It is nice that the unfortunate year has ended. This year saw us being dominated by a substance, which is invisible to the naked eye. With the previous year ending with vaccines certainly getting ready, we wait for something better to happen in the ongoing 2021 and hope for Football to come up better.
With these in mind, we crown the top 5 players of the last calendar year. This is certainly in no particular order:
Robert Lewandowski:
Without a doubt it can be said that if the Ballon D’ Or even wasn’t scrapped this year, he would have gained a lot of votes or maybe would have even won it. The Bayern star and Polish International found another level last year and he looks fitter than ever, perhaps hitting his prime. Discussing Lewandowski, it has to be his facts and his facts only which shuts everything else up. In 2020, he played a total of 43 games for Bayern and scored 45 goals, while also providing 14 assists. He scored in every single Champions League game of the campaign for Bayern last season except the final as he finally got his hands on the big trophy. The Bundesliga, DFB Pokal, DFL-Supercup and Uefa Super Cup were also added to his ever-expanding trophy cabinet.
Jordan Henderson:
A top 5 list without a Liverpool player, a side this prolific in the last two seasons? There has to be a Liverpool player added on the list. With plenty of good contenders in Salah, Mane and Firmino- A captain in Henderson can top the list. He is the beating heart of this Reds side in the centre of the park and has played with a much-merited swagger throughout so much of this year. It is testament to his talent and footballing brain that he has even filled in at centre-back and right-back when the cause has called on it. A strong DM, who can cover all along, is a boon for the team.
Lionel Messi:
Not a memorable year for the Blaugranas but certainly one for Messi with 25 goals and 18 assists. Even though the club certainly was in disarray from the management to the players, nothing seemed to go right for them. Amidst all of that unrest and a very real summer scare that he was going to depart, Messi still managed to make Barça competitive throughout that. Even a Barca team without Messi’s magic at 33 would be a dreaded view.
Erling Haaland:
Erling Haaland showed his class last season when he played tremendously well RB Salzburg. So he just wasn’t celebrating the new year, he was also toasting his recently-agreed move to Borussia Dortmund. As shown, he has also been firing this year, and the Westfalenstadion has already fallen in love with him. His debut was one to remember with him coming on as a 2nd half substitute and scoring a 2nd half hat trick to win the match for Dortmund who were trailing. In the Champion’s League, Haaland is also averaging a goal every 56 mins and that’s one of a kind. He also scored 6 times for his country in the 5 games he started.
Joshua Kimmich:
Kimmich is a very intelligent football player who can read the game very well. He can play upfront or on the wing and even stand in the manager’s dugout with utmost ease. Kimmich is the complete player, capable of not only carrying out any role that is asked of him but doing so at an elite level too. Due to injuries, he started at Right Back, his original position in the CL final and did well. His main playing position that is, the middle of the park has no competitors in the current season to even consider putting the crown on.
Even though he plays from the back, he has a knack for important goals as well, scoring an important chip against Dortmund that secured their title.
