Troy Deeney claims there are only five world-class players in football right now… which includes two Liverpool players but Salah is not included

Troy Deeney loves stirring up a debate, and he’s done so this week when naming football’s only five world-class players (in his eyes, at least) and snubbing Kylian Mbappe. The former Watford captain gave interesting reasoning behind his stance on the Real Madrid superstar, who is currently struggling to reach expectations at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Mbappe, 25, joined Madrid as a free agent after leaving PSG in the summer. Many anticipated the France captain would thrive in the Spanish capital, but that hasn’t happened. The 2018 World Cup winner has managed eight goals and two assists in 16 games, cutting a frustrated figure in the process.

While writing for The Sun, Deeney explained that Mbappe’s inability to ascend to the top of European football thus far with Los Blancos means he can’t be placed in the world-class category. He stressed a player needs to ‘transcend his team and the sport’ rather than just being a commercial hit:

“To earn and keep that world class tag, I believe you need to be able to transcend your whole team, transcend the game — not simply by having the most shirt sales, but being able to consistently lift a club to glory by yourself.”

Mbappe wasn’t the only shock omission from his list of world-class talent, as Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah also missed out despite flourishing this season. The Egyptian forward has bagged 10 goals and as many assists in 17 games, helping kickstart Arne Slot’s Anfield reign with a surge to the Premier League title.

Yet, Deeney argued that you can’t just use numbers to assess whether a player is world-class. The veteran striker suggested Sadio Mane was more effective than Salah during their time together at Anfield. He argues that by using statistics, the likes of Bruno Fernandes would be held in higher regard.

However, there was space for two of Salah’s teammates in Deeney’s world-class five, who he feels can stroll into any team around the globe.

Alisson Becker
The Brazilian shot-stopper is the only goalkeeper named in Deeney’s world-class five, and he’s enjoyed six glorious years at Anfield. Many regard the 32-year-old as one of, if not the best, ball-playing keepers in history, and he’s achieved legendary status on Merseyside.

Alisson has made 271 appearances for the Reds, keeping 119 clean sheets and winning seven major trophies. He’s won the Premier League’s Golden Glove twice and been vital this season with five clean sheets in eight games across competitions for Slot’s side.

Virgil van Dijk – Liverpool

Virgil van Dijk joins Alisson on Deeney’s fab five list. The Dutchman has held the fort for the Reds since arriving from Southampton in 2018. Liverpool paid a then-club record transfer fee of £75 million to sign Van Dijk, and it was the right decision, as he’s established himself as one of the Premier League’s all-time greats.

The 33-year-old is one of the toughest centre-backs in European football but is also highly accomplished on the ball. He’s been a stalwart at the back for Slot this season and has contributed two goals and one assist in 15 games. He finished second on the podium for the Ballon d’Or in 2019 and has won every trophy up for grabs at Anfield.

Rodri – Manchester City

Speaking of the Ballon d’Or, Deeney included this year’s winner, Rodri, who is currently sidelined with an ACL injury. The Manchester City midfielder enjoyed a remarkable past year for club and country, winning the Premier League and Euro 2024. He went 74 games in a row without defeat for the Cityzens, who have crumbled without their Spanish midfield general this season.

The 28-year-old even put up impressive goalscoring numbers last season, with nine goals and 14 assists in 50 games across competitions. City look increasingly likely to surrender their Premier League dominance amid Rodri’s absence.

Erling Haaland – Manchester City

Deeney’s opinion that a world-class player needs to ‘lift a club to glory by themselves’ is an objective Erling Haaland completed in his debut season at the Etihad. The Norweigan forward arrived with a growing reputation as one of Europe’s best marksmen, but he’s been a revelation at City.

Haaland has broken several records for Pep Guardiola’s Sky Blues, including scoring the most goals in a single Premier League season. That feat came amid winning a continental treble. The 23-year-old has hit 105 goals in 114 games, including two Premier League and one Champions League Golden Boot triumphs.

Vinicius Junior – Real Madrid

Last but not least is Vinicius Junior, who is the only non-Premier League representative on Deeney’s five-man world-class list. The Brazilian winger has been arguably world football’s most talented attacker over the past year, and many predicted he’d win the Ballon d’Or, which, of course, didn’t happen.