At the end of every season, we review the rankings of the best players. Here goes our top 5
5. Mohamed Salah
Salah has been the spearhead of Liverpool for a while, but this season has undoubtedly been one of his best, both on the eye and the spreadsheet.
Salah led Liverpool to a Premier League title under Arne Slot, registering 29 goals and 18 assists in 38 matches. Salah’s brilliance does not stop there, registering 3 goals and 4 assists in 9 Champions League matches.
However, it is essential to note that Salah’s output experienced a sharp decline after the Christmas break, which transfer talks may have influenced.
— Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) May 28, 2025
Salah went on record several times to claim he did not receive a contract extension offer from the club. However, eventually he signed a new deal that will see him stay with the club until 2027.
At his age, there is little doubt that his record is impressive, especially as the team changed coaches when Jürgen Klopp decided to leave the club at the end of the 2023/24 season. Salah has been the Reds’ leader for a while, but he has also continued leading the forward line and adapted well to Slot’s arrival.
4. Harry Kane
Harry Kane has featured in many of our previous rankings, but he is making it difficult not to include him, as he continues to figure among the most prolific scorers in Europe. Kane registered 43 goals, 13 assists and claimed the Bundesliga title. Although Bayern Munich did not go far in the Champions League, Harry Kane cannot be blamed for not doing enough.
The Bundesliga is often taken for granted, but Bayern Munich were not in a favourable position at the start of the season. In the previous season, Bayer Leverkusen claimed the title, remaining undefeated throughout the season and fighting hard to retain it.
649 days with Harry Kane! ❤️🤍
And the rest is history 👑 pic.twitter.com/2aPfGzKRqp
— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) May 22, 2025
Harry Kane has been a key player for Vincent Kompany as the lone striker, while the team continues to change, especially after Thomas Müller announced his exit from the club.
Reaching forty goals at Kane’s age in a new environment is an impressive record, especially considering the linguistic barrier and the fact that it has been his first time playing abroad.
3. Ousmane Dembélé
Life rarely gives failures a second chance, but this is the story of Ousmane Dembélé. He struggled to impress after his 100M+ move to Barcelona, where he wasn’t able to settle in the country or on the team.
Frequent injuries prevented him from playing regularly, earning him insults from the fan base, who believed his transfer had been a scam. He was given a chance under Xavi Hernández, where he seemed to return to his old self.
However, his lack of shooting skills caused fans to mock him for his imprecision, while his high wages (from the Bartomeu era) also did not help his cause.
This season belongs to Ousmane Dembélé 🤩🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/gfWkLgCYKo
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) May 18, 2025
It is under the guidance of former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique that Dembélé rediscovered his old self. He was back at home, as it can be argued that returning to his home country might have helped. He struggled in the beginning despite impressing with his dribbling. This was mainly due to his problem finding the back of the net.
However, Luis Enrique refused to give up, giving Dembélé the central role after Kylian Mbappé’s departure. It turned out to be the right move for all parties involved, with Dembélé emerging as one of the most prolific forwards in Europe.
🔴🔵⭐️ Official: Ousmane Dembele wins the Ligue 1 Player of the Season. pic.twitter.com/0QWYbOdT9I
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 11, 2025
Dembélé has registered 33 goals and 13 assists in 48 matches. While many would argue that this is due to Ligue 1’s relatively weak level compared to other leagues. However, his record in the Champions League is just as impressive: eight goals and four assists in 14 matches.
Having won most of the trophies he could win with PSG, he may have a real shot as one of the best forwards in Europe should he score against Inter on Saturday night in the Champions League final.
It would also give him his first Champions League title, as well as PSG’s, and would cement his status as a club legend.
2. Kylian Mbappé
The list would be incomplete without Kylian Mbappé. After completing his dream move to Real Madrid, the Frenchman had to adapt to a new team with dynamics that were far from favourable. He was forced out to the left wing before eventually becoming a striker, in a team that lacked tactical cohesion.
Despite that, Mbappé went on to become one of the most prolific scorers in Europe. He was key in keeping Madrid in the title race, scoring 31 goals and registering three assists in 34 La Liga matches.
Kylian Mbappe! ❤️🫶🏻 pic.twitter.com/WrMKgDnfWs
— 𝗳ã 𝗘ndrick 🇧🇷 (@EndrickiXTra9) May 29, 2025
There is little he could have done better, even scoring in Clásico when everything seemed lost. In the Champions League, Mbappé registered seven goals and one assist, having played fourteen matches. By now, Mbappé has become the cult hero Real Madrid fans wanted him to be, even after struggling in his first months.
1. Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal has been the feature of the season, winning a domestic treble with Barcelona. He has been responsible for a majority of Barcelona’s chance creation in the final third, becoming the de facto leader of the frontline.
His dribbling has left many defenders stranded, eventually leading teams to pile two or even three defenders against Lamine Yamal.
Lamine Yamal also led Barcelona to the semi-final, and it should be remembered he remains a minor at the age of 17.
💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/KowEgamRiX
— 🇪🇸 Lamine Yamal (@Lamineee_Yamal) May 25, 2025
He may not have the record of Kylian Mbappé, but his absence was felt in December, when he was out due to injury. This can be said about few players his age, but it also reveals how crucial he was to the team.
Yamal has also acted as the leader of the team, unafraid to show his confidence without letting fame go to his head. This is a rare feature for a star of his age, and he renewed his contract this week, demonstrating his love for the club without overcomplicating the negotiations.
Few players impress Barcelona fans after over a decade of seeing Lionel Messi, but Lamine Yamal is one of those players.
