The 5 greatest soccer players of the last 25 years

The most recent version of theScore’s Eras challenge, which celebrates greatness in each main sport during the last 25 years, ranks and discusses the 25 greatest male soccer gamers since 2000.

Keep in mind: Respective accomplishments and accolades compiled earlier than the 12 months 2000 weren’t thought of for this challenge. For instance, Zinedine Zidane’s titanic displaying within the 1998 World Cup is not a part of his resume because it pertains to this train, however his performances – and the notorious conclusion – within the 2006 match are taken under consideration.

Monday: Introductory essay and gamers 21-25Tuesday: Gamers 16-20Wednesday: Gamers 11-15Thursday: Gamers 6-10

5. Luka Modric 🇭🇷

Period groups: Dinamo Zagreb 2002-08; Tottenham Hotspur 2008-12; Actual Madrid 2012-present; Croatia 2006-present

Signature efficiency: Croatia is an anomaly in fashionable soccer. Solely eight totally different nations have reached a males’s World Cup ultimate since 1990 and they’re the game’s proverbial powerhouses: Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, France, Spain, the Netherlands. And Croatia. Modric willed the modest nation there in 2018.

The captain scored in his group’s opening two matches (together with a sensational strike from distance in a 3-0 thumping of Lionel Messi’s Argentina), transformed penalties in shootout wins in each the spherical of 16 and quarterfinals, and ran the present in an extra-time victory over England within the semis. France proved one impediment too far within the ultimate, however Modric was rightly rewarded for his heroics by claiming the Golden Ball as participant of the match, which paved the best way for his Ballon d’Or win later within the 12 months.

Why he is right here: In an age the place midfielders turned increasingly specialised as a part of more and more inflexible tactical programs, Modric has been a unicorn. There are artful playmakers and hard-nosed tacklers, ball-carriers, tempo-setters, set-piece specialists, and scoring threats – Modric is all of these issues wrapped into one diminutive, indefatigable bundle. He is the last word Swiss Military knife in midfield, a box-to-box dynamo who’s been dictating video games for nearly 20 consecutive seasons on the sport’s highest degree.

He is the most effective all-around midfielder of this period, controlling an important space on the pitch along with his innate really feel for the sport. The longtime center-piece of Actual Madrid’s celebrated midfield, Modric at all times is aware of when to hurry issues up or sluggish them down, discovering angles and openings others cannot see. He is one of the crucial universally revered gamers round, too. When Italian journalist Francesco Repice pleaded with Modric to “by no means retire” after Croatia’s ultimate recreation at Euro 2024 – one other Man of the Match efficiency – the room applauded in unison. Few others elicit such emotions.

A whole lot of these are summary concepts. His achievements, although, aren’t. He is probably the most adorned participant in Actual Madrid historical past with 27 trophies (and counting). Of all of the legends to play for the storied membership, Modric stands alone in that regard, a surprising feat that speaks to his longevity. From 2007-08, when he starred at Dinamo Zagreb, by way of 2023-24, he averaged slightly below 3,000 minutes performed per season throughout all membership competitions.

Constant excellence alone will get him on this record. The aforementioned Ballon d’Or, which noticed Modric finish the unprecedented 10-year Messi-Ronaldo duopoly, fires him into the highest 5. The 39-year-old’s record of accolades retains going, and going, and going. Similar to him. – Gianluca Nesci

4. Thierry Henry 🇫🇷

Period groups: Arsenal 2000-07, 2012; Barcelona 2007-10; New York Pink Bulls 2010-14; France 2000-10

Signature efficiency: Arsenal would’ve by no means achieved invincibility with out Henry’s inspirational hat-trick in opposition to Liverpool in April 2004. His first objective canceled out Liverpool’s 1-0 lead, after which, with the sport tied 2-2, the Frenchman set off on a blinding run, discovering immediate vulnerabilities within the wall of defenders forward of him. That is when he went to work. Henry shrugged off one defender, sidestepped Jamie Carragher into oblivion, and calmly slotted in what stood because the successful objective. A scruffier end accomplished Henry’s hat-trick, capping a 4-2 win for the Gunners that helped ship the title and the primary and solely unbeaten season in Premier League historical past.

It additionally resuscitated a season that was unravelling. The win adopted losses to Manchester United and Chelsea that kicked Arsenal out of the FA Cup and Champions League – desires of a treble led to simply seven days. So, once they broke for halftime in opposition to Liverpool, the gamers thought they have been about to lose all the pieces. Henry wasn’t even speculated to play in that recreation. A again drawback practically compelled him to withdraw from the matchday squad. However he stepped up. As magnificent as Arsenal have been in these days, they at all times regarded to Henry for inspiration. “We have been anticipating somebody to do one thing magical and it occurred,” teammate Patrick Vieira stated. “We needed for him to do it. He was there for us. If you end up struggling you count on him, or Dennis (Bergkamp), to do one thing.”

Why he is right here: Henry does not have a Ballon d’Or like Karim Benzema or a goal-scoring document like Robert Lewandowski. Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney every scored extra Premier League targets than Henry – and neither is on this record. There are tangibles that Henry does not have. And but he is fourth on the record as a result of he has each tangible proof of his extraordinary center-forward play throughout a trophy-laden profession and a legacy as one of many century’s most influential gamers.

His achievements are wide-ranging. He received the Premier League Golden Boot a document 4 occasions, and at 0.68 targets per recreation ranks first amongst Premier League gamers with at the very least 15,000 minutes logged. He additionally clinched top-flight titles in France, England, and Spain, a continental treble with Barcelona, and the World Cup and Euro with France. Solely a handful of his friends have as full a trophy cupboard as Henry does.

However he deserves much more reward for the best way he modified the center-forward place. After losing a 12 months as a wing-back at Juventus, Henry helped create the monster that’s the modern-day striker, bringing tempo and aptitude to a place sometimes reserved for bruising gamers with one-dimensional ending capacity. He turned an unstoppable pressure with the ball at his toes, proving strikers could make one thing occur outdoors the confines of the 18-yard field. “He did blast the best way for that goal-scoring winger to return inside,” former Arsenal striker Ian Wright stated. “Left foot, proper foot, tempo. A devastating phenomenon coming in the direction of you.”

There isn’t any Kylian Mbappe with out Henry main the best way. Henry had this astonishing capacity to shoot the ball at prime velocity, and so does Mbappe. Henry, who did not even have a lot religion in himself as a goal-scorer, made it attainable for wingers within the conventional mildew to begin out broad and nonetheless rating as usually as any No. 9. He recorded at the very least 10 targets in 10 straight seasons – and produced among the Premier League’s most iconic moments whereas at it. – Anthony Lopopolo

3. Andres Iniesta 🇪🇸

Period groups: Barcelona 2002-18; Vissel Kobe 2018-23; Emirates Membership 2023-24; Spain 2006-18

Signature efficiency: Iniesta wrote himself into soccer lore July 11, 2010, changing into a Spanish legend with one fateful swing of his cultured proper leg. And within the celebration that ensued, he endeared himself to your entire footballing world. Iniesta’s successful objective within the 116th minute of the 2010 World Cup ultimate will at all times be one of many sport’s lasting pictures. Spain, an underachiever for thus lengthy, lastly had its first males’s World Cup title after 80 years. Iniesta, lauded as the most effective participant his nation’s ever produced by the likes of Xavi and David Silva, was the becoming hero.

It was the long-lasting scene in a profession loaded with them, the type each aspiring participant desires of as a toddler. That Iniesta used the second to disclose a message honoring Dani Jarque, his late good friend and former Espanyol captain who died immediately of a coronary heart assault the 12 months prior, stated all the pieces in regards to the particular person behind the jersey. “That second was magical,” Iniesta defined. “It was one thing I actually needed to do for Dani, his household. It was the right stage, the right second to pay tribute.”

Why he is right here: Pep Guardiola knew he was witnessing greatness instantly. “Keep in mind at the present time – the day you first performed with Andres,” Guardiola instructed Xavi when a then-16-year-old Iniesta started coaching with Barcelona’s senior squad for the primary time. “You are going to retire me. This lad goes to retire us all.”

Iniesta was class personified on the pitch, a genius with the ball who may glide previous larger, stronger, and sooner gamers earlier than they knew what was occurring. “There’s at all times a second whenever you suppose you are going to catch him, whenever you suppose you are going to get the ball off him, however you’ll be able to’t,” Messi stated of his former teammate. Watching Iniesta was like watching a magic act. “La Croqueta,” his signature piece of ability that noticed the little Spaniard effortlessly escape opponents with two easy touches, left defenders in his wake for over a decade. From there, he at all times appeared to make the best cross, one way or the other capable of see your entire pitch always.

He retired this 12 months with 38 trophies for membership and nation, together with the World Cup, two European Championships, and 4 Champions League titles. He is the one participant ever to be named Man of the Match in a World Cup, European Championship, and Champions League ultimate. We may go on. As an alternative, we’ll let one of many best gamers in historical past clarify why Iniesta was so particular.

“Individuals have in contrast him to me and I can see the similarities,” Zinedine Zidane stated. “And let me inform you: that’s an honor to me.” – Nesci

2. Cristiano Ronaldo 🇵🇹

Period groups: Sporting CP 2002-03; Manchester United 2003-09, 2021-22; Actual Madrid 2009-18; Juventus 2018-21; Al-Nassr 2023-present; Portugal 2003-present

Signature efficiency: Whereas not a efficiency within the conventional sense, Ronaldo might have made probably the most reminiscences as Portugal’s stand-in coach through the Euro 2016 ultimate. After succumbing to an early harm, he patrolled the sidelines like a caged animal, keen his teammates to a surprising victory over France.

However he is completed far an excessive amount of on the pitch to spotlight one thing he did off it. Consider all of the hat-tricks he is scored: There’s the one he produced in opposition to Sweden that booked Portugal’s place on the 2014 World Cup; the 2 occasions he single-handedly overturned 2-0 deficits within the Champions League; the right hat-trick he accomplished in opposition to Bayern Munich in 2017; and the tit-for-tat treble he willed to life in a pulsating 3-3 draw with Spain on the 2018 World Cup. The final of these might not have been as consequential because the others – neither Portugal nor Spain superior additional than the spherical of 16 – however nonetheless confirmed the essence of a person who by no means stop. Ronaldo transformed a penalty to offer Portugal the lead, powered in a shot from lengthy vary to revive it, and curled in a memorable 88th-minute equalizer off top-of-the-line free-kicks he is ever taken.

Why he is right here: Ronaldo was at all times going to occupy one of many prime two positions on this record. It was merely a matter of selecting first or second.

Ronaldo’s spent his entire profession chasing the summit. He is tailor-made each side of his weight loss program to take care of peak bodily form. It might shock nobody to see him taking part in nicely into his 40s. That is how addicted he’s to private glory. That inner drive is the rationale he’ll go down as top-of-the-line to ever play. Although he is not our No. 1 choose, it is hardly by way of any fault of his personal, as a result of Ronaldo leads each significant statistical goal-scoring class within the recreation – and never simply within the twenty first century. Scoring is the hardest factor anybody can do in soccer, and he is carried out it higher than anybody else, topping the all-time scoring chart with a still-in-progress 910 targets for membership and nation. He is the Champions League’s prime scorer with 140 tallies, Actual Madrid’s all-time main goal-getter with 450, and the chief in males’s worldwide scoring with 135. These are sky-high information that will by no means fall.

His longevity is probably his most underappreciated high quality. Ronaldo scored at the very least 25 targets in 12 straight league seasons, firing in as many as 48 through the 2014-15 marketing campaign with Actual Madrid. He additionally went as many as 16 consecutive home seasons with 27 begins or extra. It is a ability to remain as wholesome as Ronaldo has and to supply for thus lengthy at a record-breaking tempo. Gamers who may’ve made this record, together with the at-times bedazzling Eden Hazard, would’ve in the event that they’d carried out as a lot to keep away from harm as Ronaldo did in his prime.

Then there are the trophies. Whereas he does not maintain this explicit document, he is nonetheless received 33 of them, together with seven league championships and 5 Champions League titles. He has 5 Ballon d’Or wins – second solely to Messi’s eight – and doubtless deserved to take residence extra of them. However the largest prize in his cupboard is the one he wasn’t on the pitch to win. Successful Euro 2016 as Portugal’s captain was Ronaldo’s most fulfilling achievement, offering him with long-awaited success on the worldwide stage. His profession would really feel a lot emptier with out it. – Lopopolo

1. Lionel Messi 🇦🇷

Period groups: Barcelona 2004-21; PSG 2021-23; Inter Miami 2023-present; Argentina 2005-present

Signature efficiency: How may we probably choose only one? Messi’s untouchable profession has been a cavalcade of mind-blowing moments. At solely 19 years previous, he imitated – with gorgeous accuracy – Diego Maradona’s “Objective of the Century.” It was an indication of issues to return. He is scored extra targets in El Clasico than any participant in historical past, together with a number of hat-tricks and a last-gasp winner that spawned an immediately iconic celebration. He bagged 5 targets in a single Champions League match, turned defenders into memes, and has gone on so many sensational solo runs that selecting his greatest one is a real debate. Opposing crowds, recognizing his greatness, have chanted his title as if he have been taking part in contained in the Camp Nou’s pleasant confines.

He is put his nation on his again numerous occasions, ending droughts with Copa America and World Cup titles, the latter settling any excellent GOAT debates as soon as and for all. He is racked up over 800 profession targets, received 46 trophies, and lifted the Ballon d’Or a document eight occasions. And he is not carried out but. Now 37, Messi’s nonetheless writing his ultimate chapter. Signature efficiency? His total profession.

Why he is right here: This spot was at all times Messi’s.

If it wasn’t apparent earlier than 2022, Argentina’s World Cup triumph ended the talk over Messi’s place in historical past: he is on the very prime of the mountain. Successful the game’s most coveted trophy cemented his legacy. Even probably the most ardent Ronaldo followers needed to settle for it. It was the lacking puzzle piece in his profession.

Few prospects reside as much as the hype, their careers so usually really fizzling out below immense stress to satisfy unrealistic expectations. Messi’s totally different. He was a star from the start, shattering projections with a deep data, technical capacity, and understanding of the sport that helped him evolve into an all-time nice. No one may contact him in his prime. Messi scored with ease, ending one calendar 12 months with 91 targets. No one’s made the game look so easy.

However Argentina’s lack of success with Messi was a black cloud over his profession, the very last thing his few remaining detractors may cling to. After a short retirement from the nationwide group in 2016, Messi was important in ending the South American nation’s 28-year anticipate a significant trophy by successful Copa America in 2021. Better success adopted a 12 months later after Messi scored twice within the 2022 World Cup ultimate to assist obtain his lifelong dream.

Messi was lengthy talked about in the identical breath as Maradona and Pele. The fact is, these legends must be talked about in the identical breath as him. – Brunt