Best Football Playing XI Of 2023: 2023 has been a year of changing winds in world football. From the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi leaving European football for the first time in over a decade to Manchester City finally clinching the Champions League crown.
This year has also seen promising young talent finally making that jump to become world-class footballers. The year has seen the emergence of future legends and possibly the last hurrah of the generation before.
These are the best players in their position in world football. The team will have a formation
Best Football Playing XI Of 2023
Goalkeeper
Ederson – Manchester City
This was arguably the toughest player to pick in this XI. Several goalkeepers had a wonderful 2023. Barcelona’s Marc-Andre Ter Stegan came out of his funk and played a massive role in Barcelona’s La Liga victory, while Alisson Becker was on his usual brilliance playing for Liverpool. But it was Man City’s Ederson who was the best goalkeeper of 2023.
Not only did he command his team’s defense and showcase his incredible shot-stopping skills, but the Brazilian also won the treble with Manchester City while playing a massive role in each of his team’s victories last season.
Defenders
Kyle Walker (RB) – Manchester City
The 33-year-old has been one of the best in his position for years now. The pacey right-back was an integral part of Man City’s treble-win despite being out with an injury in the middle of the season. This made him enter the Best Football Playing XI Of 2023.
Kim Min-Jae (CB) – Bayern Munich
Kim Min-Jae was arguably the best defender in the world in 2023. Part of Napoli’s Serie A winning side, he was the league’s ‘Defender of the Year’ in a season where Napoli won the Scudetto for the first time in over 3 decades. Since moving to Bayern Munich in the 2023 summer transfer window, the South Koran has been an absolute beast. He was also named the South Korean FA’s Player of the Year.
Ruben Dias (CB) – Manchester City
Yet another Manchester City player in the playing XI, Ruben Dias was the answer to all of Man City’s defensive woes back when he signed in 2020. One of the best Premier League defenders since, he finally won it all in 2023 as one of the on-field leaders in the team.
Theo Hernandez (RB) – AC Milan
Theo Hernandez has been one of the most underrated names in world football this decade. He played a crucial role in AC Milan’s return to title-winning ways the season before. An absolutely crucial part of France’s dominance in international football, Hernandez is a modern-day attacking right-back who is also a defensive wall. He is definitely an unavoidable choice in the Best Football Playing XI Of 2023.
Midfielders
Jude Bellingham (CAM) – Real Madrid
Once a promising English talent, Jude Bellingham has emerged as one of the best midfielders in the world this year, especially since joining Real Madrid in the summer transfer window. Known for his playmaking during his time at Borussia Dortmund, Bellingham has been put in an attacking position under Carlo Ancelotti in Real Madrid. He has since scored 13 and assisted 2 in 16 games in La Liga, including 2 in an important 2-1 win over Barcelona in the El Classico.
Kevin de Bruyne (CM) – Manchester City
Kevin de Bruyne was Manchester City’s best (or second-best) player in their treble-winning 2022-23 season. Despite being the best midfielder in the world for about five years now, it seems like he has not given his dues in the form of Ballon d’Or nominations. Despite that, no one can argue that the Belgian has played a major role in making Man City the juggernaut it is today.
Wingers
Mohammed Salah (RW) – Liverpool
Mohammed Salah is one of the best-attacking players in the world, period. The Egyptian right-winger has been an absolute beast for Liverpool for years. Despite having a slower 2022-23 season, he still scored 19 and assisted 12 goals that season. In this season, however, he has arguably the best he has ever been, having scored 14 and assisted 8 goals in just 20 Premier League games.
Vinicius Jr. (LW) – Real Madrid
Vinicius Jr. has finally evolved from being ‘one for the future’ to an absolute star in global football. The Brazilian has finally come into his own ever since the old guard of Real Madrid attack ended with Karim Benzema leaving. His 10 goals and 9 assists in the 2022-23 season do not tell how absolutely crucial he is in the team’s build-up play and chance creation.
Attackers
Kylian Mbappe (ST) – Paris Sait Germain
Now that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have left European football, it is time for Kylian Mbappe and his strike partner in this XI to take over the beautiful game. One does not need stats to talk about how the Frenchman is probably the best player in the world. One of only four players to have crossed the 50-goal mark this year, Mbappe will be in the Ballon d’Or race this season.
Erling Haaland (CF) – Manchester City
The man who arguably should have won the Ballon d’Or this year, Erling Haaland was the missing piece in Manchester City’s treble-winning aspirations. Having scored a whopping 56 goals in the 2022-23 season and winning the Gerd Muller trophy, he has scored over 50 goals in this calendar year. In his first season in the Premier League, he broke the league’s goal-scoring record by scoring 36 goals in his debut season.
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Top 5 Best Footballers In 2023: The year 2023 in football was the year of ‘once agains’ sprinkled in with some ‘first-time evers’. While Manchester City won the Champions League for the first time after years of being one of the best teams in Europe, Lionel Messi won his record-breaking eighth Ballon d’Or. While all the usual suspects won the top leagues in Europe, football in this continent is without its two biggest names, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time.
