
Stock Up, Stock Down on the World's Top 30 Footballers in 2014
Here is a stock up, stock down assessment of the world's top 30 footballers in 2014.
What does stock up, stock down mean? It is a subjective view of how the footballer is trending.
How did you come up with the top 30 footballers in the world?
They have been subjectively ranked via:
- Current ability.
- Form.
- Success in 2014.
Long-List Cuts
- Thibaut Courtois.
- Alexandre Lacazette.
- Robert Lewandowski.
- Luis Suarez.
- Arturo Vidal.
- Memphis Depay.
30. Robin Knoche
1 of 30
Stock Up
Wolfsburg's German centre-back Robin Knoche, 22, is on track to being one of the best centre-backs in Europe.
Most football fans tend to wax lyrical about Raphael Varane, yet Knoche is almost the exact same from a defensive perspective.
Knoche is coolness personified as he reads the play perfectly, intercepts the ball and offloads possession.
He has yet to receive a yellow card in 1,350 minutes of Bundesliga play this season while completing 24 tackles and 37 interceptions in 15 games.
29. Roberto Firmino
2 of 30
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Hoffenheim's Brazilian central attacking midfielder Roberto Firmino, 23, is reverting back to playing one world-class match and then going missing for the next three.
After a 16 goal and 11 assist campaign in the previous Bundesliga season, you expected Firmino to transition into a superstar, but it has not happened yet.
He is a very hot-and-cold player: of his four goals and six assists this season, three goals and five assists have come via four games.
28. Gareth Bale
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Real Madrid's Welsh right-forward Gareth Bale, 25, is coasting through games, which is a concern.
But he is so talented that he has still scored seven times and registered three assists in 12 La Liga games.
What Bale needs to do is get into the Tottenham Hotspur mindset, rather than playing Robin to Cristiano Ronaldo's Batman.
Real Madrid didn't pay €91 million for Bale to score the same amount of goals in La Liga this season as Celta Vigo's Joaquin Larrivey, or to see Eibar's Saul Berjon create the same amount of goals as Bale.
27. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
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Paris Saint-Germain's Swedish centre-forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 33, has been decent by his world-class standards.
When Ibrahimovic drops deep to get the ball, he needs to be making more penetrative passes. His key passes per game in Ligue 1 has drastically diminished from 2.1 last season to 0.9 during the current campaign.
Yes, Ibrahimovic has scored eight times in 11 Ligue 1 games, but he is not dominating in the way he has done in the past.
26. Angel Di Maria
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Manchester United's Argentinian central midfielder/left/right-winger Angel Di Maria, 26, needs to be more consistent if he wants to justify his £59.7 million transfer fee.
His passing can be wayward (gives away the ball 19.5 percent of the time he passes), his shooting is inefficient (takes 12.3 shots per goal) and his tenacity is overrated as he only averages 0.7 tackles per game.
Instead of proving Real Madrid president Florentino Perez wrong, Di Maria is making his former boss look like a genius.
Post-Di Maria, Real Madrid are currently on a 22-game winning streak.
25. Sergio Ramos
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Real Madrid's Spanish centre-back Sergio Ramos, 28, has formed a dependable centre-back partnership with Pepe.
Despite no full-time defensive midfielder to drop deep and provide extra cover, Ramos and Pepe have ensured Real Madrid have the second best defence in La Liga.
The reason why Ramos is not ranked higher is he still has "What were you thinking?" moments.
He leads Real Madrid in yellow cards (five) and fouls per game (1.9).
24. Yaya Toure
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Manchester City's Ivorian central midfielder Yaya Toure, 31, has recovered after an abysmal start to the Premier League campaign.
After one goal in his first 10 Premier League games, Toure has scored four times in his last six league games.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini defended Toure, pointing out he was not the only struggling player at the club.
"Yaya was criticised at the beginning of the season but it was not only Yaya, [who] was not putting in his best performance," Pellegrini said, per Samuel Luckhurst at the Manchester Evening News. "I think that all of them this moment are in a very good moment, especially Fernandinho, Yaya and [Samir] Nasri."
23. James Rodriguez
8 of 30
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Real Madrid's central midfielder/right/left-winger James Rodriguez, 23, is being pushed to the limits in terms of being team-first.
James is being played all over the field, is burdened with defensive duties and expected to play like a role player, even though he is valued at €80 million.
Obviously, he is nowhere near €80 million if he cannot even separate himself from Isco.
22. Eden Hazard
9 of 30
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Chelsea's Belgian left attacking midfielder Eden Hazard, 23, could be turning a corner in his career.
He leads the Premier League in dribbles per game (4.6), he is producing more moments which leave you thinking "Wow!" and his technique is at times aesthetically perfect.
The issue with Hazard is, will he then inexplicably go on a five-game streak without a goal or an assist?
Or, will he take his game to the next level?
21. Mario Gotze
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Bayern Munich's German central attacking midfielder/left-forward Mario Gotze, 22, will forever be defined by his winning goal in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final.
He goes down in history alongside compatriots Helmut Rahn (1954), Gerd Muller (1974) and Andreas Brehme (1990) as the man to score the decisive goal in a World Cup final for West Germany/Germany.
Yet, Gotze's form for Bayern Munich has been average, despite being a once-in-a-generation talent, who can reach Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's level.
Gotze tends to drift out of games, and his work rate has also dropped: his tackles per league game has decreased to a career-worst 0.9 when playing as a starter.
20. Kevin De Bruyne
11 of 30
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Wolfsburg's Belgian central/left attacking midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, 23, has been spectacularly brilliant in the Bundesliga.
He runs the show for Wolfsburg: shooting, creating goals, zipping past opposing players and setting the tempo of his side's attacks.
He has 10 assists while playing with three mediocre/below-average No. 9s.
- Ivica Olic: Delaying retirement as the 35-year-old is fighting to prove he can still play at the top level.
- Bas Dost: Finding the Bundesliga a tougher league to score in than the Eredivisie.
- Nicklas Bendtner: Just along for the ride.
19. Diego Costa
12 of 30
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Chelsea's Brazilian-born Spanish centre-forward Diego Costa, 26, has endured injuries causing minor but persistent discomfort.
However, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho revealed Costa is fully fit.
"We feel [Costa is] free of his old injury," Mourinho said, per Yemi Abiade at the Guardian. "He's free of fears at this moment. He's good at this moment."
Well, he performed a lot better when he was playing with nagging injuries (scored seven goals in his first four Premier League games).
In Costa's last five Premier League games, he has accumulated more yellow cards (three) than goals (two).
18. Koke
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Atletico Madrid's Spanish left/right-winger/central midfielder Koke, 22, at one point during the season had five successive La Liga games with an assist.
In his last five La Liga games, he only has one assist.
That said, Koke is an all-round midfielder, who can play across the field, function effectively in both halves of the pitch and is a team-first player.
17. David de Gea
14 of 30
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Manchester United's Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea, 24, has bailed out his defenders this season.
Conceding 18 goals in 17 Premier League games reads well for Manchester United, but it would probably be Liverpool-bad if not for De Gea's shot-stopping prowess this season.
De Gea has accumulated 50 saves so far.
16. Pepe
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Real Madrid's Portuguese centre-back Pepe, 31, has been the foundation of Carlo Ancelotti's defence.
Pepe cleans up at the back, Toni Kroos dictates play in midfield and Cristiano Ronaldo scores—talk about a world-class spine.
By going 1,080 minutes without a yellow card in La Liga, Pepe is proving he is disciplined, focused and intent on ensuring Real Madrid are not harmed by unforced errors.
15. Javier Mascherano
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Barcelona's Argentinian centre-back/central midfielder Javier Mascherano, 30, is reclaiming his Liverpool form.
Mascherano making last-ditched clearances in defence or cutting off passes in midfield have contributed to Barcelona having the best defensive record in La Liga.
Barcelona have only conceded seven goals in 16 Liga games.
14. Nemanja Matic
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Chelsea's Serbian defensive midfielder Nemanja Matic, 26, claims the Blues are in the running to achieve the quadruple.
"I think it's possible, we have a chance," Matic said, per Jamie Jackson at the Guardian. "We will try and we will see if we can do it. I am confident, I believe in my team."
Matic is central to Chelsea competing on all fronts.
He is a strong presence, he holds Chelsea's shape and carries the ball out from midfield into the final attacking third.
13. Alexis Sanchez
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Arsenal's Chilean deep-lying forward Alexis Sanchez, 26, is living up to his £35 million transfer fee.
Alexis' willingness to attack opposing defences as if he was Lionel Messi has alleviated so much pressure from Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
Barcelona viewed Alexis as a role player to Messi, which meant the Chilean was never able to dominate week in, week out.
For Wenger, Alexis is Arsenal's answer to Messi.
Alexis has scored (nine) and created (five) so far—contributing to a combined 14 goals in 16 Premier League games this season.
12. Sergio Aguero
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Manchester City's Argentinian centre-forward Sergio Aguero, 26, is arguably the best No. 9 when fit.
The imperative phrase being "when fit," since he has scored 14 goals and accumulated three assists in 15 Premier League games this season.
Though, during his Manchester City career, Aguero has never started 35 Premier League games or more in one season.
Nowadays, Aguero going down with injury is not a surprise.
11. Neymar
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Barcelona's Brazilian left-forward Neymar, 22, is receiving more time in the limelight alongside Lionel Messi.
Instead of letting Messi take over, Neymar is being more proactive, running at opposing defences and getting a quick shot on goal.
His shots per game has increased from 2.6 to 3.1 over the last two seasons.
He already has scored 11 goals, which is two more than his output in La Liga last season.
10. Ricardo Rodriguez
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Wolfsburg's Swiss left-back Ricardo Rodriguez, 22, is a modern full-back, who is arguably the best in the world in his position.
There is a gigantic difference when you compare Rodriguez to his backup Marcel Schafer, who has played for Germany.
Rodriguez is a set-piece specialist, he can take the ball past opposing players and is a threat to create a goal.
While he has had issues with his marking, he regularly charges out to cut off passes, which shows you how instinctive a defender he is.
9. Ralf Fahrmann
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Schalke's German goalkeeper Ralf Fahrmann, 26, has ascended from backup/occasional starter to one of the best shot-stoppers in the Bundesliga.
Fahrmann is physically imposing at 6'5" and 209 pounds, yet athletically gifted—being able to pull off reflex saves as if he is 6'0".
This season, Fahrmann has been one of the most dominant players in the Bundesliga.
8. Toni Kroos
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Real Madrid's German central midfielder Toni Kroos, 24, has been a superstar in life after Bayern Munich.
He provides balance in midfield by retaining and distributing the ball accurately, completing 93 percent of his 70 passes per game.
He can also make the decisive pass, registering seven assists in La Liga.
The FIFA World Cup winner has become a vital player for Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti.
"When I'm out on the pitch, I try to do everything [Ancelotti] wants from me," Kroos said, per FIFA.com. "I play in the middle of the park, as you'd expect I try to exert as much control over the game as I can."
7. Philipp Lahm
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Bayern Munich's German central midfielder/right/left-back Philipp Lahm, 31, is a multifaceted world-class footballer, who can adapt to what his manager wants.
Lahm organises Bayern Munich's shape, is a passing outlet (averages 69 passes per game) and a source of creativity (completed 26 key passes).
His consistency and versatility is why he is one of Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola's favourite players.
"I believe [Lahm is] one of the five best players in the history of Bayern Munich," Guardiola said, per FCBayern.de. "It's a great honour to be his coach."
6. Thomas Muller
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Bayern Munich's German deep-lying/right-forward Thomas Muller, 25, is a winner.
Six years after his professional debut, Muller has already won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the Bundesliga.
Muller has scored more goals in the World Cup (10) than Cristiano Ronaldo (three) and Lionel Messi (five) combined (eight).
Now is the time for Muller to take his game to the next level.
5. Manuel Neuer
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Bayern Munich's German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, 28, is on course to have a career comparable to Sepp Maier and Oliver Kahn.
Neuer being a passing outlet at the back as a sweeper-keeper is integral to Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola's philosophy.
Completing 86.3 percent of 34.9 passes per game, Neuer attempts more passes than Thomas Muller (30) and Robert Lewandowski (22.3).
While Neuer is unlikely to win the FIFA Ballon d'Or, he has an achievement Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have yet to experience—a FIFA World Cup winners' medal.
4. Arjen Robben
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Bayern Munich's Dutch right-forward Arjen Robben, 30, has picked up the slack with Franck Ribery still trying to play himself into form.
Robben is Bayern Munich's leading scorer in the Bundesliga this season (10). His 0.77 goals per league game is a vast improvement from last season (0.39).
Currently ranked as Kicker's top-rated Bundesliga footballer, Robben is on track for a career-best season.
3. Cesc Fabregas
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Chelsea's Spanish defensive/central attacking midfielder Cesc Fabregas, 27, is a complete footballer.
Able to thrive in the Premier League and La Liga, Fabregas has no problems as a No. 6, No. 8 or No. 10.
Since the 2009-10 season, Fabregas is averaging the most tackles per league game (2.8) of his career.
Against Stoke City, when shielded by John Obi Mikel and Nemanja Matic, Fabregas was Chelsea's best player, scoring and creating a goal in a 2-0 win.
Fabregas leads the Premier League in assists (12) and key passes per game (3.4).
2. Lionel Messi
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Stock Down
Barcelona's Argentinian deep-lying forward Lionel Messi, 27, has failed to match Cristiano Ronaldo's goals or assists in La Liga this season.
Messi risks watching Ronaldo win successive FIFA Ballon d'Ors, which will be a dent to the Argentinian's legacy.
| 2014-15 La Liga | Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi |
| Goals/Games | 25/14 | 15/16 |
| Shots Per Goal | 3.5 | 5.1 |
| Assists | 8 | 7 |
| Key Passes Per Game | 2.8 | 2.6 |
| Pass Success % | 81.7 | 84 |
| Passes Per Game | 36.6 | 61.4 |
| Dribbles Per Game | 1.7 | 4.2 |
| Dribble Success % | 50 | 48.6 |
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
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Real Madrid's Portuguese deep-lying/left-forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 29, deserves to win the 2014 FIFA Ballon d'Or.
This season, Ronaldo has scored at a Fernando Peyroteo-esque rate, registering more goals (25) than 14 La Liga clubs.
Goals aside, Ronaldo's most improved quality is being more of a team player and making the open pass, rather than taking a low-percentage shot.
His assists per league game (0.57) has substantially increased from last season (0.30).
When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.com









