2015 draws to a close and VAVEL UK present our first ever Top 50 Players in the World.
Voted for by both editors and writers at VAVEL UK, we have produced a refined list of the best players of this year. Today, we'll reveal the 10th best player of 2015 with Number One on January 1st, New Year's Day.
Keep following to see who has made it and who hasn't. There were some lengthy discussions over who slipped into this list.
You can see the Top 41-50 here. You can see the Top 31-40 here. You can see the Top 21-30 here. You can see the Top 11-20 here.
And so, for the eighth best player in the world, Sergio Agüero.
8 - Sergio Agüero (Manchester City/Argentina)
2015 has been a frustrating year for Agüero - who has been unable to match the high expectations he's set for himself - due to frequent injuries limiting the amount of first-team football he's played. Every time he gets back fit, another setback seems to be around the corner.
This term, he's netted nine goals in all competitions, but an astounding five of them came against Newcastle back at the start of October. A key player for both club and country, the talented Argentine has constantly been watching from the sidelines, and you can tell that it's slowly beginning to hurt his morale levels.
Manchester City themselves pose much less of an attacking threat in the absence of Agüero, and the stats themselves back it up. They're significantly less able to finish goalscoring chances without their talisman, and he's their leading goalscorer in the League with seven. Kevin de Bruyne (10 in all competitions) has played eight more games than his teammate, but has contributed more assists, playing mainly on the right or left-hand side of a forward three behind a lone striker.
From 32 shots this term, he's netted seven - a higher shot/goal ratio than all of his teammates that've featured in more than five games this season.
Even still, his goalscoring ability and attacking prowess hasn't faded away. Hamstring and knee injuries have meant the 27-year-old has missed an eyewatering eleven games in all competitions for the sky Blues this term, which means his high position in this year's top 50 would naturally be questioned.
His world-class ability though, as well as his knack for goals and level of clinical finishing have justified his spot. Of late, he admittedly hasn't been at his best. Understandably so, because he's still getting back to 100% match fitness - but his sharpness is gradually improving and his presence alone is enough to worry opposition defenders.
Quotes
Paul Scholes, Manchester United legend: "If you look at the quality of player that comes to England, I don’t think we have the best players in Europe or in the world. Would any get in the Barcelona team, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich? They wouldn't. Sergio Agüero is the exception."
Agüero's manager, Manuel Pellegrini: "We know that Kun needs three/four games to return to [the level of] his performance after an injury, and I am sure we are going to see the best of him in the second-half of the season. He needs these minutes."