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Teemu Pukki ranked as 84th best player in the world, above Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Philippe Coutinho
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
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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.
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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
89 - Dele Alli, Tottenham Hotspur
88 - Hugo Lloris, Tottenham Hotspur
87 - Tammy Abraham, Chelsea
86 - Kai Havertz, Bayer Leverkusen
85 - Diego Godin, Inter
84 - TEEMU PUKKI, Norwich City
83 - Jose Maria Gimenez, Atletico Madrid
82 - Gerard Pique, Barcelona
81 - Marco Verratti, PSG
80 - Marco Reus, Borussia Dortmund
79 - Sergio Busquets, Barcelona
78 - Dries Mertens, Napoli
77 - Arthur, Barcelona
76 - Memphis Depay, Lyon
75 - Gabriel Jesus, Manchester City
74 - Jordan Henderson, Liverpool
73 - Raphael Varane, Real Madrid
72 - Marcus Rashford, Manchester United
71 - Marquinhos, PSG
70 - Giorgio Chellini, Juventus
69 - Bruno Fernandes, Sporting Lisbon
68 - Thiago Silva, PSG
67 - Lucas Moura, Tottenham Hotspur
66 - Bruno Henrique, Flamengo
65 - Jordi Alba, Barcelona
64 - Duvan Zapata, Atalanta
63 - Ciro Immobile, Lazio
62 - Jorginho, Chelsea
61 - Casemiro, Real Madrid
60 - Mauro Icardi, Inter
59 - Timo Werner, RB Leipzig
58 - Fernandinho, Manchester City
57 - Dani Alves, Sao Paulo FC
56 - Edinson Cavani, PSG
55 - Paul Pogba, Manchester United
54 - Aymeric Laporte, Manchester City
53 - Erling Braut Haaland, RB Salzburg
52 - Gabriel Barbosa, Flamengo
51 - Romelu Lukaku, Inter
50 - Miralem Pjanic, Juventus
49 - Riyad Mahrez, Manchester City
48 - Jamie Vardy, Leicester City
47 - Lautaro Martinez, Inter
46 - David Silva, Manchester City
45 - Luka Modric, Real Madrid
44 - Toni Kroos, Real Madrid
43 - Georginio Wijnaldum, Liverpool
42 - Paulo Dybala , Juventus
41 - Christian Eriken, Tottenham Hotspur
