Best Dribblers in the World 2021

Who are the Best Dribblers in the World?

The three best players in the world are known for attributes unique to their personalities. Messi, Neymar and Ronaldo play in leagues with different pace, physicality and technicality. Yet there’s one ability that has taken them to the top of the best players ranking: Dribbling. An ability even the best managers might not be able to coach into players.

A player with the capacity to take-on players single-handedly is usually two times more valuable than his contemporaries. Because they rely on themselves to create chances, this makes them invaluable to their football teams.

Players like Zaha, Hazard, Saint-Maximan are/were famous for single-handedly winning games for their teams through individual brilliance.

Heading deeper into their careers, even the best dribblers tend to lose this ability and focus on other attributes to help in games. This makes it very common for younger players to dominate these charts.

Here are the best dribblers in the world in 2021 across the major top-flight leagues.

10. Nicolas Giminez – Baniyas

The only player out of Europe to rank on this list of best dribblers in the world is Baniyas man, Nicolas Giminez. The UAE Pro League player’s contract expires in June, which would have piqued the interest of potential suitors around the world.

The 25-year-old is on loan from Argentinian side, Atlético Talleres, where he has been involved in over 13 goals this season. Giminez is not only deft at dribbling, but is capable of shooting accurately from distance.

9. Hatem Ben Arfa – Bordeaux

If the quality of players were to be adjudged solely on dribbling ability, then Ben Arfa would be one name in the pantheon of greats. However, in honest reality, the Frenchman has returned well behind his potentials in his lifetime.

A left-footed magician, Ben Arfa has had an unfortunate journeyman career that hasn’t helped in cementing his status. At 34 years of age, retirement beckons for Hatem, but he has decided to spin more webs of mesmerising footwork in his last year in football, as he ranks as just the second Ligue 1 player on this best dribblers list.

8. Rodrigo De Paul – Udinese

The best dribbler in Italy, Rodrigo de Paul has been a top asset for Udinese since signing from Valencia five years ago. Except his first year, the 26-year-old has posted double figures in goal contribution in every season in European football.

This season however, he has taken his game to new heights, flooring to his opponents with quick nifty feet but not for showmanship. Rodrigo has created the most chances in the Serie A, with no player in Europe’s big 5 leagues creating more than him.

With a premium Argentine tag stamped on him, Rodrigo is worth over €35 million, but it will take a fee way higher than that for any club to price him from the grasp of the Italian outfit.

7. Javi Galan – SD Huesca

The modern full-back is required to be versed in tackling, man-marking and crossing. But when one is capable of dribbling like a poor man’s Neymar, that is an added advantage. Javi Galan is one such player.

The defender is so good at taking on opponents that only Messi completes more per game. In interesting addition, no player has a better success rate in the top ten, even the mercurial Messi. The closest player in the rankings to pose a better success rate is Sevilla’s Suso who delivers a relatively meagre 1.6 dribbles per game compared to Galan’s 3.5.

Spanish by nationality, Galan is still 26 which leaves at least one big transfer moving forward. The left-footed player can play anywhere across the left side of the pitch.

Galan will become a free agent in 2022, and with a market value of €6 million and Huesca facing relegation, he might well be one of the most-wanted left backs this window.

6. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – Rubin Kazan

Russia has been one of the few nations that have allowed fans in stadiums at the height of the covid-19 pandemic. What makes it interesting is that Russian viewers are not big supporters of showboating as they easily get irked.

But one player they have come to love is Rubin Kazan’s youngster, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The 20-year-old has been a revelation for the Volzháne since getting signed in 2019. He has over 11 goal contributions this season for one of the lowest scoring teams in the Russian division.

A Georgian by nationality, Kvaratskhelia is worth just €10 million, which is a steal for a player who is two-footed. Kvaratskhelia is the youngest player on this list of best dribblers in the world.

5. Rafa Silva – Benfica

Benfica are one of the top talent factories in the world, at least the second most expensive teenager in history was honed in their academy.

Within their current ranks is a Portuguese who can play anywhere across the midfield and attack, making him a very versatile dribbler for any club. This season, the 27-year-old has been utilized predominantly on the right side of midfield.

He was acquired by Benfica in 2016 for a record €16m and is today worth over €23 million.

4. Marcelino Moreno – Atlanta United FC

A product of the Major League Soccer, Moreno is an argentine following in the footsteps of his countryman, Messi.

Surprisingly, Moreno is one of the very few central midfielders on this best dribblers list. This makes him the best midfielder in the world according to this category.

Although he is still young at 25, Moreno is worth just six and a half million euros due to the tin-pot quality of the league.

3. Lionel Messi – Barcelona

Best dribblers in the world — BARCELONA, SPAIN – FEBRUARY 07: Lionel Messi (C) of FC Barcelona runs with the ball between Filipe Luis (L), Nicolas Gaitan (2nd L) and Diego Godin (R) of Atletico de Madrid during the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg match between FC Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid at Camp Nou on February 7, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

It seems the older he has gotten, the more deft he has become. At 33 years of age, the world’s best footballer is not slowing down in his decade long embarrassment of players.

Messi is the most productive dribbler in the world, boasting the best dribble to goal ratio. As well as defenders, he is also every goalkeeper’s worst nightmare.

2. Adama Traore – Wolverhampton Wanderers

What do you get when a weightlifter marries a speedster and a top dribbler? You get an unplayable hunk called Adama Traore. Almost no player can match the Spaniard in a foot race. Coupled with this, he his a beefy man-mountain packed with conspicuous biceps and triceps.

All of this characteristics make it easy for Traore to get past players with relative ease. For the past two seasons, the 25-year-old has topped the worldwide take-on charts bettering even the legendary Lionel Messi.

One of the rare right-footed wingers, Traore is not known to cut in from the wings, but drifts into space, where he delivers pinpoint deadly crosses. This saw him deliver 9 assists in 2019/20, majority of which were planted on the head of Raul Jiminez.

Worth €35 million, Traore’s current doesn’t expire until 2023, which will make it very expensive for any club to poach the take-on king.

1. Neymar – Paris Saint-Germain

What is a Brazilian without the ability to take opponents on. Neymar, even with limited gametime in 2021 is the best dribbler in the world.

Delivering almost five dribbles per game, the 28-year-old is a nightmare to opponents. He has however been accused of showboating to humiliate rather than produce results.

Only Lionel Messi has a better goal to dribble ratio, but Neymar slightly edges the legend in big chances created per dribble.