2024 has been a sensational year for football as the world witnessed many memorable performances that will go down in history. Many footballers have emerged as breakout stars while renowned players have continued to grace the pitch with exceptional performances.

However, some footballers have consistently performed well in 2024 with their club or country and continued to stand out among others. In this article, Sportz Point explores the five best footballers of 2024. 

Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid)

Vinicius Jr. has been one of the most instrumental assets for Real Madrid's success in recent years. The 24-year-old Brazilian racked up loads of goals and assists for Los Blancos to enlist himself as one of the best players in 2024.

Vinicius Jr. led Madrid's attack along with Jude Bellingham to clinch the 2023-24 La Liga title, having scored 15 goals while providing 6 assists in 26 appearances. He became a walking nightmare for every defensive line-up in Europe with his sublime ball control, acceleration, and footballing skills. 

The 2023/24 Player of the Season 💫#UCL pic.twitter.com/JImV2RLKBg

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) June 3, 2024

However, Vinicius unleashed his ultimate best in Real Madrid's UCL-winning campaign in the 2023-24 season. He earned the UCL Player of the Season award with 11 goal contributions by his name. Vini performed well in the group games as well as in crucial knockout games; the semi-final and final, against Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund respectively.

Although his second-place finish in the 2024 Ballon d'Or ranking sparked severe controversies, Vinicius Jr. had no trouble in proving himself as one of the most prolific footballers in 2024.

Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona)

Lamine Yamal is certainly the most promising young talent in football discussions worldwide. Making his debut for FC Barcelona's senior team in 2023, the 17-year-old winger completed his 50th appearance for Barcelona in April 2024, becoming the youngest footballer to achieve the feat. 

However, Lamine's breakout performance for Spain in the UEFA Euro 2024 is the definite highlight of his year. The Spanish teenager, who only turned 17 in July 2024, lifted the 2024 Euro as the youngest winner of the tournament. Lamine won the Young Player of the Tournament award as well, having bagged 1 goal and 4 assists in the competition.

Lamine Yamal has played in the 2023 U17 European Championship and Euro 2024 over the last 14 months.

U17 Euros:
⚽️ 4 goals
🤝 2 assists
🏆 Team of the Tournament

Euros:
⚽️ 1 goal
🤝 4 assists
🏆 Young Player of the Tournament

Shining at all levels on the big stage ✨ pic.twitter.com/iD9iJB4Lfj

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 15, 2024

Lamine has added some more glory to his list of personal accolades in 2024 by winning the 2024 Golden Boy Award and the Kopa Trophy.

The youngster continued his record-breaking stint also for his club, as he became the youngest footballer to score in a Clasico game during Barcelona's 4-0 victory over Real Madrid in October 2024. He has been instrumental for Barcelona since the start of the 2024-25 season as well. It seems that the talented winger will continue to showcase his jaw-dropping capabilities with a football at his feet.

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Mohamed Salah has been one of the most consistent footballers for Liverpool in recent years, and now he is paving the way to enter the globe of all-time Premier League greats.

Since Arne Slot arrived in Anfield as Jurgen Klopp's successor, Salah has been a cheat code for the Reds across all competitions. Although he had a distressing start to 2024, now he has transitioned into an even more complete version of a traditional winger. 

The 'Egyptian King' has been responsible for almost 64% of the goals Liverpool scored this season in the league and UCL. It clearly shows his impeccable ability to orchestrate the attack while leading from the front. He has 20 goals and 17 assists by his name in 26 appearances in all competitions so far this season. 

Another record broken by Mohamed Salah 😳📊 pic.twitter.com/RbW6qV1ftL

— Sky Sports (@SkySports) December 29, 2024

The 32-year-old forward has also hit the headlines for breaking Premier League legend Wayne Rooney's record for 36 games with a goal and an assist in a single game.

Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

In a world where the forwards steal all the limelight, it is simply exceptional for others to ensure themselves in consideration of the top performers without a doubt. Jude Bellingham is the kind of footballer who not only plays well but also ensures his dominance everywhere on the pitch.

Bellingham left Dortmund in 2023 and signed for Real Madrid, where he continued to elevate his footballing prowess. The Englishman finished 4th on Laliga's list of most goal contributions with 19 goals and 6 assists. Nevertheless, he was named the 2023-24 La Liga Player of the Season for his dynamic performances.

Jude Bellingham has won the 2023/24 LaLiga Player of the Season! 🚨🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/NeVcQ8kvuv

— LiveScore (@livescore) May 28, 2024

However, Bellingham could not play in his natural position in the 2024 Euros. This positional shift restricted his goalscoring proficiency but he continued to offer his physical ability, defensive quality, and accurate passing skills to help England reach the Euro final. He also came out on top to assist Cole Palmer who scored the only goal for England in the final. 

The 21-year-old youngster also received the prestigious Lareaus World Breakthrough of the Year Award for 2024 to brighten his list of individual honours. Despite finishing third in the 2024 Ballon d'Or ranking, he was certainly one of the best footballers in 2024.

Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

Harry Kane left Tottenham Hotspur in 2023 to join Bayern Munich, but he did not forget to bring his goalscoring boots to Germany. The 31-year-old striker has comfortably enlisted himself as one of the best footballers of 2024. 

The England captain not only possesses lethal finishing skills but also has brilliant positioning sense which helps him to be a very natural number nine. However, Kane found his best version in Bayern and concluded the 2023-24 Bundesliga season with his personal best tally of 36 goals which led him to win his maiden European Golden Boot trophy in 2024. 

Kane has already scored 20 goals and provided 9 assists in 20 matches in all competitions this season and continued to be one of the best footballers in 2024.

The future of Ansu Fati at FC Barcelona has become clearer than ever as the out-of-favour youngster is adamant about leaving the club this summer.

Having been hailed as the natural heir to club legend Lionel Messi and wearing the coveted number 10 shirt, the 22-year-old forward has suffered a sad decline this season.

❗️ Ansu Fati is feeling really down and disappointed with the situation he’s going through and is now open to leaving. New clubs are starting to show interest in the player.

Ansu is also frustrated with how the club has treated him in small ways—like in training, when he was… pic.twitter.com/INZipMEgtW

— Barça Buzz (@Barca_Buzz) April 6, 2025

Since Hansi Flick took over at the club, Fati has been on the bench far more than playing on the field, which created a distressing situation for the club as well as for the player.

Deco, Barca's sporting director, is reportedly trying to neutralize this season, considering the ongoing regrets at the club for not having seen Fati's full talent due to injury. However, the solution is clear — he needs to be sold, and on a minimum transfer fee of €15 million. 

This figure would appear too small for a player who was once being hailed as the next big thing, but with time and inconsistent play, much of his value has drastically declined.

Read Also | Manchester City reportedly ready to offer €100 million for Pedri

Fati seeks exit from Barcelona

Although his loan spell at Brighton in the Premier League was seen as a new beginning to his career, the season has been very disappointing for Ansu Fati. The forward has openly admitted that he is no longer part of Flick's plans and is now seeking alternative options to salvage his career.

Sources close to the player indicate that he wants a sporting project where he feels valued, gets back to consistency, and above all, can enjoy playing football again. Only 22 years old, Fati knows that he still has time to play at his ultimate level again, but the first step is to identify a club that truly believes in his potential.

However, since the Copa del Rey RO32 game against Barbastro on January 4th, he has failed to earn any game time, even for a single minute.

Ansu Fati has not played since January 4 in Barbastro. pic.twitter.com/C2R91ics8P

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) April 6, 2025

Fati's contract at Barcelona runs until 2027, but he is already thinking of a departure next summer. This was an option he thought of during the last winter transfer window in January, but after discussions with Hansi Flick, he chose to stay with the team, hopeful that he would be given his opportunity.

In January, several clubs expressed interest in Ansu Fati’s willingness to change his surroundings. Clubs such as Ajax, Borussia Dortmund, Porto, and Besiktas all attempted to convince the Spaniard to join their sides, reported Mundo Deportivo.

Ajax, Borussia Dortmund, Porto and Besiktas were all interested in Ansu Fati in January.

However, he decided to stay at Barcelona and fight for a chance.

— @mundodeportivo pic.twitter.com/OZw40RPHUO

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) April 6, 2025

Fati is also frustrated with some things that are no longer in Flick's control but are subject to the club instead. For example, in a few training sessions, he has been the top performer in numerous instances, yet he has watched other players being featured on Barcelona's social media while he is barely being mentioned.

Read Also | Top 11 players with most matches in Laliga history

Barcelona reportedly want €15 million for Fati

Despite his current setbacks, Ansu Fati still draws attention from several clubs. LaLiga teams have enquired about his availability, and Premier League teams are keeping an eye too, lured by the low price tag for a player once considered one of Europe's brightest rising stars.

Sevilla, Villareal, and Real Betis have done the groundwork to potentially sign the winger, either through a loan deal or through a permanent transfer.

English teams, including West Ham and Everton, have apparently agreed to negotiate with them, especially if Barcelona are willing to have favorable terms like variable fees on the transfer price or a loan deal with a compulsory buy.

Deco is aware of the financial situation at the club; he doesn't want to go through a low-cost sale. However, he considers that bids of 30 or 40 million euros are now not on the table. What the target is, though, is to negotiate a sale of no less than 15 million euros, which will assist in relaxing the wage bill and creating liquidity without inflicting massive financial damage.

🚨🔵🔴 Barcelona’s plan with Ansu Fati remains same as January, trying to find a new club in order to sell him.

Ansu rejected more than 4 approaches in January and he’ll have the final decision, but Barça remain open to letting him go.

In that case, new winger could join. 👀 pic.twitter.com/yhcCjUE7er

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 18, 2025

In conclusion, Ansu Fati’s chapter at FC Barcelona is edging closer to a painful end. Although the ending is not as dreamlike as hoped, Barcelona have faith that he can rediscover his best form elsewhere. His talent is still very much unutilized; he only needs the right environment to shine once more.

Read Also | Pau Cubarsi signs Contract Extension with Barcelona to stay at the club until 2029

European football has gifted us numerous memorable moments and matches this season, and we can expect more to come in the upcoming months.

The top five European Leagues – Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1 have different title chase scenarios as the leagues are entering the final lap, leading the clubs to their fate in the 2024-25 season.

England, Germany, and France have witnessed a one-sided battle for the league title this season, except for Spain and Italy, where the champions might be decided even in the closing matchday this season.

In this article, we will examine the league table scenarios, possible equations for the league leaders to secure the title, and the contention for the continental competitions such as UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League for next season.

Premier League 

Liverpool are currently atop the Premier League 2024-25 table, having bagged 73 points in 30 matches. The Reds are edging closer to the title as Arsenal, the second-placed side, dropped points against Everton in a 1-1 stalemate yesterday.

Liverpool have a chance to extend their lead at the top with a win against Fulham this evening, which will see them going 14 points ahead of the Gunners.

The Mikel Arteta-led side has earned 62 points in 31 games so far. As of now, Liverpool only need 11 points from their last eight games to secure the Premier League title for the 20th time in their history.

Liverpool are just four wins away from being crowned Premier League champions.

If it plays out like that, they could win the title at Anfield vs. Spurs then receive guard of honours from both Chelsea and Arsenal 🤯 pic.twitter.com/MVDmpDzRhi

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) April 5, 2025

Nottingham Forest have been a surprise entrant for a top-four finish in the Premier League, charging for a UEFA Champions League berth next season. The Forest are now third with 57 points in 31 games – five points clear of the fourth-placed Chelsea.

Fifth-placed Manchester City (51 points in 30 games) and Aston Villa (51 points in 31 games), now sixth, will throw a tough challenge for the Champions League and Europa League berth, whereas seventh-placed Newcastle United (50 points in 29 games) might surpass City and Villa in the race.

Premier League 2024-25 Table

LaLiga

The title race in LaLiga 2024-25 has intensified dramatically after the league leaders FC Barcelona and nearest challengers Real Madrid dropped points in the same day yesterday. Los Blancos faced a shocking 1-2 defeat against Valencia at home, whereas Barcelona were held to a 1-1 draw against Real Betis at home.

Barcelona are currently atop the table with 67 points in 30 matches, four points clear of Real Madrid with 63 points in the same number of games. The title race might go down to the last matchday as these two teams will meet in the fierce El Clasico, scheduled for May 11th, which could decide the potential champions. 

Despite failing to take full advantage of Real Madrid’s slip-up, Barcelona remain 𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙑𝙔 𝙁𝘼𝙑𝙊𝙍𝙄𝙏𝙀𝙎 to win the LALIGA title - according to @OptaAnalyst 📊📈 pic.twitter.com/uUQ5lu6uir

— 433 (@433) April 6, 2025

Fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao (53 points in 29 games) are already five points ahead of Real Betis, now fifth (48 points in 30 games) with one game in hand. Sixth-placed Villareal (47 points in 28 games) could pose a challenge for both of them for UCL and UEL qualification, with two games in hand to match Betis' tally.

LaLiga 2024-25 Table

Serie A

Serie A 2024-25 might witness one of the greatest showdowns in the title charge in the league's history, as league leaders Inter Milan dropped points in a 2-2 draw against Parma last night.

Defending champions Inter Milan are currently topping the table with 68 points across 31 games, having played one game more than second-placed Napoli, who have accumulated 64 points in 30 games. If Napoli ends this week with a win, the gap between these two teams will be just one, leading the teams to walk the wire in the final matchdays.

🚨 After Inter’s draw vs Parma today, the Serie A title race is wide open!

Napoli and Inter are neck and neck — and with only a few games left, neither side can afford to drop points.

Every match now feels like a final. Who will hold their nerve?#Inter #Napoli #SerieA… pic.twitter.com/tyRpVx9lWI

— GlobalFootballX (@MorckIsak) April 5, 2025

The pressure to finish in the top four have also intensified in Italy. With Inter and Napoli confirmed to finish in the top four, third-placed Atalanta (58 points in 30 games), fourth-placed Bologna (56 points in 30 games), fifth-placed Juventus (55 points in 30 games), and sixth-placed AS Roma (52 points in 30 games) will battle it out for the last two UCL berths.

Serie A 2024-25 Table

Bundesliga

As of now, only six points separate league leaders Bayern Munich and second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, though Bayern might attain the Bundesliga 2024-25 title and a first trophy for Harry Kane – if they manage to accumulate 13 from the 18 points available.

Bayern Munich are now ahead with 68 points in 28 games, whereas reigning Champions Bayer Leverkusen have managed 62 in the same number of matches, practically confirming their participation in next season's Champions League.

However, the race for two other UCL berths will draw Eintracht Frankfurt (third, 48 points in 28 games), FSV Mainz (fourth, 46 points in 28 games), RB Leipzig (fifth, 45 points in 28 games), and Borussia Monchengladbach (sixth, 43 points in 27 games) into a battle, looking for places in continental competitions.

Bundesliga 2024-25 Table

Ligue 1

Paris Saint-Germain have claimed the 2024-25 Ligue 1 title after beating Angers 1-0 last night, ensuring their fourth successive title with 74 points in 28 games. The Luis Enrique-managed side have been crowned champions with six matches remaining and are now 24 points ahead of the second-placed AS Monaco (50 points in 28 matches). 

PSG have clinched another milestone, winning the league title without losing a single game so far, and with six matches remaining, they will look to embrace the 'invincible' tag by ending the season without a single defeat.

If Les Parisiens complete an unbeaten league season, they will join a special group of clubs from Europe's top five leagues that have achieved this feat. This group includes Bayer Leverkusen in 2024, Juventus in 2012, Arsenal in 2004, AC Milan in 1992, Perugia in 1979, and Preston North End in 1889.

However, the race to qualify for next season's UCL will go down to the wire between six teams who are differentiated by only four points – AS Monaco (50), Olympique de Marseille (49), Olympique Lyonnais (48), OGC Nice (47), Lille OSC (47), and RC Strasbourg (46).

Ligue 1 2024-25 Table

(*all stats are accurate as of the time of publishing this article.)

Hello and welcome to another live coverage of Sportz Point. Tonight, we will be bringing you live updates of the Real Madrid vs Valencia LaLiga 2024 - 25 match at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid.

Real Madrid are currently second in the league table, having earned 63 points in 29 matches. On the other hand, Valencia are only four points above the relegation zone, currently 16th with 31 points in 29 games.

Los Blancos will look for a win to decrease the gap with league leader Barcelona, whereas Valencia will look for all three points to stay afloat in the league.

This is Soumit Bhattacharya, who will bring you all the real-time updates, team news, live scores, and commentary of the match from the web desk. Enjoy the coverage!

Moreover, you can follow us on Twitter for all the updates. Join our Telegram and WhatsApp channels to get all the news and scores.

Former German footballer Thomas Muller has announced that he will leave Bayern Munich at the end of the 2024-25 season. 

The 35-year-old striker has played 17 seasons for the club. Bayern Munich is the only club he has played for in his career. Muller has played 743 games for Bayern Munich, scoring 243 goals. 

Muller had already retired from international football during the Euro 2024, after featuring 131 times for the national side, where he scored 45 times. 

After playing 88 matches for both the under-19 team and Bayern II, Muller made his senior Bayern Munich debut in the 2008-09 season. In the next season, Muller scored 19 goals and had 16 assists in 52 senior appearances. This helped him become a mainstay at the club. 

In his 17 years with the club, Thomas Muller won 32 trophies for the German giants. His trophy cabinet includes 12 Bundesliga titles, 11 of which came in consecutive seasons from 2012 through to 2023. 

Muller also went on to win two UEFA Champions League titles, one in 2013 and another one in 2020. 

In 2023, Muller signed a contract extension with Bayern Munich till June 2025. With Bayern not deciding to renew his contract, both parties mutually agreed to terminate the contract. 

The time has come … ❤️ #esmuellert #FCBayern #Müller25 pic.twitter.com/tMhzkO1jop

— Thomas Müller (@esmuellert_) April 5, 2025

"The club has consciously decided not to negotiate a new contract with me for next season,” Muller said. 

“Even if this did not correspond to my personal wishes, it is important that the club follows its convictions. Even after all these years, regardless of the minutes I play, I still have a lot of fun being on the pitch with the boys. I could have easily imagined playing this role next year as well.

“I respect this step, which the board and supervisory board certainly did not take lightly. I understandably did not like the back-and-forth in public over the past weeks and months. However, I treat it like I do my own football: It wasn’t always characterised by perfection either, but rather with a positive, forward-thinking approach to the next move. After a bad pass, it is important to win the ball back and be unified. We have achieved this in recent days with honest discussions on this matter as well," Muller added. 

Most Assists In A Calendar Year 😲

Read It In Detail Here ▶️ https://t.co/45l7FHPJlr

.......#tadic #messi #muller #dimaria #henry #ajax #barcelona #bayern #psg #arsenal #premierleague #laliga #ligue1 #bundesliga #eredivisie #ucl #football pic.twitter.com/w5zkdU50G0

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) December 21, 2021

Thomas Muller's stats for Bayern in different competitions 

Thomas Muller's trophy cabinet with Bayern Munich

• 6 DFB Cup
• 2 Champions League
• 12 Bundesliga titles
• 3 Audi Cup
• 2 UEFA Super Cup
• 8 Super Cup
• 2 FIFA Club World Cup 

Hello, and welcome to another night of exciting football. Tonight, we have a thriller of a match on our hands. This is Koushik Biswas, who will bring you all the real-time LIVE updates, scores, and news of Atletico Madrid vs FC Barcelona Copa Del Rey 2024-25 Semi-final Second Leg tonight. 

The first leg between the two Spanish giants finished at 4-4, and this second leg will surely be nothing short of that. With Real Madrid already securing their spot in the final this time, we can either have a Madrid derby or an El-Clasico in the final. 

Read Also | Atletico Madrid vs FC Barcelona Copa Del Rey 2024-25 Semi-final 2 Second Leg Match Preview: Head-to-head, Possible Lineups and Fantasy XI Prediction

So, stay tuned as we bring you all the LIVE updates of the match along with the free commentary and images. 

Enjoy the coverage.