Top 100 young players in 2001

[MadDogg]

In my head Mexes still plays for Roma.

And still gets linked to us every year.

 

[Trequarista10]

Ronaldo would've been 16.

Depends what month it was posted, these things usually come o.ut in January when hed have been 15. Even if it was July he'd still have been a school student so not a weird omission.

 

[MadDogg]

Kaka was lucky his peak didn't coincide with Messi or Ronaldo's peaks. That's all there is to it

And he only won the Ballon d'Or because of how it so strongly favours the CL winners and the fact Milan were lucky enough to face a Utd team with huge injury problems (including Ronaldo himself struggling with an ankle or heel injury). Ronaldo was comfortably better in league and international performances, and should have won it if it was truly based on being the best over the season.

Of course one of Ronaldo's later Ballon d'Or's was won the same way so he ended up with the same amount anyway, but it's annoying for us since he should have won two while at Utd.

 

[2 man midfield]

And he only won the Ballon d'Or because of how it so strongly favours the CL winners and the fact Milan were lucky enough to face a Utd team with huge injury problems (including Ronaldo himself struggling with an ankle or heel injury). Ronaldo was comfortably better in league and international performances, and should have won it if it was truly based on being the best over the season.

Of course one of Ronaldo's later Ballon d'Or's was won the same way so he ended up with the same amount anyway, but it's annoying for us since he should have won two while at Utd.

This is what always bugged me about the treble season. That trophy should’ve been Beckhams, but they gave it to Rivaldo - even though Barca went out in the group!

 

[MadDogg]

This is what always bugged me about the treble season. That trophy should’ve been Beckhams, but they gave it to Rivaldo - even though Barca went out in the group!

I feel like the CL-focused aspect to it wasn't as bad back then so it didn't work in Beckham's (or Keane who would also have been an equally good option) favour as much as it did by the mid 00's. Plus unfortunately it's always felt like it's harder to win for players in England than it is for players in Spain and Italy.

 

[simonhch]

what say you, who smashed it, who flopped?
Key - SMASH/PAR/MEH/FLOP

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

 

[2 man midfield]

I feel like the CL-focused aspect to it wasn't as bad back then so it didn't work in Beckham's (or Keane who would also have been an equally good option) favour as much as it did by the mid 00's. Plus unfortunately it's always felt like it's harder to win for players in England than it is for players in Spain and Italy.

Yet they gave it to Michael Owen in 2001 after scoring - *looks it up* 16 league goals!

 

[Gio]

And he only won the Ballon d'Or because of how it so strongly favours the CL winners and the fact Milan were lucky enough to face a Utd team with huge injury problems (including Ronaldo himself struggling with an ankle or heel injury). Ronaldo was comfortably better in league and international performances, and should have won it if it was truly based on being the best over the season.

Of course one of Ronaldo's later Ballon d'Or's was won the same way so he ended up with the same amount anyway, but it's annoying for us since he should have won two while at Utd.

Aye. Kaka had a great Champions League, scoring 5 in the knockout stages alone and he looked unplayable at times. If we were to break it down, what he did away at Old Trafford was perhaps the most influential single performance in determining the destination of that year's Ballon D'Or.

But I'd agree that he wasn't quite as consistently decisive in the league, his 8 goals there looking pretty lightweight compared with Totti up on 26, while his average media rating over the season had him only as 6th best in his position.

 

[Stadjer]

Was Heitinga a bad player? Remember him as a fairly decent player, compared to most on that list he did well.

True.. i was a bit harsh. He had a decent career and was a decent player. Certainly compared to some other players on that list. I just never really liked him... even when i was a teenager i thought he was very overrated because that is what will happen to young players who are coming from the Ajax academy. I suppose my dislike comes from that. He is the current Ajax caretaker manager and he annoys me as a caretaker too.

 

[Camara]

Yet they gave it to Michael Owen in 2001 after scoring - *looks it up* 16 league goals!

Despite winning the Champions League with Porto and reaching the Euro 2004 final Deco didn't win it, it went to Shevchenko (a good player and champion in italy and best scorer, but c'mon - this was the usual famous club's privilege, had he won it with one of the rich clubs he would have gotten it easily)

 

[Physiocrat]

Can't remember how many times i used to stay up late to watch River Plate games on Channel 5 just to 'scout' Argentina's latest wonderkid Andres D'Alessandro

Me too.

 

[giorno]

Despite winning the Champions League with Porto and reaching the Euro 2004 final Deco didn't win it, it went to Shevchenko (a good player and champion in italy and best scorer, but c'mon - this was the usual famous club's privilege, had he won it with one of the rich clubs he would have gotten it easily)

Think more than anything what hurt Deco was the Euros

(But yes if he had that year for Milan he wins the Ballon D'Or)

 

[Alemar]

Iniesta, Robben, Kaka and Zlatan did exceptionally well from the above list. Torres, Fletcher and Berbatov did Ok

 

[André Dominguez]

Most of them actually managed to make a good professional career and earn good money out of it, so I would say this list was actually very accurate.
I would say only 10% or less of that list probably didn't win good money playing football.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

i will admit, im No expert, but that list has, a what, 20% hit list?

That's a pretty solid record, to be fair, when you consider how difficult it is to predict how young players' trajectories will pan out.

Cisse at #1 for instance - nobody could've reasonably predicted he'd suffer from two horrendous leg breaks that would stunt his career.

 

[surf]

There were a few caf posters very keen on the Auxerre lads Mexes and Cisse. We don't know whether Fergie was ever interested though.

 

[bringbackbebe]

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

Anthony Le Tallec is better than Ronaldo you know (Or so boasted Liverpool fans back in the day)

I think he had one game where he looked like Modric and then vanished into thin air never to be seen again.

 

[The holy trinity 68]

Yet they gave it to Michael Owen in 2001 after scoring - *looks it up* 16 league goals!

The Ballon d'Or and the World Player of the Year were separate trophies back then. The WPotY was the more prestigious of the two back then, if I remember correctly. Figo won it in 2001.

 

[2 man midfield]

The Ballon d'Or and the World Player of the Year were separate trophies back then. The WPotY was the more prestigious of the two back then, if I remember correctly. Figo won it in 2001.

Was it? I thought the fifa world player of the year was their own attempt at a Balon D’or award but nobody really took it seriously, so after about 5 years they just binned it off. I might be way off but that’s the way I remember it.

 

[golden_blunder]

There were a few caf posters very keen on the Auxerre lads Mexes and Cisse. We don't know whether Fergie was ever interested though.

Well fergie sent Mexes birthday cards and used to talk fondly of him, I’d say our interest was genuine in him at least

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

Iniesta, Robben, Kaka and Zlatan did exceptionally well from the above list. Torres, Fletcher and Berbatov did Ok

Torres did better than okay, 3rd in Ballon d’Or, scored the winner in a Euros final. His career after a certain point was mediocre but any 17 year old in 2001 would have bitten your hand off for the career and levels he reached.

 

[Back To Madeira]

Definitely going to fire up 01/02 over the weekend and sign some of the lesser-knowns from this list.

 

[giorno]

The Ballon d'Or and the World Player of the Year were separate trophies back then. The WPotY was the more prestigious of the two back then, if I remember correctly. Figo won it in 2001.

Nope

 

[GlasgowCeltic]

shoutout Helb at 100, Pep will pay for his crimes

 

[1950]

what say you, who smashed it, who flopped?
Key - SMASH/PAR/MEH/FLOP

40. Helder Postiga (STR, Porto) FLOP

43. Diego Ribas (AM, Santos) FLOP

47. Ewerthon (STR/FWD, Borussia Dortmund) FLOP

88. Christoph Preuss (RWB, Eintract Frankfurt) FLOP

Helder Postiga is hardly a flop with 71 caps for the Portugal NT.

Diego was electric for Werder. Closer to smash than flop.

Ewerthon was decent for Dortmund and Zaragoza, at least meh.

Givet had a decent Ligue 1 & Prem career for a defender. Not a flop.

Preuß was plagued by injuries which forced him to retire at only 29 after barely getting on the pitch for years. Talent was there for a successful Bundesliga career though.

 

[Theo88]

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.

Cisse was a beast. He fecked his ankles twice didnt he ? The guy had potential as a poacher (couldn't dribble for shit) but had freak injuries.

 

[(...)]

A lot of championship manager legends in that list. I remember winning everything with a team of Mexes, Yahiaoui, Kallstrom, Van der Vaart, Le Tallec, Kapo, Cissé and the legend, Samba.

 

[Demyanenko_square_jaw]

A very good goal by Izmailov against Monaco in the 2003/04 CL knockouts. He was such a smooth player at that time. From the players on the list i'm familiar with, definitely one of the most talented that you could put into the "career seriously hampered by injuries" category.

It's one of those new Youtube Shorts clips, caf doesn't let you directly show it.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lWwp-56gRss