Real Madrid, Barcelona dominate Europe’s best XI of the season so far
No Premier League players make the cut in the best XI from Europe’s top five leagues this season.
Based on their grades this term, Barcelona and Real Madrid contribute four players, with some less familiar names joined by two ex-Premier League stars and one on loan from Chelsea.
What are these grades, you ask? Gradient’s grades, on a scale of 0-100, evaluate player performance based on the execution of the skills most important to their position.
Based on their overall grades, here is the best XI from Europe’s top five leagues in 2026/27…
GK: Filip Jorgensen (Strasbourg) The ex-Chelsea goalkeepers’ union is thriving, with Jorgensen and Thibaut Courtois earning the highest overall goalkeeper grade, while Djordje Petrovic is also in the top five after a fine start to the season with Bournemouth. At least Chelsea can recall Jorgensen, who is on loan at Strasbourg, where he has been a busy boy, facing the second-highest number of shots in Ligue 1, while earning the highest shot-stopping grade in France.
RB: Vanderson (Monaco) – 87.5 We always thought Vanderson was one of those fictional players dreamt up only for the purposes of being linked with Manchester United. Alas, no. The Brazilian has been been strong in defence and attack, grading seventh in Ligue 1 for one-v-one defending and second for crossing. Too good for United then.
CB: Manuel Akanji (Inter Milan) – 86.2 The ex-Manchester City defender is the highest-graded defender in Europe, with the highest grade for duels in Serie A, which is a big reason why another ex-City star, John Stones, can’t get in the Inter side.
CB: Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid) – 86.0 The highest-graded defender in La Liga is also graded highest for his positioning while forming a fine centre-back partnership with Ibrahima Konate at the heart of Jose Mourinho’s back four.
LB: Raphael Obermair (Paderborn) – 81.2 The nine highest-graded full-backs in the top five leagues are all right-sided, with Obermair edging out Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies as the best leftie. The 30-year-old Philippines international (don’t pretend you knew any of that) has completed as many crosses as Michael Olise while creating 12 chances in eight appearances from wing-back.
CM: Pedri (Barcelona) – 89.7 To the surprise of no one, Pedri has the highest grade among midfielders in Spain for passing and the second-highest for ball control. The touch of Rayo Vallecano’s Unai Lopez must be immaculate.
CM: Cristian Casseres Jr (Toulouse) – 91.3 A less familiar name than his partner here, but Casseres has been the highest-graded player of all in Europe’s top five leagues and the only one scoring above 90. Only six players have more than the Venezuelan’s six, with Casseres graded in the top five in Ligue 1 for passing, crossing, duels, one-v-one defending, on-ball attacking and ball control.
AM: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) – 89.7 Only Casseres is graded above Bellingham this season, with the Real star’s form reflected in his on-ball attacking grade – the highest in La Liga. The England midfielder has four goals and three assists in 11 appearances.
RW: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) – 86.3 No-one has more goal contributions than Yamal, with the Barca star level on 18 with team-mate Raphinha. Yamal is also the only player in this XI to feature in the top 10 highest-graded players in the Champions League.
LW: Marco Grull (Werder Bremen) – 88.3 The Bremen winger has nine goal contributions this season, the same as Olise and Erling Haaland, with only Harry Kane and Antonio Nusa having more Bundesliga assists.
CF: Igor Matanovic (Freiburg) – 88.9 Atletico’s Kang-in Lee and Manchester United’s Matheus Cunha are listed as the highest-graded centre-forwards, but neither have played predominantly through the middle this season. Which takes us to Matanovic, the 23-year-old somehow edging out Harry Kane (88.6) with four goals and one assist for third-placed Freiburg.
MORE: Premier League goalkeepers ranked: Lammens slips out of top 10 as Alisson climbs
