Video

Teemu Pukki ranked as 84th best player in the world, above Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Philippe Coutinho

Connor Southwell

Published: 1:13 PM December 18, 2019 Updated: 11:09 PM October 10, 2020

Teemu Pukki has been ranked as the 84th best footballer in the world by a national newspaper, higher than Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Philippe Coutinho. Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd

Teemu Pukki has been ranked as the 84th best player in the world by a national newspaper, putting the Finn above Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Manchester United’s David de Gea and Bayern Munich’s Philippe Coutinho.

Pukki's inspirational form for Norwich City domestically and the Finland national team internationally has seen his profile rise dramatically, especially after impressive performances in the Premier League.

A year ago, Pukki was unknown to the mainstream masses, remembered on these shores merely for an ill-fated spell with Celtic. Pukki was looking to rebuild his reputation with the Canaries following a period of improvement in Denmark.

Now, he is a Finnish hero after firing them to their first-ever major tournament, and his goal-scoring talents haven't diminished in the top-flight for City.

It has been an emergence few anticipated given Pukki was signed as a riskier option for the Championship alongside the reliable Jordan Rhodes.

Teemu Pukki has become a national hero in his native Finland after firing them to Euro 2020. Picture: Martti Kainuleinen/Lehtikuva via AP - Credit: AP

You may also want to watch:

Pukki has netted 22 times in 33 games so far this season for the Canaries and Finland, as well as being handed the Championship golden boot for 29 league goals last season.

That form has seen The Guardian name him among their picks for their 'best players in the world' countdown, with the Finn graded above some big names including Tottenham Hotspur's Dele Alli and Arsenal's Alexandre Lacazette.

A judging panel of 239, which includes former players such as Javier Zanetti, Zico and Quinton Fortune, used a points-based voting system with their top pick receiving 40 points. A player needed to win votes from at least five judges to make the grade.

The Guardian's best male footballers in the world 2019:

100 - Philippe Coutinho, Bayern Munich

99 - Alexandre Lacazette, Arsenal

98 - Samir Handanovic, Inter

97 - Santi Cazorla, Villarreal

96 - Zlatan Ibrahimovic, LA Galaxy

95 - Idrissa Gueye, PSG

94 - Fabio Quagliarella, Sampdoria

93 - David de Gea, Manchester United

92 - Everton, Gremio

91 - Leroy Sane, Manchester City

90 - Achraf Hakimi, Borussia Dortmund