Few have put the fear of God into quite so many defenders. . 1 and No. No player has racked up more disposals, Champion Data ranking points and AFL Player Ratings points since 2000. It was the first major honour of his career, but far from the last. The former Groningen, Celtic and Saints stoppers importance to those achievements didnt go unnoticed, as he won the UEFA Mens Player of the Year award for 2018/19 - the only defender to have done so - and finished as the Ballon dOr runner-up in 2019. Western Bulldogs acknowledge that we reside on traditional lands of the Kulin Nation. He was the Adelaide captain between 2001-2007, he won the AFLPAs best captain in 2005 and 2006. 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. Greene hasnt played in the AFL since 2018 but could be a valuable addition for the Hawks, who meet Essendon in round one. Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. Its hard to make a case against Barlows game as the best AFL debut since the start of the century and he didnt slow up recording 34 disposals the very next week against Essendon. But not all former Hawks are in agreement with the doom-and-gloom forecast. Watch Foxtel in an instant. Selwood 5. Along with Hodge and Burgoyne, Richmond legend Matthew Richardson, AFLW trailblazer Daisy Pearce, former Geelong captain Cameron Ling, and 7NEWS football reporter Ryan Daniels also believe that the Hawks are on track to break a 58-year wooden-spoon drought. Philip Rivers (QB) San Diego Chargers and Indianapolis Colts - First year: 2004 - Drafted:. 2. He was a key contributor in the Giants first AFL season, illustrating his talents from day one as he tied for the second most touches for his side in an expectedly ugly loss to the Swans. The surrounding blur and rush did not disrupt his tempo, nor impair his vision. The following players have been inducted into the Carlton Hall of Fame. The team, captained by ruck legend Graham . Lewangoalski has defined the 2020s so far. Come the turn of the century, his standing in the game grew as he inspired the Magpies to a genuine premiership tilt. 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? His heroics earned McGrath a game in the next three rounds, where he combined to record just 19 possessions and one goal. Birthplace: Rosario, Argentina. He dresses as he played, achieving class in the smart and the casual. 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. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The most experienced millennium at the end of 2020 was Western Bulldogs Bailey Smith, who had played 41 games and starred in his 42nd game in the season opener against Collingwood, followed by Carltons Sam Walsh (39) and Gold Coasts Jack Lukosius (38). Years active: 2010 - current. Considered one of the best football players in the world and a prolific goal scorer, Lionel Messi has shattered and created numerous records in his playing career. While. Comment on stories, get exclusive content and submit your own articles! Franais. At the very start of the 21st Century, Luis Figo committed the most controversial transfer that football had ever seen. Note that players must have played at least five seasons in the 21st century to meet the criteria and their body of work during the century is also key. A combination of icy cold finishing and red-hot drive through the centre of the pitch made him utterly unstoppable at his best. In the back-end of 2000, he went on a ridiculous six-game streak where he averaged 31.2 disposals and polled Brownlow votes in five of the matches. Thank you for signing up to Four Four Two. Nedved also captained his country to the final of Euro 2004, where they lost to Greece, and he opted to stay with Juve following their demotion to Serie B in the wake of the Calciopoli match fixing scandal, helping them go straight back up at the first attempt. Debate about the best players of the 21st Century goes . 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 . Champion Geelong ruckman Graham "Polly" Farmer was today named as captain of the indigenous team of the century. Get the best features, fun and footballing frolics straight to your inbox every week. Here are the 25 of the greatest players to ever play the great Australian game ranked from one to 25: 1. The high-flying forward who was taken second overall had to wait until Round 5 to make his AFL debut, but he wasted no time playing a pivotal role in the Blues second win of the season. Picture: Phil Hillyard. Who is your club's best ruck of the 21st century? Buckley won a record six Copeland Trophies during his 15 season in the AFL, averaging above touches disposals in every year in the system. Novak Djokovic (tennis) 18. That's 22.5% of the greatest sluggers of this century, even with testing in place for 17 of the 21 seasons. The Victorian Football League-Australian Football League (VFL/AFL) Italian Team of the Century was announced in June 2007. His time with the Suns proved he could do it with any side, winning a second Brownlow in 2013 and even winning the club's leading goal-kicking tally in 2012 and 2013. Arsene Wenger once claimed that he only really won the Arsenal players' trust when he arrived in England because they could see he'd brought a top player with him. Players whose careers began prior to the year 2000 . Judd 4. Nedved was already a decade into his playing career by the turn of the millennium, but he saved some of his best form for the 21st century. Debate about the best players of the 21st Century goes . Menzel played under Cameron Ling and Joel Selwood at the Cats, while the Swans were led by Josh Kennedy, Dane Rampe and Luke Parker in his time at the club. Best forwards of the 21st century (L-R): Eddie Betts, Lance Franklin, Brendan Fevola, Matthew Pavlich. Bulldogs welcoming Darcy dilemma, Old habits die hard as Buckley backs Blues to miss finals. Youll never tire of watching them. The Ivorian was one of the most fearsome strikers ever. Stream them all for free on 7plus >>. 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 . THE NUMBERS: 32 disposals, 7 marks, 5 tackles 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. 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. 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. Menzel, who played 80 AFL games across stints with both Geelong and Sydney in a career spanning a decade, ranked the leaders based on who he'd want to follow into the field. Rounding off the top five are Brazilian icon Ronaldinho and Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta. (Weve also collated a 12-man list of snubbed players, which you can check out here.). 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. 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: All players have been selected and ranked based on their 21st century performances only, so any seasons prior to 2000 havent been considered. featured alongside some of Australias most prominent sports journalists. They held on to claim a two-point win and Polo took home three of five career Brownlow votes. Hird lived for the big games, winning Norm Smith honours in the club's 2000 Premiership victory as Captain as well as three ANZAC Day Medals. Goodes is a two-time Brownlow Medalist, two-time premiership player and three time best and fairest with Sydney. 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. His progression from left-back to to one of Europes most feared forwards at Spurs landed him the PFA Player of the Year, PFA Young Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year in 2012/13 (a feat only matched by Cristiano Ronaldo), as well as an 85m move to Real Madrid. He was a fast skilful, accurate, hungry and strong onballer for both the Cats and Suns, proving he can lead a team of stars and one with next-to none. Van Dijks 75m move to Liverpool from Southampton in January 2018 has often been pointed to as the moment Jurgen Klopp added the final piece to his Reds jigsaw, and you can see why. No player has polled more Brownlow Medal votes. New York, Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated. But when Brisbane was in the midst of its premiership dynasty, Voss was at the peak of his powers both as a player and, subsequently, as a leader. Ahead of the 2020 Draft, ESPN decided to look back at the last 20 No. My Top 5 players drafted since 2000. AFLW Premier Partners. Birthdate: June 24, 1987. 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. 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. Former AFL forward Daniel Menzel has ranked his top seven AFL captains of the 21st century. You must provide an email address to create a Roar account, When using Facebook to create or log in to an account, you need to grant The Roar permission to see your email address, By joining The Roar you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions. Among those to depart were Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell (to Collingwood), gun mid Jaeger OMeara (to Fremantle) and star forward Jack Gunston (to Brisbane). Ablett in full flight in the trademark words of Fox Footy caller Dwayne Russell is as good as it gets. I thought it was timely to pick a team of future champions who over the next decade will become the face of the AFL. He starred under the bright lights with his third and final goal of the game putting the Tigers in front with just a few minutes remaining. Inside or outside, left boot or right boot, in the air or on the ground, short kick or long kick, overhead or on the ground, in front of the goals or on the last line of defence, Geelong or Gold Coast he could do it all and has done it all, wherever hes played. Across his 174-game career, Fyfe has won both All-Australian selections and a Doig Medal on three occasions as well as the Leigh Matthews Trophy twice. Hes one that if you ran out there beside him, you know what youd get from him every single time.. Whether it is high flying marks, bone jarring tackles or freakish goals, Australian Rules has it all. Ballack was the complete package as a central midfielder, capable of bossing opponents physically, spreading passes around the pitch with both feet and scoring goals. Europes biggest prize, the Champions League, still eludes De Bruyne and his club-mates, but for how long? He may well be the Ballon d'Or's greatest miss, too. If you havent, do yourself a favour. If Judd had maintained that same level after his sensational move to Carlton, hed probably be higher on this list. The Melbourne Team of the Century was selected in June 2000, by a panel that included Mike Sheahan, Percy Beames, Bill Guest, Lynda Carroll, Greg Hobbs, John Mitchell, Linda Pearce, Dudley Phillips and Steven Phillips. 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. [1] Players and/or at least one of the player's parents or grandparents had to have been born in Italy. Luke Hodge is as hard as they come, as much of a leader you want to play for out of anyone and I found it hard not to put him at no.1. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Sam Mitchell talks to the team during the AFL practice match between Hawthorn and Collingwood in Tasmania. Pictures: AFL Photos DOMINANT tap specialist or athletic around-the-ground option? (One of the Greatest Football Players of All Time) 1096. But the trait that defined Voss career was his ferocity at the contest. Dennis Comettis call of cometh the moment, cometh the man the son of the man was so apt, as it was a goal when his team needed him most in its most important win of the season. Oops! From the moment he graced an AFL field wearing a No. And while the no.10 broke through in the 90s, the 21st Century was paved in gold for him. Ignore the description#afl #afl2022 #goty #shorts #2022 #aflw #aflw #shorts #ytshorts #ytshort #yt Picture: Annette Dew, There are few better sights in footy than Lance Franklin in full flight. Dane Swan (Collingwood) Now we present the top five ranked players in foxfooty.com.au's Top 20 of the Past 20. A player that worked harder than any other, Adam Goodes rise to stardom is a thing of beauty. Language. Plus tips on how to play better and interviews with the biggest names. 23 jumper Franklin did, wrote in the Herald Sun during that season that Franklin was drawing people to the football again for the first time since Gary Ablett Sr. You will receive a verification email shortly. Lance Franklins famous match-winning goal against Adelaide in 2007 elimination final. Weve counted down the top 15 players of the century. The 280-game Collingwood star had the archetype like no other. Hall of Fame legend Barry Cable and Norm Smith medal winners, Michael Long and Peter Matera, were invited to join Mark Robinson in picking the best team of players. 'Saint Nick' was everything a coach could ask for in a player. It had become too high in velocity, too intense. 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. He captained Brisbane to the 2001, 2002, 2003 premierships and even in the 2004 Grand Final. The midfielder is quiet, understated and perhaps the ultimate German footballer. Throughout of the rest of the noughties, he simply oozed more of the class he'd displayed in the 90s. A two-time premiership player with Geelong, Ablett had notched up close to 200 games for Geelong before leaving for the Gold Coast, winning a Brownlow Medal, four All-Australian selections, two best and fairests, three AFLCA Player of the Year awards and three Leigh Matthews trophies before 2011. 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. Today, we reveal the top five. 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. (We've also collated a 12-man list of snubbed players, which you can check out here.) The fact most started to quickly drop the Jnr from his name and even started to refer to his dad as Gary Sr proved hed arrived. AFL Naming Rights Partner. Itsnot just players who have played in the last 20 years. As for the man himself, he told FFT in 2016 that it all came very naturally to me. 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. 2000-2020 stats: 161 games, 137 goals, 94 Brownlow votes, averaged 22.1 disposals, 2000-2020 CV: Three-time premiership Lion (all as captain), two-time AFLPA MVP, three-time All-Australian (two as captain), three-time best and fairest. Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. 10 goals, 10 finals, 10 trophies at club level. Shevchenko was great at an overachieving Dynamo Kyiv side in the 1990s, but its his time at AC Milan in the 2000s that earns him a place here. He was irreplaceable when he left, too. REAL MADRID Is Toni Kroos one of the best midfielders of the 21st century? 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. 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As well all know, Rutten served as a key defensive pillar for the Crows until his retirement in 2014, but with nine goals (including one with his last kick in footy) to his name from 229 games, his first three kicks are something Rutten wont forget anytime soon. That rangy, young Frenchman would soon blossom into one of Europe's most complete midfielders. 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. View All Partners The Top 20 players of the past 20 years have been revealed. Debuting as a skinny 17-year-old in 1992, Voss went on to play 289 games for Brisbane, and is arguably their greatest ever player. 15-11: Four Brownlow Medallists and the fifth deserves one, 10-6: Four game-changing freaks and a controversial legend. Andrew McLeod (Adelaide) 18. The 'Little Master' had it all. New customers only. He's still the only player to score in four FA Cup finals and he practically won Chelsea their first Champions League on his todd. Create. The criteria incorporates consistency at an elite level, match-winning ability, contribution to team success and influence during their playing stints across the past two decades. A key component for Real Madrid's early 00s triumphs, the Portuguese was the statesman on home soil in 2004. BA1 1UA. 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. Still, were nit-picking. Reckon you can pick the best team? Its no coincidence that in his three years at an increasingly galactic Real Madrid, he picked up two La Liga titles and a Champions League, while the club had to wait another four years to lift another domestic title and 11 years to lift a European title once he left for Chelsea. He is PSGs all-time top assist provider, while at Real Madrid his ability to morph into a central midfielder under Carlo Ancelotti helped the club win La Decima - their long-awaited 10th Champions League title. The Belgians piles of goals and assists have fired the Citizens to three Premier League titles, five League Cups and the FA Cup, not to mention a bag of individual awards. Greatest player of the 21st Century (so far)" thread, where we could all share some of our favourite stories of the great man. Last season the Hawks finished thirteenth (or sixth last) which was, in fact, a slight improvement on their previous seasons. He is electric. But in all honesty, selecting the superstars at No. 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. Cristiano Ronaldo named best player of the 21st century at Globe Soccer Awards | Marca Globe Soccer Awards Beat out Messi, Ronaldinho and Salah Cristiano Ronaldo named best player of the. Menu . 11. Random. Dean Polo is one such player. Since that year it has been a freefall down the ladder. He got awarded the AFLPA best captain four times that just shows what his peers thought about him. Chris Judd, Adam Goodes and Nat Fyfe are all among the AFL's best since 2000. Two Crows but which Hawks icon missed the cut? Sun Sign: Cancer. 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. 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. Today, we're able to reveal the players you considered to be the greatest bassists of the 21st century (so far). Picture: Colleen Petch, Sign up to all of Foxtel Now with a 10-day free trial. But Pirlo still found time and he never failed to discover space. The Colombians football odyssey has taken him to seven different countries, with his most successful spells coming at Porto, Atletico Madrid and Monaco. Create Account. That's why the likes of Wayne Carey and Robert . AFL's biggest question 'everyone's talking . Atletico Madrids flamboyant Frenchman has inspired club and country to success in the last decade. He's one of England's finest players ever. Voss played through most of the 90s, but his durability and elite consistency across the first seven years of the 2000s mustnt be forgotten. The towering Dutchman, who combines immense strength with impressive acceleration, was the defensive rock behind Champions League and Premier League victories in his first two full seasons at Anfield. The club also lost its much-loved captain and No.1 ruck Ben McEvoy, who decided to hang up the boots, and 255-game veteran Liam Shiels also retired (but then found his way to North Melbourne). The argument for Bale falls into three categories: his astonishing rise at Tottenham, his performances in finals for Real Madrid, and his unwavering commitment to Wales. You will receive a verification email shortly. The 21st century has provided a stage for new evolutions in the game of basketball. He shows real poise and is able to scan and find targets, Hawthorn assistant coach Chris Newman said. 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. Make sure you keep up to date with the latestAFLand AFL Fantasy articles andfollow my fan pages onFacebook,TwitterandInstagramto never miss a minute of the action! All these players are shoo-ins for the early call of the team of the century as are Sydneys Nick Blakey, James Rowbottom and Justin McInerney. 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. THE NUMBERS: 33disposals, 6 marks, 4 tackles, 4 clearances, 2 goals 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. When you consider Franklin has kicked 944 goals as a key forward in an era where goals have never been harder to kick, its a truly remarkable feat. The top-scoring midfielder in Premier League history only tells a fraction of the story of Frank Lampard who incredibly had to be defended by his uncle Harry from disbelieving West Ham fans as a youngster getting into the first team. Slow succeeded in a fast environment thanks to the genius flashing behind his eyes. 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. These players have all played at some point throughout 21st century, however based on their entire . Martin's 2017 season is arguably the most dominant by any midfielder of the past decade, winning almost every honour possible and stamping his authority as the competitions 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. The greatest player of the last 20 years. Create your own Fantasy AFL team and compete for daily prizes on Draftstars its free to join so why not check it out? Statistically, Black is one of the greatest midfielders to grace the game, leading the all-time count for games, disposals, tackles, inside 50's, clearances,contested possessions and Brownlow votes for the Lions alone. Menzel, who played 80 AFL games across stints with both Geelong and Sydney in a career spanning a decade, ranked the leaders based on who hed want to follow into the field. During Collingwoods stint at the bottom of the ladder in the late 1990s, Buckley was a rare shining light. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Pies recruits sizzle in pre-season clash with Hawthorn. Franck Ribery more than lived up to the billing. 12 votes, 77 comments. The precocious starlet of France's 2006 World Cup crusade grew into a cultured wide man who swept all before him. A subscription makes a thoughtful gift for both family and friends. Yet the silverware he craved so much, a Collingwood premiership, eluded him until the end. The 100 best players of the 21st Century: 60-41. Another natural leader and star utility, Luke Hodge revolutionised the half-back position during the Hawks' first several years as one of the century's best 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. 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. 13-min read. As a 21-year-old, Franklins 2008 season was the stuff of legend. THE NUMBERS:28 disposals, 6 marks, 3 goals, 3 Brownlow votes This was a massive reason as to why they had success and he led them to that success.. They put him in there because they knew he was a cool head, a calm head and could get the best out of his team and I think he is a massive reason as to why Geelong has had sustained success for such a massive period of time.. The 8 Best AFL Debut's of the 21st Century TONIGHT AFL and Carlton fans alike will get their first look at prized No. 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? Hawthorn draftee Cam Mackenzie had an eye-catching performance, picking up 24 disposals, one goal and two assists, while James Worpel returned to his best with a 30-possession game. 22. While most AFL fans will remember Ben Truck Rutten for his All-Australian defensive days his debut match in 2003 was something quite the opposite. This year has been one of especially deep, painful . Both Matthew Richardson and Luke Hodge have serious fears for Hawthorn in the 2023 season. Franklin 3. 12 - Nat Fyfe (Fremantle) Games: 181+. Commentators also will have fun with pronouncing or making fun of Mosquito, Tsapatolis, Lukosius, Oea, Bosenavulagi and Uosis.