What makes a football player iconic? Is it their impressive abilities on the field or their record-breaking scores? Explore today's football world and uncover the players who rattled the current scene with exceptional skills and athletic abilities. 

Mohamed Salah

Born in Egypt, Mohamed Salah is a highly skilled athlete known for his incredible speed and dribbling. He played for football clubs like Fiorentina (on loan), Chelsea F.C., and AS Roma. From 2017 to the present, he has been with Liverpool F.C. 

Mohamed is a renowned right winger and forward for the current EPL club leader. As of writing, he tops the EPL leaderboards as the player with the most goals (27) and assists (18). 

Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe is Real Madrid’s prized player, as he is one of the fastest players in the world. His popularity skyrocketed when he scored a hat-trick in the final game against Argentina in 2022. 

In his career, he became part of several teams, like Monaco and Monaco II. His longest stay was with Paris Saint-Germain; now, he plays for Real Madrid. As of this writing, Mbappe holds second in most goals (22) in the current LaLiga season. 

Vinícius Junior

Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior, most commonly referred to as Vinícius Junior, is a Brazilian football player with agility and elite dribbling skills that are out of this world. Before Real Madrid, he also played for Brazil and Flamengo. 

Despite not being on the current LaLiga leaderboards, his skill and athleticism will forever be remembered for scoring the winning goal in the UEFA Champions League final against Liverpool in 2022. 

Robert Lewandowski

Robert Lewandowski is a Poland-born football player who plays for FC Barcelona as their striker. He is known as one of the greatest in football history and has shown his skill through elite goal-scoring feats. 

Lewandowski has proven his worth as a football player when he set a Guinness World Record by scoring five goals in just nine minutes. This incredible feat was seen during the 2015 Bayern Munich vs Wolfsburg match. 

Harry Kane

Harry Edward Kane is an English football player known for his exceptional striking abilities and technical skills. He played for numerous teams, such as Leicester and Tottenham, but currently plays for Bayern Munich. 

According to the Bundesliga league table, Kane is currently the top scorer with 24 goals under his belt. His team, Bayern Munich, is also at the top of the table with their astounding 22 wins, two losses, and 72 points in total. 

Lamine Yamal

Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana is the youngest player on this list, and there is a reason why he quickly became a football superstar. Known for his incredible composure and technical field skills, this young FC Barcelona winger is recognised as one of the most promising players today. 

Despite his age, he has already secured multiple awards, including the Kopa Trophy in 2024 and the ‘Breakthrough of the Year Award�?at the 2025 Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony in Madrid on April 21, 2025. 

Erling Haaland

Erling Braut Haaland is one of today's most dominant and prolific strikers in the football industry. His excellent agility, strength, and calm demeanour made him a fan favourite. Currently playing for Manchester City, his debut with the team became iconic as he became the top scorer during the 2022-2023 EPL. 

The Norwegian football player is also known for his iconic five goals in a single match against RB Leipzig, which tied Lionel Messi’s record for the most goals scored in a single UCL knockout game.

Discover the feats of these legendary players

These are some of the most iconic football players in the current football industry. Their legendary status was born out of skill and their explosive athleticism. Whether it's the number of goals scored in a single match or topping the league table, these players have shown they are worthy of this title. 

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The Ballon d’Or is widely regarded as the top individual trophy for footballers, as it is given to the best player of that year. Lionel Messi is often considered the best-ever football player, proven by his record eight Ballon d’Or wins. 

The football world has plenty of top-tier players competing for the award in 2025. The post-Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo era of the Ballon d’Or has led to more players competing for the Golden Ball. 

Here are the current top choices for the 2025 Ballon d’Or:

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

The Premier League is often considered the world’s best domestic football league. Since Liverpool is the runaway favourite to win the Prem, it is expected that their biggest star is a Ballon d’Or candidate. Mohamed Salah has been with LFC since 2017, making him the club’s superstar for a long time, and he could get recognition for his efforts.

Across all competitions for Liverpool, Salah has 32 goals and 23 assists as of April 15, 2025. His performance has been impressive due to his goal contributions being the primary reason Liverpool is en route to winning another Premier League title. However, what hurts his candidacy is Liverpool’s absence from the cup competitions.

Raphinha (Barcelona)

Raphinha has been superb for Barcelona this season, as he has fully moved to the left-wing position. Manager Hansi Flick put him there to maximise his front three, consisting of Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, and Robert Lewandowski. It has worked well, considering Barça has made it far in the Champions League and is in La Liga’s title race.

Across all competitions for Barça, Raphinha has 28 goals and 22 assists as of April 15, 2025. The Brazilian has surpassed expectations due to his impressive stats, as he has elevated his game from being the talisman for Leeds United to becoming the best player on a European giant.

Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)

Regarded as one of the best players in the world when he was with Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappé showed the same competence in Real Madrid. He has been hailed by former Real Madrid president Ramón Calderón as the player to follow in the legendary footsteps of Ronaldo Nazário. 

Since he was converted to a striker, Mbappé has become a pure goalscorer. He has dished out four assists as of April 15, 2025, but he has scored 32 goals. With Real Madrid’s potential success in La Liga, the Frenchman’s status as the best player could win him the award.

The Ballon d’Or is a prestigious award, and all the best candidates are worthy of winning it. It will be a toss-up among three superstars, but there is still a lot of football to be played.

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According to the latest league table, Liverpool is the current leader, with 73 points to their name, and they seem unstoppable. However, the Premier League is also known for major twists and surprises, which leads to the question: Can Liverpool defend their rank? 

Liverpool’s recent win streak is a testament

For the past five games of Liverpool, they won four of them and the other match ended in a 2-2 draw. This proves they have a good chance of winning their next matches and taking the field again. This momentum can prove vital for their future matches because this gives the players higher morale. 

Salah’s prowess will be vital

As Liverpool’s forward and right winger, Mohamed Salah has a vital role to play and keep. Now that he is currently the season’s player with the most goals (27) and assists (17), he needs to maintain this so Liverpool can hold on to their rank much longer. 

Liverpool’s injuries

As of writing, there are five players sidelined with injuries: 

• Joe Gomez (defender) - Thigh injury
• Trent Alexander-Arnold (right-back or midfielder) - Ankle/foot injury
• Alisson Becker (goalkeeper) - Head/face injury
• Tyler Morton (defensive midfielder) - Shoulder
• Conor Bradley (right-back) - Thigh injury.

More injured players mean less tactical advantage on the field. With their remaining players, the head coach has to strategise their next moves and plays carefully. 

Arsenal is a close competitor

Currently, Liverpool is at the top of the league table with 73 points, while Arsenal comes second with 61 points, just below Liverpool. The 12-point gap is a concerning difference since Arsenal only has to win four matches to fully catch up with Liverpool. 

Only wins and draws

In technical terms, Arsenal can catch up with Liverpool if their future games are all wins. If Liverpool takes a few losses in the remaining games, they might be in trouble, as Arsenal currently only has to win all their games to top them. 

Keep up with Liverpool’s performance in the EPL

Liverpool has a good chance of defending their position. However, Arsenal’s threat is not to be taken lightly. If both teams win all their remaining games, it will end in a draw, and the champion will be decided by goal difference or other tiebreakers. 

At the moment, Liverpool is still in the lead as they currently have 70 goals, while Arsenal is at 55. It is hard to chase goal differences, but it is possible. If Arsenal manages even the points, history will repeat itself as the team closed a 13-point gap in the 1997-98 Premier League season.

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So far, the 2024-25 season has been a rollercoaster for Liverpool FC and their fans. They are running away with the Premier League, but have been bounced out of every competition outside of it. It is impressive that they are set to win the English top flight, but not as striking when looking at their overall performances.

They have become more reliant on their star players, particularly Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. All these players are out of contract in the summer of 2025, but the hometown kid Trent might be the biggest departure for the team. Find out more about how Trent could be the club’s biggest loss in the summer.

Almost everything goes through Trent

Even though he’s a right-back, Trent has become a crucial part of the Liverpool system. He is not the best at defending his opponents, but he is always dangerous when it comes to his offensive contributions. He arguably has the best passing range out of any player in the world of football. 

Alexander-Arnold can pop up with an assist against any kind of defence because of his passing range and boldness to send the ball into dangerous areas. He and Mo Salah have combined for all kinds of goals throughout their seven-year stint as teammates. 

At the same time, Trent is also a difference-maker when it comes to playing against settled defences. With a simple cross or ball over the top, Trent can unlock Liverpool’s attacking firepower, arguably the best in the world due to players like Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, Darwin Núñez, and Salah.

Bradley is a good player, but not the perfect replacement

If Trent does not re-sign with Liverpool, the obvious choice to replace him at right-back is Conor Bradley. The 21-year-old Northern Ireland international is a talented player, but he does not possess the same qualities as the kid who grew up in Merseyside. 

Bradley is more of a traditional full-back compared to Trent, which makes him a more natural fit for most systems. However, he is not a game-breaker like Trent, who can make a good pass that wins the game for LFC. Bradley is the better defender, but the ceiling is not as high when compared to Alexander-Arnold.

Trent might be headed to Real Madrid

When Real Madrid knocks on a player’s door, it would be foolish to ignore them. Los Blancos is the world’s most successful football club, and if they are intent on getting a player, they will most likely get them. Trent has been on their radar for a long while, and with the right-back running down his contract, it could be another free transfer coup for Real.

They already made the same approach with Kylian Mbappé from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024, so they could get another superstar in their hands with Trent. He does not fit the usual Madrid superstar, but he is a transcendent talent who goes beyond his position as a right-back. 

Liverpool have a problem on their hands

Trent is arguably the biggest loss for Liverpool in the summer, but that could change if both Virgil and Salah also run down their contracts. They have all been superb for the Reds, delivering a Premier League title in 2020 and a Champions League trophy in 2019. They are also the likely winners of the 2024-25 EPL title, which would be a great end to an era.

However, considering that Trent is only 26 and the other two are still performing at a high level, this could be disastrous for LFC. Their three building blocks are likely out of the door, but at least, they are giving them a trophy on their way out. We will never know until they re-sign, or their contracts expire, but it’s not looking good.

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Mohamed Salah has been stellar since he joined Liverpool on a £36.5 million transfer from Fiorentina. It was a club-record fee then, but it has ended up being one of the best deals in Premier League history. Since then, the Egyptian forward has scored 241 goals and dished out 109 assists across all competitions. 

In the current 2024-25 season, Salah is leading a title charge for Liverpool. It would be his second Premier League trophy, making a case for being among the top superstars in the English top flight. However, fellow EPL legend Rio Ferdinand disagrees with calling the winger the greatest the league has ever seen. 

The Premier League has been a home for legends

Considering that England’s top flight is the biggest domestic league in the world, it is hard to deny that it has quality. This can be seen in how many stars have come through the ranks like Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suárez, Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, and more. With that quality of names, Salah is up there with the all-time greats. However, Ferdinand has both Henry and Ronaldo over him. 

‘No chance. He’s not ahead of Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo�?Stats-wise and consistency-wise he is in the conversation, in the top three definitely, but in terms of someone who excites me, the maverick, that’s what elevates them for me to be the best�? Rio said.

That is almost a unanimous opinion across the football world barring Liverpool fans. Arsenal’s Henry was a magical player, who starred in the league with his superb skill set and undeniable aura.

Ronaldo was a super talent unearthed by Manchester United from Portugal. He won one of many Ballon D’or awards in 2008 while playing for the Red Devils. While Salah can replicate that achievement this year, he will still likely be behind Henry and Ronaldo for most people. 

Salah is a proven Premier League legend

Despite Rio and his colleagues not calling him the greatest-ever Premier League player, it should be noted that they respect what Salah has done. Leading Liverpool to unprecedented success in the Premier League era is something that even a legend like Steven Gerrard failed to do.

Salah is now on pace to do it twice during his spell for the Reds. He may never reach the same popularity as Henry or Ronaldo during their pomp in the Premier League, but Salah does not need to prove himself to anyone any more. 

He has cemented himself as a legend in England’s top league, and he will be fondly remembered as the greatest Egyptian and potentially the best African-born player in the competition’s history.

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Jamie Carragher, an English football analyst and former Liverpool defender, released a statement online regarding his views on the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The former Liverpool star casually stated that the event isn't a 'big tournament' and faces many challenges.

Carragher was talking about Mohamed Salah’s play after he scored and assisted in a 2-0 win against Manchester City on February 23, 2025. The discussion then turned to Salah’s chance for the Ballon d'Or. He is the top choice to win this prestigious award, even though he has never placed higher than fifth.

Salah was also not on the 30-man shortlist for 2024 and came in 11th place in 2023. ‘I think the issue is that he plays for Egypt, and he’s not in a big tournament or has a strong shot at winning�? Carragher said, explaining why Salah has not ranked higher.

Carragher suggested that winning big awards often depends on success in the Champions League or major tournaments. He noted players like Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe who are currently big stars of the sport. 

Micah Richards, an English football pundit and former professional quickly chimed in, pointing out that AFCON is indeed a major event, and many fans take it seriously. ‘A lot of people at home will say they’re taking that seriously. AFCON is a major tournament, just so you know�? Richards said.

Daniel Sturridge, a past teammate of Carragher’s at Liverpool, backed this view, stating that it is a clear fact. In response, Salah’s former Egypt teammate, Ahmed Elmohamady, shared his thoughts online.

Elmohamady pointed out that Carragher may not understand what counts as a major tournament since he has never won one himself. ‘AFCON is a Major Tournament. So proud to have won it twice�? Elmohamady said.

He triumphed in the continental event in 2008 and 2010, while Salah was not part of those wins. Salah faced defeat in the finals in 2017 and 2021. Carragher never reached a final with the England team, but he did secure the Champions League title with Liverpool in 2005.

The pundit has had disagreements with Salah in the past over his views and has also clashed with Rio Ferdinand. Ferdinand is a former Manchester United centre-back, who has joined the discussion as well. 

On his YouTube channel, Ferdinand mentioned that Carragher's comment reflects a common view but is based on ignorance. He pointed out that players like Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Riyad Mahrez, and Salah believe they must win the AFCON. 

He believes that while it may not receive the same funding as the Euros, that does not lessen its value. He argued that AFCON is a strong event that plays a key role in European football and deserves more respect than it gets.

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During February 23’s Premier League match, Liverpool FC defeated Manchester City with a score of 2-0 in Etihad Stadium. 

Last Sunday’s match was filled with screams and shouts from football fans of both teams. With the game ending in Liverpool FC’s victory, cheers grew louder as the team further advanced in the Premier League. 

The match started with City opening the match but failed to secure a goal. In the 14th minute, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah cemented the first goal of the game as he executed a well-placed corner routine. The shot was deflected by Nathan Ake but the ball still found its way towards the goal. 

This makes it his 30th goal in the season. Salah has proven his skills over the past few games and he is expected to rack up more numbers in the future. The 30th goal added to his milestones means he shares this record with other top players like Roger Hunt and Ian Rush.

In the 37th minute of the game, Liverpool FC's midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai scored another point with an assist by his teammates Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold. The midfielder managed to bypass Man City’s Ederson and made the final score of the game. 

Being content with the scores, Liverpool switched to defence and made sure that no goal would sneak past them. With success, they won the game and added 2 more points to their Premier League scorecard. 

The rain did not stop Liverpool from dominating the field and securing the win. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries on both sides despite the weather. 

This win increased Liverpool FC’s lead in the Premier League table by 11 points, previously 8. Coming up second in the rankings is Arsenal with 53 points followed by Nottingham Forest with 47, Manchester City with 44, and Newcastle with 44 as well. 

Liverpool FC’s fans are excited to see the next events as they unfolded. Manchester City is a close rival of Liverpool FC and with its defeat last Sunday, the leading football team is looking to secure the 20th English title. Fans of both teams are still rooting for them but Liverpool's fans are too overjoyed to contain their excitement. 

In recent events, Manchester City suffered from a lot of obstacles and challenges. With their top players absent, defeating Liverpool was proven too difficult of a task for them. Man City’s luck ran out as elite players like Rodri suffered from an ACL and meniscus injury deeming him out of the season, John Stones with a thigh injury, and Erling Haaland’s knee injury. 

Liverpool stays ahead of the Premier League standings after this win against Man City. They sit comfortably at the top spot with 64 points.

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Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool the lead in the 29th minute, but Villa quickly responded. Youri Tielemans scored the equaliser, and Ollie Watkins put Villa ahead. After halftime, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s goal levelled the match for the Reds.

The draw keeps Liverpool eight points clear of second-place Arsenal. If Arsenal beats West Ham and Liverpool loses to Manchester City on Sunday, the Gunners could reduce the gap to just five points with a game in hand.

Villa, now in ninth place, remains five points off the top four. Marcus Rashford made his first start for Villa after moving on loan from Manchester United. He showed promise but couldn’t stop his team from slipping behind. His early cross nearly led to an own goal by Virgil van Dijk, but it was ruled offside.

Salah's key contribution

Salah was once again Liverpool’s standout player, scoring and assisting in the match. His goal came after a poor pass from Villa’s Andres Garcia, which Diogo Jota intercepted. Jota then crossed the ball to Salah, who scored with a low shot.

Villa fought back with two goals. Tielemans turned a free-kick to equalise, and Watkins scored a header before the break to put Villa ahead. However, Liverpool responded when Alexander-Arnold’s deflected shot levelled the match. He missed from close range despite a golden chance for Darwin Nunez to win it.

Both teams had other chances, but Villa’s Jacob Ramsey had a goal ruled out for being offside. Nunez’s shot went too high. The match ended 2-2, but Salah’s play kept Liverpool’s lead intact.

Rashford is making his mark at Villa

All eyes were on Rashford as he made his first start for Villa. After struggling to start at Manchester United, he was eager to show what he could do. Rashford played a key role in Villa’s best moments, including a cross that almost led to an own goal off Van Dijk, though it was ruled offside.

Rashford worked hard on defence, too, showing he was settling in well at Villa. After his struggles at United, he now seems ready for a fresh start at Villa. Villa can buy Rashford for £40 million, and if he continues playing well, he could be a valuable part of their future.

Salah’s great season

Salah now has 39 goal involvements, with 24 goals and 15 assists. He’s the only Premier League player with such solid stats, and no other team has scored as many goals as Liverpool this season. Salah is also the first player in Premier League history to score and assist in 10 games during one season.

If other Liverpool players, like Nunez, could match his composure, Liverpool would have left Villa Park with all three points.

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