Best Football Players of 2022

Even by modern football’s standards, 2022 has been a hugely eventful year. Last season’s Champions League provided drama and intrigue aplenty, while there were tense title races in England and Italy, the inaugural edition of a new continental competition in the form of the Europa Conference League, and the 21st edition of the World Cup in Qatar.

Numerous individuals made significant contributions to their club sides and their national teams over the last 12 months. In this article we have honoured the best football players in 2022.

These are the Best Football Players of 2022

Karim Benzema

Best Moment

Benzema won the Ballon d’Or for the first time in his career in November. A player who was previously overshadowed by Cristiano Ronaldo has taken centre stage at Real Madrid since the Portuguese departed.

Now 34, Benzema has never played better than he did in 2022.

What Stood Out

The France international came alive in the knockout stage of the Champions League. His hat-trick against Paris Saint-Germain turned a 2-0 aggregate deficit into a 3-2 victory.

In his very next appearance in Europe, Benzema notched another hat-trick as Madrid beat Chelsea in London.

What Makes Him Special?

Benzema has become an elite goalscorer. He found the back of the net 44 times in 46 matches for Madrid in the 2021/22 campaign, including a remarkable 15 strikes in 12 Champions League outings.

Benzema brings more to the table than just goals, though. He is tremendous at linking the play and setting up chances for his team-mates, while his smart movement regularly allows him to escape the attention of opposition defenders.

Sadio Mane

Best Moment

Mane’s crowning glory was at the start of the year, when he helped Senegal win the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time.

The pre-tournament favourites made good on their promise, triumphing over Egypt on penalties in the final. The decisive spot-kick was converted by Mane, who held his nerve when the pressure was at its highest.

What Stood Out

Mane’s performances for Liverpool should not be forgotten either. With the Reds targeting glory in four different competitions – the Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup and the EFL Cup – the forward was consistently excellent for several months.

That was despite him being moved into a central role after the signing of Luis Diaz in January. Mane did not kick up a fuss but continued to contribute in a different position.

What Makes Him Special?

Mane does not give his opponents a moment’s peace. Many players with his talent would restrict themselves to the attacking phase of play, but Mane works extremely hard when his team do not have the ball. In other words, he is a manager’s dream.

Kylian Mbappe

Best Moment

At the time of writing, World Cup 2022 has not yet reached a conclusion. But after four rounds of matches in Qatar, Mbappe was the tournament’s best player.

His performance against Poland was particularly brilliant. Playing in his favoured left-sided role, Mbappe scored two stunning goals to book France’s place in the quarter-finals. When he is on song, no one can stop him.

What Stood Out

Mbappe was a player of great promise when he burst onto the scene with Monaco, but he is now a much more rounded footballer.

The Frenchman’s decision-making is sound, his end product is reliable and he can beat defenders with skill, speed or a combination of both. The Paris Saint-Germain forward is utterly electric when he gets going.

What Makes Him Special?

That mix of physical and technical characteristics is the main reason Mbappe is so good. There are similarities with Ronaldo, the iconic Brazilian striker who could have achieved even more in the game if it was not for injury.

If Mbappe can stay fit and healthy, the sky is the limit for the 23-year-old.

Robert Lewandowski

Best Moment

Lewandowski did not win the Champions League with Bayern Munich last season, Poland were never going to be strong contenders for World Cup 2022, and Barcelona have had a largely disappointing start to the current campaign.

But Lewandowski came flying out of the traps at the Camp Nou, scoring nine goals in his first six outings for the club. It was quite the way to introduce yourself to a new set of supporters.

What Stood Out

When a footballer is as consistent as Lewandowski, it is easy to take their exploits for granted.

Yet just because the striker has averaged close to a goal per game for years now, that does not mean we should overlook what a fantastic player he is. Lewandowki’s reliability across different clubs in different leagues is what stood out in 2022.

What Makes Him Special?

Lewandowski is a world-class goalscorer. Now 34, he does not offer as much outside the penalty area as other centre-forwards, but his contributions inside the 18 yard-box are phenomenal.

Lewandowski can score any type of goal. Right foot, left foot, header, tight angle, close range – give him the ball in the box and he will make something of it.

Vinicius Junior

Best Moment

Aspiring footballers the world over dream of scoring the winning goal in events like the Champions League final, and that is exactly what Vinicius did in 2022.

Fede Valverde broke down the left, drove forward and fired a low cross towards the back post. There was Vinicius, who had peeled away from Trent Alexander-Arnold and converted at the back post. It was the only goal of the game as Real Madrid beat Liverpool in Paris.

What Stood Out

Vinicius made great progress in 2022. Earlier in his Madrid career, the Brazilian was not entirely trusted by his team-mates. His decision-making was erratic and his final ball often left a lot to be desired.

He has beoame a much more polished player over the last 12 months, as demonstrated by his return of four goals in the group stage of this season’s Champions League.

What Makes Him Special?

Vinicius is the type of player that full-backs hate to face. He is quick, tricky and possesses superb close control, as well as an ability to beat a defender on either side. He has also added more goals to his game, scoring 22 in the 2021/22 season.

Kevin De Bruyne

Best Moment

With Liverpool breathing down their necks in a tense Premier League title race, Manchester City could not afford to drop any points towards the end of last season.

In a potentially difficult game against Wolverhampton Wanderers in May, De Bruyne scored four goals to help Pep Guardiola’s team to a vital 5-1 victory. It was a marvellous display from the midfielder.

What Stood Out

De Bruyne’s consistency in the run-in last season was excellent. Time and time again when Manchester City needed him, the midfielder delivered. When the going gets tough, De Bruyne gets going.

What Makes Him Special?

If you wanted to clone a footballer to create a perfect XI, De Bruyne might be the best choice.

Creative, athletic, smart and versatile, the Belgian also has the ability to grab a game by the scruff of the neck and turn the tide in his team’s favour. He has probably been the best player in the Premier League for several years now.

Thibaut Courtois

Best Moment

Courtois was responsible for one of the best football moments in 2022 with his heroics in the Champions League final. The Real Madrid goalkeeper produced a performance for the ages to keep Liverpool at bay.

Without the Belgian between the sticks, Madrid would surely have been beaten by Jurgen Klopp’s side. Courtois made several wonderful stops to ensure his team got over the line.

What Stood Out

The Champions League final was not an isolated incident. Courtois was terrific for Madrid all year long, regularly pulling off extraordinary stops to deny opposition strikers.

Another thing that stood out was his outspokenness. Courtois criticised a British magazine for not including him in a list of the world’s best goalkeepers, and he also reacted badly after only coming seventh in the Ballon d’Or vote.

What Makes Him Special?

Courtois is 6ft 7in tall, so it is remarkable that his reflexes are so sharp. His long arms allow him to reach shots that look destined for the top corner, but he reacts incredibly quickly to low strikes too.

Courtois is not just an excellent shot-stopper: he is also adept at claiming crosses and dominating the penalty area.

Top Goalscorers of 2022

3. Christopher Nkunku (37 club goals)

Nkunku was ruled out of the World Cup with injury on the eve of the tournament – a huge blow for a player who has shone this year.

The RB Leipzig scored 37 club goals in total, earning him links with a move to one of Europe’s biggest teams in 2023.

2. Robert Lewandowski (38 club goals)

Lewandowski seems to be getting better with age. He was the top scorer in the Bundesliga for Bayern Munich last season, before a summer switch to Barcelona.

The Poland international did not need any time to adjust to his new surroundings, scoring 18 goals in his first 19 appearances.

1. Kylian Mbappe (41 club goals)

Paris Saint-Germain once again fell short in the Champions League last season, but Mbappe still scored freely under Mauricio Pochettino. He has continued to be prolific since Christophe Galtier took charge of the French giants midway through 2022.

With 41 goals to his name, no player in Europe’s top five leagues has found the back of the net more often than Mbappe this year.

Rising Stars

Pedri and Gavi

Just like Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta before them, Pedri and Gavi come as a pair. There are many similarities between the Barcelona and Spain midfielders: both are technically gifted, intelligent footballers who look set to be stars of the future.

Pedri did not come through Barcelona’s academy but he looks made to play for that club. Gavi, two years younger than his 20-year-old colleague, has been at the Camp Nou since the age of 11.

William Saliba

Arsenal signed Saliba back in 2019, before sending the centre-back on three different loan spells with Saint-Etienne, Nice and Marseille. After refining his game in France, the defender was adjudged to be ready for the Premier League by Mikel Arteta this year.

The Arsenal boss has been proven spectacularly right. Saliba has been a revelation at the heart of the Gunners’ backline, combining technical prowess and physical attributes to great effect.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Kvaratskhelia was not particularly well known in the first half of 2022, when he was plying his trade for Dinamo Batumi. Napoli’s scouts spotted something special in him, though, and a deal was struck to take him to Italy in the summer.

Kvaratskhelia has been sensational for Luciano Spalletti’s side, who are top of Serie A and through to the knockout phase of the Champions League. In his first 12 league appearances for Napoli, the Georgia international scored six goals and provided five assists.

Jude Bellingham

Of those aged 21 or under, Bellingham has been one of the best soccer players of 2022. When you watch the England international play, it is hard to believe he is still a teenager. Bellingham plays with a maturity and intelligence that belies his tender years.

He is also a natural leader who has regularly captained Borussia Dortmund. The box-to-box midfielder looks set to secure a big-money move away from Signal Iduna Park next summer, with several European giants keen to acquire him.

Jamal Musiala

Germany crashed out in the group phase of World Cup 2022, but Musiala was still one of the tournament’s standout performers in the first round. Playing in a variety of different attacking midfield roles, he caught the eye with his superb vision, footwork and dribbling ability.

Musiala has also established himself as one of Bayern Munich’s most important players – no mean feat given the German outfit are one of the biggest clubs on the planet. Still only 19 years old, Musiala has a big future ahead of him.

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