could be an important part of Villarreal's future success Dani Parejo started his career at Real Madrid, where he made 137 appearances and scored 11 goals.
In 2008, Dani Parejo joined Queens Park Rangers on loan and went on to make 14 appearances for the club before returning to Real Madrid in 2009. Dani Parejo spent three seasons with Getafe before joining Valencia in 2011.
He has since made 282 appearances and 54 goals for the Spanish side. Dani Parejo has also represented Spain at U19 level as well as U20 level, scoring 13 times in total during his international career so far.
27. Gerónimo Rulli
Argentina national football team
Career
- 2009–2011: Estudiantes
- 2011–2014: Estudiantes
- 2014–2016: Deportivo Maldonado
- 2014–2016: → Real Sociedad (loan)
- 2016–2017: Manchester City
- 2016–2017: → Real Sociedad (loan)
- 2017–2020: Real Sociedad
- 2019–2020: → Montpellier (loan)
- 2020–2023: Villarreal
- 2023–: Ajax
- 2016: Argentina Olympic (O.P.)
- 2018–: Argentina
Gerónimo Rulli is a goalkeeper who currently plays for Ajax. He has played for both Deportivo Maldonado and Real Sociedad in his career so far, although he spent the majority of his time on loan at Real Sociedad.
Rulli made his debut with Estudiantes in 2009 before spending four seasons with them, including two as first-choice keeper. He then joined Deportivo Maldonado but failed to make an impact there and moved back to Spain in 2016 to joinReal Sociedad on a season-long loan deal.
As a result of his performances during that spell, he was signed permanently by the club later that year and has since continued to be their number one goalkeeper. Gerónimo Rulli is a versatile Argentine defender who can play at left back, center back, or defensive midfield.
He made his professional debut with River Plate in 2013 and has since played for several other clubs in Argentina and Europe. Rulli was called up to the Argentina national team in 2016 but only featured in six matches before taking part in the Olympic games that year.
In 2018 he signed with Ajax Amsterdam and helped them win the Eredivisie title that season as well as their first ever UEFA Cup of Champions trophy.
He is currently on loan at Real Sociedad where he will continue to compete in La Liga this season. Rulli has represented Argentina at both youth levels (U-17 & U-20) as well as senior level (Olympic).
28. Granit Xhaka
Arsenal F.C.
Granit Xhaka is a Swiss international footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Arsenal and the Switzerland national team. At just 23 years of age, he has already made over 100 appearances in the English top-flight, scoring 10 goals.
He also holds several accolades at international level - including two caps to his name with Switzerland and four Bundesliga titles with Borussia Monchengladbach (two of which were consecutively).
In spite of being relatively new to European competition, Granit Xhaka was named in UEFA's Team of the Tournament at both the Euro 2016 and 2018 tournaments; an award that saw him join such illustrious company as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Now gearing up for World Cup qualification campaign 2019, fans can look forward to seeing more brilliance from this exciting young player.
29. Ansgar Knauff
Eintracht Frankfurt
Career
- 2006–2015: SVG Göttingen
- 2015–2016: Hannover 96
- 2016–2020: Borussia Dortmund
- Years: Team: Apps: (Gls)
- 2020–: Borussia Dortmund II: 36: (10)
- 2020–: Borussia Dortmund: 9: (1)
- 2022–: → Eintracht Frankfurt (loan): 23: (2)
- 2020: Germany U19: 2: (0)
- 2021–: Germany U20: 3: (0)
- 2021–: Germany U21: 7: (1)
- *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:20, 12 November 2022 (UTC), ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16:44, 28 September 2022 (UTC)
Ansgar Knauff is a young winger who currently plays for Eintracht Frankfurt on loan from Borussia Dortmund. He first came to prominence when he was part of the U19 Germany side that won the 2017 European Championship, and has since made over 100 appearances for his club and country.
Ansgar Knauff is a versatile player, able to play in either wide or central positions, and possesses good pace and dribbling ability.
He is likely to be one of the stars of German football in the years ahead, and could eventually make an impact at international level as well Ansgar Knauff is a German professional footballer who currently plays for Borussia Dortmund II.
Ansgar started his career at SV Göttingen before moving to Hannover 96 in 2006 where he made over 100 appearances and scored 10 goals.
He then signed for Bundesliga side BVB in 2016, making 9 appearances and scoring one goal as the club reached the DFB Pokal final. 3. In 2020, Knauff joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan until the end of the season and helped them reach third place in Germany’s top-flight table.
4. The 31-year-old has represented his country at various youth levels from U19 to U21 level but has yet to make an appearance for the senior team. Ansgar is known for being tough tackler and excellent passer which makes him a valuable asset on either midfield or defence positions.
Final Words
. . . UEFA Cup Best Players of Alltime is an annual award given by UEFA to the best players in Europe’s club football competitions. The awards were first introduced in 1984 and are currently run by the European Football Association (EFA).
