Ranking the Best 50 Footballers in the World Right Now

Ranking a footballers ability over another has always been a difficult task.

Playing in different leagues and having different player abilities around you can alter the perception of how good a footballer can appear to be.

There will never be a true and fair measure of who the best is right now, but here are my thoughts on the top 50 playing the sport today.

Gianluigi Buffon

Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is one of the most successful goalkeepers that has ever lived.

The 34-year-old has made 312 league appearances for Juventus and has 113 International caps.

Marek Hamsik

Edinson Cavani's goal-scoring feats for Napoli wouldn't be achievable without the input of Marek Hamsik.

The 24-year-old Slovakian international has 51 caps for his country and has scored 46 goals in 159 league games for Napoli in Serie A.

Rafael Van Der Vaart

Tottenham Hotspur got an absolute bargain when they signed Rafael Van Der Vaart from Real Madrid for a reported £8 million.

The Dutchman has scored goals at whichever club he has played for and is one of the best goal-scoring midfielders in the game today.

Nemanja Vidic

Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic is the rock at the heart of the Manchester United defence.

Currently out injured for what is likely to be the remainder of the season, Manchester United will be hoping they can cope without him. 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a true force.

Zlatan is the best Swedish footballer in the world right now and currently leads the Serie A goal-scoring charts with 18 to date.

Maicon

Inter Milan full-back Maicon creates space for his Serie A teammates by bombing up and down the wing on a regular basis.

The Brazilian has over 60 caps to his name and is one of the best full-backs of all time.

Javier Mascherano

Javier Mascherano established himself as one of the world's best defensive midfielders at Liverpool, but at Barcelona he has proven himself to be an outstanding utility man.

He could probably play in goal if you needed him to.

Nani

When he's not diving on the floor and crying to referees, Portugal and Manchester United winger Nani is one of the best attacking wide men in the game.

Skillful, quick and blessed with a hammer shot, Nani has all the attributes needed to make it at the top level.

Luka Modric

Luka Modric has an unassuming role at Tottenham Hotspur.

He doesn't get many assists or goals, but his contribution is paramount to the team.

Both Chelsea and Manchester United were believed to be trying to sign him over the past six months.

Antonio Valencia

Despite being plagued by injuries, you can't deny that Antonio Valencia can be devastating to teams when he's fit.

The 26-year-old Ecuadorian can beat defenders with his pace and skill and has an excellent cross delivery.

Steven Gerrard

While his best days are likely behind him, Liverpool's Steven Gerrard is still one of the best passers of a football in the modern game.

With the ability to surge forward and support the attack, Gerrard can be devastating to defences.

Juan Mata

Juan Mata has been one of Chelsea's few bright sparks of the 2011/12 campaign so far.

The Spanish international has great technique for a 23-year-old.

Iker Casillas

Real Madrid's Iker Casillas is the goalkeeper who keeps Pepe Reina out of the Spanish International side, such is his ability.

Casillas keeps goal at club level for Real Madrid in La Liga.

Luis Suarez

Liverpool bad boy Luis Suarez has been in the media spotlight a lot this season following his race row with Patrice Evra.

That aside, the Uruguayan can be devastating when he's in form.

Alexandre Pato

AC Milan striker Pato is another young Brazilian who makes the list.

Pato, 22, has scored 51 league goals in 112 league matches for AC Milan and has 18 international caps.

Carlos Tevez

Despite being A.W.O.L for quite an amount of time this season, Carlos Tevez has recently returned to Manchester City to resume training.

The Argentinian international is still one of the world's best strikers, despite his tendency to sulk.

Gerard Pique

Manchester United must be kicking themselves for allowing Gerard Pique to return to Barcelona when they sold him in 2008 for £5 million.

The central defender is probably worth almost 10 times that amount now and is considered to be up there with the best in the world.

Hulk

FC Porto forward Hulk has a reported £88 million buyout clause in his contract which gives you an idea of his ability.

Short, stocky and powerful are his traits, but it's his looks that garnered him his nickname.

Gareth Bale

Welsh winger Gareth Bale shot himself to European stardom when he single-handedly destroyed Inter Milan defender Maicon in a Champions League game in November 2010.

Bale has rapid pace and is very direct.

Eden Hazard

Lille midfielder Eden Hazard has been the subject of much transfer speculation over the past 12 months and has recently suggested he may favour a move to Tottenham Hotspur.

Hazard is tricky and quick.

Mats Hummels

Borussia Dortmund formed a formidable defensive unit when they paired Neven Subotic with German Mats Hummels.

At just 23 years of age, Hummels is expected to have an impressive career.

YaYa Toure

Manchester City got a relative bargain when they signed YaYa Toure from Barcelona in 2010.

At £24 million, Toure seems to have been vastly undervalued by the Catalan club.

Thiago Silva

Thiago Silva plays centre-back for AC Milan and Brazil.

Silva has 25 caps to his name and is 28 years old.

David Villa

Despite being out with a bad leg break at the moment, David Silva may still yet feature in Euro 2012.

The Spanish striker is deadly when fit.

Manuel Neuer

Manchester United tried in vain to sign Manuel Neuer from Schalke before he moved to Bayern Munich.

Neuer is Germany's first-choice stopper and at 25 years of age he will only get better.

Sergio Aguero

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has been the subject of speculation recently following Diego Maradona's claim that the Argentina striker should play for Real Madrid.

Maradona is Aguero's father-in-law.

Kaka

Despite suffering a slight fall from grace since signing for Real Madrid in 2009, Brazilian midfielder Kaka is still one of the top midfielders in world football today.

Kaka has 82 caps for his country.

Pepe Reina

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina is a strong, safe pair of hands amidst a sea of goalkeepers in the world that look out of their depth.

Reina has arguably the best ball distribution of any goalkeeper that has ever played the sport.

Leandro Damiao

Internacional striker Leandro Damiao has only played senior football since 2010 but he has already become a Brazilian international with four caps to his name.

Watch out for big things from this player.

Vincent Kompany

Part of the reason Manchester City are flying high in the Premier League right now is due to the defensive ability of Vincent Kompany.

The Belgian is a rock.

Joe Hart

England and Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart is already one of the best goalkeeper's in the world at just 24 years of age.

Expect big things from him.

Dani Alves

Barcelona seem to have a plethora of talent in their squad including Brazilian full-back Dani Alves who is as dangerous as attacking as he is solid at defending.

Edinson Cavani

Since signing for Serie A side Napoli, Edinson Cavani has scored 41 goals in 57 league games for the club.

Pretty impressive by anyone's standards.

Cavani is a Uruguayan international.

Mario Gotze

Former German international and Borussia Dortmund player Matthias Sammer called 19-year-old Mario Gotze "one of the best talents we've ever had."

Enough said.

Phillipp Lahm

Philip Lahm is captain of both Bayern Munich and Germany and has been consistently one of the best full-backs in the world over the last half-decade.

Gonzalo Higuain

Jose Mourinho recently said of Gonzalo Higuain:

"

Only a stupid coach would want one of the best centre forwards in the world to leave his team. Higuain may have failed to score in the last few games, but that doesn’t make him less special to me and I have no intention of seeing him leave Real Madrid.

"

I guess he's good then.

Franck Ribery

Franck Ribery hasn't had the best season since he moved to Bayern Munich but his ability is still there for all to see.

The French international has over 50 caps and is an extremely dangerous winger.

Cesc Fabregas

Arsenal did all they could to hold on to Cesc Fabregas but in the end the player got his dream move back to Barcelona.

Fabregas has been deployed in a more attacking role since his move and in certainly seems to be working.

Fabregas has nine league goals in 20 league games for the Catalan club.

Xabi Alonso

Liverpool suffered a great loss when they allowed Xabi Alonso to leave for Real Madrid.

Alonso has one of the best passing games in world football.

Arjen Robben

Arjen Robben has scored 33 goals in 53 league appearances for Bayern Munich—a record most strikers would be proud of.

Robben is a winger which makes his stats even more impressive.

The Dutch international is expected to light up the forthcoming European Championships.

Sergio Ramos

You don't play for Real Madrid 218 times in the league unless you're top quality, and Sergio Ramos certainly is that.

The Spanish World Cup winner is only 25 yet seems to have been around for decades.

Falcao

Atletico Madrid paid FC Porto €40 million to sign Falcao in August 2011 and it seems the Colombian striker was worth it.

Falcao has scored 15 goals in 21 league games for the Spanish club.

Andres Iniesta

You don't get to 260 league appearances for Barcelona without being a top quality player.

Iniesta is just 27 years old and is another Spanish international.

Neymar

Neymar is young but the Brazilian already has 16 caps for his country at the age of 20.

Barcelona are rumoured to be chasing the forward which gives you an idea of his ability.

Neymar currently plies his trade at Santos.

Wayne Rooney

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney is considered to be the best English player to emerge in years.

Nicknamed the "White Pele," Rooney has been terrorising European defences with his powerful shots and impressive strength on the ball.

David Silva

Roberto Mancini made an excellent move when he signed Spaniard David Silva from Valencia in 2010.

Silva has gone on to become one of the Premier League's best players this season.

Xavi

After finishing third in the Ballon d'Or three times, Barcelona and Spain midfielder Xavi may just go down in history as one of the best midfielders never to have won the award.

Xavi gains plaudits for allowing Lionel Messi to be so effective.

Robin Van Persie

Robin Van Persie has to be the hottest striker on the planet right now.

The Dutchman has scored an incredible 25 league goals so far this term after playing just 2,341 minutes of football.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo was a serious consideration for the top spot in the forwards list and I honestly can't put my finger on what separates first place from second.

Ronaldo has scored 96 league goals in just 88 league games for Real Madrid in La Liga.

Lionel Messi

Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi is considered by most to be the world's best player and I'd have to agree.

Messi has scored 147 league goals for the Catalan club in just 201 league games.

He has won the Ballon d'Or once, and the FIFA Ballon d'Or twice despite being just 24 years of age.

Afterthoughts

I'm sure that once this article is posted and the numerous comments come flooding in, I will realise that I have left some major players out.

Despite considering the options for a good few days, it is inevitable that somebody will have been overlooked somewhere along the line, but that can't be helped now.

The players on here are all highly capable and it will be interesting to see how many of them win a trophy or medal somewhere along the line in 2012.

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out Liverpool's Future: 10 Steps to Ensure Champions League Qualification.

On Twitter? Follow me @petercwebster where I post all my B/R content.