Ian DarkeDec 28, 2025, 06:00 AM ETCloseDarke, who called games for the network during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, is ESPN lead soccer voice in the United States. He has covered the Barclays Premier League and the Champions League since 1982, and has one of the world’s most recognizable soccer voices.
There’s no silverware handed out at Christmas — not in the Premier League, anyway. But that is won’t stop us having some festive fun selecting a team of the season so far.
The huge hug he received from manager Pep Guardiola at the end of the recent game vs. West Ham United was a public display of how important he is to City’s challenge on all fronts.
Reece James (Chelsea): Whether deployed in his natural right-back position or in central midfield, James has oozed class and fine leadership for a young Blues team that perhaps does not quite believe in itself yet. His beautifully struck free kick at Newcastle just before Christmas was a reminder of how sweetly he strikes a football.
Crucially, he seems to have shaken off the injuries that plagued his earlier career. If James stays fit, he will surely be England’s starting right back at the World Cup.
Dan Ballard (Sunderland): He embodies the fight and defiance of Sunderland, who have been the story of the season in the Premier League. Crashing into tackles and winning headers, he is a big reason why a promoted team tipped to go straight back down is competing for a top-six spot. His former life on loan at Swindon, Millwall and Blackpool is all in the past. He is a Premier League star now, if a slightly improbable one.
– O’Hanlon: Premier League Future Power Rankings: Projections for all 20 teams – Schoenfeld: The revival of Sunderland, the club and the city – Olley: Gyökeres’ transfer was meant to change Arsenal. What happened?
Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace): The center back was on the verge of a move to Liverpool in the summer, but manager Oliver Glasner was having none it. So for the moment, he stays at Selhurst Park, putting in polished professional displays almost every week. He’s England’s best defender, and it’s only a matter of time before he moves on. The queue for his signature, either in January or as a free agent next summer, will be long.
Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City): The elegant 20-year-old City academy product has been a revelation since being switched from central midfield to left back, where Pep Guardiola selects him every week. When called up to make his debut for England, he looked as if he had been in the national team for several years. Grounded and ego-free, he gracefully glides through games.
Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool): Even amid the storms that have hit Liverpool’s season, the Hungarian has been the team’s standout player by some distance, even when playing as an emergency right back. His long-range free kick to beat Arsenal in August is one of the goals of the season, and his level of performance has been staggering. It’s strange to think that his place looked the one most under threat after the summer arrival of Florian Wirtz. Now, he is undroppable.
It would have been easier for him to sign for a more glamorous club, but he clearly relishes the job helping a famous old club shock the world.
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal): He creates chances, scores goals, and is generally a constant source of menace on the right for the Gunners. Extremely hard to contain, he is very much Danger Man No. 1 in Arsenal’s title challenge. Keeping him fit (not always easy) will be crucial if Mikel Arteta’s team is to strike gold at last.
Erling Haaland (Manchester City): His 19 Premier League goals before Christmas equaled a record set 32 seasons ago by Andy Cole of Newcastle United. Quite simply, he is the deadliest marksman operating in England, with a frightening conversion rate — so much so that it is a genuine surprise when he does miss. His presence makes Norway dangerous outsiders at the World Cup.
Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa): He’s the man threatening to keep Jude Bellingham out of the England team, Rogers cost Villa only £15 million in transfer fees to bring him to the club from Middlesbrough, but he’s blossomed into a real match winner, as underlined by his two world-class strikes to beat Manchester United. Rogers is an inventive player with good movement, vision, technical skills and an eye for goal.
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City): The much-decorated Italian has proved an exceptional signing last summer from Paris Saint-Germain, where his saves at vital moments helped propel Luis Enrique’s team to the Champions League crown. Even though City had already signed James Trafford as their new No. 1, they took the view that Donnarumma was too good to miss when he became available. He has been an outstanding last line of defense with some spectacular saves, enough to break the hearts of opposing forwards.
CloseDarke, who called games for the network during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, is ESPN lead soccer voice in the United States. He has covered the Barclays Premier League and the Champions League since 1982, and has one of the world’s most recognizable soccer voices.
For this observer, these are the players who have shone brightest.
GK David Raya (Arsenal) DF Marc Cucurella (Chelsea) DF Matthijs de Ligt (Manchester United) MF Moisés Caicedo (Chelsea) MF Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Everton) MF Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) MF Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle) FW Phil Foden (Manchester City) FW Iliman Ndiaye (Everton) FW Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace) FW Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth) ST Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United) ST Igor Thiago (Brentford)
Is Guardiola right for proposing Man City weigh-in after Christmas? (1:59)The ESPN FC panel talks about Pep Guardiola’s rule of weighing Manchester City players after the Christmas break. (1:59)