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. Jerome Boateng came in at number ten, here. Manuel Neuer came in at number nine, here. Sergio Aguero came in at number eight, here. Kevin de Bruyne was named as the seventh best player of 2015, here.
And so, for the sixth best player in the world, Alexis Sanchez.
6 - Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal/Chile)
Words: Harry Robinson
What a stunning year for Alexis Sanchez. Having arrived at Arsenal in the summer of 2014, he fitted into the Premier League immediately, as so many La Liga stars fail to do. His tenacity, strength, pace and ultimately exceptional talent made him one of the best players in the country straight away.
2015 was incredible for Alexis, winning the Copa America, FA Cup and being a key part, possibly the best player, in both of those two victorious sides.
Arsene Wenger on Alexis
Perhaps the best summary of Alexis' performances comes from his manager at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger.
“When he does something, he does it 100%,” Wenger said. “He finishes and you think: ‘He’s dead now.’ But then he recovers and gives 100% again. You always see signs of exhaustion but it’s not [that] because two days later, he’s fine.
“His style is very explosive, it’s a very committed style. When they go, they go. They are like the lion. He has to catch the animal in the first 200 metres. If he doesn’t get there, he’s dead [on his feet] afterwards. They are these kind of killers. When they go, it is to kill and after, they have to stop.”
The highlights
In their home Copa America tournament, Chile finally lifted the trophy. After a 99 year wait, Alexis' cheeky penalty won it against Argentina on their home ground.
That is the highlight above all else. Yet Alexis' individual performances were better for his club than his country.
During April and May, he led Arsenal to FA Cup glory for the second year running and dragged them up the league table to a very respectable 3rd place.
In April 2016 he scored three times and assisted once, seeing off FA Cup semi-final opponents Reading with two goals. At the end of the month, he wasn't awarded PFA Player of the Year despite being nominated, but was included in the PFA Team of the Year.
Alexis started every single one of Arsenal's six fixtures in a busy May at the end of the season. He scored twice against Hull City in the league as Arsenal avoided having to play Champions League qualifiers. He then scored and assisted in the FA Cup final, lifting the trophy as the Arsenal fans sung his name at Wembley, clearly the player of their season. He was then voted PFA Fans' Player of the Season to top a great season off.
Returning from the incredible Copa America win with Chile, he had a fantastic start to the season. With no sign of exhaustion from 11 months of intense football, Alexis was playing brilliantly once more for the Gunners.
September and October saw him light up the league and the Champions League. In four games, he scored seven times in a superb run against Leicester, Olympiacos, Manchester United and Watford.
In November, he picked up a serious injury. It was somewhat predictable, having played at such a high level without a break for so long.
Next year for Alexis
First, he needs to return from injury. Then he can look to combine with Mesut Ozil, having a fantastic season at Arsenal, and propel the Gunners to the Premier League title after a decade without it. They are the favourites alongside Manchester City to lift it in May and will have no better opportunity to do it than this year.
His year was stunning and incredible to watch, a joy to watch for a fan of any team. Hopefully, he can create that excitement for football fans around the world in 2016.
