Football Player Analysis Archives - Page 38 of 102

In our analysis, we evaluate all the players who played in Primeira Liga until March (2023/2024 Season). In other words, we evaluate and filter the best performers with a minimum of 1100 minutes played in the league. Assessing all the positions, we evaluate a lot of factors and indicators in their games that allow us to generate the ratings for their performances. As a matter of fact, in this type of analysis, the type of formation played doesnt influence or limit the ratings system.

GOALKEEPERS (GKs):

Anatolli Trubin (Benfica)
Bruno Varela (Vitória Guimarães)
Kewin (Moreirense)

With incredible performances, Trubin is the best performing goalkeeper until March. Playing for the current champions, Trubin is the upgrade that Benfica needed in goal so that this position presents great quality and stability like Porto’s GK: Diogo Costa. As can be seen, and in a surprising manner, Diogo Costa isn’t present in this Top 3 list.

CENTRE-BACKS (CBs):

António Silva (Benfica)
Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica)
Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting CP)

In terms of the Centre-Backs, the Top 3 is stacked with quality players: as a matter of fact, António Silva leads the average rating of Centre-Backs in the Primeira Liga until March in the 2023-2024 Season. Equally, we can see that he is being followed closely by current World Champion for Argentina (Nicolás Otamendi) and Gonçalo Inácio.

FULL-BACKS (FBs) and WING-BACKS (WBs):

Fredrik Aursnes (Benfica) 8.18
Costinha (Rio Ave) 7.20
Wendell (Porto) 7.11

As shown above, in a Top 3 with one great young talent, Fredrik Aursnes archived the highest average ratings among the Full-Back and Wing-Back position until March. Being, without doubt, one of the most exciting players in the Portuguese League, Costinha is one of the best young talents in this league. After his surprise inclusion in the Brazil squad, we can see that Wendell fulfils this Top 3 list.

MIDFIELDERS (Ms) and WINGERS (Ws):

Rafa Silva (Benfica)
Ángel Di María (Benfica)
Pedro Gonçalves (Sporting CP)

As a result of his great impact in Benfica´s style of play, Rafa Silva has one of the highest average ratings in the league being followed closely by his teammate Ángel Di María and Sporting’s Pedro Gonçalves, two players having great seasons (with incredible ratings).

CENTRE-FOWARDS (CFs):

Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP)
Simon Banza (Braga)
Evanilson (Porto)

Considered by many to be the best player in the league, Viktor Gyökeres has the highest average rating among all players in Primeira Liga (until March 2024). As a result of his performances, Viktor is significantly ahead of his competition.

MORE PRIMEIRA LIGA CONTENT:

BEST PLAYERS IN PRIMEIRA LIGA – PORTUGAL (DEC 2023)

GAME CHANGERS – PRIMEIRA LIGA 23/24 #1

BEST PLAYERS IN PRIMEIRA LIGA – PORTUGAL (JAN 2024)

GAME CHANGERS – PRIMEIRA LIGA 23/24 #2

BEST PLAYERS IN PRIMEIRA LIGA – PORTUGAL (FEB 2024)

Data from FBref.

In our analysis, we evaluate all the players who played in the Primeira Liga (Liga Portugal) until January (2023/2024 Season – Games until 01/02/2024). All things considered, this type of analysis evaluates and filters the best performers with a minimum of 900 minutes played in the league and, assessing all the positions, we can evaluate a lot of factors and indicators in their games that allow us to generate and select the players with an Rating of 8.00+ : players referred to as the “Game Changers”.

Ranking	Player	Rating	Club / Team
1.	Viktor Gyökeres	8.50	Sporting CP
2.	Rafa Silva	8.39	Benfica
3.	Pedro Gonçalves	8.19	Sporting CP
4.	Fredrik Aursnes	8.15	Benfica
5.	Ángel Di María	8.12	Benfica

GAME CHANGERS: Top Players in the Primeira Liga until 01-02-2024.

Player: Viktor Gyökeres
- Team: Sporting CP
  - Nationality: Swedish

Before joining Sporting CP, Viktor Gyökeres was already a Swedish international. Obviously, the incredible play at Coventry City drew attention from Sporting CP in a large investment. Considered by many to be the best player in the league, Viktor Gyökeres has the highest average rating in the Primeira Liga until February of 2024.

Player: Rafa Silva
- Team: Benfica
  - Nationality: Portuguese

Rafa Silva is continuing his great run of form at Benfica since the arrivel of Roger Schmidt. His skills with and without the ball are crucial to the team since he can show his acceleration alongside speed and dribbling, making him Benfica’s biggest offensive weapon. As a result of his great impact in Benfica´s style of play, Rafa Silva has one of the highest average ratings in the league.

Player: Pedro Gonçalves
- Team: Sporting CP
  - Nationality: Portuguese

As shown above, Pote is one of Sporting’s best players so it is always expected to find him in these type of rankings. It his important to realize that this year’s incredible performance has allowed Sporting CP to make up for Morita’s absence (for his national team) in the fight for the title.

Player: Fredrik Aursnes
- Team: Benfica
  - Nationality: Norwegian

In consecutive seasons, Aursnes played a huge part in his teams success: firstly, helping Feyenoord reaching the UEFA Europa Conference League final and then Benfica winning the League title. Without a doubt, Aursnes continues to have a tremendous impact on the Benfica team, reinforced even more by his ability to play in almost every position in the field. Being an extremely versatile player, his ability at full-back is particularly important to adress the difficulty of finding solutions in this positions.

Player: Ángel Di María
- Team: Benfica
  - Nationality: Argentinian

Playing normally from the right hand side, Di María is a winger who enjoys cutting inside – after all, he wants to go onto his favoured left foot. With only an one year on contract, Di María can have a bad game but he has always the ability to be a “Game Changer”!

GAME CHANGERS: Graphical Comparison of the Best Players in the Primeira Liga 23/24.

VARIABLES FOUND IN THE GRAPH:

INT_90: Interceptions per 90 min.
TKL_90: Tackles per 90 min.
PP_90: Progressive Passes per 90 min.
PC_90: Progressive Carries per 90 min.
A_90: Assists per 90 min.
xA_90: Expected Assists per 90 min.
G_90: Gols per 90 min.
xG_90: Expected Goals per 90 min.

MORE PRIMEIRA LIGA CONTENT:

BEST PLAYERS IN PRIMEIRA LIGA – PORTUGAL (JAN 2024)

BEST PLAYERS IN PRIMEIRA LIGA – PORTUGAL (DEC 2023)

Data from FBref.