Ranking the 5 best dribblers in the Champions League so far this season
The Champions League has always presented us with moments of great excitement and inspiration. There is no greater joy than watching our favorite teams lift the cup. But as they travel through the group stages to the knockout phases and finally to the last step, they produce some dazzling football.
There are some teams that are the star attraction of the Champions League. However, some players have the ability to stand out in high-profile teams specifically for their individual brilliance. Goals and assists have mostly been the criteria on which top players in the Champions League are judged.
Some popular names are Champions League's most successful dribblers this year
There is no refuting the fact that goals matter. But football is also about entertainment and technique and the sight of a player dribbling past defenders and wrong-footing them is joyful. There is no cake-walk in the Champions League and to be able to have the confidence to show consistent trickery with the ball speaks quality.
Here's a look at five of the best dribblers in the Champions League this season:
Note: Data collected from fbref stats. Players with 12 minimum dribbles attempted have been selected.
#5 Federico Chiesa
Last season, when Cristiano Ronaldo was leading the charge at Juventus under Andrea Pirlo, Federico Chiesa stepped up as a reliable support. His involvement under Allegri in Serie A hasn't been as impressive due to muscle fatigue and fitness issues.
However, in the Champions League, Chiesa has been key to Juventus' qualification to the Round of 16. Having missed his side's Champions League opener, the Italian returned to his side for a crucial tie against Chelsea. He scored the only goal and the winner of the game.
◉ 1996: Enrico Chiesa scores his first European Championships goal at Wembley
◉ 2021: Federico Chiesa scores his first European Championships goal at Wembley
Like father, like son. 👨👦
His individual brilliance on the ball is quite easily visible in a squad that hasn't played with much freedom or confidence this season. Having attempted 14 dribbles, Chiesa completed 10 of those. Playing from the wings, the Juventus forward loves to progress with the ball from the deep and is very agile with the ball at his feet.
He has shown an urgency in the final-third that only Paulo Dybala from the Old Lady has matched this season. Chiesa is going to be very important for Juventus this season both in the Champions League and in Serie A. They sit eighth in the Italian top-flight and four points adrift of the top four.
#4 Lionel Messi
In terms of the number of dribbles, Kylian Mbappe pips Lionel Messi very closely for the highest dribbles made by a PSG player. However, with Messi attempting 16 dribbles and completing 12 of them compared to the Frenchman's 13 completed out of 23, the former has a better success rate.
This comes as no shock given the Argentine maestro has been absolutely phenomenal in the Champions League since his first appearance. Messi is definitely amongst the best dribblers of this generation and we have seen him embarrass defenders without breaking a sweat.
Messi typing in English on his old insta posts is too funny 😭 https://t.co/IWNctkQQkP
He has scored three goals in the Champions League for his new outfit and will be central to PSG's ambitions this year. Somehow, the former Barcelona man has been unlucky and is yet to open his account in Ligue 1.
PSG sit top of the French league table, 10 points clear of second spot and that cushion takes some pressure off Messi. His contribution in the attacking third has been minimal in the Champions League except for his three goals because he's been playing a little deeper than usual. The PSG faithful will hope they get to see the best of their new superstar soon.