The 10 ‘most important’ players in European football right now have been named and ranked

In Europe, certain football players are so integral to their teams that their absence can drastically impact performance and results. These individuals are not just key to their teams’ success but often serve as the backbone, driving their sides through challenges and providing that extra spark when needed most.

Whether it’s a clinical goalscorer, a creative playmaker, or a rock-solid defender, these players are irreplaceable. When sidelined, their teams struggle to maintain the same level of intensity, creativity, or defensive stability, often resulting in a significant drop in form. They are the heartbeat of their respective teams. Their influence cannot be overstated, and without them, their teams’ ambitions often falter.

While there’s no ‘I’ in ‘team, below are the 10 most important players across Europe right now, whose absence has the worst impact on their respective teams.

10 Hakan Calhanoglu

Inter Milan

Italian journalist Riccardo Trevisani identified Hakan Calhanoglu as the one player Inter Milan cannot replace in a recent analysis, as per Sempre Inter. With the deep-lying Turkish midfielder on the pitch, the nerazurri’s chances of success are boosted perpetually.

The 30-year-old is the one who holds the key in Simone Inzaghi’s middle of the park. As that same journalist also said:

“In my opinion, Hakan contributes 50% to the quality of the team. You can replace a striker with Taremi, even if he would be a downgrade. You can also drop Pavard for Bisseck, change Dumfries with Darmian, Carlos Augusto for Dimarco, Zielinski for Mkhitaryan who isn’t as good as last season. But as good as Asllani is, he is not Calhanoglu.”

9 Vinicius Junior

Real Madrid

As the second-most valuable player in world football right now, this feeling also runs true in terms of importance to Real Madrid’s success where Vinicius Junior is concerned. The Brazilian forward has been the heir to Cristiano Ronaldo’s throne since joining in 2018.

While he may not have won a Ballon d’Or this year, despite all his teammates and friends across the footballing world coming together to campaign and even protest in his favour, the 24-year-old is bound to be on and around the shortlist for years to come. What encapsulates his importance, though, is the fact he has missed 10 games this season, and the proof is in the pudding with how toothless Los Blancos have been in his absence – with the struggling Kylian Mbappe unable to truly fill his shoes. Unexpected losses to the likes of Athletic Bilbao and Lille unlikely come with him in the team.

8 Kevin De Bruyne

Manchester City

Whenever Manchester City faces the recurring challenges of Kevin De Bruyne’s injuries, they can count on players like Bernardo Silva, Jack Grealish, and last season’s Player of the Season, Phil Foden, to step up. However, none of them quite replicate the creative influence or the synergy with Erling Haaland that De Bruyne brings to the table.

No matter how many options Pep Guardiola has at his disposal during injury setbacks, City’s attack often struggles without De Bruyne, and Haaland tends to go quiet in his absence. For rival fans, seeing the Belgian sidelined feels like hitting two birds with one stone. In the 2023/24 season, De Bruyne and Haaland combined for 12 goals, and City truly transform into a different force when both are on the pitch together.

7 Bukayo Saka

Arsenal

Unlike De Bruyne, whose absence can be somewhat mitigated by other players, when Bukayo Saka is injured for Arsenal, there seems to be no one who can truly replace him. Raheem Sterling is hardly an understudy Mikel Arteta and the Emirates faithful can feel safe in having after Saka has provided 10 assists in 13 Premier League games this season.

The young Englishman has been sensational for the Gunners. His role in the club’s title challenge in two seasons on the trot cannot be overstated, and his influence on Arteta’s side going forward will be massive. His goalscoring numbers have risen every single season, and there’s no reason to doubt that this will continue. And with nobody else reliable in his position, many feel he is being overworked as a result.

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6 Virgil van Dijk

Liverpool

Losing Virgil van Dijk would mean losing not only the best centre-back in the world right now, but also one of the most influential leaders. His commanding presence at the heart of Liverpool’s defence is near unparalleled, and Arne Slot will forever be grateful that his fellow Dutchman has maintained an almost perfect fitness record, despite being the wrong side of 30.

The towering defender is the type of player whose presence elevates the performance of everyone around him. While his defensive prowess has helped Liverpool boast the least conceding defense this season, his ability to quickly transition the ball forward is also crucial to the Reds’ efforts as they fight to stay atop both the Champions League and Premier League tables.

5 Martin Odegaard

Arsenal

When Martin Odegaard is fit, Arsenal are unstoppable both on and off the ball. His all-action style ensures the Gunners relentlessly press the opposition, and his connection with Jurrien Timber and the previously mentioned Saka makes Arsenal an exciting team to watch for neutrals.

Since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, nobody has created as many chances from open-play than the Norwegian international, who has created 93. That alone tells you how important he is to Arsenal. But he also tops the Arsenal charts for both Expected Assists (xA) and chances created, with 11.9 and 107 respectively, but perhaps more surprisingly, he ranks second only to Saka for shots taken (80).

4 Harry Kane

Bayern Munich

St Pauli midfielder Eric Smith, a Bundesliga rival of Harry Kane recently claimed there is “obviously not” any way of stopping the Bayern man, who is already up to 20 goals this term. Bayern Munich’s English import scored 44 goals across all competitions last season, and he has continued in fine fettle after already netting three hat-tricks this term.

But what would happen to Vincent Kompany’s side if he were sidelined? The stats of those around him paint a worrying picture. He has scored eight more goals in the Bundesliga than any of his teammates, and his five assists are three more than anyone else. They were also dumped out of the DFB-Pokal with Kane injured, losing 1-0 at home to Bayer Leverkusen. Operating in a free-roaming striker role, he is as indispensable as they come, while 19-year-old Mathys Tel still has much to prove before becoming a dependable backup option.

3 Lamine Yamal

Barcelona

With Lamine Yamal, it seems Barcelona may have found their new Lionel Messi. However, this also brings the concerning reality of the drop-off they experience whenever he’s unavailable. Although La Blaugrana began the season strong, rising to the top of the La Liga table, a recent ankle injury has dampened their promising start.

When the 18-year-old prodigy has played this season, Barcelona have maintained a perfect record, scoring 33 goals and conceding just eight in 12 matches. However, they have failed to win in three games without him, scoring only five goals and conceding one fewer despite playing nine fewer matches.

2 Mohamed Salah

Liverpool

Mohamed Salah has been involved in 75% (21/28) of Liverpool’s goals in the Premier League this season. His total tally of 15 goals and 12 assists in 21 appearances across all competitions has seen him surge into the lead in the race for next year’s Ballon d’Or, and his influence on the runaway freight train Arne Slot is currently conducting is unprecedented.

A recent study showed that if the Premier League table excluded the Egyptian King’s goal contributions, Liverpool would plummet to 13th place, trailing teams like Bournemouth, Brentford, and even the ever-changing Manchester United. It’s baffling that the club’s hierarchy hasn’t yet secured a contract extension for their star player, whose current deal expires in 2025, especially when he’s arguably the best player in the world right now.

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1 Rodri

Manchester City

Before Manchester City’s commanding 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Premier League matchday 14, Pep Guardiola’s side endured a seven-game winless streak. While many speculated on the reasons behind the four-peat champions’ slump, the primary factor was undeniably Rodri’s ACL injury.

The defensive midfielder is pivotal to success for both club and country, and without him, both teams struggle to perform at their best. When Rodri starts, City boast an impressive 74% win rate, including an incredible 73-game unbeaten run. However, without him, their win rate drops to just 61%, despite the far smaller sample size of 36 games compared to 193 with him on the pitch.

All statistics via Premier League and Transfermarkt (correct as of 06/12/24).