Top 100 young players in 2001

golden_blunder

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As posted by @Roy back in the day

what say you, who smashed it, who flopped?


1. Djibril Cisse (STR, Auxerre)
2. Andres D'Allesandro (AM, River Plate)
3. Leandro Bonfim (AM, Vitoria/PSV Eindhoven)
4. Fernando Jose Torres (STR, Atletico Madrid)
5. Jermaine Pennant (R/WNG, Arsenal)
6. Rafael Van der Vaart (C/MF, Ajax)
7. Florent Sinama-Pongolle (STR, Le Havre/Liverpool)
8. Piotr Trochowski (AM, FC Bayern Munich)
9. Anthony Le Tallec (AM/CFWD, Le Havre/Liverpool)
10. Mourad Meghni (AM, Bologna)
11. Pedro Mantorras (STR, Benfica Lisbon)
12. David Odonkor (FWD, Borussia Dortmund)
13. Darren Fletcher (C/MF, Manchester United)
14. John Welsh (C/DM, Liverpool)
15. Kim Kallstrom (CM, BK Hacken)
16. Philippe Mexes (CB, Auxerre)
17. Johnny Heitinga (CB, Ajax)
18. Juan Andreu Melli (CM, Real Betis)
19. Baldo Di Gregorio (CB, Eintract Frankfurt)
20. Andres Iniesta (AM, Barcelona)
21. Milan Baros (STR, Liverpool)
22. Marius Niculae (STR, Sporting Lisbon)
23. Fabricio Coloccini (CB, Milan/on loan to Alaves)
24. Ricardo Bernardo Quaresma (L/WNG, Sporting Lisbon)
25. Maicon (RWB, Cruzeiro)
26. Hugo Viana (CM, Sporting Lisbon)
27. Arjen Robben (L/WNG, Groningen/PSV Eindhoven)
28. Julio Colombo (CB, Montpellier)
29. Gregory Vignal (LB, Liverpool)
30. Jermaine DeFoe (STR, West Ham United)
31. Gareth Barry (LB, Aston Villa)
32. Marat Izmailov (AM/FWD, Lokomotiv Moscow)
33. Hassan Yebda (DM, Auxerre)
34. Leandro Romagnoli (AM, San Lorenzo)
35. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (CFWD, Ajax)
36. Dean Ashton (CFWD, Crewe Alexandria)
37. Ednilson (AM, Benfica Lisbon)
38. Chris Kirkland (GK, Liverpool)
39. Emilliano S. Dudar (CB, Velez Sarsfield)
40. Helder Postiga (STR, Porto)
41. Ahmed 'Mido' Hossam (STR/LWNG, Ajax)
42. Joaquin Sanchez (L/WNG, Real Betis)
43. Diego Ribas (AM, Santos)
44. Jay Lucas (CFWD, Southampton)
45. Niko Kranjcar (AM/CFWD, Dinamo Zagreb)
46. Christian Petereit (RB/CB, Schalke 04)
47. Ewerthon (STR/FWD, Borussia Dortmund)
48. Gael Givet (CB/LB, Monaco)
49. Francesco Lodi (AM, Empoli/Parma)
50. Massimo Donati (DM, AC Milan)
51. Gatti Ribeiro (RWB, Blooming)
52. Jeremie Aliadiere (STR, Arsenal)
53. Francesco Tarantino (LB/CB, Athletic Bilbao)
54. Lourenco Da Silva (FWD/LWNG, Sporting Lisbon)
55. Alexander Ludwig (L/WNG, Werder Bremen)
56. Landon Donovan (STR, San Jose Earthquakes)
57. Ricardo Costa (CB, FC Porto)
58. Filip Trojan (L/WNG, Schalke 04)
59. Carlos Martins (CM, Sporting Lisbon)
60. Serhat Akin (STR, Fenerbahce)
61. Johnnier Montano (AM/FWD, Parma-on loan to Verona)
62. Mark Fotheringham (C/MF, Celtic)
63. Rubinho (GK, Corinthians)
64. Michael Chopra (STR, Newcastle)
65. Edward Johnson (STR, Dallas Burn)
66. Johnny Van Beukering (STR, Vitesse)
67. Santino Quaranta (STR, DC United)
68. Andreas Hinkel (RB/RWB, Stuttgart)
69. Bojan Djrodjic (L/WNG, Manchester United)
70. Matteo Brighi (CM, Juventus)
71. Cherno Samba (CFWD, Millwall)
72. Hassan Ahamada (LWNG/STR, Nantes)
73. Theo Janssen (LM, Vitesse)
74. Derik Boateng (AM, Panathinaikos)
75. Mauro Rosales (R/WNG, Newell's Old Boys)
76. Dulee Johnson (STR, BK Hacken)
77. Fernando Macedo Nano (L/WNG, Barcelona)
78. Michael Essien (D/MF, Bastia)
79. Andres Oliveira (STR/FWD, Perth Glory)
80. Candido Costa (AM, Porto)
81. Tuomas Aho (CB, My-Pa)
82. Dimitar Berbatov (STR, Bayer Leverkusen)
83. Thijs Houwing (CFWD, Twente)
84. Labinot Harbuzi (AM, Malmo FF)
85. Michael Zepek (CM, Bayer Leverkusen)
86. Mika Vayrynen (AM, FC Jokerit)
87. Ramon Calliste (STR, Manchester United)
88. Christoph Preuss (RWB, Eintract Frankfurt)
89. Keith Kelly (CM, PSG)
90. Aldo Jara (FWD, Cerro Portano)
91. Kieran Richardson (L/WNG, Manchester United)
92. Leonardo Santiago (L/WNG, Feyenoord)
93. Shaun Maloney(STR, Celtic)
94. Azar Karadas (CFWD/CB, Brann Bergen)
95. Kaka (AM, Sao Paulo)
96. Benjamin Auer (CFWD, Borussia M'Gladbach)
97. Daniyel Cimen (LB/CB, Eintract Frankfurt)
98. Erdal Kilicaslan (CFWD, Bayern Munich)
99. David Prutton (D/MF, Nottingham Forest)
100. Alexander Hleb (AM, Stuttgart)
 
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Red Stone

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How did Liverpool not dominate the noughties with such mercurial talents as John Walsh, Gregory Vignal, Anthony Le Tallec and Florent Sinama-Pongolle?
 

The White Pele

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Ronaldo the big omission. Messi and Rooney probably slightly too young to make the list at the time although both were known about.

Iniesta, Ibrahimovic, Kaka and Robben are obviously the big successes from that list and should all be higher.
 

Red Stone

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Pride of Norway Azar Karadas ranked ahead of Kaká, as he should be.
 

Wednesday at Stoke

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You only get to judge the false positives out of this, not the ones who were missed.

I don't even remember who Ramon Calliste was and apparently he sells luxury watches for a living now.
 

Doracle

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Feels like the British players on this list mainly fell by the wayside. Defoe probably the only one who had a really top career and even he didn’t play for the biggest clubs. Probably no coincidence that their peaks was around the 2010-14 period when England were relatively poor.
 

JJ12

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I remember signing David Odonkor on every champ man save. Don’t think he was ever great for me.
 

Annihilate Now!

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Doracle said:
Feels like the British players on this list mainly fell by the wayside. Defoe probably the only one who had a really top career and even he didn’t play for the biggest clubs. Probably no coincidence that their peaks was around the 2010-14 period when England were relatively poor.
Click to expand...
Gareth Barry had a great career to be fair, Darren Fletcher too.
 

Pintu

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Tarrou said:
1 Iniesta
2 Robben
3 Zlatan
Click to expand...
Yes, definitely this (+Kakà)… I think we can add Maicon, Berbatov, Torres, Essien, Fletcher and to some extent A. Hleb and Cissé in a lower tier.

Many other players there had decent careers, they’ll be proud of as well. VDV, Källström, Mexes, Defoe…
 
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L1nk

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Kaka at #95 is insane :lol:

Darren Fletcher at 13 mind, was he ever really that highly rated? I like Fletch but I never saw him as a world beater.
 

Stadjer

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66. Johnny Van Beukering (STR, Vitesse)

The moment most people know him from is this.

:lol:


Heitinga also made that list, shocking.
 

SER19

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The White Pele said:
Ronaldo the big omission. Messi and Rooney probably slightly too young to make the list at the time although both were known about.

Iniesta, Ibrahimovic, Kaka and Robben are obviously the big successes from that list and should all be higher.
Click to expand...
He'd have only been 15 or so wouldnt he?
 

Oranges038

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Stadjer said:
66. Johnny Van Beukering (STR, Vitesse)

The moment most people know him from is this.

:lol:


Heitinga also made that list, shocking.
Click to expand...
Used to have him at De Graafshcap on PES Master league.

Legend.
 

Globule

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Robben and Iniesta below Jermaine Pennant. Ah, hindsight.
 

NotQuiteManc

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I remember having Mido in both of my CM/FM and PES/WE games. Mexes, the one SAF admired but he ultimately didn't sign for United.
 

Donaldo

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This is my list of FA Manager transfer in's. This and a Leo Messi I would buy without fail and who would end up never going beyond 69-70.
 

DOTA

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Which one of you nerds is gonna make the one we laugh at in 2045 then?
 

MegadrivePerson

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This is my top 40 In order.

I don't even recognise most of the other 60 players!

1. Kaka (AM, Sao Paulo)
2. Andres Iniesta (AM, Barcelona)
3. Arjen Robben (L/WNG, Groningen/PSV Eindhoven)
4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (CFWD, Ajax)
5. Michael Essien (D/MF, Bastia)
6. Fernando Jose Torres (STR, Atletico Madrid)
7. Dimitar Berbatov (STR, Bayer Leverkusen)
8. Gareth Barry (LB, Aston Villa)
9. Rafael Van der Vaart (C/MF, Ajax)
10. Maicon (RWB, Cruzeiro)
11. Jermaine Defoe (STR, West Ham United)
12. Darren Fletcher (C/MF, Manchester United)
13. Joaquin Sanchez (L/WNG, Real Betis)
14. Milan Baros (STR, Liverpool)
15. Ricardo Bernardo Quaresma (L/WNG, Sporting Lisbon)
16. Djibril Cisse (STR, Auxerre)
17. Philippe Mexes (CB, Auxerre)
18. Jermaine Pennant (R/WNG, Arsenal)
19. Alexander Hleb (AM, Stuttgart)
20. Johnny Heitinga (CB, Ajax)
21. Helder Postiga (STR, Porto)
22. Andres D'Allesandro (AM, River Plate)
23. Fabricio Coloccini (CB, Milan/on loan to Alaves)
24. Kieran Richardson (L/WNG, Manchester United)
25. Hugo Viana (CM, Sporting Lisbon)
26. Ricardo Costa (CB, FC Porto)
27. Ahmed 'Mido' Hossam (STR/LWNG, Ajax)
28. Landon Donovan (STR, San Jose Earthquakes)
29. Dean Ashton (CFWD, Crewe Alexandria)
30. Chris Kirkland (GK, Liverpool)
31. Gael Givet (CB/LB, Monaco)
32. Juan Andreu Melli (CM, Real Betis)
33. Niko Kranjcar (AM/CFWD, Dinamo Zagreb)
34. Kim Kallstrom (CM, BK Hacken)
35. Florent Sinama-Pongolle (STR, Le Havre/Liverpool)
36. Jeremie Aliadiere (STR, Arsenal)
37. David Prutton (D/MF, Nottingham Forest)
38. Gregory Vignal (LB, Liverpool)
39. Michael Chopra (STR, Newcastle)
40. Anthony Le Tallec (AM/CFWD, Le Havre/Liverpool)



41. Baldo Di Gregorio (CB, Eintract Frankfurt)
42. Mourad Meghni (AM, Bologna)
43. Diego Ribas (AM, Santos)
44. Leandro Bonfim (AM, Vitoria/PSV Eindhoven)
45. Leandro Romagnoli (AM, San Lorenzo)
46. Christian Petereit (RB/CB, Schalke 04)
47. Ewerthon (STR/FWD, Borussia Dortmund)
48. Hassan Yebda (DM, Auxerre)
49. Francesco Lodi (AM, Empoli/Parma)
50. Massimo Donati (DM, AC Milan)
51. Gatti Ribeiro (RWB, Blooming)
52. Marius Niculae (STR, Sporting Lisbon)
53. Francesco Tarantino (LB/CB, Athletic Bilbao)
54. Lourenco Da Silva (FWD/LWNG, Sporting Lisbon)
55. Alexander Ludwig (L/WNG, Werder Bremen)
56. Emilliano S. Dudar (CB, Velez Sarsfield)
57. Julio Colombo (CB, Montpellier)
58. Filip Trojan (L/WNG, Schalke 04)
59. Carlos Martins (CM, Sporting Lisbon)
60. Serhat Akin (STR, Fenerbahce)
61. Johnnier Montano (AM/FWD, Parma-on loan to Verona)
62. Mark Fotheringham (C/MF, Celtic)
63. Rubinho (GK, Corinthians)
64. Ednilson (AM, Benfica Lisbon)
65. Edward Johnson (STR, Dallas Burn)
66. Johnny Van Beukering (STR, Vitesse)
67. Santino Quaranta (STR, DC United)
68. Andreas Hinkel (RB/RWB, Stuttgart)
69. Bojan Djrodjic (L/WNG, Manchester United)
70. Matteo Brighi (CM, Juventus)
71. Marat Izmailov (AM/FWD, Lokomotiv Moscow)
72. Hassan Ahamada (LWNG/STR, Nantes)
73. Theo Janssen (LM, Vitesse)
74. Derik Boateng (AM, Panathinaikos)
75. Mauro Rosales (R/WNG, Newell's Old Boys)
76. Dulee Johnson (STR, BK Hacken)
77. Fernando Macedo Nano (L/WNG, Barcelona)
78. Piotr Trochowski (AM, FC Bayern Munich)
79. Andres Oliveira (STR/FWD, Perth Glory)
80. Candido Costa (AM, Porto)
81. Tuomas Aho (CB, My-Pa)
82. David Odonkor (FWD, Borussia Dortmund)
83. Thijs Houwing (CFWD, Twente)
84. Labinot Harbuzi (AM, Malmo FF)
85. Michael Zepek (CM, Bayer Leverkusen)
86. Mika Vayrynen (AM, FC Jokerit)
87. Jay Lucas (CFWD, Southampton)
88. Christoph Preuss (RWB, Eintract Frankfurt)
89. Keith Kelly (CM, PSG)
90. Aldo Jara (FWD, Cerro Portano)
91. John Welsh (C/DM, Liverpool)
92. Leonardo Santiago (L/WNG, Feyenoord)
93. Shaun Maloney(STR, Celtic)
94. Azar Karadas (CFWD/CB, Brann Bergen)
95. Pedro Mantorras (STR, Benfica Lisbon)
96. Benjamin Auer (CFWD, Borussia M'Gladbach)
97. Daniyel Cimen (LB/CB, Eintract Frankfurt)
98. Erdal Kilicaslan (CFWD, Bayern Munich)
99. Ramon Calliste (STR, Manchester United)
100. Cherno Samba (CFWD, Millwall)
 

GuyfromAustria

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Who are the youngest players on this list? I know that Iniesta, Robben and Torres were 17 in 2001.
 

giorno

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Oh wow that list

1. Robben
2. Iniesta
3. Kaka
4. Ibra
5. Torres
6. Maicon
7. Essien
8. Berbatov
9. Joaquin
10. Defoe
 

Cheimoon

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These lists are always hilarious in retrospect. For myself, I just hope #47 eventually joined the blue side of Liverpool.
Stadjer said:
66. Johnny Van Beukering (STR, Vitesse)

The moment most people know him from is this.

:lol:


Heitinga also made that list, shocking.
Click to expand...
Christ they're launching into him! Deserved or not, I hope he never saw that himself. :eek:

Heitinga did better than a lot of others on the list though! (Not that that's saying much given the many people listed that had zero career afterwards.)
 

2 man midfield

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I remember Liverpool signing Cisse being big news at the time. You can see why they had a lot of optimism around then - coming off the back of a Scouse treble, several of their players making that wonder kid list…

Most of whom amounted to bugger all, but still.
 
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