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The 2010s was dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Two of the greatest footballers of all time were tangled in an intense and exciting rivalry which was an absolute treat for football fans. Ronaldo and Messi played for bitter rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively during their prime years.
The Cristiano Ronaldo - Lionel Messi rivalry rages on
Despite being well into their 30s, both Ronaldo and Messi continue to be exceptional at football. The duo have gone neck to neck for all available honours in the world of football. Between them, they've won 12 of the last 13 Ballons d'Or.
But there are also several world-class players who got overshadowed by Ronaldo and Messi. It is a tad bit unfair to them because all of these players have done enough and then some to etch their names into football folklore. But the limelight has always remained with Ronaldo and Messi.
So today, we'll take a look at five of the best players other than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the last decade.
#5 Luka Modric
Luka Modric is the only player to have broken the duopoly that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo exercised over the Ballon d'Or in the last decade. The diminutive central midfielder has been one of the most consistent footballers on the planet over the last 10 years or so.
It's worth noting that after his first season at Real Madrid, he was voted the worst signing of the season in a poll conducted by MARCA. But it was all upwards from there for the Croatian international. Once he settled down at Real Madrid, Modric brought all his technical and tactical brilliance to the fore.
He patrols the midfield realms with the calmness of a saint and the shrewdness of a car salesman. Modric was the perfect foil for Toni Kroos and together they won three back-to-back Champions League titles with Real Madrid.
The trio of Casemiro, Kroos and Modric are viewed as the best midfield triumvirate of the 21st century. Modric was Croatia's best player in their run to the final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He beat Ronaldo and Messi to the Ballon d'Or later that year. Modric and Ronaldo were the two standout performers for Real Madrid in the 2017-18 season.
Modric's passing range, technique, ability to flit past opponents, experience and game intelligence make him one of the best midfielders of the modern era. He is 36-years-old now but is still going strong and continues to produce the goods for Real Madrid in the center of the pitch.
#4 Neymar Jr.
Neymar Jr. has undoubtedly been one of the stars of the 2010s. He took the football world by storm after joining Barcelona from Santos for €88 million in 2013. His incredible skillset was already much spoken of and the world waited with bated breath to see the 'samba' swagger take centre stage at the Camp Nou.
Not only did Neymar deliver on that promise, but he also helped transform Barcelona into the strongest team in Europe. The Brazilian international was too quick for defenders and he weaponized his street smartness by combining audacity and technical ability with game intelligence.
Neymar formed the deadliest attacking trio in recent football history alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. He was particularly exceptional for Barcelona in their 2014-15 continental treble winning season. He scored 39 goals and provided 10 assists in 51 appearances across all competitions that term.
The talismanic Brazilian finished third in the Ballon d'Or race in 2015 behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. By the time he left in 2017, Neymar had scored 105 goals and provided 76 assists in 186 appearances across all competitions for the Catalans.
Neymar also won two La Liga titles, one Champions League title, three Copa Del Reys and a FIFA Club World Cup with Barcelona. The Brazilian then joined French giants Paris Saint-Germain for a world record transfer fee of €222 million. His arrival at PSG helped the French outfit attain much more of a global appeal and he was their guiding light in their run to the final of the 2019-20 Champions League final.
Neymar deserves a lot of praise for doubling down on the fun, flair and sheer joy that we associate with the beautiful game. Messi and Neymar have now reunited at PSG and the duo have shown glimpses of their brilliant telepathic connection in their first season together in Paris.
#3 Sergio Ramos
For 16 long years, Sergio Ramos was the beating heart of Real Madrid's defence. A true warrior, the Spanish international was an embodiment of the never-say-die spirit. Ramos was a belligerent presence in the backline and thanks to his grasp over the 'dark arts' of defending, he was always a nightmare to go up against.
One of the greatest defenders of all time, Ramos was one of the defining figures of the 2010s. Not only was he adept at holding down the fort for Los Blancos but he was pretty effective on the other side of the pitch. Ramos' goalscoring exploits were astonishing, to say the least.
He scored a total of 101 goals and provided 40 assists in 671 appearances for Real Madrid across all competitions. Those numbers are incredible for a centre-back. Ramos has been Real Madrid's savior on multiple occasions, including scoring a stoppage time equalizer in the final of the 2013-14 Champions League against Atletico Madrid.
Ramos captained Real Madrid to three back-to-back Champions League titles. He has won Europe's elite competition four times in the last decade. His departure from Real Madrid last summer was rather unceremonious but his Real Madrid legacy will remain untainted for eternity.
#2 Luis Suarez
Peak Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo absolutely steamrollered opponents in the last decade. They were such prolific goalscorers and incredible footballers that even coming close to them in terms of accomplishments seemed a huge ask.
Then there was Luis Suarez, who managed to outscore prime Ronaldo and prime Messi and beat them both to the European Golden Shoe in the 2015-16 season. The Uruguayan international is one of the best strikers of all time and he was blessed with blistering pace, dribbling skills and a deadly finish.
Suarez tore it up in the Premier League with Liverpool and won his first European Golden Shoe in the 2013-14 season. He absolutely relished playing alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr. and was simply unstoppable on most days.
Suarez played a starring role for Barcelona in their continental treble winning season. He also scored a goal in the final against Juventus. He won four La Liga titles and one Champions League title with Barcelona.
Prior to his unceremonious exit from his beloved club in the summer of 2020, Suarez had scored 195 goals and provided 113 assists in 283 appearances for the Catalans. He is easily one of the best strikers to have plied their trade for Barcelona in their entire history.
#1 Robert Lewandowski
Many believe that Robert Lewandowski should have won two Ballon d'Or awards by now. He was the clear-cut favorite to win it in 2020 but the award was canceled in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Lewandowski had a sensational run in 2021 as well but ultimately lost out to Lionel Messi in the race for the Ballon d'Or.
In the 2020-21 season, he broke Gerd Muller's record for the most goals scored in a single Bundesliga campaign (40) by netting 41 in 29 appearances. The Polish international is the most prolific goalscorer on the planet right now and is an absolutely phenomenal marksman.
He is one of the best finishers to have ever graced the game. Lewandowski is technically gifted and has learnt his craft from some of the best coaches in the game like Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola, Hansi Flick, Carlo Ancelotti etc.
He has scored at least 40 goals in six of the last 10 seasons and was in incredible form as Bayern Munich won the continental treble in the 2019-20 season. He scored 55 goals and racked up 10 assists in 47 appearances across all competitions for the Bavarians that campaign.
He has won eight Bundesliga titles, one Champions League, three DFB Pokals and one FIFA Club World Cup with Bayern Munich. Prior to that, he won two Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.
