Gabi – Atletico Madrid
After a great career in Spain which passed largely unnoticed abroad, the dynamic midfielder finally had his crowning glory at the heart of Atletico’s title win. The captain embodied everything great about Atletico under Simeone: hard work, toughness and grit, but with genuine class, as was evident from the screamer he scored against Real Madrid in the vital home derby. His set-piece delivery was also a crucial part of Simeone’s strategy, and the corner he put in for Godin to head home at the Nou Camp effectively won his team the league.