Top 100 players of 2016

Sky Sports has revealed the top 100 players of 2016, as ranked by WhoScored.com – but who comes out on top?

Here’s the full list…

100. Armando Izzo – Genoa – 7.26 WhoScored.com rating

Italian centre-back Armando Izzo was rewarded for his fine form for Genoa with a call-up to the national team squad in November and has been an ever-present for the Serie A club this term. 

99. Dele Alli – Tottenham – 7.2606

Dele Alli’s breakthrough campaign last season saw him pick up the PFA Young Player of the Year award, while his stunning volley against Crystal Palace at the start of the year will be watched for decades to come.

98. Jonathan Viera – Las Palmas – 7.2609

Las Palmas are becoming a neutral’s favourite in La Liga given their attractive style and playmaker Jonathan Viera is key to that, picking up where he left off last season having had a hand in 19 goals from attacking midfield.

97. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Borussia Dortmund – 7.2625

Whilst not particularly heavily involved in their build up play, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has proven the ideal striker in Dortmund’s system under Thomas Tuchel; lethal in the box, he ended the previous Bundesliga campaign with 25 goals.

96. Gerard Pique – Barcelona – 7.2632

Gerard Pique’s reputation as one of the world’s best centre-backs has carried on into 2016. The defender helped Barcelona to a league and cup double, but will want to forget Spain’s Euro 2016 campaign after the then-holders fell to hosts France in the last 16.

95. Frederik Sorensen – Cologne – 7.2635

While Anthony Modeste has been scoring for fun up front for Cologne, Frederik Sorensen has been doing the hard work in defence, allowing them to boast one of the best defensive records in the Bundesliga.

94. Daley Blind – Manchester United – 7.2710

While Daley Blind’s position appeared to change for Manchester United every other game in 2016, the Dutchman always put in consistent performances for the FA Cup winners, regardless of the job he had been asked to do.

93. Alejandro Gomez – Atalanta – 7.2721

Atalanta midfielder Alejandro Gomez scored or assisted in almost every other game for the Serie A club last season, and that trend has continued into the current campaign.

92. Thomas Lemar – Monaco – 7.2743

Thomas Lemar, 21, has already scored six and assisted four in Ligue 1 this season having worked his way into Monaco’s starting XI. The Frenchman also netted twice in the Champions League as Monaco finished top of their group, which also featured Tottenham and Bayer Leverkusen.

91. Asier Illarramendi – Real Sociedad – 7.275

Since moving from Real Madrid in 2015, Asier Illarramendi has impressed for Sociedad, and his tireless work in midfield helped the Spanish side to a top-half finish in La Liga.

90. Antonio Valencia – Manchester United – 7.2818

When fit Antonio Valencia has been a favourite of a number of Manchester United managers and that certainly seems to be the case under Jose Mourinho, making the perceived problem right-back position his own.

89. Hakan Calhanoglu – Bayer Leverkusen – 7.2823

Four goals and four assists this season helped the Turkey international sneak into our list. The creativity that the Bayer Leverkusen talisman provides makes him a huge asset.

88. Bruno – Villarreal – 7.2824

Central midfielder Bruno was integral in Villarreal’s European run last season, which only came to an end in the Europa League semi-finals when Liverpool knocked them out. He’s already netted three times this term for the La Liga high-flyers. 

87. Domenico Berardi – Sassuolo – 7.2824

Domenico Berardi has a phenomenal goalscoring record for one so young. Having turned down a summer move to Juventus, the 22-year-old has gone from strength to strength, scoring seven goals in six appearances across all competitions this season. 

86. Danny Drinkwater – Leicester – 7.2827

A huge part of the Leicester fairytale last season, Danny Drinkwater controlled many a game last season, and was as crucial a part as any to that incredible title success.

85. Corentin Tolisso – Lyon – 7.2845

One of an impressive crop of young talent to emerge through the Lyon ranks, interest in versatile midfielder Corentin Tolisso is believed to be high, and for good reason given his all-action playing style.

84. Benjamin Hubner – Ingolstadt and Hoffenheim – 7.2892

Hoffenheim are flying high in the Bundesliga and their current position of third has been aided by centre-back Benjamin Hubner, who moved from Ingolstadt in the summer.

83. Xabi Alonso – Bayern Munich – 7.2908

He may have turned 35 last month but Xabi Alonso is still pulling the strings for one of the world’s finest clubs, breaking up play in the middle of the park and distributing as effectively as ever.

82. Wilfried Zaha – Crystal Palace – 7.2931

It didn’t work out at Manchester United, but that hasn’t stopped Wilfried Zaha from getting his head down, working hard and improving. Six assists so far this season is some return from an attacker playing in a side struggling for form.

81. Nicolas de Preville – Lille – 7.2962

Nine assists and six goals for Reims last season earned Nicolas de Preville a move to Lille, where he has continued his fine form.

80. James Milner – Liverpool – 7.3007 WhoScored.com rating

Milner has been a manager’s dream throughout his career and is now proving an effective stop-gap to Klopp’s left-back issues, having registered more assists than any other Liverpool player last season (11).

79. Adam Lallana – Liverpool – 7.3027

Liverpool’s rejuvenation under Jurgen Klopp has been helped by Adam Lallana’s form. Six goals and six assists is a fantastic return at this juncture of the season.

78. Lucas Biglia – Lazio – 7.3073

Lazio could only finish eighth in Serie A last season but Lucas Biglia proved to be a consistent performer in defensive midfield. The Argentine put in a string of good performances for the Italian side in the Europa League until they were knocked out by Sparta Prague in the last 16.

77. Mesut Ozil – Arsenal – 7.3169

With his assists drying up in the latter stages of last season, Ozil’s influence waned but the German has developed a greater knack of finishing this time around and continues to link up superbly with Alexis Sanchez to offer the Gunners’ best route to goal.

76. Emre Can – Liverpool – 7.3195

German international Can has been utilised in a number of different roles at Liverpool but seems to be flourishing under compatriot Jurgen Klopp, who was given him more freedom to support the attack this season.

75. Idrissa Gueye – Everton – 7.3197

Given Villa’s woes last season Gueye’s ability was somewhat overlooked but he’s getting the recognition he’s deserved since a move to Everton as N’Golo Kante’s closest Premier League rival in terms of regaining possession.

74. Paul Baysse – Nice – 7.3230

Since making the move to Nice last summer, Baysse has been a key member of a side very much punching above their weight, excelling in new manager Lucien Favre’s back three.

73. Karim Benzema – Real Madrid – 7.3269

It’s been a difficult start to the season for Karim Benzema, coming under real pressure for a starting berth from Alvaro Morata, despite having ended the previous campaign with 24 goals in 26 league starts.

72. Koke – Atletico Madrid – 7.3280

Koke’s ability to play anywhere across the midfield still has people guessing his best position, and while a move infield this season has seen his attacking contribution drop, he remains the creative hub of the side.

71. Marcel Risse – Cologne – 7.3317

Winger Marcel Risse has been an integral player for Cologne this year, with his delivery from wide areas and understanding with frontman Modeste key to their early success this season.

70. Jordan Henderson – Liverpool – 7.3319

With the pressure of taking the armband from Steven Gerrard, Henderson underwhelmed a little last season, with injuries taking their toll, but looks at home in a deeper role in front of the back four.

69. Ignacio Camacho – Malaga – 7.3347

Despite having been linked with a move away from Malaga on numerous occasions Camacho has remained and continues to get through a superb amount of work in shielding the back four.

68. Marek Hamsik – Napoli – 7.3405

Hamsik seems to have been around forever, but is showing no signs of slowing down. Six assists so far this season already shows just how invaluable he is.

67. Franco Vazquez – Sevilla – 7.3420

While his form for new club Sevilla has dropped having made an immediate impression, Vazquez has still had a notable year, playing the decisive role in Palermo’s Serie A survival last season.

66. Diego Godin – Atletico Madrid – 7.3462

The experienced head at the heart of one of Europe’s meanest defences, Godin is rightly considered among the very best centre-backs on the continent, helping ensure Atletico conceded just twice in this season’s Champions League group stages.

65. Claudio Pizarro – Werder Bremen – 7.3505

The veteran striker continued to find the net in the Bundesliga last season, scoring 14 goals. This year he’s been hampered by injury but Werder Bremen will be hoping he can rediscover his goal scoring touch of last season.  

64. Giacomo Bonaventura – AC Milan – 7.355

Now an experienced head in a youthful and exciting Milan side, Bonaventura’s influence and creativity from the middle of the …

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