Warning: Contains spoilers for Blue Lock.The characters of Blue Lock have evolved tremendously from where they were at the story’s beginning. What was once a gaggle of high school students of varying skills has now become a group of high-class players who can each hack it in the professional world, and their talents have been recognized worldwide because of it.

Blue Lock’s cast has never stopped evolving, and the latest arc is the biggest showing of their skills. Blue Lock has just finished the Neo-Egoist League arc, which anime fans can expect to see in Blue Lock season 3, and thanks to that, Blue Lock has officially defined the top players in the Blue Lock program and the ones who will go on to form Japan’s new U-20 team for the World Cup. Naturally, some Blue Lock players are better than others, and the best of them will surely be the best characters to watch in the arcs.

11 Tabito Karasu

First Appearance: Blue Lock Chapter 93, Episode 24

Tabito Karasu was introduced as the third-best player in Blue Lock and someone who looks down on people he considers to be mediocre. As revealed in Blue Lock’s spinoff, Blue Lock: Episode Nagi, however, Karasu’s attitude is a cover for his feelings of self-doubt, and he genuinely respects people who can be themselves without caring what people think.

Karasu’s analytical skills make him someone who can easily adapt to situations on the fly, which is why he was a midfielder during the U-20 match, and while he didn’t do much during his time at PXG, Karasu’s performance landed him in 11th place at the end of the Neo-Egoist League. Karasu only ranks so low because of how little focus he received, but with the incoming World Cup arc, that’s bound to change.

10 Rensuke Kunigami

First Appearance: Blue Lock Chapter 1, Episode 1

Rensuke Kunigami is one of Isagi’s oldest friends from Team Z and someone who used to be a kindhearted and ive person. After going through the Wild Card program to survive, however, Kunigami was twisted into a cold and domineering figure who only cares about winning, although Isagi and others still believe he’s the same person, deep down.

After going through the Wild Card program, Kunigami's physicality and pinpoint accuracy greatly evolved to be a close imitation of Noel Noa, the world’s best striker, and he even scored two goals across the matches against Barcha and Manshine City. Kunigami was largely in a ing role in the second half of the Neo-Egoist League arc, but with him finishing in 8th place, there’s sure to be plenty more in store for him.

9 Gin Gagamaru

First Appearance: Blue Lock Chapter 1, Episode 1

Gin Gagamaru is another member of Team Z and one of the few to survive the Second Selection. When it came time for Blue Lock to play an exhibition match against the U-20 team, Gagamaru was forced to become their goalie due to his long limbs and flexibility, and he’s been playing the position ever since.

The fact that Gagamaru could so easily switch from being a striker to being a goalie is nothing but a testament to his natural talent, and the Neo-Egoist League saw his skills grow even further as he kept making one miraculous save after another. At 12th place, Gagamaru ranked even higher than Gen Fukaku, someone who was a goalie on purpose, and he’s bound to be one of the biggest players in the World Cup arc.

8 Oliver Aiku

First Appearance: Blue Lock Chapter 110, Episode 25

Oliver Aiku is the former captain of the U-20 team and a master of defense at center-back. While Aiku originally looked down on Blue Lock, playing against them and eventually losing to them made Aiku grow to respect them, and he wholeheartedly ed the Blue Lock program after they took over the U-20.

With his spatial awareness and Metavision, a term for having a nigh-omnipotent understanding of the field at all times, Aiku is consistently one of the best defenders in Blue Lock, and sure enough, Aiku was one of the few of the U-20 team to survive the Neo-Egoist League, even ending it in 10th place. No other character has Aiku’s defensive abilities, and they’re sure to shine even brighter in the World Cup arc.

7 Yo Hiori

First Appearance: Blue Lock Chapter 93, Episode 24

Yo Hiori was introduced in Blue Lock season 2, although he wouldn’t gain significant focus until late into the Neo-Egoist League arc. Hiori ed the Blue Lock program as a means of ending his soccer career after getting fed up with his parents essentially breeding him to be a master, but watching Isagi made Hiori develop a genuine ion and become Isagi’s biggest partner.

Hiori uses his Metavision and analytical playmaking to make incredible es and interceptions to control the game, and both were vital in helping Isagi score some of his biggest goals in the Neo-Egoist League. Hiori might have finished in 16th place, but it’s clear that Hiori’s lack of ion for most of the Neo-Egoist League was the only reason he didn’t rank higher, and that’s bound to show itself in future games.

6 Hyoma Chigiri

First Appearance: Blue Lock Chapter 1, Episode 1

Hyoma Chigiri is a former up-and-coming soccer player whose high school career was put to a standstill when he tore his ACL during a game. Chigiri ed Blue Lock as a means of putting an end to his soccer career, but with some urging from Isagi, Chigiri regained his ion for the sport and has been a major player in Blue Lock ever since.

Chigiri’s incredible speed has made him a vital part of every team he’s played on in Blue Lock, and by the end of the Neo-Egoist League, Chigiri was ranked as the sixth-best player in Blue Lock and was the only player in Manshine City with a consistently good performance. Chigiri has always been one of Blue Lock’s main characters, and that won’t change in the slightest in the arcs.

5 Meguru Bachira

First Appearance: Blue Lock Chapter 1, Episode 1

Meguru Bachira is another member of Team Z and Isagi’s closest friend in the Blue Lock program. At first, Bachira wanted to be in Blue Lock to find more people like him, but near the end of season 1, he finally developed his ego and learned to be independent when necessary, while not giving up his desire to be with Isagi.

Bachira was introduced as a master at dribbling, something that only got better when he developed his ego, and while he didn’t receive much focus in the Neo-Egoist League, Bachira finished the Neo-Egoist League in 5th place and was one of the biggest reasons Nagi was eliminated from Blue Lock. Bachira is undoubtedly one of Blue Lock’s best players, and hopefully, the World Cup arc will allow him to shine once more.

4 Shouei Barou

First Appearance: Blue Lock Chapter 5, Episode 1

Shouei Barou was introduced as a selfish person and an antagonistic figure for Isagi, who gradually started performing worse as other characters kept improving. Rather than become nicer, though, Barou doubled down on his selfishness and grew thanks to the humility instilled into him, and he’s now become one of Isagi’s biggest rivals.

With his overwhelming physicality, willingness to disrupt his own teammates to win, and the power of his Predator Eye, a unique form of analysis geared towards finding gaps in a goalie’s defense, Barou is a menacing player in every regard, and sure enough, Barou ended the Neo-Egoist League in 4th place. Barou’s growth in Blue Lock is nothing but astounding, and there’s no telling how far it will go in the World Cup.

3 Ryusei Shido

First Appearance: Blue Lock Chapter 88, Episode 24

Ryusei Shido was introduced at the end of season 1 and immediately established himself as an antagonistic figure for purposefully getting Kunigami eliminated. From there, he gradually developed into a chaotic figure who would constantly goof off and get into fights with people, and it was to the point that Blue Lock temporarily got rid of him and had him play for the U-20 team in their exhibition match.

Shido’s top-tier strength and speed, combined with his knack for always getting into goal range, have always made him one of Blue Lock’s best players, and he remained at the top throughout the Neo-Egoist League until Shido ended the Neo-Egoist League as the third-best player in Blue Lock. There’s no character in Blue Lock quite like Shido, and there’s no telling what will happen now that he and Isagi finally have a chance to work together.

2 Rin Itoshi

First Appearance: Blue Lock Chapter 40, Episode 11

Rin Itoshi is one of the best players in the country and the younger brother of the genius player Sae Itoshi. After a falling out with Sae, Rin has made it his mission to defeat Sae and regain his respect, and with Isagi taking both of those away from him, Rin has also made himself Isagi’s biggest rival.

With his incredible spatial awareness and how much his self-destructive personality pushes him forward, Rin has evolved into Isagi’s perfect mirror, and sure enough, the Neo-Egoist League ended with Isagi and Rin tied for first place. The World Cup arc will undoubtedly see the return of Sae and a rematch between him and Rin, and with how much Rin has grown, that’s something to look forward to.