The Guardian is currently releasing its annual poll of the 100 best players on the planet, which it produces at the end of each calendar year.
Votes are taken from 124 experts from 45 nations, and so far – positions 100-71 have been announced – with the rest being revealed over the next week.
(We really hope Cristiano Ronaldo hasn’t bested Lionel Messi – who is by far away the world’s best footballer – in another of these lists again…)
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From a Liverpool perspective though, Roberto Firmino has been inducted for the first time, proof of his superb performances in 2016 under Jurgen Klopp.
He’s established himself as our first-choice centre-forward when everyone’s fit and combined work-rate with clever movement, pressing, trickery and creativity. He probably doesn’t score enough goals, but he’s very unselfish and plays like he prefers to set up a team-mate than finish himself.
The Brazilian is now a regular in his national squad and one of the first names on Klopp’s team-sheet. He’s been a little less effective without the injured Coutinho alongside him in recent weeks (we expect to see our no.10 much further up the Guardian’s list…), but he’s still produced some breathtaking moments.
Hopefully when Firmino returns to his central role and Coutinho provides him with support on the left, he’ll re-find his breathtaking form from the start of the season.