The 506th Weekly Post by the CIES Football Observatory has unveiled its list of the most influential footballers of the 2024-25 season, covering performances from 60 leagues worldwide. Based on a proprietary index that measures performances across six key areas of the game—compiled in collaboration with data partners Impect—this report is a benchmark for assessing player impact in elite football.
Methodology
The CIES index considers:
- Minutes played
- Match outcomes
- Performance across six core metrics:
Aerial Play | Ground Defence | Distribution | Take-On | Chance Creation | Finishing
Each player’s overall influence is evaluated not just by stats, but by how meaningfully they contribute to winning football.
Top Global Performers
Most Influential Overall
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) — 100.0
- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) — 99.6
- Pedri González (Barcelona) — High performer across metrics
- Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen) — Top attacking midfielder
- Kylian Mbappé (PSG) — Leader among centre forwards
- Virgil van Dijk & Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) — Top defenders
Best by Game Element
- Aerial Dominance: Alexander Sörloth
- Ground Defence: Moisés Caicedo
- Distribution: Nico Schlotterbeck
- Take-On Ability: Vinícius Júnior
- Chance Creation: Lamine Yamal
- Finishing: Ousmane Dembélé
The Rising Stars (U20s)
- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
- Estêvão Willian (Palmeiras / Chelsea)
- Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona)
- Jorrel Hato (Ajax)
This CIES study is more than just a list — it’s a data-backed goldmine for clubs, scouts, and sponsors seeking influence over hype.
Clubs can use these insights for targeted recruitment, especially in underserved roles like elite distribution or take-on specialists
Brands gain direction on athlete partnerships by aligning with data-proven impact players
Leagues can track youth development progress and benchmark local talent vs. global performers
Gaming and fantasy platforms benefit by building performance-based algorithms that reflect real influence
At 365247 Consultancy, we help:
- Map player impact to commercial value
- Identify undervalued assets for transfer windows
- Build fan engagement strategies around performance metric
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IMAGE: Getty Images
Credit: CIES Observatory
