The Champions League has always provided us with thrilling and inspiring moments. There is no greater joy than seeing our favorite teams win the championship. However, as they progress from the group to the knockout stages and finally to the final stage, they produce some spectacular football.
Some teams are the Champions League’s main attraction. On the other hand, some players can stand out in high-profile teams due to their brilliance. Goals and assists have traditionally been used to evaluate top Champions League players.
This year’s Champions League dribblers include some well-known names.
There is no denying that goals are essential. But football is also about entertainment and technique, and watching a player dribble past defenders and catch them off guard is a joy. The Champions League is no walk in the park, and having the confidence to show consistent trickery with the ball speaks volumes.
Here are five of the best dribblers in the Champions League this season: Players with a minimum of 12 attempted dribbles have been chosen.
Number 5: Federico Chiesa
Last season, when Cristiano Ronaldo was leading the charge for Juventus under Andrea Pirlo, Federico Chiesa stepped up to provide dependable support. Due to muscle fatigue and fitness issues, his involvement in Serie A under Allegri hasn’t been as impressive.
In the Champions League, however, Chiesa has been instrumental in Juventus’ advancement to the Round of 16. After missing his team’s Champions League opener, the Italian returned for a crucial match against Chelsea. He scored the game’s lone goal and the game’s winner.
The Juventus forward loves to progress with the ball from deep and is agile with the ball at his feet when playing from the wings. His brilliance on the hop is quite evident in a squad that hasn’t played with much freedom or confidence this season. Chiesa attempted 14 dribbles and completed ten of them.
Chiesa will be crucial for Juventus this season, both in the Champions League and Serie A. They are currently eighth in the Italian top flight, four points behind the top four. Only Paulo Dybala of the Old Lady has shown more urgency in the final third this season.
Number 4: Lionel Messi
In terms of dribbles, Kylian Mbappe is very close to Lionel Messi for the most dribbles made by a PSG player. On the other hand, Messi has a higher success rate, attempting 16 dribbles and completing 12 compared to the Frenchman’s 13 finished out of 23.
This is no surprise, given that the Argentine maestro has been phenomenal in the Champions League since his debut. Messi is, without a doubt, one of the best dribblers of his generation, and we’ve seen him humiliate defenders without breaking a sweat.
He has three Champions League goals for his new club and will be crucial to PSG’s ambitions this season. Somehow, the former Barcelona player has been unlucky and has yet to appear in Ligue 1.
PSG leads the French league table by ten points, and that cushion relieves some of the pressure on Messi. Except for his three goals, his contribution in the attacking third has been minimal in the Champions League because he has been playing a little deeper than usual. PSG fans hope to see the best of their new superstar soon.
Number 3: Ruben Loftus-Cheek
From playing for Fulham, a Premier League team is fighting relegation, to playing for Chelsea in the Champions League. It is safe to say that Ruben Loftus-Cheek has done everything possible to resurrect his career with the Blues.
Loftus-Cheek completed 10 of his 13 dribbles despite playing only 118 minutes of Champions League football in three appearances. After only six appearances, he is also one of Chelsea’s top five dribblers in the Premier League.
Tuchel would undoubtedly appreciate it if the midfielder could improve his finishing. Loftus-Cheek played 90 minutes in the Champions League against Malmo, demonstrating that he has surpassed Ross Barkley and Saul Niguez in the pecking order.
The midfielder remains upbeat and believes his opportunity to play for the Blues regularly will come.
Number 2: Jude Bellingham
Jude Bellingham has matured beyond his years and is being pursued by clubs such as Liverpool and Manchester United. He is one of the most talented young players in world football right now, and he is destined for greatness at 18. There is nothing the 18-year-old cannot do on the field, and dribbling is one of many skills he has mastered in the Champions League.
Bellingham completed 12 of the 15 dribbles he attempted. The box-to-box midfielder has a lot of stamina, and his movement without the ball has given him many chances in the final third. His ability to fill the space between the lines has improved the quality of his final product.
In the Champions League, the Dortmund midfielder has three assists and one goal. His ability to press high has been critical to the German team’s success, allowing them to gain momentum quickly. His contributions to the Black and Yellows have earned him regular England call-ups.
Number 1: Karim Benzema
Where Real Madrid would be in the Champions League and La Liga without Karim Benzema is a question that must sometimes frighten fans. The France striker is on track to have another productive season after scoring more than 25 goals in all competitions in the previous two seasons. He has been a driving force for Los Blancos and is unquestionably in the best shape of his life.
In their most recent Champions League match, Real Madrid defeated Shakhtar Donetsk thanks to his match-winning brace. Benzema has been a complete No.9 on the field, carrying the ball from deep, drifting towards more expansive spaces, and playing between the lines.
In fact, according to our criteria, Benzema has the highest dribble rate, with 11 successful dribbles out of 13 attempted. Only Vinicius has recorded more successful dribbles in the Champions League, with 16, but he has tried more than twice as many as Benzema.
Their partnership has been a critical factor in Madrid’s success under Ancelotti. It would be interesting to watch how far Los Blancos can go since they are not the favorites to win the Champions League this year. It is admirable that Benzema, 33 years old, has rebuilt himself and become the center of his team’s offense.