The 2025/26 season in Europe is now three months in, and some clear trends have already emerged. Three of the world’s best strikers have been dominant for their respective clubs, while many of the stars of the 2024/25 campaign have either suffered from injuries or dips in form.
5. Pedri
The standout midfielder so far this term in La Liga has been Pedri. While he announced his arrival as a real talent several years ago as a teenager, it’s only since Hansi Flick took over at Barcelona that the 22-year-old has matured into a world-class performer on a consistent basis.
He now looks settled and fully at home in a deeper role. Former Barça boss Xavi often utilized him as a more advanced midfielder, while Luis de la Fuente frequently did likewise for the Spanish national team. However, Pedri now appears more comfortable operating further back in a double pivot with Frenkie de Jong.
That position allows him to get on the ball earlier and dictate the tempo of games. The midfielder is averaging 89.3 passes per match in La Liga, the highest figure in the Spanish top flight.
4. Vitinha
It hasn’t been the most convincing start to the new season for defending European champions PSG. Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé has only made five starts due to injuries, and their collective level has dropped.
However, Vitinha is still excelling in midfield. The Portuguese international has been the biggest creative force in Ligue 1, registering six assists in 11 appearances. He’s created a goal every 131 minutes and boasts an exceptional pass completion rate of 94.4%.
Vitinha set up two goals as PSG won 3-2 at Lyon last time out, while he scored and assisted as the holders thrashed Bayer Leverkusen 7-2 in the Champions League last month. His ability to spot and execute through balls is among the best in world soccer.
3. Erling Haaland
The 2025/26 season in Europe has largely been a tale of three strikers, with Erling Haaland the dominant force in the Premier League. The Norwegian has already scored 14 times in the English top flight, six more than any other player.
His current strike rate leaves Haaland on course for a 48-goal EPL season. That would smash all previous records and comfortably better his 36-goal debut campaign in Manchester.
The powerful striker has also scored five times in the Champions League, while his lethal finishing is driving Norway towards the World Cup for the first time since 1998. Haaland has scored once every 44 minutes during this qualifying campaign for his country.
2. Harry Kane
While Haaland may be thriving in a stronger competition, his all-around game isn’t as impressive as Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane. The Englishman is only one goal behind the Man City star with 18 strikes across league and Champions League soccer this season, while he also plays a key role in the Bavarian side’s buildup play.
Since moving to the Bundesliga in 2023, Kane has quickly developed an understanding with Bayern’s other attacking players. The likes of Luis Díaz and Michael Olise have since arrived to form what currently appears to be the continent’s strongest attacking unit.
Kane is at the very heart of that. As he’s gotten older, the 32-year-old has retained all of his predatory instincts in the penalty area, but has also evolved into a player who can drop deeper and influence the game from other parts of the pitch.
Head coach Vincent Kompany has even at times used the ex-Tottenham man as an advanced midfielder. That has further highlighted his ability to pick a pass and thread balls through for faster players to run onto.
1. Kylian Mbappé
It’s been a rollercoaster year for Kylian Mbappé, who looked low on confidence and struggled to make the desired impact in the months following his transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024. However, he’s rediscovered his finest form in 2025 and is arguably playing the best soccer of his career right now.
The Frenchman has been too quick and too skillful for virtually every defender he’s faced, which has made it possible for Mbappé to create many scoring opportunities for himself in almost every game. He’s averaging 4.66 shots per 90 minutes in La Liga, while his 19% conversion rate is his highest since the 2020/21 campaign for PSG in Ligue 1.
— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) July 29, 2025
The 26-year-old has scored 18 goals in 16 appearances for his club this term. He’s developed into the clear leader of this Real Madrid team under Xabi Alonso, with so much of their play geared towards getting the forward on the ball in threatening areas.
Mbappé has also improved other aspects of his play. He’s working harder off the ball, frequently attempting to press defenders into making mistakes.
We’ve also seen him drop off and play a creative role much more frequently. Mbappé is averaging 2.7 key passes per game in La Liga and 4.0 per match in the Champions League. Those are the highest numbers he’s posted in his career in domestic or European competitions to date, while that trend has also been replicated on the international stage for Les Bleus.
