Best performing U23 players: from Gímenez to Neymar

Issue number 97 of the CIES Football Observatory Big-5 Weekly Post focuses on the players born on or after 1.1.1992 who performed the best since the start of the season in six complementary areas of play (see explanations below). The analysis only includes footballers who played for at least 50% of championship minutes.

At the top of the rankings per area of the game are José Gímenez (Atlético Madrid) for rigour, Layvin Kurzawa (Monaco) for recovery, Marco Verratti (Paris St-Germain) for distribution, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) for take on, Isco Alarcón (Real Madrid) for chance creation and Neymar Júnior (Barcelona) for shooting.

Only two players are in the top 12 positions in three different rankings: Paulo Dybala (Palermo) for take on, chance creation and shooting, as well as Paul Pogba (Juventus) for distribution, take on and shooting. The following players are in the top 12 in two areas of the game:

• José Gímenez (Atlético Madrid)
• Marquinhos Aoás (Paris St-Germain)
• Phil Jones (Manchester United)
• Layvin Kurzawa (Monaco)
• Marc Stendera (Eintracht Frankfurt)
• Marco Verratti (Paris St-Germain)
• Lucas Moura (Paris St-Germain)
• Isco Alarcón (Real Madrid)
• Koke Resurreción (Atlético Madrid)
• Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)
• Nabil Fekir (Olympique Lyonnais)
• Paul-Georges Ntep (Stade Rennais)
• Neymar Júnior (Barcelona)

The full tables are to be found here. More information is available at [email protected]

CIES Football Observatory Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Shooting: ability to take advantage of goal opportunities through accurate shooting
• Chance creation: ability to put teammates in a good position to score
• Take on: ability to create dangerous situations by successfully challenging opponents
• Distribution: ability to keep a hold on the game through efficient passing
• Recovery: ability to minimise goal opportunities for opponents through proficient interception work

Rigour: ability to minimise goal opportunities for opponents through robust duelling