Champions League: These Players Can Lead Their Teams to Euro Glory

We’re two games into the 2025/26 Champions League and, already, the early league table sees some of the usual suspects leading the way.

Azerbaijani club Qarabag are the only impostors in a gang of six with two wins from two, which includes reigning champions PSG, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid. There is a long, long way to go, but already there have been some stunning performances from the teams and players who are dreaming of the final to be held on May 30^th at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.

Let’s take a look at the SBOTOP pick of five players we believe can define the tournament over the next seven months or so.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, PSG

The Champions League 2025 betting odds say the reigning champions are the team to beat, and the way they swept all before them last season, PSG certainly set a standard.

And they began this campaign with a 4-0 victory over Atalanta, with Georgian winger Kvaratskhelia on the scoresheet. His transfer from Napoli last January made big headlines in both Italy and France, and the 24-year-old has shown just why the Parisiens shelled out €70 million for his services. A superbly gifted player with pace and strength, he is the perfect modern-day winger and “Kvaradona”, as he was christened in Naples, can lead PSG to glory again.

Bukayo Saka, Arsenal

An injury-hit 2024/25 campaign kept Arsenal and England star Saka out of the limelight, but he is back with a vengeance and leading the way as the Gunners push for domestic and European success. His 55 goals in 200 games for Arsenal and 12 in 44 for England are some records for a 24-year-old who has been on the sidelines over the past 12 months.

With superb ball control, his pace and trickery mean Saka is a player who gets the fans off their seats. He scored the Gunners’ second in their 2-0 win over Olympiakos last week and bagged again against West Ham United, on his 200^th Premier League appearance, at the weekend. This boy is on fire.

Pedri, Barcelona

While the Blaugrana lost their second match of the current European campaign to PSG, one player who I am sure will feature heavily in the Champions League 2025 highlights is Barca midfielder Pedri. Like Saka, he has suffered a long absence with injury, but also in common with the Arsenal star, he has achieved an incredible amount in his short time in the game.

Pedri is playing a vital role in Barcelona's fight to lift the Champions League this 2025-26 season — Barcelona’s Pedri fights for the ball against PSG’s Warren Zaire Emery during their latest Champions League match

At 22 years of age, Pedri has already won two La Liga titles and a European Championship gold medal with Spain. A midfield general who can play right across the centre of the park, can sit in a deeper role or just behind the forward line. Pedri has supreme control of the ball, 360-degree vision, and a superb array of passing skills. He is calmness personified and can work in extremely tight spaces, which makes the Barca man a joy to watch.

Harry Kane, Bayern Munich

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has said that former Spurs star Harry Kane would be welcome to return to his boyhood club, and no wonder, as the 32-year-old has been banging in the goals for fun again. He’s scored 11 for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga already in just six games.

The Bavarians are already starting to pull away at the top of the table, and Kane has four goals in the Champions League too, with a brace in both Bayern’s opening games, a 3-1 win over Chelsea, and a 5-1 slapping of Pafos. Kane is breaking records for fun, recently becoming the fastest player this century to score 100 goals in one of the top five leagues, doing so in 104 games to beat the record previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland.

Kevin De Bruyne, Napoli

Another former Premier League legend has made a new home in Europe and has already become a fan-favourite, as Kevin De Bruyne is already showing Napoli fans just how good he is.

One of the best assist-makers in the history of the game, De Bruyne made the move from Manchester City to Napoli in the summer, and he has already scored three Serie A goals in five games. Now 34, the Belgian ace is still a player you can’t take your eyes off.

While Scott McTominay will be the all-action hero for Napoli, it is De Bruyne who can provide that moment of match-winning magic, a pinpoint through ball, or a classy finish. He’s box office stuff.

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