8 brilliant players who’ve dramatically declined in 2025-26: Salah, Neymar, Wirtz… | OneFootball

Stars from Aston Villa, Liverpool and Real Madrid are among the players who’ve dramatically declined during 2025-26.

Football is a funny old game. At one stage, you can be at the peak of your powers with the world at your fingertips and the next, a cast off after a few bad performances.

We’ve searched the globe and have found eight players who’ve dramatically declined this season.

Mohamed Salah

Since penning a new contract with Liverpool in April, Salah has only scored seven goals in his last 24 matches.

The Egyptian hasn’t quite looked himself since the start of 2025-26, leading to Jamie Carragher suggesting that his legs have gone.

“Mo Salah looks like his legs have gone,” Carragher told CBS Sports.

“I don’t like criticising them and I think some of the criticism of them this season as players has been harsh.

“You always look at the leaders in your team to step up when things are not going well.

“Now, I’ve been critical of Mo Salah off the pitch.

“I want him to come out and do an interview tonight and speak to the Liverpool supporters about what the players are going to do, what’s going on in the dressing room, giving the supporters hope that things are going to improve.

“But I don’t like criticising them on the pitch because they’re absolute legendary, what they’ve done, and the legs have just gone, especially with Salah.”

Anthony Gordon

Gordon hasn’t produced a single goal contribution in any of his last 19 Premier League appearances.

During 2025-26, he’s tended to save his best performances for Champions League nights, but his overall level has certainly dropped of late.

While Newcastle fans have been critical of the winger, Eddie Howe has continued to back him.

Ibrahima Konate

To be honest, this entire article could be made up of Liverpool players, given the whole squad has gone backwards this season.

However, the drop off from Konate has been especially noticeable during the season so far.

The Frenchman has continued to make defensive blunders and with his contract up in the summer, his long-term future is certainly in doubt.

“I’ve f**king had enough of them. Honest to God, that Konate,” Carragher said while off-air on a behind-the-scenes clip from CBS Sports.

“I mean, that’s a sackable offence for the manager for keeping picking him. He should be sacked for that.”

Ouch.

Neymar

Having come off the back of a massive injury last season, it’s no wonder that Neymar’s levels have dipped this year.

The Brazilian has only scored four goals in 17 league appearances for Santos and hasn’t registered a single assist.

In fairness, he has ranked among the top chance creators in Brazil, but has often seen his passes squandered by his teammates.

Regardless of that, the 33-year-old has gone from one of the best players in the world to looking like a shadow of his former self in just a few years.

Santos currently sit in the relegation zone with three games remaining and Neymar himself has been ruled out until the end of the year.

Ollie Watkins

Despite Aston Villa’s recent upturn in form, Watkins has struggled to get himself out of a rut.

The England international has only scored one goal in 12 Premier League matches and is the sixth biggest xG underperformer in the league.

Having scored 15 or more league goals in his last three consecutive seasons, there’s no doubt that his levels have dropped of late.

Rodrygo

In fairness to Rodrygo, he’s not exactly had much of a chance to prove himself this season, having mostly been used as an impact substitute by Xabi Alonso.

However, having failed to register a goal or assist in any of his 11 La Liga appearances so far, his overall level certainly seems to have dipped.

Given his lack of game time, he’s said to be one of the Madrid players currently unhappy with Alonso.

Florian Wirtz

Signed for £100million and without a goal contribution in his first 11 league matches.

It’s not been a good start to life at Anfield for the German playmaker.

Chris Wood

At this point last season, Wood had already scored eight goals as Nottingham Forest were flying high in the Premier League.

This time around, the entire squad has regressed, with Wood having only scored in one Premier League match so far.

The New Zealand international scored 20 league goals last season and we’d be surprised if he even hits half of that this time around.