INFTH Top 100: Numbers 28 and 27

28. Angel Di Maria- One of the trickiest wingers on the planet, Di Maria reinforced the fine reputation he had acquired during his time with Benfica with a fantastic season for Real Madrid.

A consistent starter for Jose Mourinho's team, Di Maria was a key part of the attack, a weapon which complemented players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. Nine goals in all competitions isn't a particularly impressive statistic, but it is Di Maria's assist total that really blows the mind. Twenty across three tournaments is brilliant even for a winger, a stat which clinched Di Maria's place in the top thirty.

A rumored target of virtually everyone last season, Di Maria's move ended up benefiting both club and player, as the Argentinian's success helped the Merengues to a first trophy in several years.

Internationally, Di Maria is an important part of the Argentinian squad currently competing at the Copa America; the winger scored in Argentina's recent 3-0 win over Costa Rica.


27. Thiago Silva- Considered by many as the finest center half in Europe, Thiago Silva did much to enhance his reputation over the past twelve months.

Much like fellow Brazilian Lucio, Thiago Silva starred in the Serie A last season, forming a terrific central defensive partnership with Italian World Cup winner Alessandro Nesta. As demonstrated by his brief sojourn into the central midfield position, Thiago Silva is talented with the ball at his feet, a player capable of starting an attack from the back.


Silva's strong performances last season even led to inclusion in INFTH's World XI to take on Barcelona, quite an honor for the AC Milan defender.

Starting at the center back position for the Brazilian national team at Copa America, Silva is widely thought of as the next great Brazilian defender, and judging by his performances last season, public opinion of him is spot on.


Obviously, after such a fine season's showing, Silva has been linked to the current European champions, though a move rumor of a move to Barcelona was quickly quelled by the defender himself.