FourFourTwo Discussion Club: Who are the five best players of the 21st Century?

"To almost everyone, two of the slots are taken by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo but it's after that where things get interesting with so many fantastic players to pick from. You may like There's just just so many standout names from 2000 to 2025 The new millennium started where the last ended, with Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo (R9) at the top of the mountain, and the modern game, led most notably by Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe."

"In between there's been the Brazilian genius of Ronaldinho and Kaka the last players to win the Ballon d'Or before the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly began and the midfield maestro that is Luka Modric, who broke their dominance and continues to defy father time. Elsewhere, take your pick from Xavi and Andres Iniesta, Luis Suarez and Karim Benzema, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robert Lewandowski."

"Manuel Neuer is still going. Sergio Ramos won it all, while scoring clutch goals a striker would be proud of. Erling Haaland is arguably the best player in the world in 2025. (Image credit: Getty Images) The Premier League is often labelled the best league in the world but where do their best players fit in this discussion? From foreign superstars like Thierry Henry and Sergio Aguero to the best of Britain in Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane, Steven Gerrard and Gareth Bale."

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo occupy two of the top five places among 21st-century footballers. Numerous other players contend for remaining spots across forwards, midfielders, defenders, and goalkeepers. Early 2000s icons include Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo (R9). Brazilian talents Ronaldinho, Kaka, and Neymar feature prominently alongside midfield creators Xavi, Andres Iniesta, and Luka Modric. Modern era attackers Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe shape the current debate. Notable goalkeepers include Gianluigi Buffon, Iker Casillas, and Manuel Neuer, while defenders like Sergio Ramos and Premier League figures such as Thierry Henry and Harry Kane are also highlighted.

Read at www.fourfourtwo.com