Goal’s annual list of the best players in the world over the previous 12 months includes a trio of Bayern Munich stars
Bayern Munich trio Robert Lewandowski, James Rodriguez and Joshua Kimmich have been included in the 2018 Goal 50.
The annual list ranks the top performers in world football over the preceding 12 months and is officially unveiled in full on Tuesday.
Having already revealed that Mohamed Salah has finished third, and that Neymar didn’t even make the top 20, we can now confirm that Lewandowski, Rodriguez and Kimmich all made the cut.
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Lewandowski’s inclusion for the seventh year in a row certainly comes as no surprise, with the Poland striker having played a crucial role in Bayern’s Bundesliga success with a staggering 29 goals in just 30 appearances to claim the division’s golden boot award. The 30-year-old was also named Goal’s Bundesliga Player of the Year for 2018 thanks to his brilliant performances.
Rodriguez, meanwhile, has had injury issues over the past year, particularly during Colombia’s World Cup campaign.
However, when fully fit, the attacking midfielder was a joy to watch and he showed just why Bayern paid €13 million just to take him on loan from Real Madrid last summer by racking up 11 assists and seven goals during the Bavarians’ successful title defence.
Kimmich’s World Cup didn’t go according to plan either but the Germany international was arguably the most dangerous full-back in Europe last season.
Indeed, he racked up more assists in all competitions than any other defender (15) across the continent’s ‘Big Five’ leagues, while he also struck six goals, including one apiece in both legs of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.
Where will Kimmich & Co. rank in the 2018 Goal 50, though? We’re about to find out, with the full list set to be published at 12:00BST.
The Goal 50 is an annual award that both recognises and ranks the world’s 50 best footballers of the preceding 12 months. Chief editors and correspondents from Goal’s 42 editions around the world all cast their votes, with candidates judged on their level of consistency over the previous year of action, their big-game performances, footballing legacy and the success of their teams at both club and international level.