We are now just under two weeks until Christmas Day and so, Squawka’s advent calendar moves along another spot.
The excitement is certainly building and as part of the festive period, we here at Squawka have been creating our very own advent calendar. We have been comparing players via the grouping of their shirt numbers and determining a top three for each across Europe.
While overall quality was obviously considered when ranking our top three players of the year, the deciding factors were how well they performed during the last 12 months, with notable weighting being given to the World Cup.
No. 1: Marc-André Ter Stegen
No. 2: Kyle Walker
No. 3: Giorgio Chiellini
No. 4: Virgil Van Dijk
No. 5: Raphael Varane
No. 6: Paul Pogba
No. 7: Kylian Mbappé
No. 8: Saúl Ñíguez
No. 9: Luis Suárez
No. 10: Lionel Messi
No. 11: Mohamed Salah
There’s been lots of talent to choose from, but here are Squawka’s three best No.12’s in the world in 2018:
3. Thomas Meunier (PSG/Belgium)
What makes him special? Meunier won three domestic titles with the Parisians last season, and he will be remembered on English soil for breaking the deadlock in Belgium’s 2-0 win over the Three Lions in the third-place decider at the World Cup. And it was in Russia where the right-back truly flourished, playing a key role as Roberto Martinez’s side finished third and picked up a bronze medal. His absence in the semi-final also coincided with Belgium’s only defeat at the tournament.
Key stat: No defender provided more assists (2) than Meunier at the World Cup.
2. Alex Sandro (Juventus/Brazil)
What makes him special? Sandro is a prominent member of Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus side and he helped himself to a Coppa Italia and Serie A title last term. The Brazilian is a fundamental component of the Old Lady’s intense system, and such was his form last campaign that he was named in the Serie A Team of the Year for the second time in his career.
Key stat: Alex Sandro made more tackles per 90 minutes (2.2) than any other Juventus player in 2017/18.
1. Marcelo (Real Madrid/Brazil)
What makes him special? Arguably the best left-back in the world, there are few players who possess a better first touch than the buccaneering defender. The Brazilian was instrumental as Real Madrid clinched a third Champions League title in a row last term, and played a key role in his homeland’s quarter-final finish at the World Cup. He is the archetypal modern full-back and will go down in history, not only for his audacious and reputable afro, but also for his defensive artistry and attacking vigour.
Can we all just take a second to appreciate this touch by Marcelo please.
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 25, 2018
Key stat: Marcelo provided more Champions League assists (4) than any other Real Madrid player as they secured their third consecutive Champions League title.
Honourable Mentions:
Joe Gomez (Liverpool/England), Andre Silva (Sevilla/Portugal), Lucas Digne (Everton/France)
The post Squawka’s Xmas advent squad: who’s the best No.12 in Europe? appeared first on Squawka News.
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