Sancho and Ronaldo fall well short of ultimate dribble XI
Following our Stats XI series opener taking key passes into account, today's sequel focuses on successful dribbles, building a lineup of the players to have completed the most in Europe's top five leagues this season.
There are, once again, some big name omissions in the likes of Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo, but the following team would undoubtedly be an entertaining watch!
Goalkeeper: Sergio Herrera (Osasuna) - 3 successful dribbles
It may not sound like a lot, but Herrera is the only keeper to complete more than two dribbles this season despite the fact that he has started just 11 LaLiga matches this season. To put that into context, the 26-year-old has completed 0.3 dribbles per game, which is level with Thomas Muller amongst many others.
Right-back: Achraf Hakimi (Borussia Dortmund) - 61
If Hakimi's first season at Dortmund was a success then his second has been sensational, with the Moroccan's future a big talking point once his loan comes to an end. As well as having a hand in 13 Bundesliga goals this season the 21-year-old has completed 61 of 101 dribbles attempted.
Centre-back: Davide Biraschi (Genoa) - 27
Completing the most dribbles of any centre-back this season, Biraschi leads the way despite starting just 14 Serie A matches, all but one of which has been a back three. The 25-year-old's confidence to carry the ball out from defence and the success with which he has - completing 27 of 32 attempts (84.4 per cent) - has been outstanding, averaging a remarkable 1.9 dribbles per 90 minutes.
Centre-back: Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig) - 23
A mountain at the back for Leipzig this season, playing a pivotal role in an excellent defensive record, Upamecano's ability to step out from the heart of a back three is key to his side's possession play. He's completed more than a dribble per game this season at a 76.7 per cent success rate.
Left-back: Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich) - 64
A revelation as a makeshift left-back this season, Davies preference for playing further forward on the wing has been offset by Bayern's dominance of possession and the teenager's subsequent capacity to continue to display his dribbling ability. The 19-year-old has completed the most dribbles of any full-back in Europe despite making just 21 appearances.
Central midfield: Gaetano Castrovilli (Fiorentina) - 76
Another player that has made a huge impression in what has been a breakthrough season, Castrovilli's first in top-flight football has been a real highlight for Fiorentina. The 23-year-old has been a key player with and without the ball for the Viola but it's his ability to carry possession forwards from midfield that has really caught the eye, averaging 3.4 dribbles per 90 at an excellent 73.8 per cent success rate.
Right wing: Adama Traore (Wolves) - 144
Wearing the armband for this side of opponent skippers, Traore is essentially a statistical anomaly when it comes to dribbling. The Spaniard has completed 6.3 per 90 this season, which is remarkable enough without the consideration of a superb 74.4 per cent success rate. At full tilt he's nigh-on impossible to stop.
Attacking midfield: Nabil Fekir (Real Betis) - 73
After a relatively modest and disrupted start to his Betis career, Fekir was hitting his stride prior to the football suspension but in truth has shown his dribbling ability all season. The Frenchman has completed 3.6 dribbles per 90 in his debut LaLiga campaign at a solid 66.4 per cent success rate.
Attacking midfield: Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain) - 90
It may not be a surprise to see the Brazilian in this side but when you consider Neymar has played just 15 Ligue 1 matches this season his inclusion is pretty astonishing. 6.1 successful dribbles per 90 is only just shy of Adama Traore's frequency, though a success rate of 60.8 per cent - while respectable - is far more modest.
Left wing: Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) - 136
Another name you might well expect to find in this lineup, in terms of volume Zaha's figures don't disappoint. A success rate of 62.1 per cent is decent, if unspectacular, and any dribbling XI would be incomplete without the Palace trickster.
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 118
The responsibility of leading the line in this side could only really fall to one man, with Messi completing more dribbles on average this season than any of the previous eight in LaLiga at the age of 32. In just 22 league appearances the Barcelona wizard has completed 118 dribbles at an excellent 72.4 per cent success rate to accompany the 31 goal contributions in that time.
