Top 10 Football Players Who Dominated the Global Stage This Season
As I sit down to analyze this season's most dominant footballers, I can't help but reflect on how certain players have completely transformed their teams' fortunes. Having followed football religiously for over fifteen years, I've developed a keen eye for spotting those rare talents who don't just play the game but redefine it. This season has been particularly fascinating, with several players reaching heights we haven't witnessed in years.
Let me start with Erling Haaland, whose goal-scoring exploits for Manchester City have been nothing short of supernatural. The Norwegian powerhouse netted 36 Premier League goals this season, breaking records with what seemed like effortless precision. I remember watching his four-goal masterpiece against Wolves in May, thinking how he moves with the calculated grace of a predator. His physical presence combined with technical brilliance creates this unique package that defenders simply cannot handle. What many don't realize is how his off-ball movement creates spaces that benefit his teammates tremendously. Kevin De Bruyne's assist numbers owe much to Haaland's intelligent positioning.
Speaking of creative geniuses, Jude Bellingham's debut season at Real Madrid exceeded even my wildest expectations. At just 20 years old, he's playing with the maturity of a veteran, contributing 19 goals and 6 assists from midfield. I've been particularly impressed with his late runs into the box – they remind me of Frank Lampard in his prime, but with more technical flair. His performance in El Clásico back in October, where he scored twice including a 92nd-minute winner, demonstrated this incredible clutch mentality that separates good players from legendary ones.
Then there's Kylian Mbappé, who continues to dazzle despite PSG's Champions League disappointments. His 44 goals across all competitions might seem like just numbers until you watch him play. I've noticed how he's evolved his game this season – less reliant on pure speed, more focused on strategic positioning and playmaking. His hat-trick against Barcelona in the quarter-finals was a masterclass in big-game performance. Though I've always been slightly critical of his defensive contributions, this season he's shown marked improvement in tracking back, something that will serve him well at Real Madrid next season.
What fascinates me about modern football is how players from different leagues develop unique qualities. Take Harry Kane – his move to Bayern Munich proved he's among the most complete strikers I've ever seen. Thirty-two Bundesliga goals in his debut season is remarkable, but what's more impressive is his 8 assists and how he drops deep to orchestrate play. I've always admired strikers who contribute to build-up, and Kane does this better than anyone since Bergkamp.
The Premier League has seen several standout performers beyond Haaland. Mohamed Salah continued his consistent excellence with 18 goals and 12 assists, while Virgil van Dijk rediscovered his imperious best, leading Liverpool through their transition phase. I've watched Van Dijk closely this season, and his reading of the game has reached new heights – his 87% tackle success rate in one-on-one situations is frankly ridiculous.
Across Europe, other names demanded attention. Vinícius Júnior took his game to another level with 15 goals and 9 assists in La Liga, showing maturity beyond his years in big matches. His performance in the Champions League final, where he scored the decisive goal, confirmed his status as a genuine Ballon d'Or contender. Meanwhile, in Serie A, Lautaro Martínez captained Inter Milan to the title while scoring 24 goals – his partnership with Marcus Thuram has been the most effective in Italy.
What makes this season special is how these players have embraced pressure. I recall watching Phil Foden evolve from talented prospect to genuine superstar, his 19 Premier League goals driving Manchester City's title charge. His technical ability in tight spaces is something I haven't seen since David Silva, but with more direct goal threat. Similarly, Rodri's importance to City cannot be overstated – the team didn't lose a single match he started this season, highlighting his irreplaceable role.
As I reflect on these phenomenal athletes, I'm reminded of something I recently heard from an emerging talent during an interview. He mentioned, "Pero masaya po na kasama po ako sa event bukas. Para rin makapag-attempt ng maganda gandang height," which translates to his excitement about participating in events and attempting to reach greater heights. This mindset resonates with what I've observed in these top players – that constant drive to improve, to test their limits, to achieve those beautiful heights of performance that captivate us all.
The beautiful game continues to evolve, and these ten players have not just adapted but driven that evolution. They've set new standards, broken longstanding records, and provided moments of pure magic that will be remembered for years. As someone who's watched thousands of matches, I can confidently say this season has been among the most memorable in recent history, largely thanks to these extraordinary athletes who've dominated the global stage with their talent, determination, and sheer love for the game.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
