Which players have dribbled past the most players in Europe? Find out the top 10 here, including Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, Barca star Leo Messi and Franck Ribery of Bayern Munich.
10. Juan Guillermo (Fiorentina)
Games played: 19
Successful take-ons: 78
Success rate: 53%
25 year-old Fiorentina star Juan Guillermo Cuadrado can play a number of role for I Viola, with the majority of his appearances coming at right wing back, but also a decent number of games both on the left and right side of a front three.
Each position allows Cuadrado to regularly test the mettle of his direct opponent through his pace and skill, and given his performances this season it is easy to see why Arsenal were linked with signing him in the wake of Theo Walcott’s injury in January.
9. Eric Maxim Choupo Moting (Mainz 05)
Games played: 21
Successful take-ons: 78
Success rate: 66%
FSV Mainz 05 forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is an immensely skilful player, capable of playing either up front or on the left wing.
Despite mostly being used as a substitute, with 13 of his 21 appearances having come from the bench, Choupo-Moting has proven an invaluable impact substitute with six goals and two assists so far this term.
However, it is the Cameroon star’s dribbling that stands out, and frequently has opposition sides on the ropes.
8. Milan Badelj (Hamburger SV)
Games played: 20
Successful take-ons: 79
Success rate: 79%
Milan Badelj typically plays a deep midfield role for Hamburger SV, but like Jack Wilshere of Arsenal, he likes to drop his shoulder and make rapid bursts past players into space between the lines.
Hamburg are having a disappointing season, but Badelj has been a rare bright spark.
7. Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)
Games played: 18
Successful take-ons: 81
Success rate: 61%
FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi has been the very best player in the world for much of the last decade.
The Argentine forward has had somewhat of an injury hit first half of the campaign, but when he has played he has still shone, with his low centre of gravity allowing him to change direction, stop and start play almost instantly.
Unusually for a player considered one of the best dribblers in history, Messi doesn’t have a huge box of tricks up his sleeves (if you can forgive the awful mixed metaphors).
He relies on a wonderful sense of balance and reading of the game to predict defenders’ movements, and that is what has helped him score a plethora of glorious solo goals throughout his career – running with the ball from within his own half on multiple occasions.
6. Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich)
Games played: 14
Successful take-ons: 83
Success rate: 60%
Franck Ribery has completed an extraordinary amount of dribbles this term for a player enduring such an injury ridden season, averaging 5.9 successful take-ons per Bundesliga fixture.
The France international has suffered four separate injuries in the current campaign – to ankle, rib, back and er… buttock – but his performances when fit show that age is not necessarily catching up with him just yet.
Ribery has scored seven times and provided 10 assists in his 14 league games, and Bayern Munich’s massive possession means his team-mates are always looking to find him with the ball, knowing that his trickery with the ball at his feet invariably creates chances.
5. Roberto Firmino (Hoffenheim)
Games played: 21
Successful take-ons: 88
Success rate: 65%
Hoffenheim might be having an ordinary season, sitting 10th in the Bundesliga table and just seven points clear of the relegation zone, but attacking midfielder Roberto Firmino is having a campaign worthy of a title challenging outfit.
Not only has the 22 year-old managed 11 goals and eight assists in his 21 games, but he regularly gets past opponents with great poise and skill.
He could well be snapped up by a major team in the summer if such form continues.
4. Max Kruse (Borussia Monchengladbach)
Games played: 22
Successful take-ons: 91
Success rate: 72%
Max Kruse has been a remarkably astute signing for Borussia Monchengladbach this season, scoring eight times and providing seven assists in his 22 Bundesliga games.
He cost just €2.5 million (approximately £2m), with his impressive form prompting German journalist Raphael Honigstein to state, “Every club that didn’t seriously try to sign him should fire their German scouts.”
Kruse is also a fine player with the ball at his feet, regularly beating players with ease.
3. Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Games played: 27
Successful take-ons: 100
Success rate: 61%
Eden Hazard has stepped up his level a notch since Jose Mourinho returned to Stamford Bridge for a second spell as Chelsea boss, with the Portuguese manager challenging his Belgian winger to put his name in the mix for the 2014 FIFA Ballon d’Or.
Hazard has been the brightest spark for Chelsea all season, breaking past men with skill, balance and intelligence, with his ability to play both quickly on the counterattack and when the Blues are controlling possession vital in his team’s Premier League title challenge.
This season, Hazard leads Chelsea in both goals and assists. Perhaps the 23 year-old is closing in on that elite group after all.
2. Raffael (Borussia Monchengladbach)
Games played: 22
Successful take-ons: 116
Success rate: 68%
While Bayern Munich have clearly been the most dominant side in Germany this season, Borussia Monchengladbach have certainly been one of the most exciting, with Raffael another player in the list of top dribblers.
As well as an impressive 5.3 take-ons per league match – the second highest per game in Europe’s top five leagues behind Franck Ribery – the Brazilian forward has scored ten goals and provided five assists.
1. Yacine Brahimi (Granada)
Games played: 25
Successful take-ons: 127
Success rate: 54%
24 year-old Granada star Yacine Brahimi is a very raw left sided attacking midfielder, but the Frenchman is always willing to take on his man in an attempt to create a chance for his team.
It may not always work, with Brahimi’s success rate somewhat lower than many of his rivals in this list, but he has successfully got past an opponent more often than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues this term, and that is a statistic worth commending.