It is hard to imagine that the 2000s ended seven years ago. During the decade, there were tremendous talents that graced the sport of soccer. Here are the five best soccer players in the world from 2000-2009.
5) Thierry Henry – One of the first stars of the sport to come to America, Henry had an incredible run at the beginning of the decade. With a Premier League title to go along with his undefeated season with Arsenal in 2003-04, Thierry Henry scored 226 goals for the club in the decade.
4) Rivaldo – While having much success in the 1990s, Rivaldo carried his talents into the new century. Scoring five goals during the 2002 World Cup, he helped lead Brazil to the title. Following this accomplishment, he had success for both Barcelona and Olympiacos.
3) Ronaldinho – He is perhaps the most exciting player on this list and may have been the best player on the planet during the middle of the decade. He won the FIFA World Player of the year in 2005 and 2006. However, his on-field ability soon diminished and he struggled from the 2008 season onward.
2) Zinedine Zidane – Zidane is considered my many as one of the greatest midfielders to ever play the game. He won the FIFA Player of the Year award in 2000 and 2003 while also earning the Golden Ball in the 2006 World Cup. While he will be remembered for one infamous head-butt, he was so much more.
1) Ronaldo – The younger generation will think of Christiano when they hear “Ronaldo”, but before him came one of the greatest players in history. He scored an incredible 15 goals during the 2002 World Cup which is a record that still stands today. He also won both the Ballon D’or and FIFA World Player of the Year in 2002.
Leave a Reply