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2012 Predictions For The Top 10 Players In World Football

2012 Predictions For The Top 10 Players In World Football

Mario Balotelli, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Christian Eriksen were amongst the names tipped to be the world's best footballers by 2020.

Adnan Riaz

Adnan Riaz

Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar was predicted to be the best player in world football in 2020, according to Bleacher Report.

The publication compiled the 10-man list ahead of Euro 2012 and said that the tournament features a "bevy of young, exciting players who will dazzle fans for many years to come."

Neymar, 28, was making waves during his time at Santos and was heavily linked with Real Madrid and Barcelona at the time.

While Bleacher said that the Brazilian winger's "haircut may be the worst of all the players on this list," the publication backed him to "easily develop into the best footballer on the planet by the end of the decade."

Neymar since went on to play for Barcelona and became the world's most expensive player after PSG splashed out an astonishing £198m in 2017.

But the Brazil international has been hampered with injuries and not reached the same heights of success as Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.

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Behind Neymar in the rankings was Mario Gotze, who was putting the world on notice with his dazzling showcase at Borussia Dortmund.

The 27-year-old German midfielder would leave Dortmund for fierce rivals Bayern Munich in 2013 and spent three seasons with the club.

But Gotze would return to Dortmund in 2016 after winning three consecutive Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich.

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Eden Hazard rounded off the top three and had left Lille in 2012 to sign for Chelsea.

The 29-year-old Belgian winger spent seven years with the Blues and lifted the Premier League title twice and won two Europa Leagues.

Hazard left Chelsea last summer after he completed a sensational £88.5m move to Real Madrid.

And Bleacher even mentioned in its list that Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane said he would sign Hazard "with [his] eyes closed."

Posted below are Bleacher's predictions for the 10 best players in world football in 2020.

PA

10. Mamadou Sakho

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9. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

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8. Mario Balotelli

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7. Jack Wilshere

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6. Lucas Moura

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5. Christian Eriksen

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4. Thiago Alcantara

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3. Eden Hazard

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2. Mario Gotze

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1. Neymar

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Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Football News, Football