Eight players who became world-class in 2024 | OneFootball

No subject gets football supporters more heated than discussing who qualifies as ‘world-class’ and what that definition even means.

Due to the subjective nature of such a term, there are many differing opinions. However, there is a consensus on who deserves to be called ‘world-class,’ but this honour is not permanent—it can be taken away.

In the past year, players like Mohamed Salah, Erling Haaland, and Harry Kane have strengthened their claim to this title, while some new faces have emerged. The question now is whether they can maintain this level consistently over the years like football’s all-time greats.

Cole Palmer

There were signs that Cole Palmer could be a standout player at Manchester City, as the academy graduate made numerous impressive cameos from the bench. Despite the departure of Riyad Mahrez, regular playing time under Pep Guardiola wasn’t guaranteed, leading Palmer to seek opportunities elsewhere. Although City went on to win their fourth consecutive Premier League title, Chelsea acquired a gem in Palmer, who quickly became one of their most important players despite his young age.

At Stamford Bridge, Palmer broke several records and was one of only nine players across Europe’s top five leagues in 2024 to register at least 10 goals and 10 assists. In fact, only Harry Kane (29), Robert Lewandowski (27), and Erling Haaland (27) scored more goals than his total of 26. His exceptional performances earned him a spot on the England national team. However, with Gareth Southgate having a wealth of options, Palmer was often deployed as a substitute. He made his presence felt by equalising for the Three Lions in the Euro 2024 final.

Raphinha

Some eyebrows were raised when Raphinha left the relegated Leeds United to join Barcelona, especially considering that other European super clubs were also interested in him.

The dynamic Brazilian winger often seemed on the verge of reaching the next level, and his impressive underlying statistics convinced the Catalan giants to make the move, which has turned out to be one of their best transfer decisions in recent years.

Over the past calendar year, only Kevin De Bruyne (28) and Cole Palmer (25) created more big chances than Raphinha (24). He also demonstrated his effectiveness by scoring 14 goals and providing 10 assists.

Jude Bellingham

No one denied that Jude Bellingham was among football’s next big talents during his time as a teenager with Borussia Dortmund. However, few could have predicted the impact he would have after moving from North Rhine-Westphalia to the Spanish capital. While Bellingham scored only 24 goals across three seasons in Germany, he nearly matched that total in just one season with Real Madrid, netting 23 goals.

His remarkable performance helped inspire Los Blancos to achieve a league and Champions League double. Notably, Bellingham scored in the European Cup final against his former club, earning him the titles of La Liga Player of the Season and UEFA Champions League Young Player of the Season.

Carrying this momentum into Euro 2024, Bellingham showcased his influence on the field. Despite not performing at his optimal level, he played a crucial role — such as his stunning 95th-minute overhead kick in the round of 16 against Slovakia, which tied the match at 1–1 and led to extra time — in guiding England to an unexpected final appearance. It was Bellingham’s touch from Bukayo Saka’s pass that set up Cole Palmer for the equaliser against Spain for Southgate’s men.

Bukayo Saka

The debate over who qualifies as ‘world-class’ will continue without resolution, with Bukayo Saka at the centre of this conversation more than any other player in 2024. Over the past couple of seasons, he has successfully transitioned from a promising talent to a player who is genuinely fulfilling his boundless potential, showing no signs of slowing down despite currently being sidelined.

At his best, Saka has been an essential part of Arsenal. His growth is evident; no one is more crucial to the Gunners’ success than he is. While they remain a capable team without him, with Saka, their potential becomes limitless. In 2024, he created 13 goals, ranking him behind only Mohamed Salah (16) and Álex Baena (14) among players in Europe’s top five leagues.

Florian Wirtz

It would take a special team to bring down the Bayern Munich empire. Bayer Leverkusen became the first undefeated Bundesliga champions. Though it was a team effort under Xabi Alonso’s brilliant guidance, no player symbolized the excellence of Die Werkself more than Florian Wirtz.

He registered 13 goals and 11 assists in the Bundesliga during 2024, and when considering his performance in the second half of 2023, he was named Bundesliga Player of the Season. Wirtz also retained the UEFA Europa League Young Player of the Season award after helping Bayer reach the 2024 final.

Like Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka, Wirtz has long been seen as one of football’s next big talents, and he has successfully ascended to another level. One wonders how long he will remain at his boyhood club, especially after demonstrating his ability to perform at the highest level. At Euro 2024, he scored twice, including a late equaliser that forced extra time in a quarter-final match against Spain, despite ultimately facing defeat.

Gabriel

As the oft-touted adage goes: defense wins championships. Every great and successful team possesses a central defence of immense influence. Although they finished as runners-up in the Premier League—pushing eventual champions Manchester City to a final-day showdown—Arsenal can claim to have the best centre-back duo in English football.

William Saliba has his qualities, and his contributions cannot be overlooked, but Gabriel stands out in particular. The Brazilian has become one of the most feared defenders whenever Arsenal wins a corner.

The statistics speak for themselves: in his position, no one has scored more headed goals (6) in 2024 across Europe’s big five leagues. What’s even more impressive is Gabriel’s ability to orchestrate Arsenal’s set plays from corners; his effort against West Ham illustrates this point perfectly.

“Gabriel, he has conducted that goal from start to finish. He went over to [Bukayo] Saka and stopped him midway from walking to the corner flag and started communicating with him then went and talked to the group,” Gary Neville said on Sky Sports commentary.

“And then went, more importantly, and headed it in the back of the net. The pace is on the cross, he just stoops down Gabriel and glances it home brilliantly.”

Midway through last season, legendary Milan centre-back Alessandro Costacurta claimed that only Rodri was performing better than Hakan Çalhanoğlu in the defensive midfield role. In the campaign prior, Inter finished third, 18 points behind Napoli, but they sensationally reclaimed the Scudetto, finishing 19 points ahead of city rivals Milan. A key reason for this turnaround was Çalhanoğlu’s evolution as a player.

Initially, Çalhanoğlu was primarily used as Inter’s attacking midfielder after joining the team on a free transfer in 2021. However, following Marcelo Brozović’s departure, head coach Simone Inzaghi restructured his lineup. A significant change was moving Çalhanoğlu into a deep-lying playmaker role, which he expressed enjoyment in despite the associated risks. He sees himself more as a deep-lying playmaker.

It is important to note that both Çalhanoğlu and Rodri play in front of their respective defences and are expected to retain and recycle possession. However, their roles differ; Rodri is considered a controller, while Çalhanoğlu operates in a midfield three within Inter’s 3-5-2 formation. In contrast, Rodri either plays as Manchester City’s sole pivot or alongside another midfielder.

In the previous calendar year, Çalhanoğlu created more chances than Rodri, with 42 compared to Rodri’s 34. However, Rodri has a significantly higher passing count, attempting 2,029 passes compared to Çalhanoğlu’s 1,761. While Rodri produced the most assists with 7, Çalhanoğlu was more prolific in front of goal, scoring 10 times compared to Rodri’s 4 goals.

On the defensive side, Çalhanoğlu’s strengths compared to Rodri become evident. He is more effective at sensing danger, making an average of 0.9 interceptions per 90 minutes compared to Rodri’s 0.71. However, Rodri excels in driving from deep, completing 25 take-ons while Çalhanoğlu managed only 4.

Lamine Yamal

Being considered world-class before reaching adulthood is reserved for the most exceptional talents. Once this label is bestowed, the responsibility of regularly updating their resume and maintaining that level of performance, or even advancing further, falls upon them. A notable example is Pelé, while a contemporary figure is Lamine Yamal, who turned 17 while playing a pivotal role in Spain’s winning their fourth European Championship.

Understandably, there are concerns about pushing too hard too soon, especially in modern football, which features a seemingly endless series of fixtures. Playing for Barcelona also raises the possibility of early burnout. However, as of now, things do not appear alarming. Yamal has unsurprisingly won both the Golden Boy and Kopa Trophy prizes in 2024.

He also received the award for UEFA European Championship Young Player of the Tournament, during which he became the youngest player to record a goal contribution in a major tournament final by assisting fellow winger Nico Williams, who is also on the path to reaching world-class status. Additionally, Yamal has the record for the most assists in a single Euro tournament, with four.

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