The group of footballers who are genuinely world-class in England, however, is a very small and prestigious group. Indeed, there is a case to be made that just 14 players are operating at that level right now. With that in mind, has revealed which stars are currently making the cut and why.

Ranking Factors

The main factors taken into account when ordering these players were as follows:

  • Current ability – Historical quality will be taken into account, but if they are past their peak – they will no longer be deemed as world-class.
  • Importance to the team – This can be classed as goals, assists, clean sheets or just sheer contribution to the team. You don’t necessarily have to score all the goals or provide all of the assists to be considered world-class.
  • Best in their position – It goes without saying, but to be considered as a world-class player, you have to be at least in the top five in your respective position on the pitch.
  • Goals – Goals win games, obviously. A world-class player arguably has to net at least 20 times in a single league campaign to be placed in the top bracket.
  • Assists – Similar to goals, being able to provide for your teammate on a regular basis can place you in the world-class category. In this day and age, players have to be able to have exceptional distribution and be able to deliver in the final third.
  • Clean Sheets – Unsurprisingly, for a goalkeeper to make the cut, you have to be able to keep the ball out of the net and be consistent when your teammates need you in pivotal moments.
  • Considering just how dominant Manchester City have been over the last decade, it may come as a shock to see that just two members of Pep Guardiola’s team are classed as world-class. But they are no longer England’s dominant team and their tally of world-class players reflects that.

The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri has suffered from numerous injuries since claiming the prize, but they don’t diminish his status as one of the best footballers of the modern era. Now 29, the Spaniard should still have a few years left at the top.

There’s not really much to even say about Erling Haaland right now that hasn’t already been said by just about anyone who knows a thing about football. The Norwegian has been a goal-scoring phenomenon, completely tearing Premier League defences apart since he moved to England in 2022, smashing the league’s record for most goals in a single season. He finished as the league’s top scorer in both of his first two campaigns at the Etihad Stadium and is set to retain his crown in 2025/26.