Football is mainly influenced by clubs from five leagues – the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1, and Serie A are historically the top divisions in the sport.
Today, we explore the five best players from leagues outside these top five, including former stars from Napoli, Barcelona, and West Ham United.
Ivan Toney
Ivan Toney is excelling in the Saudi Pro League. This season, the former Brentford striker has scored 23 goals and provided five assists in 22 league matches.
His strong performances have lifted Al-Ahli to second place in the league, surpassing big clubs like Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad.
Toney’s skill level is too high for the Saudi Pro League; he has previously played for clubs like Northampton Town, Peterborough United, and Newcastle United.
Lucas Paqueta
Lucas Paqueta recently returned to his childhood club, Flamengo, after requesting a transfer from West Ham due to homesickness.
Paqueta is primarily an attacking midfielder but can also play on the wing or as a striker.
Throughout his career, he has played in two of the top five leagues, having previously represented AC Milan in Serie A and Lyon in Ligue 1.
Francisco Trincao
Francisco Trincao had a mixed experience at Barcelona but is now thriving at Sporting CP in the Primeira Liga.
This season, he has scored five goals and provided 11 assists in the league, along with four goals in seven Champions League matches.
Trincao’s contributions have helped Sporting reach the top eight in the Champions League – will he make it to Portugal’s squad for the 2026 World Cup?
Vangelis Pavlidis
Vangelis Pavlidis is having an exceptional scoring season. The Greek international has impressed in the Primeira Liga since joining Benfica. While the team is currently third in the league, Pavlidis has been a standout performer.
He has scored 20 goals and provided three assists in 23 league games this season.
Pavlidis has also netted a couple of goals in the Champions League, attracting attention from top European clubs ahead of the summer.
Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen is regarded as one of the world’s top strikers, and his choice to join Galatasaray was unexpected, given offers from bigger teams.
Galatasaray is, of course, a major club, but the Turkish Super Lig doesn’t match the reputation of Europe’s top leagues, placing Osimhen in a unique position.
Nonetheless, he continues to perform well, scoring nine goals in 16 Turkish Super Lig games and seven goals in eight Champions League matches.