10 Most Crowd-Pleasing Players in World Football Right Now
Lionel Messi is still out injured, and world football fans looking for entertainment are having to find it elsewhere.
Of course, there are hundreds of great players all around the globe who continually get us on our feet, but who are the best ones around right now?
Here are 10 of the very best.
Alexis Sanchez
1 of 10
His recent two-goal performance against Manchester United underlined everything that is good about Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez, a whirlwind of a footballer who seems determined to lift the Gunners up and drag them to new heights.
The Chilean has become an idol at the Emirates Stadium following his transfer from Barcelona last summer, with his distinctive style and power ensuring he is too much to handle for even the very best Premier League defenders.
The Gunners look as though they could go close to the title this season, and Sanchez is a key reason why.
Neymar
2 of 10
In Messi's absence, Barcelona have had to rely on others to score their goals, and as Neymar spectacularly showed in the recent 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano, he is certainly the man for the job.
The Brazilian superstar scored four that night, and following his staggering 2014/15 campaign—during which he scored 39 goals as Barca clinched the treble—he has long since won over any doubters and those who felt he wouldn't cut it in European football.
He's one of the very best around.
Douglas Costa
3 of 10Another Brazilian who takes pleasing the crowd seriously is Douglas Costa, who has become a key player for Bayern Munich since his summer move to Bavaria from Shakhtar Donetsk.
Although criticised by Bayern team-mate Arjen Robben on Sky Deutschland for the trick shown above (via ESPN FC), Costa has shown little sign of toning down his approach, and he provides Bayern with a welcome dash of fantasy to go alongside the free-scoring talents of Robert Lewandowski and the hard-working Thomas Muller.
Felipe Anderson
4 of 10We'll stick with the Brazilian theme for our next player, a man who has been a huge hit in Italy since arriving at Lazio in 2013.
The 2014/15 campaign was very much Felipe Anderson's breakthrough season, though, and he scored 11 goals in 37 appearances as Lazio surprised many by finishing third in the Serie A table.
He also made his senior Brazil debut this year, and great things are expected of the 22-year-old.
Cristiano Ronaldo
5 of 10
The darling of the Santiago Bernabeu, Cristiano Ronaldo is now Real Madrid's all-time top scorer after breaking the record of 323 held by club legend Raul this season.
The Portuguese has long held a place at the top table of footballing greatness, with his sometimes superhuman feats dragging Real to high after high, including the Champions League in 2014. He is showing no sign of slowing down now he's in his 30s.
Are you not entertained?
Luis Suarez
6 of 10
One of the most watchable players in world football, there are very few footballers who have ever played the game quite like Luis Suarez does.
A talisman at previous clubs Ajax and Liverpool, the Uruguayan is one of the premier forwards in the world game and possesses the ability to find the net from pretty much anywhere.
All of this, matched with a will to win that dwarfs almost every other competitor on the planet and can see him frequently overstep the line between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour, makes the Barcelona man a fascinating subject.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
7 of 10
Of course Zlatan Ibrahimovic is on this list. He'd say there couldn't even be a list without him.
Paris Saint-German's superb Swede has an ability to match his ego, and although the 34-year-old is getting on in years, he has lost none of the talents that make football supporters stand to attention.
Ibrahimovic and Sweden face a play-off to get into the UEFA Euro 2016 finals against Denmark in November, and there will be plenty of world football fans hoping they'll be seeing his talents on show in France next summer.
Mesut Ozil
8 of 10
In terms of pleasing their own club's fans, Mesut Ozil was always going to have a place on this list nailed down.
The Germany international and World Cup winner is the apple of many a Gooner's eye thanks to his stylish way of playing the game and the frequency with which he assists goals. And while he might not be a crowd-pleaser in the sense he constantly takes players on and forces the issue, he can change the game with a clever pass or a well-timed through ball.
And they love him at the Emirates Stadium for that.
David Silva
9 of 10
Although currently out with an injury that isn't thought to be serious, Manchester City's David Silva comes from the same school as Ozil when it comes to getting fans on their feet.
The Spanish schemer has been the inspiration behind many of City's successes over recent years and has also translated that success to his national team, with whom he's been a key ingredient of both UEFA European Championship and FIFA World Cup successes.
There is a strong argument to suggest he is the most gifted player in the Premier League and plenty around who'd support that claim.
Kevin De Bruyne
10 of 10
Although much newer to City life than Silva, Belgium international Kevin De Bruyne has wasted no time in getting his new club's supporters onside.
The former Chelsea man has shown no ill effects from what was a disappointing spell first time around in the Premier League as he has delivered a series of dazzling performances and quickly become a real goal threat for his new side following his summer move from Wolfsburg.
City fans can only hope this is just the start of something special.
