Paul Conolly

Manuel Neuer is probably used to coming under heavy fire by now. The Bayern Munich legend has, over the course of his career, faced up to some of the most fearsome attackers in history, regularly shutting them out. His swashbuckling brand of sweeper-keeping completely revolutionised the game and how goalkeepers are seen with the German becoming an important starting point for attacks.

The Real Madrid midfield really has been a case of the Luka Modric show these last few years. While Toni Kross and Casemiro have obviously been crucial cogs in that well-oiled machine, it is the Croatian puppet-master who has truly been the toast of the trio. He was the first man to finally wrestle his way past the stranglehold that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi had over the Ballon d’Or and has continually shown himself to be one of the most consistent players on the planet.

Nottingham Forest booked their spot in the most lucrative game in England after beating Sheffield United in a dramatic Championship play-off semi-final. After two legs of all-action, roller-coaster football, the tie went down to the lottery of a shootout, with Brice Samba proving to be the trump card in goal for Forest. It was an incredible moment for the fans of one of England’s true footballing institutions as their long-standing dream of returning to the Premier League came another step closer.