Ranking the 5 best Italy players this year (2021)
The last 12 months have seen the resurgence of Italy as a footballing powerhouse. After the embarrassment of failing to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the Azzurri bounced back by winning Euro 2020. On the domestic front, parity was restored as Juventus' decade of dominance rapidly unraveled at the hands of the Milan clubs.
Meanwhile, Jorginho made history by becoming the first Italy star to secure a top three finish in the Ballon d'Or voting since Fabio Cannavaro's famous win in 2006.
Lewandowski, Jorginho, Salah, Azpilicueta and Lukaku are nominated for the 2021 #BallondOr! https://t.co/qYRZ7y2Fwx
Italy's stars continued to impress at Europe's biggest clubs in 2021
Although Serie A teams continue to be thwarted in the Champions League, Italy's players are flourishing as far as individual performances are concerned. From being part of high-profile transfers to scoring crucial goals for their club teams, the Azzurri's stars caught the eye this year. That said, we rank the five best Italy stars in 2021*.
*Please note that these rankings are not restricted to national team performances. Club displays have also been taken into account.
#5 Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli)
Despite his diminutive stature, Insigne was a menace for defenders in 2021. Billed as the shortest player at Euro 2020, the Napoli star marauded down the flank as Italy clinched continental glory.
With 19 goals and eight assists for Napoli in the 2020-21 season, he finished just outside the top 5 scorers in Serie A. Barring Ciro Immobile (with just one more league goal), no Italian player netted more times than Insigne last season.
🌟 🇮🇹 An inspired performance from Italy magician Lorenzo Insigne 👏👏👏
#EUROSOTM | @Heineken | #EURO2020 https://t.co/ZFTNcGGkU4
Insigne edges out Immobile on our list thanks to his strong Euro 2020 campaign. The crafty winger scored twice, including one of the goals of the tournament in the quarterfinal against Belgium. With four goals and five assists already this season, the Italy star is showing no signs of slowing down.
#4 Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain)
Marco Verratti's injury issues remained his biggest weakness in 2021, but when he was available, the Italy star was unplayable. Despite being a doubt ahead of Euro 2020 because of a knee knock, Verratti recovered and played an instrumental role in the Azzurri's triumph.
At club level, Paris Saint-Germain and Verratti suffered a disappointing 2020-21 league campaign, surrendering the Ligue 1 title to Lille. Things might have been different had the Parisians been able to count on the services of Verratti, who missed 17 of the team's 38 league games. Nonetheless, the Italy midfielder's elegance and industry are as potent as ever.
💫 Marco Verratti vs Wales = ________
#EURO2020 https://t.co/U1aHildjKz