Who was the best dribbler in football during the 2025/26 season?

Was it Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal, Manchester City’s explosive Jérémy Doku, Real Madrid stars Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé – or one of the less famous players producing extraordinary numbers elsewhere in Europe?

This complete ranking compares the leading dribblers by:

• Total completed dribbles
• Completed dribbles per 90 minutes
• Total dribble attempts
• Dribble success rate
• The best combination of volume and efficiency
• The leading dribblers in the Danish Superliga

Lamine Yamal finished first in Europe’s five major leagues with 127 completed dribbles, 239 attempts and 5.05 successful dribbles per 90 minutes.

Yan Diomandé was his closest challenger with 115 completed dribbles and an outstanding success rate of 58.4%.

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Quick Answer: Who Was the Best Dribbler in 2025/26?

Lamine Yamal was the most productive dribbler in Europe’s five major leagues during the 2025/26 season.

The Barcelona winger led three major categories:

Category	Leader	Result
Most completed dribbles	Lamine Yamal	127
Most dribble attempts	Lamine Yamal	239
Most completed dribbles per 90	Lamine Yamal	5.05
Best success rate among the volume leaders	Yan Diomandé	58.4%
Best in the Danish Superliga per 90	Darío Osorio	2.9

Yamal therefore combined the greatest total output with the highest rate of successful dribbles per 90 minutes.

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Important Information About the Data

The main international rankings cover league matches from the 2025/26 season in:

• Premier League
• La Liga
• Bundesliga
• Serie A
• Ligue 1

These competitions are commonly grouped as Europe’s five major leagues.

The Danish Superliga is presented in a separate ranking using FotMob data. It should not be treated as one officially merged table because different data providers may use slightly different definitions, filters and minimum-minute requirements.

This is therefore not a literal ranking of every professional player in every league in the world.

It is a detailed comparison of the leading dribblers in Europe’s five biggest leagues, followed by a separate Danish Superliga ranking.

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What Counts as a Successful Dribble?

A dribble, often called a take-on, is normally recorded when a player directly challenges an opponent while controlling the ball.

The attempt is successful when the player:

1. Engages an opponent
2. Gets past that opponent
3. Retains control or possession of the ball

Simply running forward with the ball does not automatically count as a completed dribble. There must normally be a direct attempt to beat an opponent.

The success rates in this article are calculated as:

Completed dribbles ÷ attempted dribbles × 100

A player who completes 60 of 100 attempts therefore has a success rate of 60%.

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Top 20: Most Completed Dribbles in 2025/26

Rank	Player	Club	Attempts	Completed	Success rate	Completed per 90
1	Lamine Yamal	Barcelona	239	127	53.1%	5.05
2	Yan Diomandé	RB Leipzig	197	115	58.4%	4.19
3	Vinícius Júnior	Real Madrid	190	85	44.7%	2.72
4	Kenan Yıldız	Juventus	150	78	52.0%	2.48
5	Jérémy Doku	Manchester City	144	77	53.5%	3.89
6	Kylian Mbappé	Real Madrid	139	73	52.5%	2.53
7	Iliman Ndiaye	Everton	131	70	53.4%	2.27
8	Yann Gboho	Toulouse	154	70	45.5%	2.42
9	Víctor Muñoz	Osasuna	174	69	39.7%	2.34
10	Antonio Nusa	RB Leipzig	132	68	51.5%	3.02
11	Marco Palestra	Cagliari	134	68	50.7%	1.99
12	Azzedine Ounahi	Girona	126	66	52.4%	3.38
13	Nico Williams	Athletic Club	144	65	45.1%	3.49
14	Yankuba Minteh	Brighton	119	64	53.8%	2.41
15	Michael Olise	Bayern Munich	138	63	45.7%	2.45
16	Nico Paz	Como	120	62	51.7%	1.94
17	Andrei Rațiu	Rayo Vallecano	117	61	52.1%	1.96
18	Arthur Atta	Udinese	120	61	50.8%	2.15
19	Haissem Hassan	Real Oviedo	123	60	48.8%	2.78
20	Nicolas Pépé	Villarreal	116	58	50.0%	2.18

Yamal Finished Well Clear of the Superstars

Lamine Yamal completed:

• 12 more dribbles than Yan Diomandé
• 42 more than Vinícius Júnior
• 50 more than Jérémy Doku
• 54 more than Kylian Mbappé

He was also the only player to complete more than 120 league dribbles.

The gap between Yamal and third-placed Vinícius was almost as large as the total output of several regular starting players.

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Top 20: Most Completed Dribbles per 90 Minutes

Total numbers reward players who stay fit and play many minutes.

The per-90 ranking instead shows how frequently players completed dribbles while they were actually on the pitch.

A minimum playing-time filter is important because otherwise a substitute who completes two dribbles during a five-minute appearance could finish with an unrealistic rate.

Rank	Player	Club	Completed per 90
1	Lamine Yamal	Barcelona	5.05
2	Yan Diomandé	RB Leipzig	4.19
3	Jérémy Doku	Manchester City	3.89
4	Nico Williams	Athletic Club	3.49
5	Azzedine Ounahi	Girona	3.38
6	Antonio Nusa	RB Leipzig	3.02
7	Mohammed Kudus	Tottenham	2.99
8	Khvicha Kvaratskhelia	Paris Saint-Germain	2.86
9	Haissem Hassan	Real Oviedo	2.78
10	Vinícius Júnior	Real Madrid	2.72
11	Jean-Mattéo Bahoya	Eintracht Frankfurt	2.64
12	Ander Barrenetxea	Real Sociedad	2.60
13	Julio Enciso	Strasbourg	2.58
14	Jan Virgili	Mallorca	2.56
15	Kylian Mbappé	Real Madrid	2.53
16	Kenan Yıldız	Juventus	2.48
17	Pathé Mboup	Brest	2.48
18	Mathys Tel	Tottenham	2.47
19	Michael Olise	Bayern Munich	2.45
20	Yann Gboho	Toulouse	2.42

How Dominant Was Yamal’s Average?

Yamal’s rate of 5.05 was:

• 0.86 higher than Diomandé
• 1.16 higher than Doku
• 1.56 higher than Nico Williams
• Almost twice Mbappé’s rate of 2.53

This does not automatically mean Yamal was twice as valuable as Mbappé.

The two players have different roles. Mbappé contributes more through movement behind the defence, finishing and central runs, while Yamal is repeatedly asked to create advantages from direct one-on-one situations.

For more analysis of decision-making and awareness, read The Complete Guide to Football Intelligence.

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Top 20: Most Dribble Attempts in 2025/26

A player cannot complete a large number of dribbles without accepting risk.

These were the 20 players who attempted the most take-ons:

Rank	Player	Club	Attempts	Completed	Success rate
1	Lamine Yamal	Barcelona	239	127	53.1%
2	Yan Diomandé	RB Leipzig	197	115	58.4%
3	Vinícius Júnior	Real Madrid	190	85	44.7%
4	Víctor Muñoz	Osasuna	174	69	39.7%
5	Yann Gboho	Toulouse	154	70	45.5%
6	Kenan Yıldız	Juventus	150	78	52.0%
7	Jérémy Doku	Manchester City	144	77	53.5%
8	Nico Williams	Athletic Club	144	65	45.1%
9	Kylian Mbappé	Real Madrid	139	73	52.5%
10	Michael Olise	Bayern Munich	138	63	45.7%
11	Marco Palestra	Cagliari	134	68	50.7%
12	Antonio Nusa	RB Leipzig	132	68	51.5%
13	Iliman Ndiaye	Everton	131	70	53.4%
14	Azzedine Ounahi	Girona	126	66	52.4%
15	Haissem Hassan	Real Oviedo	123	60	48.8%
16	Antoine Semenyo	Season total	120	48	40.0%
17	Nico Paz	Como	120	62	51.7%
18	Arthur Atta	Udinese	120	61	50.8%
19	Jarrod Bowen	West Ham	119	53	44.5%
20	Luis Díaz	Bayern Munich	119	58	48.7%

Yamal attempted 42 more dribbles than Diomandé and 49 more than Vinícius.

Diomandé’s numbers were especially impressive because he combined the second-highest number of attempts with the best success percentage among the main volume leaders.

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Why Failed Dribbles Are Not Always Bad

Losing the ball during a take-on is not automatically evidence of poor decision-making.

Wingers are frequently asked to:

• Attack a defender from a standing position
• Create something against a compact defensive block
• Challenge even when a second defender is providing cover
• Break a defensive line without an obvious passing option
• Accept the possibility of losing possession
• Create space for teammates by attracting opponents

A player who never attempts a difficult dribble may protect possession but also fail to create the breakthrough his team needs.

The best attacking players must combine courage with judgment.

Read more about performing under pressure in Why the World’s Best Footballers Never Panic.

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Top 20: Best Success Rate Among the Leading Volume Dribblers

A player can technically record a 100% success rate by completing one dribble from one attempt.

That does not make him the best dribbler in the league.

This efficiency ranking is therefore limited to the players who finished in the top 20 for total completed dribbles.

Rank	Player	Completed	Attempts	Success rate
1	Yan Diomandé	115	197	58.4%
2	Yankuba Minteh	64	119	53.8%
3	Jérémy Doku	77	144	53.5%
4	Iliman Ndiaye	70	131	53.4%
5	Lamine Yamal	127	239	53.1%
6	Kylian Mbappé	73	139	52.5%
7	Azzedine Ounahi	66	126	52.4%
8	Andrei Rațiu	61	117	52.1%
9	Kenan Yıldız	78	150	52.0%
10	Nico Paz	62	120	51.7%
11	Antonio Nusa	68	132	51.5%
12	Arthur Atta	61	120	50.8%
13	Marco Palestra	68	134	50.7%
14	Nicolas Pépé	58	116	50.0%
15	Haissem Hassan	60	123	48.8%
16	Michael Olise	63	138	45.7%
17	Yann Gboho	70	154	45.5%
18	Nico Williams	65	144	45.1%
19	Vinícius Júnior	85	190	44.7%
20	Víctor Muñoz	69	174	39.7%

Diomandé was the only player in this group to combine more than 100 completed dribbles with a success rate above 55%.

That represents a rare combination of:

• High volume
• Confidence
• Technical quality
• Repeated one-on-one involvement
• Strong efficiency

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Denmark: Top 20 Dribblers in the 2025/26 Superliga

The Danish ranking is ordered by successful dribbles per 90 minutes.

Rank	Player	Completed per 90	Success rate
1	Darío Osorio	2.9	56.3%
2	Mikel Gogorza	2.8	49.0%
3	Frederik Emmery	2.8	48.9%
4	Prince Junior	2.7	39.9%
5	Agon Muçolli	2.6	60.6%
6	Elies Mahmoud	2.5	58.7%
7	Rami Al Hajj	2.4	60.5%
8	Aral Şimşir	2.4	39.7%
9	Abdoulaye Camara	2.3	66.7%
10	Youssoufa Moukoko	2.3	56.4%
11	Charly Horneman	2.3	38.9%
12	Sami Jalal Karchoud	2.2	50.9%
13	Sofus Johannesen	2.1	40.0%
14	Norman Campbell	2.0	63.0%
15	Olti Hyseni	2.0	39.6%
16	Thomas Jørgensen	1.9	63.2%
17	Kevin Yakob	1.9	62.5%
18	Kevin Mbabu	1.9	48.1%
19	Marcus McCoy	1.8	57.6%
20	Gift Links	1.7	57.0%

Darío Osorio led the Superliga with 2.9 successful dribbles per 90 minutes.

Mikel Gogorza and Frederik Emmery followed closely on 2.8, while Abdoulaye Camara produced the best success percentage among the top ten.

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The Most Efficient Players in the Danish Top 20

Player	Success rate
Abdoulaye Camara	66.7%
Thomas Jørgensen	63.2%
Norman Campbell	63.0%
Kevin Yakob	62.5%
Agon Muçolli	60.6%
Rami Al Hajj	60.5%

These numbers must still be read in context.

One player may attempt relatively safe dribbles in midfield, while another repeatedly attacks two defenders near the penalty area.

A higher percentage does not automatically mean the player creates more danger.

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How Would the Superliga Leaders Compare Internationally?

Darío Osorio’s average of 2.9 successful dribbles per 90 sits close to:

• Mohammed Kudus: 2.99
• Khvicha Kvaratskhelia: 2.86
• Haissem Hassan: 2.78

Mikel Gogorza and Frederik Emmery both recorded 2.8.

That demonstrates the individual attacking quality present in the Danish league.

However, the rankings should not be officially merged because:

• Different data providers may use different event definitions
• Minimum-minute requirements can vary
• The leagues have different tactical styles
• The standard of opposition is different
• FotMob rounds the Danish per-90 figures to one decimal place

The comparison is useful, but it should be treated as indicative rather than absolute.

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Lamine Yamal: The Clear Dribbling King

Yamal did not win only one statistical category.

He led in:

• Total completed dribbles
• Total attempted dribbles
• Completed dribbles per 90 minutes

He also retained a success rate above 53% despite attempting 239 take-ons.

That is important.

It is easier to protect a high success rate when a player chooses only safe situations. Yamal continued to challenge defenders repeatedly, even when opponents knew exactly what he wanted to do.

Why Is Yamal So Difficult to Defend?

His game combines:

• Close control
• Small touches at different speeds
• Sudden acceleration
• A dangerous left foot
• The ability to attack inside or outside
• Strong balance under contact
• Awareness after beating the first opponent
• The ability to pass, cross or shoot after the dribble

A defender cannot simply block one direction.

When the inside route is open, Yamal can move onto his left foot and create a shot or final pass.

When that route is blocked, he can accelerate towards the outside.

Young players can learn the technical foundations in Football Skills for Kids – Complete Guide.

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Yan Diomandé: Volume and Efficiency Combined

⚽ Yan Diomande – Den Ukendte Dreng, Der Kan Blive Verdens Næste Store Fodboldstjerne

Diomandé was the only player who seriously challenged Yamal’s total.

His league numbers included:

• 197 dribble attempts
• 115 completed dribbles
• 58.4% success rate
• 4.19 successful dribbles per 90
• 12 goals
• 8 assists

The most impressive element was not simply the number of attempts.

It was his ability to maintain an excellent success rate while attempting almost 200 dribbles.

Player	Attempts	Completed	Success rate
Lamine Yamal	239	127	53.1%
Yan Diomandé	197	115	58.4%

Yamal completed 12 more, but Diomandé succeeded with a higher percentage of his attempts.

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Jérémy Doku: The Explosive Specialist

Doku completed 77 dribbles in 1,783 league minutes.

That produced an average of 3.89 successful dribbles per 90 – the third-highest figure in Europe’s five major leagues.

Doku uses:

• Sharp hip movements
• Shoulder feints
• Stop-and-start actions
• Rapid changes of direction
• Short bursts of acceleration
• Repeated touches without losing speed

Defenders often know he intends to attack them.

The difficulty is predicting the precise moment when he will accelerate or change direction.

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Mbappé vs Vinícius: Who Was the Better Dribbler?

Real Madrid’s two superstars both appeared near the top, but their statistics reveal different attacking profiles.

Statistic	Vinícius Júnior	Kylian Mbappé
Attempts	190	139
Completed	85	73
Success rate	44.7%	52.5%
Completed per 90	2.72	2.53
League goals	16	25

Vinícius completed 12 more dribbles and attempted 51 more.

Mbappé was more efficient and scored significantly more league goals.

Two Different Types of Threat

Vinícius frequently receives the ball close to the left touchline before confronting a full-back directly.

Mbappé’s threat is more strongly connected to:

• Runs behind the defensive line
• Explosive acceleration into space
• Central movement
• Finishing
• Dribbling at high speed
• Attacking before the defender becomes balanced

A player does not need to lead the take-on ranking to be the most dangerous goalscorer.

Read the English profile of another explosive French winger in Bradley Barcola – PSG’s Lightning-Fast Superstar.

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Darío Osorio: Denmark’s Leading Dribbler

Darío Osorio finished first in the Danish Superliga ranking with:

• 2.9 successful dribbles per 90
• 56.3% success rate
• 6 league goals
• 6 assists
• 1,934 league minutes

Osorio normally attacks from the right despite being left-footed.

That allows him to:

• Cut inside and shoot
• Move outside the full-back
• Play early crosses
• Attack the space behind a defensive line
• Receive between the lines
• Accelerate into central positions

The defender must decide whether to protect the inside or the outside route.

Osorio can then read the defender’s body position and attack the weaker side.

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RB Leipzig Had Two Players Near the Top

RB Leipzig were represented by:

• Yan Diomandé: 115 completed dribbles
• Antonio Nusa: 68 completed dribbles

Nusa also ranked sixth for completed dribbles per 90 with 3.02.

That gave Leipzig multiple players capable of beating opponents without relying entirely on passing combinations.

When a team has direct dribblers on both sides, opponents cannot simply overload their defence against one winger.

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What Dribbling Statistics Cannot Tell Us

The numbers are valuable, but they do not explain everything.

A completed dribble may take place:

• Near the player’s own penalty area
• On the halfway line
• Near the touchline
• Inside the opposition penalty area
• Against an attacker
• Against an elite defensive full-back
• Without creating a shot or chance afterwards

Two successful dribbles do not necessarily have the same value.

A take-on that creates a clear scoring opportunity is normally more important than one followed by a safe backward pass.

Position and Role Matter

Wingers usually receive more opportunities to attempt direct dribbles than:

• Centre-forwards
• Defensive midfielders
• Centre-backs
• Goalkeepers

The fairest comparisons are therefore normally between players with similar positions and responsibilities.

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What Makes the Best Dribblers So Effective?

1. They Change Speed

Elite dribblers do not sprint at maximum speed during every movement.

They slow down, encourage the defender to relax or step forward and then accelerate suddenly.

2. They Read the Defender’s Balance

A strong dribbler observes:

• The defender’s front foot
• Hip direction
• Weight distribution
• Distance between the feet
• Defensive support nearby
• Available space after the first move

When the opponent transfers weight in one direction, the attacker moves in the other.

3. They Protect the Ball

A spectacular skill is useless if the ball moves too far away from the attacker.

The best players use their body to place themselves between the defender and the ball.

4. Their Dribbles Have a Purpose

A good take-on can:

• Create a shot
• Create a passing lane
• Break a defensive line
• Attract a second opponent
• Win a free kick
• Create a numerical advantage
• Move the ball into a more dangerous area

5. They Accept Failure

Yamal failed with 112 of his 239 attempts.

He still finished as the most productive dribbler in Europe’s five major leagues.

The lesson is not that losing the ball does not matter.

The lesson is that creative players must be brave enough to try again after an unsuccessful action.

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Five Dribbling Exercises Inspired by the Best Players

Exercise 1: Changes of Direction

Place six cones approximately two metres apart.

Dribble through them using:

• Inside of the foot
• Outside of the foot
• Sole rolls
• Cruyff turns
• Stepovers
• Body feints

Control should come before maximum speed.

Exercise 2: Slow-to-Fast Acceleration

Dribble slowly for five metres.

Perform a feint and accelerate at maximum speed for the next five metres.

This develops the change of pace used by Yamal and Doku.

Exercise 3: One Defender and Two Goals

Create two small goals approximately eight metres apart.

The attacker scores by dribbling through either goal.

The defender therefore cannot protect only one direction.

Exercise 4: First Touch Into a Dribble

Receive a pass from a teammate or rebound wall.

Use the first touch to move towards the defender before performing a skill and accelerating away.

Exercise 5: Dribble and Finish

Complete a one-on-one action and shoot immediately afterwards.

This teaches the player that the dribble is not the final objective.

The objective is to create an effective next action.

Find more practical exercises in Ultimate Football Drills for Kids and the Soccer Training Session Plan for Kids.

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Main Conclusions

Most completed dribbles:
Lamine Yamal – 127

Most attempted dribbles:
Lamine Yamal – 239

Best average per 90 minutes:
Lamine Yamal – 5.05

Best success rate among the top-volume dribblers:
Yan Diomandé – 58.4%

Best Superliga dribbler per 90:
Darío Osorio – 2.9

Best success rate among the Danish top ten:
Abdoulaye Camara – 66.7%

Yamal was therefore the clear dribbling leader of the 2025/26 season.

He attempted the most take-ons, completed the most and produced the highest total per 90 minutes.

Diomandé delivered the best combination of extreme volume and efficiency, while Osorio finished as the leading dribbler in Denmark.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who completed the most dribbles in 2025/26?

Lamine Yamal completed 127 dribbles for Barcelona, the highest total in Europe’s five major leagues.

Who attempted the most dribbles?

Yamal attempted 239. Yan Diomandé was second with 197, followed by Vinícius Júnior with 190.

Who completed the most dribbles per 90 minutes?

Yamal led with 5.05 completed dribbles per 90. Diomandé recorded 4.19 and Jérémy Doku 3.89.

Who had the best success rate?

Among the players who ranked in the top 20 for completed dribbles, Diomandé had the best rate at 58.4%.

Who was the best dribbler in Denmark?

Darío Osorio led the Danish Superliga with 2.9 successful dribbles per 90 minutes.

Did Vinícius complete more dribbles than Mbappé?

Yes. Vinícius completed 85 compared with Mbappé’s 73. Mbappé had the better success percentage.

Was Yamal statistically better than Doku?

Yamal completed 127 dribbles compared with Doku’s 77. He also averaged 5.05 per 90 compared with Doku’s 3.89. Their success rates were very similar.

What does completed dribbles per 90 mean?

It estimates how many successful dribbles a player would complete over 90 minutes of playing time.

Is the player with the highest success rate always the best?

No. A high percentage may come from selecting fewer and safer attempts. Volume, location, difficulty and the result of the dribble also matter.

Why are Messi and Neymar not included?

The international ranking covers the 2025/26 league season in Europe’s five major leagues. Players competing outside those leagues are not included in the main table.

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Read More English Football Articles on Finter.dk

1. Visit the English Finter.dk Football Homepage
2. Bradley Barcola – PSG’s Lightning-Fast Superstar
3. Football Skills for Kids – Complete Guide
4. The Complete Guide to Football Intelligence
5. Why the World’s Best Footballers Never Panic Under Pressure
6. Small-Sided Games in Football – Complete Guide
7. Soccer Training Session Plan for Kids
8. Ultimate Football Drills for Kids
9. Jude Bellingham – The Ultimate Guide
10. Training in Hot Weather – A Complete Guide for Football Coaches
11. England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
12. FIFA World Cup 2026 – Teams Ready to Shock the World
13. The 25 Biggest Breakout Stars of FIFA World Cup 2026
14. World Cup 2026: Clubs and Players With the Most Goals and Assists
15. Messi at the 2026 World Cup: Eight Goals and Historic Records
16. Erling Haaland’s World Cup and Norway Show
17. Haaland vs Kane: England vs Norway
18. England vs Argentina: Messi, Kane and Bellingham
19. England Finish Third After a 6-4 France Thriller
20. Germany’s World Cup 2026 Exit – Full Analysis
21. Kevin Keegan Dies Aged 75 – Career and Legacy
22. The 25 Most Humiliating Football Goals Ever Scored

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Sources and Method

The rankings for Europe’s five major leagues are based on StatMuse’s 2025/26 season data for completed and attempted dribbles.

The success percentages were calculated by dividing completed dribbles by attempted dribbles.

The Danish Superliga ranking is based on FotMob’s successful-dribbles-per-90 table for the 2025/26 season.

Because the international and Danish rankings use different providers, the Danish players are shown separately rather than inserted directly into one official combined table.

Statistics checked on 26 July 2026.

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