The 2019/20 season for many leagues isn’t officially concluded, but its suspension because of COVID-19 gives us a chance to acknowledge the players who have performed admirably thus far.
Ligue 1 is the only one of Europe’s top five leagues that has been called to a premature end with Paris Saint-Germain named champions. The Bundesliga resumes on May 16 while Serie A, La Liga and the Premier League are still attempting to schedule the rest of their fixtures.
We’ve put together the Team of the Season for each of Europe’s top five leagues and now we’re after an overall best XI.
We picked 22 of the best performing players from each of those top flights and, with your help, narrow it down to the best XI.
Using polls on our Instagram Stories, we pit players in each position against each other and let you decide who deserves to make the cut.
Lionel Messi naturally makes the cut along with a host of Liverpool stars, but surprisingly no Serie A player features in our XI.
Follow our Instagram page to get involved. Here’s what our European Team of the Season looks like:
GK: Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)
In maintaining his impossibly high standards and making saves he’s just not supposed to, Jan Oblak remains the top goalkeeper in Europe, beating Alisson Becker with 61 per cent of the votes. Apart from being a phenomenal shot-stopper, it’s his reliability and impeccable positioning that sets the Slovenian apart. He has 11 clean sheets to his name this term and a miraculous save at Levante in January is one of many that ensures he’s still the gold standard.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
It isn’t hyperbole to claim that Trent Alexander-Arnold is revolutionising the role of the full-back. He’s a midfielder by nature and it shows with his clever passes and switches of play proving key in Liverpool’s build-up. He’s a new breed of playmaker, behind only Kevin De Bruyne in the Premier League for assists with 12 and key passes with 75. His ability from set-pieces is a deadly bonus. He earns his place over Achraf Hakimi with 66 per cent of the votes.
CB: Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)
Raphael Varane
He doesn’t match his central defensive partner Sergio Ramos for defensive actions like tackles and interceptions, but Raphael Varane is arguably the biggest reason for Real Madrid’s defensive excellence this term. He’s complimented Ramos superbly, plugging the gaps and sweeping up the danger behind the skipper. The Frenchman’s reading of the game and composure has made all the difference. Dayot Upamecano has had a super season too, but could only secure 19 per cent of the votes against Varane.
CB: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Jurgen Klopp has built Liverpool’s commanding season on this absolute rock in defence. Virgil van Dijk was denied a Ballon d’Or for an outstanding 2019 but hasn’t let up one bit. Apart from his defensive responsibilities, he’s grown increasingly influential to his team’s build-up play, registering 2,478 passes this season, more than anyone else in the league. Winning 88 per cent of the votes, he slots in comfortably ahead of Inter Milan’s Stefan de Vrij.
LB: Andy Robertson (Liverpool)
Andy Robertson
He’s been slightly eclipsed by his team-mate on the opposite flank but Andy Robertson is undoubtedly among the elite full-backs in the game. His pace, stamina and attacking threat offers a different skill set to the one Alexander-Arnold brings to the table and makes for a nice balance in the team. With seven assists and a goal, the 26-year-old continues to impress. Alphonso Davies put up a good fight with 43 per cent of the votes, but the Scotsman comes out on top.
CM: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
After an injury-ravaged season last term, Kevin De Bruyne has enjoyed his best yet. Currently on 16 assists, he’s well on course to smash Thierry Henry’s record of 20 if the season does resume. There’s no better midfielder in the league and perhaps even Europe. Despite City being a distant second to Liverpool in the table, he’s nevertheless a front runner for Player of the Season. Casemiro offers a different skill set but can’t compete with the Belgian’s 79-per-cent share of the votes.
CM: Kai Havertz (Bayer Leverkusen)
Kai Havertz
When Bayer Leverkusen have needed something a bit special, it’s often Kai Havertz who’s come up with the goods. The 20-year-old is a magician in the final third, popping up in space as if appearing out of thin air and leaving defences scrambling. He has six goals and five assists this season, while his 2.3 key passes per game is testament to his influence on Leverkusen’s attack. Luis Alberto however can feel hard done by after only managing 27 per cent of the votes despite a phenomenal season with Lazio.
RW: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Lionel Messi
Hardly his finest season in a Barcelona shirt, but he’s still the least surprising inclusion. The Catalans may not be at their best either, but he’s the reason they’ve still managed to be at the top of the table. With 19 goals and 12 assists, he’s by far the top scorer and provider in the division. He’s also first for shots, dribbles and key passes per game. He must really miss some competition in La Liga but was faced with ‘some’ from Jadon Sancho for his spot in this XI. The outstanding Englishman has been relentless this season, but only gets 23% of the votes against the GOAT.
CAM: Neymar (PSG)
If Angel Di Maria was the creator for PSG this term then Neymar was the catalyst. His explosive runs and devastating dribbling in the final third helped break down the most stubborn defences while he linked up superbly with the likes of Mbappe and Di Maria. His 217 dribbles in just 15 appearances was the most in the division, while his 13 goals and six assists helped cast intense speculation of a move to Barcelona to the back of Parisian minds. Josip Ilicic represents another harsh Serie A omission but with only 14 per cent of the votes, he never stood a chance against the celebrated Brazilian.
LW: Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
With searing pace, ingenuity and an eye for goal, Sadio Mane is now very much among the elite wingers in the game. The Senegalese takes 2.3 shots per game compared to Salah’s 3.8 but still boasts a league-high ratio of 0.5 goals per game. His consistency has seen him notch up 14 goals and seven assists despite enduring a brief spell on the sidelines through injury. Serge Gnabry did acquire 25 per cent of the votes for this spot but has some way to go before usurping the Liverpool star.
ST: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
This season saw Kylian Mbappe continue to go from strength to strength. Under Thomas Tuchel, he’s honed his killer instinct and is becoming more focused on his output. It’s no surprise then that he’s had more touches inside the box than anyone else in Ligue 1 this term and along with Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder, is the joint top-scorer with 18 goals. The young Frenchman is now scoring at a frightening rate with a goal every 84.2 minutes so it’s no wonder that he beats a seasoned goal-scorer like Robert Lewandowski for the role of this XI’s lone striker with 57 per cent of the votes.
