Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access, Enjoy your first month for just 1 / $1 / 1, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription, Current page: Cam Mackenzie was a standout for the Hawks during the practice against Collingwood in Tasmania. These are guys you want to go out to battle with. But in all honesty, selecting the superstars at No. If youd like to view this content, please adjust your Cookie Settings. The 100 best players of the 21st Century: 40-26. The 100 best players of the 21st Century: the greatest Ballon d'Or hoggers, serial winners and cult heroes since the turn of the millennium. Available now! The eight-time All-Australian has lead his club's goal kicking tally across 11 separate seasons, six with the Hawks and five with the Swans, becoming the undisputed, greatest forward of his time. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio. That rangy, young Frenchman would soon blossom into one of Europe's most complete midfielders. Click here to subscribe on iTunes Griezmann won the Golden Boot and player of the tournament at Euro 2016 as France reached the final, only to succumb to Portugal, but he made amends two years later by leading Les Bleus to their first World Cup victory in 20 years, winning man of the match in the final victory over Croatia. Picture: Phil Hillyard. Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide/Geelong). How many others have a position named after them? (Mackenzie) is a great kid. In fact he probably became a wiser and more-rounded player at the Blues. Channel 7 AFL commentators Luke Hodge and Shaun Burgoyne are also Hawthorn icons and teammates of Mitchell. Week by week Scarlett would claim a new scalp from the oppositions best forward, using his high-level footballing IQ and unrivalled consistently to do so. . THE NUMBERS:12 disposals, 5 marks, 5 goals Haselby himself could hold his head high though with the former No. He captained Brisbane to the 2001, 2002, 2003 premierships and even in the 2004 Grand Final. A leader in defence like few had ever seen in the Premier League, Kompany embraced the club he defined, Mancunian twang and all. Bombers midfielder Jye Caldwell sent for scans, club hopeful of Round St Kilda wingman Dan McKenzie to miss start of 2023 season. That's 22.5% of the greatest sluggers of this century, even with testing in place for 17 of the 21 seasons. Martin boasts two best and fairest honours, three All-Australian selections and 251 goals from his 225 game career. The Zero Hanger team recently undertook the major project of ranking the 15 AFL best players of the century in every position - defenders, forwards, ruckmen and midfielders. Rahul Dravid (Ind) Key numbers (from Jan 1, 2000): 130 matches, 10,590 runs at 52.95 While. Sam Mitchell talks to the team during the AFL practice match between Hawthorn and Collingwood in Tasmania. His ability to dominate within the middle of the ground as well as lead as a key target in the Bombers forward line gave Hird the label as one of the best utility players to stop foot on a footy field. That is the reason I gave him the best captain of the last 23 years., 2023, SEN All Rights Lloyd started the 21st century like no other, having two 100+ goal seasons in 2000 and 2001 and added a third Coleman Medal in 2003. Picking then ranking the 20 best AFL players of the past 20 years has been a painstaking and hair-tearing task thats consumed many hours of isolation life. Patrick Vieira was the beating heart of every side he led, winning the Euros with France, a double and unbeaten title with Arsenal and covering more grass than just about any other teammate. LISTEN TO THE LATEST EPISODE OF THE DEBATE DAVID KING, DERMOTT BRERETON AND TOM MORRIS ON WHETHER CUTTING LIST SIZES WILL BE GOOD OR BAD FOR FOOTY, IF YOURE ON A MOBILE, TAP HERE TO LISTEN, 15. AFLW Premier Partners. REAL MADRID Is Toni Kroos one of the best midfielders of the 21st century? (We've also collated a 12-man list of snubbed players, which you can check out here.) You will receive a verification email shortly. 10 greatest AFL players of all time. Gold Coast Suns also have a big contingent with Noah Anderson, Connor Budarick, Caleb Graham, Ben King and Matt Rowell who although played only five games before his season-ending injury in 2020 had already shown the depth of his talent. After being named as a co-captain in 1997 at 21 years of age, Voss lead the Lions to three successive premierships between 2001 and 2003. 100 greatest NFL players of the 21st century Aug 21, 2020 at 11:05 am Expand Autoplay 1 of 100 100. Share England and Wales company registration number 2008885. [1] Players and/or at least one of the player's parents or grandparents had to have been born in Italy. But not all former Hawks are in agreement with the doom-and-gloom forecast. The Top 20 players of the past 20 years have been revealed. At Madrid, he has scored one of the greatest goals in Clasico history a winner during the 2014 Copa del Rey final as well as one of the greatest goals in a Champions League final one of three Champions League final goals hes nabbed, while totting up four winners medals. Two Crows but which Hawks icon missed the cut? And there have been moments. Horrie Clover - 1920-1924 & 1926-1931 Cechs individual records stack up high: he has the most clean sheets ever in the Premier League with 202, as well as the most in a single season, 24, while hes a four-time Golden Glove winner and has gone longer than any other keeper without conceding, 1,025 minutes in 2004/05. The level of talent in this tournament -- especially among the top few teams -- is unprecedented. Please refresh the page and try again. It got me thinking though, with plenty of fresh faces set to chalk up the first game of their careers this weekend, which players have had the best performances in their first AFL contest since 2000? Luis Gonzalez Matt Kemp Jason Kendall Mike Lowell Hideki Matsui Brandon Phillips Gary Sheffield Grady Sizemore Jason Varitek Vernon Wells Pitchers Bronson Arroyo A.J. Then again, Buddy is no ordinary player or footy figure. Even if you go back to the summer of 1933, when The Sporting News hailed baseball's first official . Heres how it works. In 2000, Rio Ferdinand became the most expensive defender in the world and the most expensive British footballer ever when he moved to Leeds for 18m. Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappe, Salah: The top 100 players of the 21st century ranked Football Football Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappe, Salah: The top 100 players of the 21st century ranked By. Weve never seen a footballer like him and never will see one like him after he retires. 2 was the easiest part of the gig. Heres how it works. At his peak, Falcao looked utterly unstoppable - Chelsea fans might still have traumatic flashbacks to his stunning first half hat-trick in a 4-1 UEFA Super Cup victory for Atleti in 2012. In typical early 2000s fashion, Paul Haselbys first game of footy came in a Dockers loss. An explosive, contested bull in midfield, Chris Judd burst onto the scene and quickly made a name for himself as one of the game's tidiest midfielders. It was clear from an early age that there was something special about Hazard. Perhaps somewhat controversially, Voss has usurped Judd here. 4. 1 picks, dating back to 2000, and rank them as players from worst to best. Sydneys Tom McCartin despite already playing 48 games and scoring 28 goals is ineligible as he was born two days before the calendar ticked over to the year 2000 as is Jordan Butts being born on New Years Eve 1999. Sidney Crosby (ice hockey) Credit: PA 20. He got awarded the AFLPA best captain four times that just shows what his peers thought about him. Trent Cotchin captained Richmond to nearly 200 games and in that time they won two thirds of those games, 130 of those 200 they won. Debate about the best players of the 21st Century goes . A two-time Golden Boot winner, Salah holds the record for the most goals scored in a Premier League season with 32 and has been astonishingly prolific at Anfield, notching more than 20 goals in each of his five seasons. He captained them to four Grand Finals, three of them were premierships. The Czech Republic international was behind four league titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups and a Champions League triumph during his 11-year spell with Chelsea, before clinching another FA Cup at Arsenal. We want to see it. The versatile forwards creativity and reliable goal return - hes hit double figures in eight of the last nine La Liga seasons for Real Sociedad, Atleti and Barcelona - have helped him earn domestic accolades like La Liga Best Player in 2015/16. Espaol. Ablett 2. The technically gifted winger is often less lauded than some of his illustrious team-mates for club and country, but hes been a consistent source of goals and assists throughout his career. The four-time premiership Hawk added three All-Australian selections and two Best and Fairests during his 18-year, 346-game career with the Hawks and Lions. CB, CM, CF. After spending a few seasons on Richmonds list Polo finally broke through for his debut match in the famous Dreamtime at the G clash against the Bombers during the 2006 season. There arent many players that can claim they were the best player on the field in their first AFL game. 'Dusty' brings a level of aggression to the game like nobody before him. Franklin will be keen to knock down the 1,000-goal milestone as he currently sits just 56 goals away, securing his rank with some of the game's greatest ever forwards. Player Sponsorship . Menu . Judd won another Brownlow in 2010 having averaged close to 27 disposals, 14-contested touches, 5.25 tackles and 6.50 clearances a game and would end his career after 279 games, winning six All-Australian selections and five Best and Fairests. Official Western Bulldogs App. He may not have enjoyed the same level of success in an England shirt, but Terry was at least the only English player to earn a place in the 2006 World Cup team of the tournament. While at Chelsea, Lamps became arguably the club's finest-ever player, reinventing the very idea of box-to-box. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio. Chris Judd, Adam Goodes and Nat Fyfe are all among the AFL's best since 2000. This varies slightly from the Last Word On Baseball All-Decade teams list which took the best individual seasons. These players have all played at some point throughout 21st century, however based on their entire . 13-min read. Last season the Hawks finished thirteenth (or sixth last) which was, in fact, a slight improvement on their previous seasons. For sheer consistency the only player that comes to Judd for mantle of best 21st century player is Gary Ablett Jnr, but his first season didn't set the world on fire. The Pole with the goals has gone from strength to strength, with an outrageous late career peak. Judd 4. Naming the 10 best AFL players of all-time is a thankless task when you consider the talent the competition has had in its long history. 2000-2020 stats: 346 games, 437 goals, 266 Brownlow votes, averaged 25.3 disposals, 2000-2020 CV: Two-time premiership Cat, two-time Brownlow Medallist, five-time AFLPA MVP, eight-time All-Australian (one as captain), six-time best and fairest, three-time club leading goalkicker. Individual awards: 2 x Brownlow Medal, 3 x Doig Medallist. The 2023 AFL Season is just around the corner and the Zero Hanger Season Guide is back! Iker Casillas burst into the Real Madrid side as a kid, putting in a masterclass as a 19-year-old in a Champions League final. Hes played with some of the best midfielder of any generation Xavi, Iniesta and Yaya Toure, to name a few and while his contributions may be less eye-catching, theres a reason he has spent more than a decade at the heart of Barcelonas midfield. A modern-day Liverpool great, Salahs arrival from Roma in 2017 acted as a catalyst to the Reds outstanding period of success under Jurgen Klopp. Adelaide has 16 and the other cellar dweller (North Melbourne) has 14. The 19-year-old - pick No.7 in the 2022 draft - provided a pinpoint kick inside 50 in the third term for Fergus Greene, who topped the goal count with three. THE NUMBERS:27 disposals, 5 clearances, 5 tackles Throughout of the rest of the noughties, he simply oozed more of the class he'd displayed in the 90s. Sit back and relax, as we take a look at the greatest, the best, the most iconic, the most memorable, the most spectacular and the most sensational . Four Brownlow Medallists and the fifth deserves one, Four game-changing freaks and a controversial legend, The 12 AFL legends brutally snubbed from top-20 list. Today, we reveal the top five. Lee McCulloch. The fact he actually improved as a player when he moved north his first four years at the Suns, numerically, were the finest of his career to join an expansion club that was always going to start slowly is a testament to his drive, professionalism and talent. JESSE HOGAN. A subscription makes a thoughtful gift for both family and friends. Itd be a superhuman yet thoroughly well-deserved milestone. Without further ado, it is time to unveil the All-21st-Century team through 2019. Sign up to all of Foxtel Now with a 10-day free trial. Oops! King Kun arrived in the Premier League with promise: he left a hero. Between 2001 and 2003, Voss won two AFLPA MVP awards, two best and fairests, three best captain titles and All-Australian honours on three occasions (including twice as the captain). Ribery was vital to Bayern Munich's ascension to becoming a superpower once more and at his peak, there have been few wingers as beguiling to watch since 2000. Provides a lot of energy. Become a member to join in Australia's biggest sporting debate, submit articles, receive updates straight to your inbox and keep up with your favourite teams and authors. FourFourTwo is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Courageous, humble and dedicated. Former AFL forward Daniel Menzel has ranked his top seven AFL captains of the 21st century. He only won the AFLPAs best captain award once which is surprising, back in 2013. He captained Geelong to the one premiership, played in four but only captained one which is probably what held him back from giving him the number one or two title.. He may well be the Ballon d'Or's greatest miss, too. After three previous top-five finishes, he finally broke through to claim a maiden Brownlow Medal. The Cats start kick-off our list as a deserving candidate with a stelar record to his name. Get everything you need, from team lists, fixtures, statistics and a profile on every single player in the competition in our 2023 AFL Season Guide. He was the Adelaide captain between 2001-2007, he won the AFLPAs best captain in 2005 and 2006. The Galacticos needed a goalkeeper as blockbuster to match. Italiano . Hazard captained Belgium to a third-place finish and won the Silver Ball at the 2018 World Cup, his countrys best-ever finish. The Hawks will take a lot of encouragement out of their practice match against Collingwood in Tasmania on Thursday, losing to last years preliminary finalists by just one goal. Goodes is a two-time Brownlow Medalist, two-time premiership player and three time best and fairest with Sydney. The Belgian was the youngest Ligue 1 Player of the Year winner ever in 2011, aged 20, after helping Lille win a league and cup double. He won the 2002 World Cup winner with Brazil, earning a place in the All-Star team with his performances, and his 21st-century trophy haul also includes two Champions League and three La Liga titles with Real Madrid. Premier League and Champions League victories have been the reward, while at international level the winger captained Egypt to their first World Cup in 28 years in 2018 and runners-up finishes in two Africa Cup of Nations. As for the man himself, he told FFT in 2016 that it all came very naturally to me. Years active: 2010 - current. The long-legged Ivorian mastered the role of the box-to-box midfielder, capable of causing damage in the final third and winning the ball while protecting his defence. Best forwards of the 21st century (L-R): Eddie Betts, Lance Franklin, Brendan Fevola, Matthew Pavlich. Come the turn of the century, his standing in the game grew as he inspired the Magpies to a genuine premiership tilt. This year has been one of especially deep, painful . In particular, Judds leadership helped Carlton emerge from one of the clubs darkest periods into one of great promise during the late 2000s and early 2010s. You could be forgiven for not remembering Martin McGrath. But Pirlo still found time and he never failed to discover space. But from that effervescent starlet grew a dependable leader: Spain's reliable backbone through three consecutive international trophies. Alastair Clarkson has defended his temper after a clash with a reporter earlier this month, saying he cannot guarantee it will not flare up again. As we are now a fifth of the way through the new millennium and the babies born in the first few years of the 2000s are beginning to make a name for themselves on the players lists at all 18 AFL clubs. To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. Drew Brees (American football) 21. This was a massive reason as to why they had success and he led them to that success.. Lionel Messi. THE star forward of the 21st century, nobody has or will ever match the ability of Buddy Franklin. The Bombers all-time leading goal-kicker won his club's goal scoring tally in nine of the opening 10 season to start the decade and would end his career at the end of 2009 after 270 games and 926 goals. When it comes to the most incredible trades of the 21st century, Brodie Grundy may well currently be on the podium after his move to the Dees . Cornes might not be a match-winner like some of his 2004 premiership teammates, but he has an unmatched resume for any Port Adelaide player this century. The 100 best players of the 21st Century: the greatest Ballon d'Or hoggers, serial winners and cult heroes since the turn of the millennium (opens in new tab) Page 4 of 6: A strong, tough-tackling defender, Terrys leadership was behind five league titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, a Europa League crown and a Champions League title. New customers only. Language. 2000-2020 stats: 138 games, 140 goals, 82 Brownlow votes, averaged 24.5 disposals, 2000-2020 CV: Norm Smith Medallist, Brownlow Medallist, three-time All-Australian, two-time best and fairest. 12 votes, 77 comments. Your first AFL game is a pretty monumental occasion, but Toby Greenes debut was different from others. He shows real poise and is able to scan and find targets, Hawthorn assistant coach Chris Newman said. 0. Walker nearly took a Mark of the Year contender on Andrew Embleys shoulders in that game too, highlighting every exciting aspect of his game from the moment he stepped onto the field. Birthplace: Rosario, Argentina. Robert Lewandowski netted 344 goals in 375 Bayern Munich games. As a 21-year-old, Franklins 2008 season was the stuff of legend. Di Maria has won league titles in Portugal, Spain and France, and finally added an international honour to his cabinet last year by scoring the only goal of the Copa America final against Brazil. A World Cup winner and 10-time Serie A winner, his three times on the losing side of a Champions League final feel thoroughly undeserving of a player who has become the godfather of modern goalkeeping. The 100 best players of the 21st Century: 100-81 The 100 best players of the 21st Century: 80-61 The 100 best players of the 21st Century: 60-41 The 100 best players of the 21st Century: 40-26 The . Please refresh the page and try again. Both Matthew Richardson and Luke Hodge have serious fears for Hawthorn in the 2023 season. The team at AFL.com.au has dissected every club's records to name the best forward at each since the turn of the century. HIGHLIGHTS Watch the best of Team of the 21st Century back pocket, Dylan Grimes AFL career averages Kicks: 6.2 Handballs: 5.3 Disposals: 11.5 Marks: 3.8 Rebound-50s: 1.7 Contested possessions: 4.6 Uncontested possessions: 6.8 Intercepts: 4.2 Score involvements: 1.4 Tackles: 2.5 One-percenters: 4.9 Metres gained: 88.8 He was probably stiff not to win Buckleys 2002 Norm Smith Medal too. Fyfe's Brownlow votes polling average is set at an astonishing 1.07 per game, meaning he is one of only two players to ever average getting into the best in every game he plays. A key figure in the side's maiden AFL premiership success, Cornes is the club's only 300-game AFL player, won four best and fairests in seven years and was named in two All-Australian sides. Champions League and La Liga titles with barcelona are also on his honours list, while he captained the Ivory Coast to long-awaited Africa Cup of Nations glory in 2015 after twice finishing as a runner-up. His 2016 campaign will go down as one of the greatest seasons in recent history, collecting a then-record 35 Brownlow votes, both AFLPA and AFLCA awards and a Carji Greeves medal to cap off a record breaking debut season with Geelong. Well before Tom Mitchell and Lachie Neale were racking up 40-plus disposals a game for fun, Buckley was the leagues true ball magnet in an era when possessions were harder to accumulate. 548 games, 303 goals and 57 assists record Radamel Falcao Garca in the twentieth century from the shirts of River Plate, Porto . In 2002, he broke both those records again when he moved to Man United for 30m. The Czech sensation won a league and cup double with Lazio in 2000, before replacing Zinedine Zidane at Juventus and firing the Turin club to two league titles and the Champions League final, achievements that helped him clinch the 2003 Ballon dOr. But the doomsayers have come hard this year after the club lost three stars and began a hard rebuild. And while the no.10 broke through in the 90s, the 21st Century was paved in gold for him. The 100 best players of the 21st Century: the greatest Ballon d'Or hoggers, serial winners and cult heroes since the turn of the millennium. Pictures: AFL Photos DOMINANT tap specialist or athletic around-the-ground option? If you like what you read be sure to check out more SportsbyFry articles by hitting this link. For the best odds on the game sign up with Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. That he's managed to force himself into conversations alongside the great Gerd Muller is testament to what a phenomenon he's become: that he's managed to break records Der Bomber set is scarcely believable. This list was composed by taking the players with the best careers in the 21st Century (2000-2019). His character and prowess was unmatched within the league, with Goodes ending his career after a club record 372 games in 2015, having spent 17 seasons in the AFL. After drawing in the first game, at 68 points each, St. Kilda and Collingwood met again a week later to determine a winner. The issue for his opponents, though, was he was anything but buddy-like to them on the field. Gold Coast have a very impressive 19, four of whom won rising star awards in 2020. Picture: Annette Dew, There are few better sights in footy than Lance Franklin in full flight. See who made it into Hawthorn's team of the 20th century. The dual Brownlow medalist has been the star of the Dockers for some time, transforming into the league's best contested possession player of the past decade. Regarded as one of the best big-game players in the game's history, Martin has his eye on more team and individual honours with the Tigers premiership window still wide open. Franklin 3. The following players have been inducted into the Carlton Hall of Fame. Weve counted down the top 15 players of the century. Europes biggest prize, the Champions League, still eludes De Bruyne and his club-mates, but for how long? Smith, Kelly, Hird, Fyfe, Mitchell and Bedford may take the AFL trophy this century and Coleman, Young, Carroll and Rowell may be leading goal-kickers and what supporter would not want another Rioli, King, Stephens, Weightman, West, Neale, Walsh, Hamill, Serong, Clark or Evans playing again? Aged 24, Mbappe is already a World Cup winner, only the second player to net a hat-trick in the final, a Golden Boot winner as well as being widely considered among the best current players in the world. A star midfielder, an unstoppable forward and overall legend for the Bombers. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Time to Find Out Who the 2019 Denver Nuggets Really Are. AFL Naming Rights Partner. Posted below are The Independent's 100 best players of the 21st century. The star of the Lions three-peat dynasty, Voss would add to his already stellar career with record breaking season after season following the conclusion of the 20th century. It recognises the role of Italian Australian players in the sport. 2. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. NY 10036. Toni Kroos can do both. The eight-time All-Australian and six-time Best and Fairest is deep into the twilight of his career, meaning he is a further step closer to being crowned an AFL legend and perhaps the greatest ever. The players have been selected and ranked based on their 21st century performances only, so any seasons prior to 2000 haven't been considered. He would win every ball, stride with purpose and could launch rockets from outside of the area. (One of the Greatest Football Players of All Time) 1096. He was acrobatic, dramatic and exciting to watch. Powerful yet graceful, explosive yet incredibly footy smart, Buckley at his best was the perfect midfielder. Ferdinand was a ball-playing defender of the European school, rather than the bruising centre-halves more associated with the English school of thought. The cousin of 200+ game Brisbane veteran Ash, Martins AFL career lasted just four games, but his first match was something special. Wherever El Tigre has gone, goals have followed. Across his stellar two-club career, 'Buddy' has also added four Coleman Medals, two premierships and a best and fairest from his 300-game career. The wingers scorching pace, mind-bending trickery and ability to win games single-handedly make him a joy to watch, and a future Ballon dOr seems all-but inevitable already. At the very start of the 21st Century, Luis Figo committed the most controversial transfer that football had ever seen. 11. (Weve also collated a 12-man list of snubbed players, which you can check out here.). Get the best features, fun and footballing frolics straight to your inbox every week. Ablett in full flight in the trademark words of Fox Footy caller Dwayne Russell is as good as it gets. Commentators also will have fun with pronouncing or making fun of Mosquito, Tsapatolis, Lukosius, Oea, Bosenavulagi and Uosis. He captained Collingwood in 184 games, he captained them to a Grand Final, he was twice the AFLPAs best captain he is a silky footballer, he got it done. The precocious starlet of France's 2006 World Cup crusade grew into a cultured wide man who swept all before him. The most anticipated AFL home-and-away games of the 21st century Jackson Mansell Roar Rookie 19th August, 2022 A A A 2 Join the conversation Advertisement Write for The Roar Anyone can contribute to The Roar and have their work featured alongside some of Australia's most prominent sports journalists. Because Judds explosive best during a four-year period at West Coast (2004 to 2007) was better than any players optimum output on this 20-man list. But any suggestions the unprecedented long-term deal has been failure are off the mark, as his influence at the Swans has gone beyond footy. Changkuoth Jiath had some solid moments in defence for Hawthorn in his first pre-season appearance and rising midfielder Jai Newcombe was also among the best with 27 disposals. Arguably the game's greatest ever full-back, Matthew Scarlett's dominance over the league is yet to be reached by any there player since his retirement.
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