Top 10 Best Dribbler in the World – 2025 (Ranked)

Dribbling is the skill of moving past the defenders while maintaining speed & control by keeping the ball close & carrying it forward. It is one of the most exciting skills in football. Yes, some other aspects make football a better & an entertaining sport to watch, but dribbling arguably remains at the top. Some players are gifted with elite-level dribbling skills, while some have to work hard to hone this skill. If we talk about Lionel Messi, his dribbling skills are arguably unmatched, and the amount of time he spends on dribbling is much lesser compared to that of others. In case you are wondering why we are saying so, just watch the highlight reel of 2014-15 UCL 1st leg semis when he dribbled past Bayern's Jerome Boateng, causing him to lose his balance & fall.

At present, a new generation of footballers has started to appear on the scene, as players like Lamine Yamal, Jeremy Doku, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia & many more are bamboozling fans in awe with their ability to dribble and cut inside the opposition penalty box. In this article, we will showcase our list of best dribbler in the world at present, which has been made after hours of exhaustive stats-backed research. To make sure any bias doesn't impact the ranking, we have considered several ranking factors while deciding on who is the best dribbler in the world currently.

List of Best Dribblers in the World (2025)

In football, ongoing trends and the teams/clubs followed influence our opinions to a significant extent. Hence, it's inevitable that you might be asking why a particular player is left out or question our decision to include a particular player in the list. But these players were sorted out through several parameters, like dribbling success, ability to run into the opposition penalty box & style of play, along with speed & agility. Feel free to mention below in comments that according to you, who is the best dribbler in the world.

How did we rank the Top 10 Best Dribbler in the World (2025)?

To finalise our list of best dribbler in the world 2025, we have considered those ranking factors that contribute to a player's effectiveness & reputation while performing this skill. Our evaluation process has incorporated bot statistical skills such as dribbles/90 and overall successful dribbles, along with providing a subjective assessment of a player's style & overall impact.

• Performance Stats: From a statistical perspective, we examined several key indicators. The number of goals, assists and touches in opposition box per 90 minutes played provides a clear measure of how often a player manages to beat an opponent while in possession of the ball. This statistic highlights those players who have consistently challenged and overcome defenders in 1-v-1 situations. This factor is the primary factor in listing the best dribbler in the world.
• Playing Style: Beyond the numbers, our ranking of the best dribbler in the world is also quite subjective in nature, as we also took into account several major elements that define a truly exceptional dribbler. Players’ unique playing style plays a significant role, as some players possess an aesthetic quality to their dribbling that goes beyond mere effectiveness. The unpredictability and skill with which they navigate past opponents contribute to their reputation and impact. Moreover, the overall impact and effectiveness of their dribbling were considered.
• Speed and Agility: An additional factor while listing the best dribbler in the world 2025 edition was speed and agility. As both speed and agility are something that make dribbling more effective. This factor was used to cement the rank of an individual in our list.

Note: Sources that were considered while compiling this list based on their stats were Transfermarkt, Sportsdunia, Fotmob and FBref.

Who is the Best Dribbler in the World in 2025?

Nowadays, there has been a debate going on that football has become more direct & technical, with individual creativity, flair & jaw-dropping dribbling moments becoming a rare sight. However, the top 10 best dribbler in the world mentioned below challenge that myth by displaying skills on the pitch. Let's get into the nitty-gritty & learn why they are the best dribblers in the world in modern football.

10. Desire Doue (Age: 20 | PSG)

Since bursting onto the scene at Parc Des Princes over a year ago, French winger Desire Doue has wowed the fans & neutrals alike with his elegant, pacey and skillful dribbling skills. The reigning Ligue 1 young player of the year has a bamboozling ability to glide past defenders with exceptional close control of the ball, pace and trickery.

This term, he did hit a bump when he was sidelined for a few games due to injury, but now he is getting back to doing what he does best: unsettle opponents with his dribbling ability, which stands at a pretty impressive 2.59 dribbles a game. Due to his ability to dribble past the opposition with grace, he contributes significantly to progress the ball towards the opposition's penalty area as he ranks in the 90th percentile in progressive carries. Apart from this, he has also recorded more than 8 touches per 90 minutes in the penalty box. These stats highlight his knack for consistently carrying the ball forward into promising attacking positions, and also pretty much justify why he is one of the best dribbler in the world.

9. Bukayo Saka (Age: 24 | Arsenal)

Arsenal endured a challenging phase last term, when their starman, Bukayo Saka, was out injured for 2 months. The England international is crucial to Mikel Arteta's team as much of the Gunners' attack & creativity comes from the right side of the attack. A mid-volume & high-accuracy dribbler by nature, Saka has recorded 6.87 touches per game after he moves the ball into the final third & creates goal-scoring & goal-creating opportunities. He ranks in the 83rd percentile in terms of progressive carries according to FBref, highlighting his ability to cause chaos in the opposition's penalty area.

If you have followed his career trajectory since he made his senior debut as a 16-year-old, it won't be a surprise that, currently, Bukayo Saka is one of the best Premier League wingers. He uses intelligent and well-timed close control to dribble past the defenders and dart into promising attacking positions. He has recorded 2.24 successful dribbles/game as he uses his raw pace & athleticism to win 1-v-1 battles against the defenders. Although due to injury earlier in the season, he has made a slow start this season, he is now back to make an impact as usual. With Arsenal soaring at the top of the PL table, we can expect more to see from one of the best dribbler in the world, Bukayo Saka.

8. Kenan Yıldız (Age: 20 | Juventus)

After breaking into the first team 2 seasons ago, Juventus youngster Kenan Yildiz has become undroppable from the starting XI. Trickery, flair & excellent close control with the ball define his dribbling style. As we have seen in several matches already, including a thrilling 4-4 draw with Borussia Dortmund in the UCL, he is press-resistant & hard to dispossess when he makes his run in the attacking third. With successful dribbles recorded at 2.3 per 90 minutes, he can manoeuvre himself past multiple defenders in the space of just a few seconds, before creating opportunities for himself and other team members.

He has 6 goal involvements in all competitions so far & is a shining light in a largely inconsistent campaign so far for the Bianconeri. His 4.52 touches per game in the final third highlight his willingness to arrive in promising goalscoring positions. What makes him worthy of a place among the top 10 best dribbler in the world is the fact that while bamboozling the defenders with his dribbling skills, he runs past them with explosive pace. With more than 70% of the season still left, Yildiz will only tend to perform even better and maybe move up in the rankings within a few months.

7. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Age: 24 | PSG)

Just two games into his Napoli career, Georgia National Team skipper Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was already compared to the greatest player ever to don the Partenopei jersey. His nickname ‘Kvaradona’ was published on the front pages of major outlets, and though it was difficult to pronounce, his dribbling skills were not too hard to see. While dribbling, he exhibits a certain degree of unpredictability. He runs past the defenders by showcasing explosive pace and often deceives defenders by performing disguised first touches. With 2.62 dribbles per game, he blitzes past the defenders and gets inside the final third, as his 5.95 touches within the penalty box highlight his ability to cause chaos there.

Injury in the early stages of the ongoing 2025-26 season disrupted his rhythm, but that's likely just a blip as he can perform consistently. His ball progression ranks in the 93rd percentile & he is not even close to his last season form yet. As the season progresses, and with reigning UCL champions PSG still performing pretty much well, fans can get to see more from Kvaratskhelia. But his performance in the last 18 months with both Napoli and PSG clearly showcases that he is one of the best dribbler in the world.

6. Vinícius Júnior (Age: 25 | Real Madrid)

Although the recently concluded El Clásico ended seemingly in a verbal spat between him and Xabi Alonso, there is no denying that, as things stand, Brazilian star Vinicius Junior has found his mojo back. With 5 goals & 4 assists already, he is ready to put his 2024/25 season disappointment behind him. With his exceptional dribbling skills, explosive pace on the pitch & fearless playing style, Vini is always a constant menace for defenders in La Liga and as well as in the Champions League. It's no surprise that the stats put him among the top 10 best dribbler in the world season after season. He is among the players having the highest touches in the opposition penalty box (10.40 per game), which is one of the major indicators of how dangerous he is in promising attacking positions.

His versatility in dribbling makes him capable of playing from both flanks and creates room for him to cut inside & create goal-scoring opportunities. Under Los Blancos manager Xabi Alonso this season, Vini and Real Madrid have been amazing to watch as they are unbeaten in both La Liga & in UCL. With 5.22 dribbles per 90 minutes, he is showing why he can be the best dribbler in the world. The arrival of Kylian Mbappe last year led to critics questioning his future, but he is still the undisputed starter, playing close to his best. With much of the domestic season still left, Vinicius will be getting opportunities to elevate his performance even more & create more records.

5. Mohammed Kudus (Age: 25 | Tottenham Hotspur)

After a stellar debut campaign with West Ham United, versatile attacker Mohammed Kudus had a difficult 2nd season in East London, causing some critics to question if he is one of those one-season wonders. But then, Tottenham came calling ahead of the 2025-26 season in the summer & he regained his form as things stand. His versatility enables him to run through the opposition's defence with speed, power & aggression. His athleticism means that not only can he dribble past multiple players, but he can also carry the ball over longer distances. His 6 goal contributions have propelled Tottenham to 3rd in the Premier League table currently.

Although time will tell if he can be considered one of the best dribblers in the world, talking of this year, he is definitely one of the best dribbler in the world 2025. He ranks in the 90th percentile in terms of ball progression in all competitions. He uses his low centre of gravity to protect the ball under pressure & uses his skill of close control with the ball to get inside the box and create goalscoring opportunities. With AFCON looming, along with most of the domestic campaign left, Kudus will only get more opportunities to showcase his potential as one of the world's best dribblers.

4. Kylian Mbappe (Age: 26 | Real Madrid)

The one securing the 4th spot in our list of best dribbler in the world 2025, is none other than Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe. As avid football fans, we have mostly seen him steal the headlines for his blistering pace & clinical finishing, but he also possesses explosive, accelerated dribbling ability, which has made him a constant threat for opposition defences throughout his career. His dribbling style is an exhibition of his clinical efficiency, as one of its defining traits is that, instead of taking the first touch to control the ball, he subtly changes the direction of the ball depending on where he wants to run & within the blink of an eye, immediately transitions from receiving to attacking & glides past his opponents.

Though he is not known for showing trickery with the ball, Mbappe uses his versatility, agility & quick feet to navigate through the tightest of defences and create chances for himself & his teammates. Such ability with the ball meant that it was inevitable that he would be back to his usual goalscoring spree after having a sort of “normal” season as per his standards. He has already netted 16 times in just 13 games in all competitions this term & if it keeps on going like this, he will likely end up surpassing his tally from the 2024-25 season. Thanks to his consistency & impressive form, not only he is one of the best dribblers, but also one of the best players in the world.

3. Lamine Yamal (Age: 18 | FC Barcelona)

Securing the 3rd spot on our list is Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal. At just 18 years old, Yamal has already captured the attention of football fans worldwide with his exceptional dribbling skills & maturity, which often makes people think as if he has been playing for years. He has been compared to Barcelona legend Lionel Messi and Neymar, as all 3 showcase elite-level dribbling, flair and chance creation moments in their playing style. After analysing the player's performance & stats, we have found that he emphasises his gameplay on quick footwork, changing of pace while carrying the ball forward & unpredictability to confuse & then glide past the defenders. Additionally, as of now, he is well recognised as the best youngster in the world because of delivering game-changing performances on an almost consistent basis.

Despite his young age, Yamal has become a key attacking threat for Barcelona. He has 8 goal contributions so far this season and has recorded 6.73 successful dribbles per game. He also ranks the highest in LaLiga in terms of recording the most successful dribbles per 90 minutes. His inclusion in this list underscores his immense potential to influence the game within the blink of an eye & proves that he could remain one of the world’s best dribblers for years to come.

2. Jeremy Doku (Age: 23 | Manchester City)

Since joining Manchester City from Rennes a couple of seasons ago, Belgian forward Jeremy Doku has left defenders dizzied with his impeccable dribbling skills. He ranks in the 99th percentile in terms of progressive carries, credit for which can be largely attributed to his 4.53 successful dribbles per game this season. Playing with a team that bosses possession, the 23-year-old wingers have achieved more successful take-ons than anyone else while facing the opposition defenders 1-v-1. If you have a look at Doku's dribbling skill, you will get the answer to why he is in our list of the best dribbler in the world. For context, in his debut season in 2023/24, he carried the ball into the 18-yard box a staggering 147 times, despite playing only half of the available minutes.

Doku can play effectively on both wings & he constantly changes his position to present himself with as many progressive passes option as possible. He uses his low centre of gravity, unpredictable footwork & explosive pace while dribbling to full effect to beat defenders in 1-vs-1 situations. He often uses his signature move, in which he feints towards the inside by putting his right foot over the ball, forcing the defenders to lean in, & then, with a sudden burst, glides past them from the right. His ability to cut inside means he has recorded almost 11 touches a game this season inside the 18-yard box & has become a source of constant chaos among the defenders. With City still in the rebuilding phase, Deku has room to improve even more & hone his dribbling skills further to win more honours with the club.

1. Lionel Messi (Age: 38 | Inter Miami)

The answer to the question “who is the best dribbler in the world”, is none other than Barcelona legend Lionel Messi, now plying his trade for Inter Miami in MLS. Even in the twilight of his decorated & legendary career, Messi’s dribbling ability is a jaw-dropping sight to behold. Despite playing in a league with a different competitive intensity, his close ball control, agility, and uncanny ability to weave through tight spaces are still evident.

In the ongoing season playing for Inter Miami, Messi has recorded a whopping 128 successful dribbles, bettering his 87 successful dribbles in the 2024/25 season. He has registered 33 goals and 18 assists in all competitions, including 31 goals and 16 assists in league matches alone. Furthermore, as the World Cup year is also coming closer, Messi would want to continue to build upon his stellar form. But be it at Barcelona or now in Inter Miami, Leo Messi as per stats, can be termed as the best dribbler in the world.