Top 10 Players of the Century

[Theonas]

I had a pub debate tonight about the top 10 players in our lifetime and since we were all in our '30s, that basically meant from around the turn of the century. I thought I'd share my list and was curious about yours. The list is mostly in chronological order but feel free to do it in tiers or even a specific order.

Ronaldo
Zinedine Zidane
Thierry Henry
Ronaldinho
Xavi
Cristiano Ronaldo
Andres Iniesta
Lionel Messi
Luka Modric
Luis Suarez

 

[Scandi Red]

Luís Scholes
Zinedine Scholes
Theirry Scholes
Ronaldo Scholes
Xavier Scholes
Cristiano Scholes
Andres Scholes
Lionel Scholes
Luka Scholes
Luis Scholes

 

[Vidyoyo]

No Gerrard?

 

[awop]

I had a pub debate tonight about the top 10 players in our lifetime and since we were all in our '30s, that basically meant from around the turn of the century. I thought I'd share my list and was curious about yours. The list is mostly in chronological order but feel free to do it in tiers or even a specific order.

Ronaldo
Zinedine Zidane
Thierry Henry
Ronaldinho
Xavi
Cristiano Ronaldo
Andres Iniesta
Lionel Messi
Luka Modric
Luis Suarez

Hard to do a different list than that. I feel maybe Suarez should not be up there but i'm struggling to find a glaring absentee

 

[Dannn411]

1. Messi
2. Cristiano
3. Zidane
4. Ronaldo De Lima
5. Ronaldinho
6. Xavi
7. Iniesta
8. Modric
9. Pirlo
10. Neuer

 

[groovyalbert]

Messi
Ronaldo


Xavi
Iniesta
Modric
Benzema
Lewandowski
Suarez
Ronaldinho
Rooney

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Ronaldo
Zinedine Zidane
Thierry Henry
Ronaldinho
Xavi
Cristiano Ronaldo
Andres Iniesta
Lionel Messi
Luka Modric
Luis Suarez

Fair list, though I would probably have Mbappe in over Suarez maybe? Or maybe not actually, not sure.

 

[united_99]

I would take Henry and Suarez out of that list. The other 8 are in a league of their own. But if I had to choose two more I would take Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos before Henry or Suarez.

 

[Cloud7]

Messi
C Ronaldo
Ronaldo
Ronaldinho
Xavi
Zidane
Iniesta
Neuer
Suarez
Modric

In no particular order except for Messi being number 1

 

[Theonas]

Fair list, though I would probably have Mbappe in over Suarez maybe? Or maybe not actually, not sure.

Isn't he too young though? I know he did more than most on that list on the international stage but I just can't ignore that at club level, he still hasn't shown what he can do at the very highest stage. The kid will definitely be a shout if he makes the right career moves though.

 

[Theonas]

I would take Henry and Suarez out of that list. The other 8 are in a league of their own. But if I had to choose two more I would take Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos before Henry or Suarez.

I did think Suarez would be the most controversial pick because Lewandowski and Benzema could have a similar shout but I am really surprised Henry is not rated as highly as I thought on here. Maybe he was a bit of a big fish in a small pond when I consider his time with the France national team and how he didn't really play for a CL contender team until the end of his career.

 

[VivaObertan]

Ronaldo
Messi
Neymar
Xavi
Kroos
Modric
Marcelo
Pique
Ramos
Alves
Neuer

(433)

 

[united_99]

I did think Suarez would be the most controversial pick because Lewandowski and Benzema could have a similar shout but I am really surprised Henry is not rated as highly as I thought on here. Maybe he was a bit of a big fish in a small pond when I consider his time with the France national team and how he didn't really play for a CL contender team until the end of his career.

I mean Henry was absolutely brilliant, probably the best/2nd best PL player ever, but for me just a level below GOAT level/below the level of everyone else in your list apart from Suarez.

 

[Red the Bear]

I think it would be fair to exclude the Brazilian Ronaldo from that list, he'd never again have a balon d'or worthy season in the millennium and his greatest achievement the 2002 world cup while impressive shouldn't be enough to force him in there.

I'd say someone like buffoon who has no one mentioned so far deserves to be there .

 

[united_99]

I think it would be fair to exclude the Brazilian Ronaldo from that list, he'd never again have a balon d'or worthy season in the millennium and his greatest achievement the 2002 world cup while impressive shouldn't be enough to force him in there.

I'd say someone like buffoon who has no one mentioned so far deserves to be there .

No way, for me the original Ronaldo is one of the very first names on any such list.

 

[kaku06]

Messi
Ronaldo
Ronaldinho
Xavi
Iniesta
Zidane
Dani Alves
Henry
Modric
Kaka

PS - I tried to include only those players whose relevance started since the turn of the century hence the omission of Zidane, Phenomeno and the likes.

 

[Red the Bear]

No way, for me the original Ronaldo is one of the very first names on any such list.

He was indeed as his Nickname suggested a phenomenon but as I alluded in my original post his beat performance came before the turn of the century thus he's not fit to be listed among the names who had many great seasons amassed between them afterwards.

 

[Massive Spanner]

He was indeed as his Nickname suggested a phenomenon but as I alluded in my original post his beat performance came before the turn of the century thus he's not fit to be listed among the names who had many great seasons amassed between them afterwards.

Yeah I agree. If we’re talking this century I don’t think I’d have him there. If we’re talking all time he’s obviously top 10 if not top 5.

 

[Red the Bear]

Yeah I agree. If we’re talking this century I don’t think I’d have him there. If we’re talking all time he’s obviously top 10 if not top 5.

His kneecap blowing up might be the greatest tragedy ever befallen to football fans it deprived us of seeing pure genius at work, a shame.

 

[Theonas]

Hos kneecap blowing up might be the greatest tragedy ever befallen to football fans it deprived us of seeing pure genius at work, a shame.

So true! And fair enough about his performances this century. The original debate was about players we have seen in our lifetime and for me that starts from around the mid '90s so he was definitely on my list but this century, I'd have to agree, there more impressive careers than Ronaldo's post injury.

 

[united_99]

I forgot David Villa! I rate him more highly than Benzema and Lewandowski.

 

[Oranges038]

Top 10, no order.

C. Ronaldo
Messi
Kaka
Ronaldinho
Xavi
Iniesta
Dani Alves
Modric
Benzema
Neuer

 

[Dazzmondo]

Only considering performances from 2000 onwards, eg. R9 from 94-99 would be 2nd behind only Messi imo. Just my opinion based mostly on their peaks, though also factoring in longevity to some extent.

1. Lionel Messi
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
3. Luka Modric
4. Ronaldinho
5. Andres Iniesta
6. Ronaldo
7. Kaka
8. Zinedine Zidane
9. Luis Suarez
10. Thierry Henry

Closest to making the list were Xavi, Benzema, De Bruyne, Scholes, Neymar, Lewandowski

A team sounds fun. This would be my XI:

Buffon
Lahm Vidic Puyol Maldini
Kaka Modric Iniesta
Messi CR7 Ronaldinho

Squad: Neuer, Alves, Cannavaro, Ferdinand, Roberto Carlos, Xavi, Zidane, De Bruyne, Henry, Suarez, Benzema​

 

[tentan]

Could i make a team instead?

-------------------------Neuer
Dani Alves----Ferdinand----Ramos------Lahm
-----------Xavi-----Modric-------Iniesta
---Messi------Benzema--------C.Ronaldo---------

 

[Theonas]

Could i make a team instead?

-------------------------Neuer
Dani Alves----Ferdinand----Ramos------Lahm
-----------Xavi-----Modric-------Iniesta
---Messi------Benzema--------C.Ronaldo---------

That's a great team to be fair. The right back position would be for me between Alves, Cafu and Lahm. I'd probably settle for Cafu as maybe the best both defensively and offensively. Roberto Carlos and Marcelo on the left and as much as I love Rio, I'd go for Cannavaro considering what he did at the World Cup stage.

 

[Theonas]

I forgot David Villa! I rate him more highly than Benzema and Lewandowski.

That's an interesting one. I would have even peak Torres over Villa to be honest. I mean he was a great goalscorer but I wouldn't say he could change a game or sprearhead a team.

 

[Tyrion]

Isn't he too young though? I know he did more than most on that list on the international stage but I just can't ignore that at club level, he still hasn't shown what he can do at the very highest stage. The kid will definitely be a shout if he makes the right career moves though.

Aside from playing pretty well at 2 world cups, he hasn't really done anything. It doesn't help that he does nothing without the ball. Apparently he managed 0 tackles and 0 interceptions at the last world cup.

 

[Blood Mage]

Neuer
Dani Alves - Rio - Ramos - Cole
Modric - Xavi - Iniesta
Messi - C.Ronaldo - Ronaldinho
​

I also thought it would be better to create a best XI instead.

 

[cesc's_mullet]

No Henry on these lists is laughable.

Messi
Ronaldo
Xavi
Henry
Modric
Ronaldinho
Zidane
Iniesta
Ramos

It's hard to pick after this point, as there have been so many good players deserving of a spot: Neur, Suarez, Alves, Ferdinand, KDB, Benzema, Lahm, CR9, Pirlo, etc.

 

[Redplane]

Some solid shouts all around but I'd personally put Pirlo in there. I admittedly have a long standing soft spot for the guy so while perhaps he s not quite top 10...he should be in conversation.

 

[cesc's_mullet]

Some solid shouts all around but I'd personally put Pirlo in there. I admittedly have a long standing soft spot for the guy so while perhaps he s not quite top 10...he should be in conversation.

Good call, he's got to be in the mix of that next group.

 

[RedRonaldo]

Since 2000?

Messi - self explanatory
Ronaldo - self explanatory
Ronaldinho - very much unplayable during 03-06, magical player
Zidane - best playmaker I've ever seen
Xavi - best midfield pair I've ever seen
Iniesta - best midfield pair I've ever seen
Henry - probably best ever player in PL over extensive period of time, he was quite unplayable in PL during his peak
Neymar - lets just say, during peak era of Ronaldo vs Messi, he was pretty close to their level at one point
Modric - best midfielder in the world during mid-late 2010s
Lewandowski - Most insane goalscoring record during late/post Ronaldo vs Messi era (should have won 2 Ballon D'ors)

 

[Snow]

His kneecap blowing up might be the greatest tragedy ever befallen to football fans it deprived us of seeing pure genius at work, a shame.

Imagine saying this on a United forum.

 

[Krakenzero]

Great question, my picks:

Iniesta
Xavi
Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo
Arjen Robben (surprised no one has mentioned him yet)
Ronaldinho Gaucho
Modric
Mbappe
Neymar
Neuer

 

[Krny]

Messi
Ronaldo
Xavi
Iniesta
Dani alves
Busquets
Neymar
Sergio Ramos
Ronaldinho
Modric

 

[Stack]

We are only 23 years into this century and that list of players is already amazing.

 

[kafta]

Messi
Cristiano
Zidane
Iniesta
Buffon
Suarez
Xavi
Modric
Ramos
Alves

 

[mshnsh]

1. Messi: Best peak performances: check. longevity: check. Success individual, collective at club and country level: check. Eye test: check.
2. Ronaldinho: A magician. For 3 years, the absolute best in the world by a margin.
3. Cristiano; A goalscoring machine, a physical specimen. Longevity, Success, records. Not as pleading to the eye but very very effective.
4. Neymar: Second in ability only to Messi and R9 and equal to Dinho but injuries and idiotic attitude on the pitch means he has not had the success you'd expect.
5. Iniesta: An elegant attacking midfielder who could do anything. Turned it on for big games.
6. Modric: a talismanic figure gor club and country
7. Xavi: Mr tikitaka.
8. Zidane: At his best was a master. The reason he ranks lower is his lack of consistency.
9. Henry: Best player to have kicked the ball in the Premier league. When we faced Arsenal, he was the one who I was really scared of.
10. Suarez: A striker who could assist like a no ten and he defended from the front like a no 6
His understanding with Messi was telepathic.

There are many amazing players missing like Rooney, Rio, Vidic, Cafu, Robben, Ribbery, Kroos, Pirlo Ibrahimovic, Schneider, Lewandowski, Nauer, Buffoon, Scholes, Gerrard, Kaka, Rivaldo, R9, Bale, Lahm, Figo.

Ronaldo nazario was only 24 in the year 2000 yet he is not on the list because his best years came prior to the turn of the century. Had his knees not fecked up, he'd be second to Messi. Unquestionably.

 

[united_99]

That's an interesting one. I would have even peak Torres over Villa to be honest. I mean he was a great goalscorer but I wouldn't say he could change a game or sprearhead a team.

He was my favourite striker when he was at Valencia. A very intelligent and complete player. His goal scoring instinct, technical ability, link-up and work rate were all absolutely top. I loved watching him play. And at the Euros 08 and WC he showed that he can also do the same at the highest level.

 

[adexkola]

Ramos being mentioned