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The English Premier League, otherwise known as the Premier League (in short) is considered to be the most exciting, enticing, and difficult football league around the globe.
Fans are glued to their seats and TV sets every weekend starting from August up until May to witness live action of the Premier League matches.
Ever since its inception back in 1992, top-flight football in England has consistently produced great players. Or maybe we can say that the intensity of the league brings out the best in them.
What makes the Premier League most competitive is the presence of the 'Big Six'. Heavyweights that include the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea are collectively known as the 'Big Six'.
Moreover, there are always teams like Tottenham, Everton, Westham, Leicester, etc. to add more drama to the already ardent league. The Premier League roster has always been full of world-class players and promising prodigies. But few of them have made a forever mark in this beautiful game of football.
Top Five Premier League Players in the 21st Century
#5 Sergio Aguero
Manchester City's trophy cabinet had two First Divisio titles up until 2010. The dawn of the new decade saw the Sky Blues add five more silverware to their collection and end up as runners-up on three occasions.
The Cityzens credit their recent success in the elite league to the man at helm — Pep Guardiola. However, it is no secret that Pep has one of the greatest weapons in his number 10 that goes by the name of Sergio Kun Aguero.
The Argentine striker was lethal in every season that Man City won. Having established himself in La Liga with Atletico Madrid, Aguero arrived in England to spend a decade with City.
After playing for 10 seasons at the Etihad, Kun wrapped up his illustrious Premier League career and joined Barcelona as a free agent from this year. This is what he takes home with him:
10 years, 390 games, 260 goals, 5 Premier league trophies, 1 golden boot and the most iconic moment in his fairytale Man City career — Agueroooooooooooo!
#4 Steven Gerrard
Joining the ranks of one of the greats of the 21st century is former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.
Gerrard, who's the epitome of club loyalty, has donned the Merseyside outfit for 17 seasons! Despite the dark cloud that looms over his head in the form of zero Premier League titles won, the former England captain is lauded as one of the best midfielders to play the game.
Throughout his career, Steven Gerrard was the Kop's favorite. The Liverpool number 8 was a midfielder with high endurance levels and his passing abilities were considered to be one of the best ever in the history of the sport.
Gerrard retired from the top-flight in 2015 with the 2005 Champions League victory being his most decorated moment in the LFC jersey.
#3 Ryan Giggs
The Premier League once featured a midfielder who proved age was just a number. It was none other than Ryan Giggs, who occupies the third spot on our list.
Manchester United stand atop the list of the most Premier League titles with twenty trophies. And Ryan Giggs has been a part of thirteen of them!
Under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson, the former Welsh captain evolved as a versatile player with an attacking mindset. He was appointed as the interim manager of the Red Devils and ended up as the only player-manager to feature in a Premier League game for the first time since 2000.
Giggs achieved this feat against Hull City in 2014 where he substituted himself for Lawrence.
The class of '92 member is regarded as the one of the best ever Manchester United players in Premier League history.
#2 Thierry Henry
The latest generation of football fans are unbeknownst to the threat that Arsenal once posed. And the constant name behind their success, Thierry Henry.
The Frenchman was Arsene Wenger's spearhead. One of the first two Premier League Hall of Fame inductees, Thierry Henry, collected ample accolades during his stint at Highbury and then the Emirates stadium.
Henry is the winner of 4 x Golden Boots (Three of them won consecutively between 2003-2006), 2 x Player of the Season, 2 x Premier League Titles, 249 goal involvement out of 258 matches played.
Henry was also one of the most marketable footballers of his time.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
Alex Ferguson's gift to the Premier League, Cristiano Ronaldo!
The little boy who impressed Man United gaffer Sir Alex Ferguson in a friendly game earned himself a ticket to Old Trafford. Ever since, there's been no looking back for arguably the best player in the history of football.
Cristiano's trophy-laden stint at Manchester United came to an end with the Portuguese's mouth-watering transfer to Spanish giants Real Madrid. Before leaving England, Ronaldo carried a bag full of silverware and legacy along with him.
He won his first Ballon d'Or while being a Red Devil. The 2007/08 golden boot winner was handed the number 7 shirt following Beckham's departure. He ended up as the best ever number 7 in the history of the club. It also seems to have left a curse as nobody, till date, has been able to fill his boot in that jersey.
In conclusion, despite having only 6 Premier League appearances under his belt, Cristiano is considered to be one of the best ever to have played in the league.
This wraps up our top 5 Premier League footballers of the 21st century. Comment your pick in the comments section.
