Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham leads Champions League group stage best XI
With the group stages of the Champions League now complete, we’ve taken a look at some of the standout performers across the six matchdays, with Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham leading the way. There are also places in the XI for players from Newcastle, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, FC Porto, RB Leipzig, Real Sociedad, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid.
Despite his side ultimately crashing out of the group stages on the final matchday, English goalkeeper Nick Pope ends the round as the highest rated goalkeeper in the Champions League. Pope made a total of 25 saves across the five matches he played for Newcastle, with his best display coming in the group opener against AC Milan at the San Siro, where he made eight. The 31-year-old’s performance in Italy helped his side to a clean sheet and point, and himself to the player of the match award, with a WhoScored rating of 8.41.
Joao Cancelo (Barcelona) - 7.80
Manchester City loanee Joao Cancelo was one of only two players to register a perfect 10.0 WhoScored rating in the Champions League group stages, and it came against FC Porto on matchday five. Cancelo helped his side to come from behind and win 2-1, directly contributing to both of Barcelona’s goals on the night. Defensively, Cancelo made a total of 16 tackles and 10 interceptions across the six matches he played, to earn an overall WhoScored rating of 7.80.
Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) - 7.39
34-year-old Mats Hummels completes the Champions League group stage as the competition’s highest rated centre-back after imperious displays against AC Milan twice and Newcastle. Hummels’ strongest performance came on matchday five at the San Siro, where he made a total of 10 tackles, more than any player has managed in a Champions League fixture this season. Hummels ends the group stage campaign with the most tackles and interceptions combined (40) of any player in the competition.
Helping the centre-back partnership to an average age of 37 is FC Porto’s Pepe, who started five of his side’s six group stage matches as they finished second to seal qualification from Group H. The former Real Madrid defender continues to show no signs of getting old, and chipped in with a goal in wins against both Royal Antwerp and Shakhtar Donetsk to helped his team across the line. Pepe also made a total of 15 clearances, to end the group stages with an overall WhoScored rating of 7.16.
David Raum (RB Leipzig) - 7.29
German full-back David Raum also saw his side qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League as they finished second to Manchester City in Group G. The 25-year-old directly contributed to three of RB Leipzig’s 13 goals in the group stage, providing the assist for Mohamed Simikan in the group opener against BSC Young Boys, before scoring and assisting in a 3-1 home win over FK Crvena Zvezda a month later. In total, Raum made 10 tackles, five interceptions and 13 clearances to return an overall WhoScored rating of 7.29.
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has looked right at home in his first Champions League campaign, and ends the group stage tied with England teammates Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, as well as FC Porto’s Galeno, for the most goal contributions (7). From the word go, Saka was making things happen for Arsenal on the biggest stage, scoring and assisting in their group opener at home to PSV - a feat he also managed at home to Sevilla on matchday four and Lens on matchday five.
Mikel Merino (Real Sociedad) - 7.75
Real Sociedad could well be the surprise package in this season’s edition of the Champions League. The Spanish side ended the group stage top of Group D and with the fewest goals conceded of any team in the competition (2). Crucial to La Real’s success has been former Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle man Mikel Merino, who has started all but one of his side’s matches in Europe this term. Merino made a total of 12 tackles, eight key passes and won 22 aerial duels, while also contributing with a goal and assist in the 3-1 win over Benfica on matchday four.
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) - 8.30
England international Jude Bellingham has made a remarkable start to life at Real Madrid, and some of his best performances for the Spanish giants so far have come in the Champions League. Bellingham, still only 20, scored in each of his first four European appearances for the club, and also provided assists against Napoli and Union Berlin. Bellingham ends the group stage as the competition’s highest rated player, with a WhoScored rating of 8.30.
FC Porto attacker Galeno ends the Champions League group stage with two of the top five highest rated performances in the competition having shone against Shakhtar Donetsk both home and away. In the away fixture, Galeno had a direct hand in each of his side’s three goals, scoring twice and providing an assist, while in the reverse contest, on matchday six, the Brazilian was involved in four of his Porto’s five goals, scoring twice.
Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) - 7.85
France forward Antoine Griezmann has made a stunning start to the season on all fronts, and helped his side to an unbeaten group stage campaign as they finished top of Group E. Griezmann will head into the last 16 as the competition’s joint-top goalscorer, with five goals. The 32-year-old’s highest rated performance thus far came in the 6-0 home victory over Celtic, where he scored twice and made four key passes to earn a WhoScored rating of 9.49.
Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) - 7.80
Former Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus settled right back into life in the continent’s premium competition, with a goal in each of his four starts across the group stage. Jesus also contributed with assists against both Sevilla and Lens, as well as a total of six key passes and six successful dribbles, to head into the knockout stages with an overall WhoScored rating of 7.80.
