New qualifier closes gap to Messi in final 2019 player form rankings

Another week of player form rankings, another week on top spot for Lionel Messi, but in the final leaderboard of the calendar year one new qualifier has closed the gap to the Argentine significantly.

The Barcelona star retains pole position following a goal in a 4-1 win over Deportivo but his rating has fallen from last week having also been kept at bay in the midweek not-so-clasico against Real Madrid.

As such it was an opportunity for the chasing pack to make some ground on Messi but the likes of Timo Werner and Jadon Sancho - the two closest rivals last time out - failed to do so, instead dropping from second and third to sixth and fifth respectively.

However, the difference in weighted form rating from Messi to his latest closest challenger is narrower than ever. Qualifying for the first time in recent months, Kylian Mbappe has finally started six of the last eight league matches available to come into contention.

The 21-year-old scored for the fourth league game running, the sixth league start in succession and seventh match in a row in all competitions for PSG, netting twice in a 4-1 win over Amiens. The youngster now has 11 goals and four assists to his name in Ligue 1 despite starting just nine of 12 appearances.

Meanwhile Kevin De Bruyne is up to third following a huge leap as he ran the show against top four rivals Leicester. The Belgian followed up a superb brace against Arsenal by ending a seven-game wait without an assist in the league to take said tally to ten for the season, having now also scored four goals in total across his last six appearances.

Dimitri Payet keeps his place in fourth following yet another man of the match display against Nimes, scoring in a 3-1 win along with creating seven chances.

Elsewhere Adama Traore is down to seventh despite another dribbling masterclass against Norwich, completing seven, while Angel Di Maria climbs back into the top ten following another assist, now having a direct hand in at least one goal in seven of his last eight league appearances.

Luis Alberto keeps his place in eighth despite not being in league action this weekend, while Sadio Mane benefits from numerous dropouts elsewhere to claim tenth spot having also been occupied elsewhere. Both players played pivotal roles as clubs Lazio and Liverpool respectively earned their first silverware of the 2019/20 campaign over the weekend.

Qualifying Rules

Only ratings from each player’s last six league matches are considered, weighted chronologically, with the most recent match carrying greater importance and so on. To qualify each player must have featured in two of the last three league matches and started at least six of the last eight available.