The Premier League is missing from Europe’s top 10 right now
Europe’s biggest leagues have already produced some surprising names among the early-season performers. WhoScored’s ratings put several familiar stars alongside less-established players after the opening weeks of the 2026-27 campaign.
Barcelona, Real Madrid, Freiburg and other major clubs are represented, while several unexpected names have also made an early impression. With plenty of the season still to play, these ratings offer a snapshot of who has started fastest across Europe’s top five leagues.
How these player ratings actually work
WhoScored’s rating system draws on dozens of match statistics, weighting goals and assists alongside defensive work and passing accuracy. The formula rewards players who influence games in measurable ways, not just highlight-reel scorers.
Only league matches count toward these totals, so Champions League heroics and cup runs don’t factor in. That distinction matters, since several players here shined in Europe without it boosting their rating.
The countdown begins with two surprise names
The early-season group spans Spain’s La Liga, Germany’s Bundesliga, England’s Premier League, Italy’s Serie A and France’s Ligue 1. Established stars appear alongside players who are making an early impact at the highest level.
The names include proven scorers, creative midfielders and emerging talents. With the season still in its early stages, the group reflects short-term form rather than a settled measure of a player’s full-season performance.
Serhou Guirassy delivers in every outing
Guirassy has produced a goal contribution in each of his three Bundesliga appearances for Borussia Dortmund this season. He needed nine minutes to score in the opener, then added a goal and assist the next week.
A third-game assist completed a perfect start to his campaign in Germany. Guirassy also scored a Champions League brace in that run, though continental goals don’t count here.
An Eintracht Frankfurt center back is turning heads
Jeremiah Maluze has played just twice in the Bundesliga this season for Eintracht Frankfurt, once in a back three and once in a back four. That limited sample has still produced an outsized impact.
He set up a goal in a win over Mainz, showing range beyond his defensive duties. Such output from a center back is rare, helping him crack Europe’s highest-rated list.
Donyell Malen picks up right where he left off
Malen carries momentum into this season after scoring Serie A’s only hat trick of 2025-26 for Roma. He continued that form immediately, scoring in the opener and adding a brace the following week.
He’s on six goals through four league games this season for Roma. Malen missed last season’s golden boot as a midseason arrival and now has a full campaign to chase it.
Cristian Casseres has been ever-present for Toulouse
Casseres cracks the top 10 by sharing the most Ligue 1 assists this season, with three. The Toulouse midfielder is in his fourth season with the club and contributing at both ends.
He hasn’t missed a single minute in Ligue 1 this season, a rare feat for any outfield player. That reliability, paired with his playmaking, has vaulted him into a conversation with bigger names.
Jude Bellingham carries his World Cup form into Madrid
Jude Bellingham arrived for the new season after a strong World Cup with England. Now playing under new manager José Mourinho at Real Madrid, he has already scored three La Liga goals, putting him halfway to matching his league total from last season.
Bellingham also has two assists in La Liga. Both came in Real Madrid’s 4-1 win over Real Sociedad, where he played a key role in the victory and helped set up Vinícius Júnior for the team’s third goal.
Antonio Nusa is making Leipzig believers
Nusa’s rating jumped after a standout display against Hamburg on Sunday, when he scored a goal and provided two assists for RB Leipzig. That performance helped push him into the current group of Europe’s highest-rated players.
Nusa also scored in RB Leipzig’s Bundesliga opener against Borussia Mönchengladbach. The 21-year-old has continued to produce after that opening-day goal, adding another goal and two assists against Hamburg.
Kylian Mbappe is chasing a second Ballon d’Or bid
Mbappé has made a strong start to the 2026-27 season after a standout 2026 World Cup with France. He scored a hat trick against Real Sociedad in Real Madrid’s second La Liga match and has continued to score regularly.
He became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer during the 2026 tournament, reaching 22 goals across his World Cup career. He also scored against Málaga and twice against Rayo Vallecano before adding another goal against Elche.
Fun fact: Mbappe is the only player in World Cup history to win the Golden Boot twice and he did it four years apart first at Qatar 2022 then again at the 2026 tournament, while also becoming, at just 27, the tournament’s all-time leading scorer with 22 goals.
Raphinha has been reinvented as a Barcelona striker
Raphinha has been used as a center-forward by Barcelona this season after an excellent 2025-26 campaign. He opened the La Liga season with 2 goals against Elche and has continued to produce from his new position.
He scored 9 league goals through Barcelona’s first 6 La Liga matches, including a hat trick against Racing Santander on Sept. 16. Raphinha also provided 2 assists in Barcelona’s 4-2 win over Levante.
Lamine Yamal is somehow still only 19
Yamal has continued his remarkable start to the season for Barcelona, scoring 7 La Liga goals through the club’s first 6 league matches. He scored braces against Rayo Vallecano, Valencia and Levante in three consecutive league games.
Yamal also recorded a perfect 10.0 rating against Rayo Vallecano in late August, according to available match-rating data. Still only 19, the Barcelona forward has continued to produce alongside Raphinha as the club maintains its perfect league start.
An unlikely name tops Europe’s ratings right now
Igor Matanović has made an impressive start to his second season with Freiburg. The German-born Croatian striker scored a goal and provided an assist against Werder Bremen in his first Bundesliga appearance, then scored twice against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
His early performances have put him among the highest-rated players in Europe’s top five leagues. Freiburg have also made a perfect start to the competitive season, adding context to Matanović’s strong opening weeks.
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Who deserves the top spot as the season goes on
Early-season ratings can change quickly as more league matches are played. Goals, assists, defensive contributions and overall match performances will continue to shape which players rise or fall as the 2026-27 campaign moves forward.
Several familiar stars are already among the standout performers, but some less-expected names have also made strong starts.
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Which player has impressed you most so far? Share your pick in the comments and let us know who you think deserves more attention.
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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