Latest Ranking: Top 10 footballer in the world

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi Power Sport Images/Getty Images

The debate for world's greatest soccer player begins and ends with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.  After that duo and Neymar, however, the group of talents battling for acknowledgment as a top-10 player is impressive.

Goals and assists are essential, and excellence on defense—though admittedly more difficult to quantify—is valued highly. Individual impact is the largest factor in shaping the list.

Club and country success are also considered, especially for those in positions where scoring opportunities are rare. Longevity also plays a role in the rankings.

The Premier League, La Liga, the Bundesliga and Ligue 1—four of the world's best leagues—are represented on the list.

10. Luka Modric, Real Madrid

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To the casual soccer fan, Real Madrid is known for being the home of Cristiano Ronaldo. Luka Modric, though, is also a premier player for the La Liga powerhouse.

Modric, a central midfielder, joined the club via transfer from Tottenham Hotspur in 2012. He's an integral piece of the dangerous attack thanks to outstanding dribbling and great vision. Those skills allow Modric to make perfect passes in buildup play and rack up "pre-assists."

The Croatian national has notched more than 100 caps for his country and in 2018 is primed for a third World Cup appearance.

9. Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich

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Since leaving Borussia Dortmund in 2014, Robert Lewandowski has been a goal-scoring machine for Bayern Munich.

In each of the last three Bundesliga seasons, the 29-year-old striker has netted at least 29 goals. Throw in his UEFA Champions League contributions, and the total is safely above 30 each year. He's been a major contributor on four Bundesliga-winning teams.

Lewandowski is also the all-time leading scorer for Poland, passing Wlodzimierz Lubanski for the record in 2017.

8. Mohamed Salah, Liverpool

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Mohamed Salah was a respectable finisher for Roma in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, notching 14 and 15 goals, respectively, in Serie A. But his 2017-18 campaign was nothing short of sensational.

Liverpool bought the rising star before the season, and Salah wasted no time garnering the favor of the Reds faithful. He led the Premier League in scoring and tallied 44 goals plus 16 assists in all competitions.

Additionally, he collected five goals for Egypt during 2018 World Cup qualification. Best of all for Salah, his penalty kick in the 95th minute to give Egypt a thrilling 2-1 victory over Congo sealed his country's first World Cup berth in 28 years.

7. Marcelo, Real Madrid

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Fullbacks rarely celebrate striking home or assisting a goal; the best defenders are applauded for stopping potential scoring chances. Interestingly, though, Marcelo is an exception.

The Brazilian left back has been a larger contributor in scoring goals than preventing them for Real Madrid, the only professional club he's known since Fluminense sold him in 2007. Including the 2017-18 season, he's been a member of four La Liga championship teams.

Marcelo has a terrific understanding of when to push forward, adding impressive skills both on the ball and as a passer for his position.

6. Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur

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Harry Kane became a full-time player for Tottenham in 2014-15, and the English striker has been a steady scorer the whole time since.

Though the production didn't immediately propel Kane into widespread acceptance as a world-class player, he's surely locked into that category now. The 24-year-old has scored at least 28 goals in all competitions with the club for four straight seasons.

Kane has scored 12 international goals, the most recent of which assured England of a place in the 2018 World Cup.

5. Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City

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If he's not scoring, Kevin De Bruyne is probably setting up the chance. The midfield wizard has paced the Premier League in assists in both of the last two seasons.

Beyond his savvy as a passer, the 26-year-old has provided at least seven goals in every season for Manchester City in all competitions since joining the club in 2015.

On the international level, De Bruyne scored a Belgium-best four goals in 2014 World Cup qualifying and one against the United States during the World Cup's Round of 16.

4. Sergio Aguero, Manchester City

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The last match hero in Manchester City's thrilling 2012 Premier League championship, Sergio Aguero became a club legend in his first season and hasn't stopped scoring since then.

With 21 goals during the 2017-18 campaign, the forward has notched four straight years of 20-plus strikes in the Premier League. Had injuries not limited him in both 2012-13 and 2013-14, it's possible that streak would be at seven.

Aguero, who made the World Cup squads for Argentina in 2010 and 2014, is the country's No. 3 all-time scorer with 36 goals.

3. Neymar, Paris Saint-Germain

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Neymar rose to prominence as a professional for Santos in Brazil and joined Barcelona via transfer in 2013. He totaled 105 goals and 80 assists in all competitions for Barca.

However, the crafty forward wanted to leave the shadow of Lionel Messi, and Paris Saint-Germain ultimately bought Neymar for €222 million, the highest transfer price ever paid. In his debut, injury-shortened season for PSG, he had 28 goals and 19 assists.

Neymar scored four times during the 2014 World Cup and netted six during 2018 World Cup qualification. His 53 international goals rank fourth in Brazil history.

2. Lionel Messi, Barcelona

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No player is more creative and more inventive than Barcelona playmaker Lionel Messi, an absolute wonder on the ball.

The Argentine has spent his entire professional career at Camp Nou and earned several records in the process. He's the all-time leader in both goals and assists in La Liga, also holding marks for most single-season (50) and calendar-year goals (59).

In his 14 years with Barca, the club has celebrated nine La Liga, six Copa del Rey and four Champions League titles.

Although the absence of international trophies has haunted his legacy, Messi's brilliance has carried over to the stage. He holds Argentina records with 61 goals and 37 assists.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid

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Whereas Messi is the ultimate creator, Cristiano Ronaldo has positioned himself atop the soccer world as a world-class finisher.

Following a successful tenure at Manchester United from 2003 to 2009, a then-record transfer sent Ronaldo to Real Madrid. He's scored more than 300 goals and only trails Messi on the all-time La Liga chart.

Before his transfer, Ronaldo won three consecutive Premier League championships and a Champions League title with the Red Devils. With Madrid, he's celebrated three Champions League, two La Liga and two Copa del Rey titles.

The top scorer in Portugal history with 81, Ronaldo has 30 career goals in World Cup qualification. At Euro 2016, which Portugal won, he tied for second-most goals in the tournament.