The 100 Best Footballers: Who Made the Cut? (Part 1)
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The Guardian has begun revealing its annual list of the world's 100 best male footballers for 2025.
The first part, ranking players from 100th to 71st, is now available. It features young talent like Real Madrid's Arda Güler and established stars such as AC Milan's Rafael Leão. Werder Bremen's Nick Woltemade is also included.
This list is created using a clear methodology. A panel of experts judges players based on their yearly performance.
The full list will be updated throughout the week. Readers can also explore the complete list of the 100 best female footballers for 2025.
Links to every annual list since 2012 are provided for comparison.