Top 100 young players in 2001

[MegadrivePerson]

It shows how hard it is to tell how good a player will actually be at that age though.

Of the hundred, Id say six got to a world class level (Kaka, Iniesta, Robben, Ibrahimovic, Torres and Essien) plus Berbatov who was a level below. Then you had some solid players like Barry, Van der vaart, Maicon, Defoe, Joaquin, Fletcher and Baros, possibly Cisse and Quaresma although they were hit and miss.

It shows exactly why the mad strategy that Chelsea have adapted of just buying loads of young players with potential is so doomed to fail!

 

[Melbourne Red]

How did Roy know about all these players?

I think he posted a list one year and Serb nationalist Beckham007 nominated "Nenad Vidic" as an honourable mention, and promptly got laughed out out of the building.

 

[Stadjer]

These lists are always hilarious in retrospect. For myself, I just hope #47 eventually joined the blue side of Liverpool.

Christ they're launching into him! Deserved or not, I hope he never saw that himself.

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.)

He has 100% seen it. It has been many years ago and van Beukering is still mentioned on Dutch football forums. He achieved cult status because of that sprint.

They are fairly mild in that clip. The main thing in that program was to be extremely negative towards players. Rene van der Gijp (first guy) basically destroyed the career of former PSV player Manolev by making fun of him every week. Later van der Gijp said he does regret it because he went way too far. But it was on tv so it must be true, everyone started to make fun of Manolav. A bit like how Souness turned Pogba into a shit player way before Pogba actually became the injured and therefor shit player he is now.

Their football show was hugely popular and is currently even a daily talkshow (about everything, not a football show anymore). They idea is still the same. Make fun of everything, be negative about almost everything, be ''anti woke'' and have some drama from time to time. Last week our prime minister was even a guest on their show.

 

[Oscar Bonavena]

Surprised Robbie Keane wasn't on that list. He was only 21 and already had a couple of million plus transfers behind him!

 

[Cheimoon]

He has 100% seen it. It has been many years ago and van Beukering is still mentioned on Dutch football forums. He achieved cult status because of that sprint.

They are fairly mild in that clip. The main thing in that program was to be extremely negative towards players. Rene van der Gijp (first guy) basically destroyed the career of former PSV player Manolev by making fun of him every week. Later van der Gijp said he does regret it because he went way too far. But it was on tv so it must be true, everyone started to make fun of Manolav. A bit like how Souness turned Pogba into a shit player way before Pogba actually became the injured and therefor shit player he is now.

Their football show was hugely popular and is currently even a daily talkshow (about everything, not a football show anymore). They idea is still the same. Make fun of everything, be negative about almost everything, be ''anti woke'' and have some drama from time to time. Last week our prime minister was even a guest on their show.

Yeah, I know them - but I guess I hadn't seen enough of it to know that they always rip into people that way! Still rather harsher to my taste, but anyway.

 

[GoonerBear]

As a Scot, the strangest name on the list for me was Mark Fotheringham. I can't even remember him being highly rated within Scotland, never mind worldwide!

 

[Isotope]

Legend said that Le Tallec was better than Ronaldo. And the rest is history.

 

[madzo2007]

Darren Fletcher was really highly rated by Sir Alex, he wanted to give Fletcher his debut in 2000 when he was 15/16 but it was blocked by the Premier League as he was still on schoolboy contract.

 

[massi83]

Tuomas Aho and Mika Väyrynen that's some list

 

[RVN1991]

Yes, definitely this… 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…

Kaka?

 

[FrankDrebin]

Darren Fletcher was really highly rated by Sir Alex, he wanted to give Fletcher his debut in 2000 when he was 15/16 but it was blocked by the Premier League as he was still on schoolboy contract.

There was some hype behind Fletcher. I remember a single page piece in the Sun or Mirror about how United/SAF uncovered the next Beckham.

 

[lynchie]

Remember when we were all debating who was better, Kaka or Kieron Richardson?

 

[SambaBoy]

It shows how hard it is to tell how good a player will actually be at that age though.

Of the hundred, Id say six got to a world class level (Kaka, Iniesta, Robben, Ibrahimovic, Torres and Essien) plus Berbatov who was a level below. Then you had some solid players like Barry, Van der vaart, Maicon, Defoe, Joaquin, Fletcher and Baros, possibly Cisse and Quaresma although they were hit and miss.

It shows exactly why the mad strategy that Chelsea have adapted of just buying loads of young players with potential is so doomed to fail!

I'd say Maicon was more than a solid player, and probably in there with Berbatov. He was the RB ITW for a number of years and a great attacking threat, wasn't the same after Bale destroyed him but there was always conversation about whether he was better than Alves.

 

[Red in STL]

I'll admit I haven't heard of half of them, it shows that banking on a young player of this age range is a probably not a good thing

 

[Demyanenko_square_jaw]

Marat Izmailov (number 32) was definitely a very talented, intelligent technical player. His downfall was being made of glass. 2001 was his debut season at 18 and he became an instant star prospect after it. Completely overshadowed Arshavin in that respect, who was also playing a good first full season, and both in a similar side-midfielder role.

However, he quickly became bothered by knee and ankle injuries that hampered his development over the next three seasons. He still had a lot of very good performances when fit, including in the Champions League, so the expectation remained for a time. In a June 2005 friendly, Michael Ballack put him out for about three months with a nasty, deliberate looking lunge from behind. He came back maybe too early under bad advice (common issue for injured ex-ussr league players in the 90s/early 00s) didn't look the same player athletically by now, and never seemed to recover from it. Ended up playing very little football over the next few seasons.

Surprisingly, being near perma-crocked by now, he got a move to Sporting Lisbon where he initially kept decent fitness ( a mighty 22 and 23 league games!) played very well and looked like he might salvage some of his career. Instead, the injuries quickly returned in force and those seasons proved to be his last good ones. In terms of his form/ quality, he should have been at Euro 2008, but Hiddink already seemed to view him as a player for the past; he only used him in some early qualifying games.

There's actually a highlight of his 2001 season that would have got him on this list, though it's just some dribbling, touches and goals. It doesn't show any of his already very good short/medium range passing.

 

[Onerealunited]

If you remove the players who are already at a top club in the top five leagues such as Milan, Liverpool, Real Madrid etc., there are surprizingly few players who has made it at top level, showing how few of the players you believe to be the next big thing outside of the top clubs to make it in mens football later on

 

[SalfordRed18]

Dean Ashton legend

Actually would have had a solid career if not for injuries. Think he would have made the move to a top 4 club as it was known at the time potentially, if not for injuries.

Pretty certain united were heavily linked with him at one point.

 

[SalfordRed18]

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.

Darren Fletcher didn't have a top career?

 

[MADReaLJL]

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.

Ronaldo and Rooney were born on the same year (1985). He's too young as well.

 

[Raoul]

Roy was a scout for Bayer Leverkusen around the time he made this list.

 

[Gio]

You can sense-check Roy's list with that year's Championship Manager's database to see which players he'd identified as prospects that were missed by CM. Kaka, Essien, Iniesta, Maicon and Hleb the biggest standouts he'd chosen that weren't really on the wider radar.

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.

There was a lot of hype around the confluence of Houllier / Liverpool / Clairefontaine / France. Remember the Caf kicking off that they were scooping all these talents like Tallec and Pongolle.

 

[Oranges038]

In my head Mexes still plays for Roma.

 

[Sunny Jim]

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)

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

 

[Red Star One]

Ronaldo at 16 was already better than 80% of that list ever were.

He obviously wasn't but it's a cool way to exaggerate

 

[daba]

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)

Nailed the top 40 for me (can't say much about the other 60). Only change I'd make is Landon Donovan up to 20 above Johnny Heitinga. Kaka and Iniesta is a very tough one but the fact Kaka got a Ballon d'or I think means he pips Iniesta, despite Iniesta winning more at his teams across his career.

 

[SilentStrike]

Robben Iniesta and Kaka the only genuine world class players on that list

 

[Red Star One]

Fletcher, Djordjic, Richardson and Calliste for United - I have to admit I'd think I recognized our more talented youth players from the last two decades quite well, but I have absolutely zero recollection of Ramon Calliste. Looks like he went to Pool after us, never really made it as a football player and now makes a living as a luxurious watches advisor. Some career that.

 

[BarstoolProphet]

Robben Iniesta and Kaka the only genuine world class players on that list

Zlatan, Essien and Torres all has a strong case of being considered world class at some point in their career. Maicon too (won best defender of the year while at Inter I think).

 

[adexkola]

Nailed the top 40 for me (can't say much about the other 60). Only change I'd make is Landon Donovan up to 20 above Johnny Heitinga. Kaka and Iniesta is a very tough one but the fact Kaka got a Ballon d'or I think means he pips Iniesta, despite Iniesta winning more at his teams across his career.

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

 

[giorno]

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

True but also he was a far greater floor raiser than Iniesta, who perhaps was better on a great team

 

[Robbie Boy]

Champ Man?

Yup

 

[altodevil]

Robben Iniesta and Kaka the only genuine world class players on that list

Er, no.

 

[GueRed]

Ramon Calliste I remember him when MUTV consistently used to show 30mins U-18s Highlights every Sunday.

Speedy forward from Wales. But yeah nothing special

 

[GueRed]

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

 

[abundance]

20 25 27 35 82 95

six out of one hundred have been memorable for me
pretty standard rate in these predictions

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Zlatan, Essien and Torres all has a strong case of being considered world class at some point in their career. Maicon too (won best defender of the year while at Inter I think).

Essien definitely was for a time. At his peak he was unbelievable - could literally do it all in midfield.

Zlatan obviously was, Torres too at 'Pool.

 

[Righteous Steps]

66. Johnny Van Beukering (STR, Vitesse)

The moment most people know him from is this.

Spoiler

Heitinga also made that list, shocking.

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

 

[Camara]

This is my top 40 In order.

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

41. Baldo Di Gregorio (CB, Eintract Frankfurt)
42. Mourad Meghni (AM, Bologna)
43. Diego Ribas (AM, Santos) - You know him, but simply as Diego, he was a brazilian 10 that in Europe played for Porto, Werder Bremen, Juventus and Atlético Madrid. Belongs in the top 40 for sure.
44. Leandro Bonfim (AM, Vitoria/PSV Eindhoven) - he played for us, he was decent but there must have been some problems behind the scenes as the managers never rated him
45. Leandro Romagnoli (AM, San Lorenzo) - played in Sporting, nothing special
46. Christian Petereit (RB/CB, Schalke 04)
47. Ewerthon (STR/FWD, Borussia Dortmund) - he was good in Borussia Dortmund for some years, his numbers for Zaragoza are also not bad
48. Hassan Yebda (DM, Auxerre) - played for Benfica and Napoli, just ok
49. Francesco Lodi (AM, Empoli/Parma)
50. Massimo Donati (DM, AC Milan)
51. Gatti Ribeiro (RWB, Blooming)
52. Marius Niculae (STR, Sporting Lisbon) - he was good but had a serious injury early on that screwed his career
53. Francesco Tarantino (LB/CB, Athletic Bilbao)
54. Lourenco Da Silva (FWD/LWNG, Sporting Lisbon) - just known as Lourenço, nothing special
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) - he had a decent career, played for Benfica and Sporting, played in the portuguese national team for several years
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) - ok career, he played for Genoa and was a sub at Juventus for some years
64. Ednilson (AM, Benfica Lisbon) - nothing special
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) - played in Sporting and Porto, decent in Sporting, not world beater but decent player
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) - had an ok career
79. Andres Oliveira (STR/FWD, Perth Glory)
80. Candido Costa (AM, Porto) - nothing special
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) - was promising but did not take off, I remember facing him in the 2003 UEFA Cup
94. Azar Karadas (CFWD/CB, Brann Bergen) - this is a weird one as he played professionally as center back OR striker, probably the only player I know, together with Pepe, that played professionally as both (Pepe earlier in the career was a forward), nothing special but he was promising
95. Pedro Mantorras (STR, Benfica Lisbon) - overhyped but had potential, had a crippling injury early in the career in Benfica, spent the rest of his career being a weird talisman-like late sub for Benfica
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)

 

[MegadrivePerson]

43. Diego Ribas (AM, Santos) - You know him, but simply as Diego, he was a brazilian 10 that in Europe played for Porto, Werder Bremen, Juventus and Atlético Madrid. Belongs in the top 40 for sure.

Thank you, didn't realise that this was Diego!
Yeah he's comfortably in the top 40, probably should be in the top 20 actually.

I will revisit and update it once I get some more opinions.

 

[Doracle]

Darren Fletcher didn't have a top career?

I was more thinking it was cut short. Felt like he just got to top level and was then hit by his illness issues. Having just checked, he had a few more years than I was thinking before that happened though.