In a Flashscore feature that will be updated once a month, we rank the top 10 players in the world, looking at their performances for club and country, and purely based on events in the ongoing season.
The stats quoted below are accurate up to, and including, Tuesday, January 6th.
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10. Gabriel - Arsenal (re-entry)
Gabriel Magalhaes’ return from injury has been so impressive for Arsenal that he re-enters the rankings. The Gunners’ usually immense defence hasn’t looked as solid without the Brazilian, but in the last couple of games, it has looked closer to its best.
Gabriel came off the bench against Brighton to help Arsenal see out a 2-1 win, before putting in an incredible display in a statement 4-1 victory over Aston Villa, which included yet another set-piece goal for him.
He followed that up with a great performance and yet another goal in a 3-2 win over Bournemouth, making up for a silly error he made at the start of the game.
Arguably the best centre back in the world, Gabriel now has 20 Premier League goals in his career, demonstrating what a threat he is at both ends of the pitch.
9. Luiz Diaz - Bayern Munich ( - )
It was an extremely quiet month for Luis Diaz, playing just a single match due to suspension and the Bundesliga being on a winter break. However, he was on the scoresheet in Bayern Munich’s 4-0 victory over Heidenheim. He remains just about in the top 10.
Bayern Munich keep motoring on, continuing their unbeaten start to the Bundesliga season. They sit at the summit after 15 games, nine points clear of Borussia Dortmund, and are well on their way to the title.
8. Joao Neves - PSG ( - )
It was a super successful month for Paris Saint-Germain, as they defeated Flamengo on penalties in the final of the Intercontinental Cup to win their sixth trophy of 2025, sealing an unprecedented sextuple for the first time in the club's history.
The French champions’ all-action midfielder has begun to add more attacking strings to his bow this season, as demonstrated by the fact that no player had more shots (6) or touches on the opposition box (8) than Neves against Flamengo.
Already a great duel winner, it is scary to think how good Neves could become. At just 21, he has the world at his feet.
7. Vitinha - PSG (Down 2)
Neves’s more silky and creative midfield partner, Vitinha, keeps pulling the strings for PSG. After a 0-0 draw against Athletic Club, they followed that up with four straight wins, and as usual, the Portuguese midfielder was at the heart of everything good.
Vitinha had the most touches on the pitch against Athletic Club (138), Metz (133), and Paris FC (134), demonstrating how instrumental he is. Interestingly, their victory against the latter was the first Paris derby in 35 years.
6. Michael Olise - Bayern Munich (Down 2)
Michael Olise drops a couple of places due to the performances of two other players, and because of the Bundesliga's break.
The Frenchman shone in all three of Bayern Munich’s matches in December, scoring against Heidenheim and providing an assist against Sporting Lisbon.
He leads the way in the assists charts in Germany (8), continuing to forge a fantastic partnership with those around him.
5. Declan Rice - Arsenal (Up 1)
Declan Rice is enjoying the best season of his career, reaching new heights as Arsenal’s talisman in an attempt to take them to their first Premier League title since 2004.
The Englishman has had an incredible month, showcasing why he is the complete midfielder. A meteoric presence in the middle of the park, his ability to mop up defensively as well as being an offensive force has made him one of the best players in the world.
His standout showing came against Bournemouth at the start of the new year, when he bagged a brace to help the Gunners to a battling victory over Bournemouth, extending their lead at the top of the table to six points.
4. Lamine Yamal - Barcelona (Up 3)
Lamine Yamal is fully fit, moving past the injury issues that were bothering him at the start of the season, and boy, does he look good now.
The Spaniard has been irresistible, and despite not getting loads of goals and assists in the last month, his performances have been electric, helping Barca continue their eight-game winning streak to sit at the summit of LaLiga.
Lamine registered assists against Eintracht Frankfurt and Guadalajara, while also netting against Villarreal. He regularly completes more dribbles than anyone on the pitch, giving full backs nightmares with his close control, burst of pace, and creativity.
3. Kylian Mbappe - Real Madrid (-)
Kylian Mbappe ended 2025 in style, with his goal against Sevilla meaning he equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for most goals in a calendar year for Real Madrid (59).
He also scored goals against Alaves and CF Talavera in the Copa del Rey, but has missed two matches due to injury - including a big Champions League home fixture with Manchester City, which Madrid lost 2-1.
Mbappe has scored 29 goals for Real Madrid this season and has been exceptional. However, it does still feel like the team’s balance isn’t totally right, and sometimes his work ethic and all-around game up front contribute to that.
For Mbappe to win the big individual rewards, he will need to get his hands on the biggest trophies. And at the moment, Madrid don’t look like they will do that.
2. Erling Haaland - Manchester City (-)
Erling Haaland looked on course to move into top spot of these Power Rankings, but a tricky run of form has seen him remain in second.
After scoring five goals in three games against Real Madrid, Crystal Palace, and West Ham, the Norwegian has now gone three games without a goal, with Manchester City dropping four crucial points in the last two, slipping behind Arsenal in the league.
He cut a frustrated figure in draws against Sunderland and Chelsea, as he missed several big chances. However, he is still having a ridiculous goalscoring season, bagging 19 goals in the Premier League, as well as 25 in all competitions for City.
He remains within touching distance of the man in first place.
1. Harry Kane - Bayern Munich (-)
Despite the Bundesliga being on a break, Harry Kane remains in top spot, mainly because Haaland and Mbappe haven’t done enough to leapfrog the England captain.
In their games over the past month, Kane bagged a total of two goals, which came against Heidenheim and Mainz. He has 19 goals in the league, 11 ahead of second place. In all competitions, he has hit the 30-goal mark, which is utterly remarkable.
Things are set to ramp up in the coming months, with more challenging games in Europe on the horizon. Can Kane now turn up when it matters?