Messi pipped for Champions League player of the group stage by hot-shot striker
Here we run through the best WhoScored rated XI in the Champions League following the conclusion of the group stage in midweek, with additional information about Football Index buy prices for each player.
Goalkeeper: Keylor Navas (Paris Saint-Germain) - 7.54 rating
Football Index share price - £0.40
Keylor Navas has enjoyed a fine start to life at Paris Saint-Germain following his summer switch from Real Madrid. The Costa Rica international kept clean sheets in four of his five appearances in Group A, unsurprisingly finishing with the best save success rate in the competition (86.7%). In the sole match Navas did concede, against his former club, he impressively made 10 saves.
Right-back: Juan Cuadrado (Juventus) - 7.68 rating
Football Index share price - £0.63
Juventus impressively finished six points clear of Atletico Madrid at the top of Group D and Juan Cuadrado was one of their standout performers, surprisingly at right-back. The Colombia international played a direct hand in two goals (one goal, one assist) in four appearances and had a pass success rate above 90% in two of those matches. Furthermore, Cuadrado completed 17 tackles and interceptions combined and won 16 fouls.
Centre-back: Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli) - 7.43 rating
Football Index share price - £1.20
Kalidou Koulibaly reaffirmed his status as one of the best centre-backs in Europe, as Napoli progressed from Group E along with defending champions Liverpool. Koulibaly won 66.7% of the aerial duels he contested and completed 5.2 clearances per game, 2.2 tackles per game and 1.5 interceptions per game. Furthermore, only two players blocked more shots in the group stage than the 28-year-old (9).
Centre-back: Jose Luis Palomino (Atalanta) - 7.46 rating
Football Index share price - £0.21
Jose Luis Palomino finished the group stage as the best WhoScored rated centre-back, as Atalanta battled from a disasterous start to their campaign to secure qualification to the knockout stage at their first attempt. No player averages more tackles per game than Palomino (4.8) in the Champions League this season, while he also won 2.8 interceptions per game and won 66.7% of his aerial duels.
Left-back: Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich) - 8.21 rating
Football Index share price - £1.65
Despite securing a move to Bayern Munich from MLS as a winger, Alphonso Davies has been a revalation for the Bundesliga giants at left-back this season. Davies, who concluded the group stage with his best European performance against Tottenham (9.00 rating), registered one assist in three appearances. The 19-year-old ranks in the top-five in the competition for both tackles per game and dribbles per game (both 4.3).
Right wing: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 8.66 rating
Football Index share price - £5.58
Lionel Messi was the second highest WhoScored rated player in the Champions League group stage after more other-worldly performances from the Barcelona superstar. Messi played a direct hand in five goals in four starts (two goals, three assists). The Argentine hit double figures for dribbles completed in three of his four starts and completed at least 12 more than any other player in the competition (39). In fact, Messi's average of 9 dribbles per 90 minutes was greater than six of the teams in the group stage.
Central midfield: Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) - 8.09 rating
Football Index share price - £4.48
Toni Kroos was at his efficient best in Real Madrid's midfield during their group stage campaign, ranking second in the competition for both passes per game (86.6) and accurate crosses per game (2.2). Not only that, but only two outfielders averaged more accurate long balls per game than the 29-year-old (8.2). Kroos also scored one and registered one assist in five appearances, while completing 93.3% of his passes and ranking top for most key passes (22).
Central midfield: Thiago (Bayern Munich) - 7.95 rating
Football Index share price - £2.09
From one pass-master to the next, as Thiago joins Kroos in central midfield in our best rated XI. Of players that registered at least 150 minutes playing time in the competition, only one player averaged more passes per 90 minutes than Thiago (95.6), while he ranked third for accurate long balls under the same parameters (8.9). Moreover, Thiago managed 3.1 tackles per 90 and 2.7 interceptions per 90.
Left wing: Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) - 7.94 rating
Football Index share price - £6.14
Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe managed a hugely impressive WhoScored rating of 7.94 despite the fact two of his five appearances were from the bench. Only two players managed a direct hand in more goals in the group stage than Mbappe (8). In fact, of players that made at least three starts, Mbappe required the fewest minutes per goal involvement (one every 41.3 minutes of action).
Striker: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) - 9.15 rating
Football Index share price - £2.11
Robert Lewandowski finished the group stage as the best WhoScored rated player after remarkably scoring 10 goals in five appearances, one short of the record at this stage of the competition. In doing so, Lewandowski also matched his best ever tally in a single Champions League campaign and still has the whole knockout stage to improve on his record. Lewandowski scored in all five of his appearances and missed the chance to equal Cristiano Ronaldo's record of scoring in every group game after being rested in midweek.
Striker: Harry Kane (Tottenham) - 8.08 rating
Football Index share price - £5.63
Tottenham striker Harry Kane is Lewandowski's closest challenger for the Golden Boot award in this season's Champions League, as the England captain has six goals in five appearances. Like Lewandowski, Kane was rested when Bayern and Tottenham faced each other on Wednesday night. The 26-year-old ranks second behind Lewandowski for most shots per game (4.6) and has won the WhoScored Man of the Match award twice in the group stage (2).
