Top 10 Greatest Football Players of This Decade

The world of football continues to change with new names striking a chord with the fans through their entertaining style of football.

However, there are still many accomplished names that are still relevant today, and at times, unstoppable.

The comparisons between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will remain, and there's no way you could completely identify who the greatest of all time is.

But, if the past ten years are anything to take into consideration, there's a possibility that statistics, personal accolades, and trophies could settle the debate.

With names like Kylian Mbappe beginning to ascend to the top of the mountain, the past decade has produced some of the top footballers of our generation.

Over the span of three World Cups (2010, 2014, and 2018), the footballing world has witnessed tremendous moments of glory that they will remember for the rest of their lives.

So, without further ado, let's dive deep into history and rank the top 10 greatest footballers of this decade.

Also see: Champions League | Champions League Table | Champions League Fixtures

#10 Luis Suarez

Probably one of the greatest strikers of this decade

No. 10 in our list of Football Players of the decade is Luis Suarez. If you're looking for the greatest football players in the world, you start and go to the greatest stage in football. Luis Suarez is one of the most top-tier talents in football history, with the Barcelona forward achieving incredible feats in his career.

Being Uruguay's all-time top scorer, Suarez has been able to gravitate tremendous attention through his versatility and fantastic skill-set.

Despite being involved in controversies throughout his career, the 31-year old has enough accolades to back it up and has cemented his legacy in world football.

The former Liverpool striker has won 16 trophies throughout his career, and won La Liga's Pichichi Trophy in 2016, ending Messi and Ronaldo's six-year dominance.

The incredible forward became popular after conquering the Eredivisie title in 2011 and was named the Dutch Footballer of the Year.

His transition to Liverpool was sensational, with the player winning the League Cup in his first full season, and made an entire city dream by inching closer to the EPL title.

However, despite not winning the EPL, Suarez's world-record transfer to Barcelona ascended his legacy to the top of the footballing world.

The Spanish side went on to win the historic continental treble, with Messi, Suarez and Neymar scoring a total of 122 goals, making them the most dangerous trio in Spanish football history.

His partnerships with Steven Gerrard, Edinson Cavani, and Lionel Messi in respective campaigns was excellent, and the 31-year old has proved his agility and technical ability time and time again.

With all that has transpired throughout his entire career, there's no denying that Suarez is the most versatile striker to have step foot in the world of football in this decade.

#9 Zlatan Ibrahimovic

No. 9 in our list of football players of the decade is Sweden's very own Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He is one of the most dangerous strikers on the planet, with the man's precision, ability, and striking power being as eccentric as his humour.

He has struck a chord with football fans all over the world and carries an incredible resume with 32 trophies to back up his credentials.

His sensational style of play has managed to gravitate attention, with fans all around the world admiring Zlatan's striking ability.

Ibrahimovic is currently the third most decorated active footballer in the world, having won over 30 trophies with high-profile clubs.

His performances in Italy, Spain, France, and England speak for themselves, with the 36-year old revolutionizing football with his superheroic goal-scoring prowess.

Regarded as the best Swedish International of all time, Ibrahimovic is the only player in the world to have played with seven big clubs in the UEFA Champions League.

His demand in the footballing world only justifies his credibility as a world-class striker, and his bicycle kick against England in 2013 could very well be the best goal I have ever seen through my naked eyes.

Having scored 436 goals from almost 750 appearances for all his clubs, Ibrahimovic has catapulted his legacy of being one of the most dangerous attackers of this decade.

#8 Toni Kroos

No. 8 in our list of football players of the decade is Toni Kroos. Midfield is generally positioned as the most significant element in the entire football game, with the midfielders essaying a centrally deep playmaking role to get the game going.

Since the central midfielders have always created an impact on the way a particular team plays up front, Toni Kroos' significance remains unparalleled on many departments.

The German is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest in the game and has gravitated a lot of appreciation for his mobility and efficiency in the central role.

While becoming famous in his early time with Bayer Leverkusen, Kroos came to full life in Bayern Munich, his parent club and went on to win many accolades and trophies with the German Giants.

His set-piece ability and proficiency in playing deep whilst enacting a central role has propelled him to unimaginable heights and positioned him as one of the most talented midfielders on the planet.

His contribution to Real Madrid remains immense, with the German winning three consecutive UEFA Champions League trophies with the Spanish Giants; solidifying his position in history.

There's no denying that he couldn't push his national side to the Finals of the FIFA World Cup, Kroos' mentality as a footballer still remains very ambitious and optimistic.

#7 Sergio Aguero

No. 7 in our list of football players of the decade is Sergio Aguero. There's absolutely no denying that Sergio Aguero is possibly the greatest striker to ever grace the football world, let alone the English Premier League.

The Argentinian forward has proved his mettle for both national team and clubs and hijacks the spotlight in marquee matches with his recent performances against Arsenal and Chelsea justifying his prowess of a show stealer.

Having established himself as the youngest player to perform in the Argentine Primera Division, Aguero quickly made a solid transition to Atletico Madrid where he scored a whopping 101 goals in 234 appearances whilst winning the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup in the process.

Despite being so versatile for his position, Aguero's 94th-minute winner against Queen Park Rangers in his debut season for Manchester City ascended the club to it's first EPL trophy in 44 years.

If his goal-scoring statistics are anything to take into consideration, then the Manchester City striker has earned a reputation of being one of the greatest strikers to ever grace EPL in the modern era, if not the greatest.

While some may argue that Thierry Henry might be the greatest EPL forward ever, Aguero's fantastic agility and proficiency for the game has somehow coerced the fans to think otherwise.

He is currently tied with Alan Shearer as the highest hat-trick scorers in the EPL of 11, and judging by how the Argentinian has been performing as of late, we are likely to see him break Shearer's record sooner rather than later.

Despite not winning a major trophy with his country, Aguero has remained an influential figure in football and his legacy may remain untouched for a long, long time.

With Manchester City locked in an edge of a seat thriller title race with Liverpool this season, Pep Guardiola would be certainly counting on Aguero to propel his side to unimaginable heights.

#6 Sergio Ramos

No. 6 in our list of football players of the decade is Sergio Ramos. Highly regarded as one of the most incredible defenders of this beautiful game, Sergio Ramos' resume speaks for itself and continues to prosper every single season.

The highly-rated defender has been influential in elevating the stature of both Real Madrid and Spain, with his proficiencies as a full back earning him various accolades throughout his prestigious career.

While Ramos has always made headlines for all the wrong reasons, legions of football fans cannot deny that his accomplishments as a defender are unparalleled, in this decade.

The Spanish Sensation was incredibly significant in assisting Real Madrid to a whopping four UEFA Champions League titles, with his 93rd-minute equalizer in the Final of the 2013-14 season against Atletico Madrid registering them a record tenth title in the illustrious competition.

There's no denying that his national side is undoubtedly one of the most perilous sides in Europe, if not the world and Ramos' indispensable leadership has coerced the nation to be an established team.

Having won the 2010 FIFA World Cup alongside two UEFA Euro in 2008 and 2012, Ramos' was incredibly efficient and still continues to be as threatening as he used to when he started out.

Regardless of what transpires in the headlines, there's no way we can ever exclude Sergio Ramos from the history books as one of the greatest defenders of this decade.

#5 Neymar

Despite being heavily criticized for his mannerisms on the ground, there's no denying that Neymar has all the credentials in the world that makes him one of the most influential players of this decade.

The Brazilian Golden Boy came into prominence very early in his career, and was the most pivotal member of his club Santos F.C.; helping them to win two successive championships.

Having proved his value on the ground, Neymar's skill-set and ability to unlock the defence is a treat to the eyes.

The Brazilian is able to create spaces through his versatility and productivity with his feet. His next move to Barcelona saw him win the treble and scored 68 goals for the Spanish club during his tenure.

If International duties are anything to take into consideration, then the 26-year old has been influential for his nation, by scoring decisive goals for the squad, and is also the third highest goalscorer for his national team, trailing behind Pele and Ronaldo.

The Champions League winner is on his way to greatness, and his time at PSG has been worthwhile.

Despite being the most expensive player in the world, the Brazilian has been able to back it all up, and deliver when it's necessary.

With 18 club trophies in his arsenal, the superstar has just begun, and could possibly propel his credibility to become one of the greatest to ever grace a football pitch.

#4 Gianluigi Buffon

There's no way you can address the best goalkeepers in the world without mentioning the name of Gianluigi Buffon. Buffon is undoubtedly one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of the sport, if not the greatest.

After starting his professional career with Parma in 1995, the Italian quickly ascended to become one of the most promising young comers in the Serie A territory.

Having won three trophies with Parma during his entire tenure in the club, Buffon made his way to Juventus for a world record free then of €52 million and quickly cemented his position as the last of his kind in that position.

His proficiency in the GK position is a testament to his incredible vision and love for the game, and if statistics and records are anything to take into consideration, then Gianluigi Buffon may very well be the greatest modern-day goalkeeper that ever lived.

The 41-year old Icon is the most capped player in the history of the Italian National team with 176 caps to his name, and is also the most capped European international player ever.

While his national side did fail to make it to the World Cup 2018, there's no denying that Buffon has solidified his mark in the Italian football legacy with his incredible agility and visionary approach towards the game.

He is the only goalkeeper in history to have won the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year Award after leading his side to the UEFA Champions League Final in 2003.

While the 'Superman' is still yearning for a European club glory with PSG on the biggest stage, Buffon's legacy will remain etched in history as one of the football's greatest.

#3 Andres Iniesta

Is Iniesta one of the greatest that ever lived?

Some of the greatest footballers of our generation who have scratched and clawed their way to reach the top of the hill have done it whilst being extremely humble and disciplined on the field.

One of them is Andres Iniesta. There are no significant adjectives in mind when throwing light upon the extremely illustrious life and career of Spanish's greatest, Andres Iniesta.

After ascending to the top to Barcelona from La Masia, Barcelona's youth academy, Iniesta made his first-team debut in 2002 when he was just eighteen, and went on to become perhaps the most decorated Spanish footballer of all time, let alone this generation.

His incredible versatility as a midfielder earned him various accolades for his club and country, with almost 33 trophies with Barcelona under his belt.

There's no denying that a central, more offensive midfielder propels a team to unimaginable heights, and the same remains the case with Andres Iniesta.

His offensive mannerisms and undeniable craft catapulted class in Spanish football and made us fall in love with his technicality as a footballer.

While legions of football fans continue to pick Ronaldo and Messi over Iniesta, it's hard to argue that the World Cup winner is in a class of his own.

Having won several La Liga trophies, four UEFA Champions League titles, 2010 FIFA World Cup, and UEFA Euro Cup twice, Iniesta has registered his name in history as one of the most accomplished midfielders of this generation.

His individual accomplishments speaks for themselves and are undoubtedly a testament to his greatness as a very humbled and disciplined footballer.

#2 Cristiano Ronaldo

While I do understand that the comparisons between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been going on for years and shall continue forever, let's not forget how dominating they have been for over a decade.

Cristiano Ronaldo is undoubtedly one of the greatest footballers to ever grace a football pitch and remains in a stratosphere of his own in the world of professional football.

His willingness to constantly uplift himself has worked for him, as the Portuguese Striker has been pretty influential in leading his club and country to many accomplishments throughout the course of his fantastic career.

Currently leading Juventus from the front, Ronaldo is a goal-scoring sensation with his incredible body of work and his intensity towards creating chances leaving the opposition high and dry.

With a record five Ballon d'Or awards in his belt, he is the first player to win European Golden Shoes which only is a testament to his eccentric style of play and impressive prowess as a talented footballer.

There's no denying that he is possibly the greatest European player to ever play in the UEFA Champions League and if statistics are anything to take into consideration, then Cristiano Ronaldo may very well be the greatest European performer of our generation.

His immense speed and eye for the goal have ascended his credibility as the highest official goal scorer in Europe's top five leagues, with his sensational statistics in UEFA Champions League only justifying his resilience as a footballer.

Having won a whopping 27 trophies in his career, including 5 UEFA Champions League titles, the Portuguese Striker is still hungry to give more to football and lead the Italian Giants to Champions League victory this season.

The 34-year old Superstar has accomplished everything that a professional footballer dreams of and he is genuinely the greatest Real Madrid player of all time and continues to be a sensation for football all over the globe.

#1 Lionel Messi

In my humble opinion, Lionel Messi is the most complete footballer I have ever seen grace a football field and while legions of fans may still continue to compare Messi with Ronaldo, we need to understand that both belong in a class of their own.

With almost 794 appearances for both his club and country, Messi has rocketed 646 goals and 266 assists which makes him possibly the most ruthless performer of this generation.

While Cristiano Ronaldo has scored a whopping 678 goals throughout the course of his career, there's no arguing that the Portuguese has appeared in 946 games for both his club and country.

Having also won a record five Ballon d'Or's, Messi has spent his entire professional career playing for Barcelona where has been a significant component in winning a club-record 32 trophies.

His agility and versatility as a forward has brought him more glory and recognition than any other footballer on the planet, with the Argentinian holding the record for most goals scored in La Liga, a La Liga season, an entire calendar year, EL Clasico, and a club football season in Europe.

Moreover, the No. 10 holds the prestigious record of scoring the most number of hat-tricks in the UEFA Champions League, with eight to his name.

Having been Barcelona's all-time top scorer, the Argentinian has always been adulated for his quickness and sharpness as an excellent footballer and has been pinned as a magician by many football fans and pundits from all over the globe.

There's no denying that the fans have always had a hard time in finally drawing the lines between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, let's just appreciate that we've been fortunate to see these two run riot in football fields with their excellent versatility and prowess.