5 most exciting teams of the 21st century

Many great football teams have caught our eye with their mesmerizing displays over the years. Johan Cruyff's Barcelona Dream Team, and a youthful Ajax side that took Europe by storm under Louis van Gaal, are among the most exciting teams of the 90s.

Since the turn of the century, more iconic teams have stepped up to steal our attention with their memorable performances and achievements. They wrote some incredible chapters in the history of the game. They have shattered long-standing records and ran riot on their way to claiming major trophies and honors.

Besides the trophies and honors, what made these teams stand out from other successful ones is the fact that they didn't just thrive. They thrived playing some attractive brand of football. That said, let's look at five of the most exciting teams of the 21st century.

Honorable mentions:

Bayern Munich (2019-2020): This team proved to be too much for Europe's elite. They defeated the likes of Tottenham Hotspur (10-3 agg), Chelsea (7-1 agg) and Barcelona 8-2 on their way to winning the Champions League in 2020.

Monaco (2016-17): Leonardo Jardim's side featured the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Radamel Falcao and Bernardo Silva. They ran riot and led the club to claim the Ligue 1 title in 2017 and also progressed to the Champions League semifinals.

#5 Ajax (2018-2019)

A young Ajax team that stormed Europe with an eye-catching brand of football

Erik Ten Hag assembled one of the most exciting groups we've witnessed over the last few years at Ajax in 2018-19. The team featured many young talents including Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs De Ligt, Donny van de Beek, Hakim Ziyech and David Neres. This young team took Europe by storm.

This group played an attractive style, exchanging passes efficiently, pressing intensely and exerting absolute dominance on opposition teams. They made headlines when they played 1-1 and 3-3 draws with Bayern Munich in the Champions League group stage.

Erik Ten Hag's boys followed it up with commanding victories against Real Madrid and Juventus. This propelled them to the semifinals where they narrowly fell short to Tottenham Hotspur. They completed the campaign with a domestic double.

#4 Liverpool (2018 - present)

Jurgen Klopp's gegenpressing style has worked wonders at Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp has built an incredible team at Anfield playing brilliant, fast-paced football, characterized by intense pressing and aggressive attacking. With the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane firing on all cylinders, this Liverpool side has enjoyed tremendous success over the last few years.

They won the Champions League crown during the 2018-19 campaign and followed it up with the Premier League title in the subsequent season. The team has also won the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup.

#3 Real Madrid (2015 - 2018)

Zinedine Zidane's team won three successive Champions League crowns

What this Real Madrid team achieved in just three years is simply unbelievable. They made history by becoming the first side to win the UEFA Champions League in three successive seasons. They also claimed several trophies including one La Liga title, two Club World Cups and two UEFA Super Cups.

The team had Cristiano Ronaldo leading the attack, supported by Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale. They were matched by the midfield consisting of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro. Meanwhile the likes of Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, Dani Carvajal and Marcelo manned the defense.

It also had a legendary manager in charge, with Zinedine Zidane proving his tactical brilliance from the dugout. During those three splendid years, there was certainly no better attacking team in Europe.

#2 Manchester City (2017 - present)

Pep Guardiola has built a formidable team at the Etihad Stadium

When it comes to playing exciting football, no one does it better than Manchester City in Europe at the moment. The Cityzens have been a huge force to be reckoned with under the guidance of Pep Guardiola over the last few seasons.

Their possession-based and fluid system has proven to be effective both in English and European football. The team is made up of brilliant players, boasting incredible talent across the defense, midfield, attack and even the bench.

Pep Guardiola's men have won the Premier League title three times within the last four years. Alongside that, they won four Carling Cups, one FA Cup and two Community Shields within the same timeframe.

#1 Barcelona (2008-2012)

It's almost impossible to think of a more exciting team than this one

Arguably the greatest football team in history, there are not many teams that can compare with this legendary Barcelona side. Under Pep Guardiola, the group took the tiki-taka system to the summit of world football. They outplayed opposition clubs with ease and strolled to claim major honors.

They made history by becoming the first side to win six trophies in a single year. They claimed the Champions League, La Liga, Copa del Rey, Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Spanish Super Cup in 2009. Pep Guardiola led the group to claim 14 trophies within four years before leaving in the summer of 2012.

The team featured a number of world-class superstars. The likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta turned football to art with their magical displays. Players like Sergio Busquets, Dani Alves, Pedro and David Villa also had tremendous contributions.