5 best dribblers in the world right now (September 2021)
From Brazilian legend Garrincha to the latest PSG signing Lionel Messi, the footballing world has been blessed with sensational dribblers throughout the course of history. Footballers have had to adapt to the ever-changing game from time to time which has resulted in the extinction of several playing styles.
However, the magical flair of a seasoned dribbler always tends to simplify the game for the audience and managers alike. When a fanatic player decides to dazzle past opposition players, dropping them like flies on his way, all tactics and strategies are rendered useless.
Such beautiful instances tend to remind us that no matter how much modernization the game goes through, an adept dribbler will always succeed in stealing applause from the fans.
Some notable dribblers of the past
Aside from the aforementioned Garrincha, Brazil has produced some of the best eye-pleasing talents, ever since the South American country was introduced to the sport. Ronaldo Nazario, Ronaldinho and Pele are some of the few names in an ocean full of majestic Brazilian dribblers.
Elsewhere, Argentinian legend Diego Maradona was widely popular for his on-the-ball skills, capable of dismantling any rock-solid defence on his day. The philosophical Johan Cruyff, Irishman George Best, and Real Madrid stalwart Zinedine Zidane, just to name a few, were all top-notch dribblers in their prime.
An insurmountable number of players can be listed if one tends to venture down the said road. With that notion in mind, let's take a look at five of the best dribblers currently plying their trade in football:
#5 Jadon Sancho (Manchester United)
Subject to one of the most long-drawn transfer sagas of recent time, Jadon Sancho finally returned to his homeland after spending the last four seasons in Germany. Only this time, he'll be playing for the red half of Manchester, as opposed to his previous stint in England as a youth player.
The young prodigy is a fantastic dribbler and possesses a keen eye for creation. During his time as a Borussia Dortmund player, Sancho produced 64 assists and 50 goals in just 137 games. In his final season with BVB, the 21-year-old playmaker created 67 chances in the Bundesliga for his teammates.
However, the most striking attribute of the promising youngster is his close control of the ball. Sancho maintained an average of 3.86 completed dribbles per game in the league and Champions League the previous year. His superlative performances prompted United to shell out €85m for his services. The Red Devils will hope that Sancho can continue his tremendous form and fix their prolonging right-flank woes.
#4 Lionel Messi (PSG)
To see Lionel Messi finish in a lowly fourth position on any kind of football-related list is considered blasphemy by the Argentine's fans. And they have their cases as La Pulga has defied all set laws and precedents, time and time again. But as a dribbler, Messi has shown signs of slowing down with respect to his own ridiculously high standards.
With growing age, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner is not as agile and pacey as he used to be. As a result, his dribbling numbers have taken a slight hit. In his last season at Camp Nou, Messi managed to complete 4.6 dribbles per game in La Liga and the Champions League. For someone who recently celebrated his 34th birthday, this stat should be incomprehensible.
Then again, Messi is not an ordinary 34-year-old footballer. He single-handedly kept Barcelona competitive in a tumultuous transitional period, providing 52 goal contributions in 47 games last season. Due to their financial predicament, the Catalans were unable to register Lionel Messi as a Barcelona player and had to let him go, against the player's wishes. Sensing the opportunity of a lifetime, PSG wasted no time in signing him on a free transfer.
Also read: 5 strikers who can also shine in the No.10 role for their clubs