Premier League 2025: The best XI of the calendar year named

Picking a Best XI for a calendar year is unforgiving. There’s no room for reputation, purple patches, or nostalgia. This is about sustained impact across the year.

No excuses for winter, grinding through it and building on the autumn rhythm. It’s about the players who didn’t just flash, but lasted.

Based on consistency, tactical importance, and cold numbers, this is the Premier League’s definitive XI for 2025.

The defensive unit

GK – David Raya (Arsenal)
Raya has quietly become the league’s reliability benchmark with more cleansheets than any other goalkeeper throughout the year. He has amassed 9 alone in the first half of the current campaign and boasts a 73% save rate.

Not to mention, his elite ball-playing security make him more than a shot-stopper.

RB – Daniel Munoz (Crystal Palace)
The engine behind Palace’s transformation. Munoz blends relentless recovery work with real end product, ranking among the league’s best full-backs for defensive actions while still contributing goals and assists. A genuine two-way modern full-back.

CB – Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal)
Gabriel has been a defensive wall and a set-piece weapon, winning two-thirds of his duels while maintaining elite passing accuracy. Five goals across the year underline his impact at both ends.

CB – Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
At 34, Van Dijk remains football’s ultimate cheat code. Near-perfect aerial dominance, progressive passing from deep, and total authority over Liverpool’s back line. The aura is still very real and helped Liverpool clinch #20 in May.

LB – Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal)
Probably the toughest position to pick in the entire XI but you can’t go wrong with a tactical unicorn.

Calafiori’s ability to invert into midfield, intercept high, and carry the ball forward has redefined Arsenal’s left side. Dribble success, interceptions, and ball progression, all elite, all rare for a defender.

The midfield trio

CDM – Declan Rice (Arsenal)
The most complete midfielder in England, Rice now combines world-class ball-winning with creative output. He sits in the top percentiles for both passing efficiency and chance creation. Much like Calafiori, as unique a profile as you can get.

CM – Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest)
2025’s breakout midfielder has to be in there! Elliot Anderson’s box-to-box intensity has powered Forest into Europe. Covering over 12km per game while creating chances at volume, he’s proven he’s far more than just legs.

CAM – Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Chaos, volume, production. Even amid United’s inconsistency, Bruno remains the league’s ultimate chance generator. Twelve goal involvements in 2025 alone and relentless creative output make him impossible to ignore.

The lethal front-three

RW – Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
The evolution continues. Salah has fully embraced his creator-finisher hybrid role, leading the league in assists across the calendar year while still maintaining elite speed and goal threat. Despite a tough second-half of the year, the Egyptian has to be in the team.

LW – Bryan Mbeumo (Manchester United and Brentford)
Brentford’s attacks ran through him and now the Old Trafford faithful love him. With goals, shots, and dangerous carries piling up, Mbeumo is absolutely unstoppable. Direct, unstoppable, and lovely to watch.

ST – Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
The inevitable. Nineteen goals in half a season already, outperforming xG yet again. Until proven otherwise, Haaland remains the Premier League’s default cheat code, the first name on every Best XI. Also leads the league with the most goal involvements with 33.