46. Thiago Alcantara

Once seen as the heir to the throne of Xavi and Iniesta at Barcelona, Thiago, now 25, is these days very much his own man – even if he’s not quite lived up to that initial billing just yet. A series of injuries have been responsible for much of that, though the nagging suspicion remains that Thiago’s best comes in flashes rather than the unwavering consistency of his La Masia predecessors.

That said, a largely injury-free Thiago has become a staple of the Bayern Munich side under Carlo Ancelotti, and his new manager’s less dogmatic approach to possession has given the midfielder more of a license to take risks in attack.

It’s also, however, been mooted that his long-term future may in fact lie in the holding role. Thiago’s natural tenacity, metronomic distribution and expert reading of the game stand him in good stead to excel there, and Xabi Alonso’s advancing years could make for a neat baton-passing routine – for country as well as club. – AH

45. Pepe

His tendency to over-embellish matters when on the receiving end, juxtaposed with the occasional violent tendency of his own, has earned Pepe the reputation of a pantomime villain – but you don’t get to be Real Madrid’s first-choice centre-back for a decade without being a mighty fine player.

The Brazil-born defender owes his immense strength and prowess in the air to his father, who made him train by strapping weights to his legs and heading the ball into the sea. As well as brute strength, Pepe’s deceptive speed makes him a formidable barrier for any opponent threatening his goal.

The full range of his defensive attributes were on display at Euro 2016, where monstrous performances against Croatia and France in Portugal’s two toughest games earned him a place in the team of the tournament. It capped a magical couple of months for the centre-half, who collected his second Champions League winner's medal at the start of the summer. – TK

44. Douglas Costa

If the ability to shift supporters to the edge of their seats was a decisive factor in determining the order of this list, Douglas Costa would be a contender for the No.1 spot. The thrill-a-minute winger has continued to dazzle for Bayern Munich and Brazil in 2016, combining searing speed with tight close control and an eye for an assist – the 26-year-old laid on 12 goals for his team-mates in the Bundesliga and Champions League last season, while also netting six himself.

He’s hitherto been less productive in an injury-disrupted 2016/17, scoring two goals and recording one assist in 11 appearances in all competitions. Given that new manager Carlo Ancelotti is looking to add the counter-attack to Bayern’s possession-dominated armoury, though, the jet-fuelled Costa is likely to become even more essential to the German champions in the coming months. – GL

Next: Three strikers at different stages