The Offside 100: 2000-09

By: Rob | November 4th, 2009

ronaldinho_2607 As I let you know back when I posted up this year’s FFT100, I’m a bit of a junkie for lists. They are utterly meaningless, and yet compelling at the same time.

With it being the end of the decade, there are tonnes of lists of the best albums, films, videos, celebrities etc floating around. I saw that bandwagon, and dived on it. Why should we be different?

So here’s your chance to take part in a big Offside vote. Basically, I want your top 20 players of the decade. Doesn’t matter if they played one game or all decade, if you think they’re worthy, vote them.

A couple of groundrules. No berating one another’s lists. Debate is fine, but “OMG HOW CUD U PICK LAMPARD HE IS SH!T!!!!” is not.

Second, format it 1-20, best to least best.

Other than that go nuts. You can pick anyone you think is worthy of the list. And while comparing positions is hard, just treat it as a bit of fun, thats all its here for. If you wanna keep your vote secret, email me at Weekends[at]theoffside[dot]com

That’d be groovy.

So will you go for Zidane or Henry? Will you remember Ronaldinho and Sheva’s glory days? How will today’s crop, Messi, Ibra and C-Ron do?

It’s all up to you. Voting is open until next weekend.

Some Related Stories:

Category: World Football

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Renan

1. Henry
2. Totti
3. Nistelrooy
4. Cristiano Ronaldo
5. Messi
6. Zidane
7. Nedved
8. Ronaldinho
9. Raul
10.Shevchenko
11.Kaka
12.Gerrard
13.Ronaldo
14.Del Piero
15.Xavi
16.Owen
17.Rivaldo
18.Lampard
19.Ibrahimovic
20.Rooney
Rob

Voting is now closed! Thanks everyone, results will be up this afternoon.
pfelds

1. Zissou Zidane
2. Ronaldinho
3. Ronaldo (BRA)
4. Kaka
5. Buffon
6. Messi
7. C-Ron
8. Gerrard
9. Henry
9. Figo
10. R. Carlos
11. Maldini
12. Van Nistelrooy
13. Lampard
14. Casillas
15. Del Piero
16. Rooney
17. Raul
18. Terry
19. Viera
20. Ballack
Ben

1. Zidane
2. Giggs
3. Ronaldhino
4. Henry
5. Figo
6. Makelele
7. Kaka
8. Ronaldo
9. C Ron
10.Scholes
11.Bergkamp
12.Gerrard
13. Roberto Carlos
14. H Larsson
15. Maldini
16. Seedorf
17. Xavi
18. Messi
19. Eto'o
20. Cafu
Ken

I don't like ppl keeps calling "fat" Ronaldo.
He is the game's legend afterall.
Do honour him by at least call him with his real name.
Drew

Okay, can't resist putting down at least ten.

1. Zidane
2. Fat Ronaldo
3. Messi
4. Javier Zanetti (yes, I'm biased)
5. Roberto Carlos
6. Christian Vieri
7. Buffon (in spite of my bias)
8. Kaka
9. Ibra
10. Henry
ricci

honorable mentions
Pires, Ribery, Giggs, Bergkamp, Lamps, Nesta, Becks, Essien, Iniesta, Villa, Torres, Ballack, Crespo, Xabi, Forlan, Kewell, Thuram, Makaay, Ruud etc etc
ricci

1. Zinedine
2. Ronaldo, fat
3. Nedved
4. Sheva
5. Totti
6. Raul
7. Eto'o
8. Henry
9. Ronaldinho
10. Maldini
11. Makelele
12. Cannavaro
13. Pirlo
14. Figo
15. Roberto Carlos
16. Michael Owen
17. Rooney
18. Stevie G
19. Ronaldo, thin
20. Xavi
21. Del Piero
22. Batistuta
23. Seedorf
24. Davids
25. Zanetti

this list is impossible to put together, tried to get most of the older guys on there instead of the young bucks
MoMONEY

Yes I tend to agree with alex W. Messi and Ronaldo are two great players but they arent nearly as influential as a true great playmaker like Zidane or Ronaldinho. People quickly forget how friggin good dinho was for those few years at barca...
Julian

I haven't been watching for long enough to give a full top 20, but here's my top 5:
1. Zidane. On another world entirely.
2. Fat Ronaldo
3. Buffon
4. Maldini
5. Henry
alex w

i feel like cronaldo and messi are higher on peoples lists because there aren't many GREAT players nowadays to compare them with. when you look at what ronaldinho and zidane did on the pitch, and compare the influence of messi and cronaldo... they just arent as good. NOBODY currently playing is as good. imo xavi comes closest for match influence.
MoMONEY

1. Zidane

then
...everyone else.

And CR7 is not in the top 15 at all. Ask yourselves this- if John Terry makes that PK is he even being considered for this list??? To me thats an absolute NO. Remember Adebayor has scored 30+ goals and IMO he doesnt deserve to be in the same vicinity as this list...

And Zidane is the best by a longshot and that is coming from an Arsenal fan. I love Henry but they were both on the same French team and it was pretty clear who was the more special player...
LeoBarnsley

As Cristiano Ronaldo has been shoved down our throats by Sir Alex Ferguson and the media, I don't really think he should be named the number 1 player, . Since I've only been familiar of World Football since 2002 (I'm currently 18) you might not agree with some.. but here goes -

01. Lionel Messi
02. Kaka
03. Ronaldinho
04. Fabio Cannavaro
05. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
06. Cristiano Ronaldo
07. Fabio Cannavaro
08. Didier Drogba
09. Ruud van Nistelrooy
10. Peter Schmeichel
11. Rivaldo
12. David Beckham
13. Raul
14. John Terry
15. Xabi Alonso
16. Gianfranco Zola
17. Frank Lampard
18. Roberto Carlos
19. Zinedine Zidane (best in the '90's but still oozed class later)
20. Samuel Eto'o
TheoTaylor

I'm sorry but Alperinho's post has to win some sort of prize. Managing to get Ilhan Mansiz's name even near a top 20 players of 99/09 list is a fantastic achievement. For your dedication to all things Turkish, I salute you.
Hondo

Yeah.. And Torres and maybe Kaka also.
Hondo

1.Totti
2.Litmanen
3.Henry
4.Ronaldo
5.Zidane
6.Raul
7.Casillas
8.Ronaldinho
9.Fabregas
10.Xavi
11.Bergkamp
12.Rivaldo
13.C. Ronaldo
14.Cannavaro
15.Messi
16.Lampard
17.Roberto Carlos
17.Nistelrooy
18.Batistuta
19.Buffon
20.Morientes
Yevy

At this point I really wish I qualified my list with a word other than "accomplishment". I never meant to turn this into a trophy-counting exercise. I wanted my top 20 to be made up of players who dominated matches and were feared by their opponents for the majority of this decade.

Now, by either criteria Zidane deserves to be on this list. I left him off for two reasons. One, the 90s Zidane of Juventus and the 98 WC was a force of nature and is much preferred in my mind to the Galacticos and 06 WC incarnation. Two, it seems everyone else has Zidane in their top 3 and many at number 1. I doubt he'll miss my vote.
john

Oh! And F-ing David Villa isn't on my list! sigh. I give up.
john

That last bit was a typo - or Kaka's ghost being incredulous about his ranking. Also, just realized that not a single German was on my list. Doing a quick scan of the other lists posted, it seems player rankings aren't too kind to the Bavarian nation.
john

1. Zidane
2. Ronaldo I
3. Ronaldinho
4. Makelele
5. Xavi
6. Henry
7. Kaka
8. Cannavaro
9. Casillas
10. Roberto Carlos
11. Iniesta
12. Raul
13. Inzaghi
14. van Nistelrooy
15. Buffon
16. M. Diarra
17. C. Ronaldo
18. Gerrard
19. Maldini
20. Vieiri

I'm already looking back at my list and wondering how Cafu, Lampard, Pirlo are not on it, but I guess since I'm never going to be satisfied, I'll go with my gut generated list and admit it to be far from perfect. In defense of Mahamadou Diarra's inclusion, his first nod on this post: 6 titles in six years. Surely warrants recognition.

7. Kaka
Andres

Sandrahn lol I know he's won it in 02 I don't any research to tell m,e that I watched the game live
And just for future references when people say 02-03 season it means they're talking about 2002 going to 2003 with that said I'm willing to make it the 2001-02 season
sandrahn

Andres: "Actually zidane’s champions league was that of the 2002-03 season and the liga tittle he won was from 03-04"

You are INCORRECT. The CL final that Real Madrid won v. Bayer Leverkeusen in which Zidane scored the competition's best goal was in May 2002: http://www.uefa.com/competitio...

The last Liga title the Galacticos won was in May 2003: http://www.realmadrid.com/cs/S...
Xavier

actually just realised my memory playing tricks on me and weah, (and maybe batigoals) best days were b4 2000. Weah off the list, everyone moves up one, with eto moving up.
Xavier

1. Zidane
2. henry
3. rivlado
4. gerrard
5. cr7
6. ronaldinho
7. old ronaldo
8. messi
9. maldini
10. figo
11. george weah
12. rooney
13. batistuta
14. terry
15. viera
16. buffon
17. r. carlos
18. Beckham
19. brad friedel (i know seems weird but along with jaskeleinen most consistent prem goalie of these years)
20. kaka
Alperinho

From 1999 to 2009

1. The Real Ronaldo
2. Zizou
3. Ronaldinho
4. Rivaldo
5. Del Piero
6. Raul
7. CR7
8. Messi
9. Figo
10. Overmars
11. Henry
12. Gerrard
13. Lampard
14. Cannavaro
15. Puyol
16. Kaka
17. Ballack
18. Cafu
19. R. Carlos
20. Robbie Fowler

Roon, Ibra-Kadabra, Lahm, Evra, Ruud, Totti, Hakan Şükür, Hagi, Pascal Nouma, İlhan Mansız, Pauleta, Pirlo, Gattuso, Xavi, Iniesta and many more deserve a spot in this 20 person list...

They are not necessarily in order, just the 20 best I can think of.

The Dream Team

---------------Buffon------------------
Cafu-----Puyol-------Cannavaro---Carlos
Figo----------Vieira-----------Overmars
--------------Zidane-------------------
---------Ronaldo----Raul---------------

4-1-2-1-2
ish

1. Ronaldo(brazilian)
2. Zidane
3. Ronaldinho
4. Messi
5. Maldini
6. makalele
7. cafu
8. buffon
9. viera
10. roberto carlos
11. van basten
12. George Weah
13. figo
14. cannavaro
15. Kahn
16. kaka
17. Ruud Van Nisterlroy
18. ballack
19. c.ronaldo
20. henry

as a chelsea fan im ashamed that i couldnt fit lampard or drogba in but what can i say thats a fair representation of the best 20 players from 1990 onwards imho
Andres

Actually zidane's champions league was that of the 2002-03 season and the liga tittle he won was from 03-04 season so yea yevy if you speak of accomplishment in this decade ( 10 years ) then zidane has to be on the list
elle

1. Cristiano Ronaldo
2. Giggs
3. Zidane
4. Kaka
5. David Villa
6. Messi
7. Maldini
8. Van der Sar
9. Henrik Larsson
10. Rooney
11.Cannavaro
12. Vidic
13. Casillas
14. Jaap Stam
15. Roy Keane
16. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – original super-sub
17. Paul Scholes
18. Lampard
19. Torres
20. Ruud
Shazback

Zidane in the '00s : Euro 2000, Champions' League 2001-02, Liga 2002-03 (and a couple of second places)
Torres in the '00s : Euro 2008, Segunda 2001-02 (and a second place)
Ballack in the '00s : Bundesliga 2002-03, 2004-05, 2005-06 (and a load of second places)
Gerrard in the '00s : Champions' League 2004-05 (and a couple of second places)
Drogba in the '00s : Premier League 2004-05, 2005-06 (and a couple of second places)

Yep, sure looks like accomplisments are what make the list!
Yevy

@Andres: ahem, "this decade". Granted he has a CL trophy, a nice run at the WC, and two headbutts to his credit in the 00s. But he has spent more time on my TV trying to sell stuff than playing football in recent memory. I would rather remember his 90s incarnation, just like Maldini, Bergkamp, and Ronaldo.
Andrew A

1 Zidane
2 Henry
3 Ronaldo, C
4 Ronaldihno
5 Kaka
6 Bergkamp
7 Gerrard
8 Ronaldo
9 Xavi
10 Scholes
11 Maldini
12 Viera
13 Seedorf
14 Pirlo
15 Cannavaro
16 Torres
17 Totti
18 Sheva
19 Riquelme
20 Makelele
Andres

What's even more hilarious about Yevy's list is the fact that his list is based on accomplishment Yet Zidane's name is not on it ? Sorry Rob but I had to point that out
Jack

Bullshit Yevy. I'm with you on Ballack, that man cannot be left off a top 20.
Thomas

Hmm, what about Patrick Vieira?
Yevy

@alex w: Ballack may be a lifelong bridesmaid, but he's still the most accomplished two-way midfielder of the decade. I'm by no means a fan of his, especially after US v Germany in 2002, but the man deserves his due. But it looks like I am the only one in this thread who feels that way.
Mike

1. Henry
2. Zidane
3. Ronaldinho
4. Buffon
5. fat Ronaldo
6. Fabio Cannavaro
7. Cristiano Ronaldo
8. Kaka
9. Lionel Messi
10. Xavi
11. Frank Lampard
12. Steven Gerrard
13. Carlos Puyol
14. Paulo Maldini
15. Fernando Torres
16. Nesta
17. Raul
18. Casillas
19. Shevchenko
20. Beckham
Sarah

Sorry if I've missed a name-- but does no one else think that a female player belongs in their top 20?
alex w

"order based on accomplishments throughout the decade"
...
"ballack"

that has to be a joke. second place doesn't count as an accomplishment.
wob

1. Zidane
2. Ronaldinho
3. C. Ronaldo
4. Henry
5. Maldini
6. Ronaldo (FAT)
7. Cannavaro
8. Ryan Giggs
9. Figo
10. Rául
11. Messi
12. Beckham
13. Wayne Rooney
14. Fernando Torres
15. Cafu
16. Vieira
17. Gerrard
18. Xavi
19. Iniesta
20. Van der Sar
Rude

1. Henry
2. Cannavaro
3. Zidane
4. Buffon
5. Ronaldinho
6. C. Ronaldo
7. Lampard
8. Vieira
9. Figo
10. Shevchenko
11. Totti
12. Nesta
13. Makelele
14. Gerrard
15. Messi
16. Xavi
17. Torres
18. Fat Ronaldo
19. Rio Ferdinand
20. Iniesta
JAPEtheAPE

1. George Weah .MILAN.(personal all time favorite)
2. Zidane
3. Baresi (still plays in my Rossoneri dreams;)
4. Maldini
5. SUPER Pippo
6. Kaka
7. Ronaldinho
8. Messi
9. Totti
10.C.Ronaldo
11.Beckham
12.Eto
13.Pirlo
14.Raul
15.David Villa
16.Torres
17.Henry
18.Figo
19.Nesta
20.Seedorf

FORZA MILAN!!!!!!!!
Brett

1. zidane
2. ronaldo
3. ronaldinho
4. henry
5. kaka
6. cr9
7. maldini
8. messi
9. ruud van nistelrooy
10. totti
11. cannavaro
12. viera
13. riquelme
14. rio ferdinand
15. iker casillas
16. raul
17. figo
18. giggs
19. scholes
20. makelele
Ken

Saved Kaká,Messi,CRon for the next decade best players =p

1. Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima
2. Paolo Maldini
3. Zinedine Zidane
4. Ronaldinho
5. Gianluigi Buffon

6. Thierry Henry
7. Andriy Shevchenko
8. Michael Ballack
9. Marcos Cafu
10. Oliver Kahn

11. Fabio Cannavaro
12. Roy Keane
13. Pavel Nedved
14. Samuel Eto'o
15. Lilian Thuram

16. Rivaldo
17. Filippo Inzaghi
18. Jaap Stam
19. David Beckham
20. Clarence Seedorf

2 Goalkeepers
5 Defenders
8 Midfielders
5 Forwards
Quite nice composition eh? =))
Guest

1- Zidane
2- Ronaldo
3- Rivaldo
4- Kahn
5- Bergkamp
6- Messi
7- Ronaldinho
8- Ballack
9- Figo
10- Giggs
12- Klose
13- Henry
14- Stam
15- C.Ronaldo
16- Maldini
17- Totti
18- Casillas
19- M.Scholl
20- J.Zanetti
Yevy

Order based on accomplishments throughout the decade.

Henry
Ronaldinho
Eto'o
Shevchenko
Pirlo
Ballack
Kaka
Gerrard
Buffon
C.Ronaldo
Giggs
Del Piero
Messi
Drogba
Rooney
Xavi
Deco
Casillas
Totti
F.Torres
Cruzeirense

1. Ronaldinho
2. Zidane
3. Ronaldo
4. Henry
5. Messi
6. Cristiano Ronaldo
7. Kaka
8. Raul
9. Figo
10. Eto'o
11. Shevchenko
12. Pirlo
13. Gerrard
14. Kahn
15. Roberto Carlos
16. Iniesta
17. Riquelme
18. van Nistelrooy
19. Ryan Giggs
20. Maldini
Marwen

1. Zidane
2. Ronaldinho
3. Henry
4. Ronaldo (Brazilan)
5. Viera
6. Makelele
7. Totti
8. Roberto Carlos
9. Raul
10. Figo
11. C Ronaldo
12. Cannorvaro
13. Buffon
14. Puyol
15. Nesta
16. thuram
17. Trez
18. Messi
19. Iniesta
20. Xavi
Andrew

1. Zidane
2. Ronaldinho
3. Ronaldo
4. Henry
5. C. Ronaldo
6. Sheva
7. Gerrard
8. Xavi
9. Buffon
10. Totti
11. Makelele
12. Viera
13. Messi
14. Eto'o
15. Cafu
16. Roberto Carlos
17. Kahn
18. Kaka
19. Iniesta
20. Ruud
Andre

1. Zinedine Zidane
2. Ronaldinho
3. Alessandro Del Piero
4. Thierry Henry
5. Cristiano Ronaldo
6. Lionel Messi
7. Fat Ronaldo
8. Ryan Giggs
9. Thierry Henry
10. Kaka
11. Andriy Shevchenko
12. Dennis Bergkamp
13. Samuel Eto'o
14. Ruud van Nistlerooy
15. Raul
16. Carles Puyol
17. Wayne Rooney
18. Henrik Larrson
19. Paolo Maldini
20. Steven Gerrard

It gets a bit cloudy once you pass 10, IMO
jots

NO TOTTI. NO PARTY
Jacek

1. Zinedine Yazid Zidane Without a doubt
2. Ronaldo
3. Aboutrika
4. Gerrard
5. Rooney
6. Ribery
7. Viera
8. Bergkamp
9. R V Nistelroy
10. Kaka
11. Fat Ronaldo
12. Messi
13. Ronaldhino
14. Henry
15. Buffon
16. Mutu
17. Lampard
18. Ibrahimovic
19. H. Larsson
20. Trezeguet
Pranav

In order of whom I would most willingly pay to watch...

1. John Terry
2. Thierry Henry
3. Arjen Robben
4. David Villa
5. Fabio Cannavaro
6. Zinedine Zidane
7. Frank Lampard
8. Andres Iniesta
9. Lionel Messi
10. Raul
11. Gianluigi Buffon
12. Kaka
13. Claude Makelele
14. Steven Gerrard
15. Iker Casillas
16. Luis Figo
17. Xavi
18. Ronaldinho
19. Alessandro Nesta
20. Andriy Shevchenko
Thomas

Zizou and Titi are runnin away with it. Sarah: see my second comment.
Dhaw

Shocking to see no one has Cannavaro in their list. That guy knows a thing or two about defending and won Italy the world cup.
matt

1. zidane
2. henry
3. maldini
4. roberto carlos
5. ryan giggs
6. xavi
7. paul scholes
8. patrick viera
9. lillian thuram
10. cristiano ronaldo
11. messi
12. kaka
13. ronaldo
14. ronaldinho
15. raul
16. henrik larrson
17. del piero
18. totti
19. makelele
20. michael essien
Sarah

I know that I also sent this to you-- but keep things interesting...

1. ZIDANE
2. CRISTIANO RONALDO
3. THIERRY HENRY
4. MIA HAMM
5. MESSI
6. PATRICK VIERA
7. XAVI
8. MAKELELE
9. GERRARD
10. RAUL
11. KAKA
12. KEANE
13. NISTELROOY
14. MARTA
15. RONALDO
16. NEDVED
17. BUFFON
18. RONALDHINO
19. FIGO
20. MALDINI

Honorary mention: Michelle Akers

@Thomas: Are there two fat Ronaldos?
manc.

Comment FAIL !!!! ^^^^^^
Thomas

oops, I meant to put Henrik Larsson instead of Fat Ronaldo the second time.
Thomas

I know I already sent you this, but just to put it out there...

1. Zinedine Zidane
2. Thierry Henry
3. Patrick Vieira
4. Claude Makelele
5. David Trezeguet
6. Lillian Thuram
7. Robert Pires
8. Didier Deschamps
9. Marcel Desailly
10. Laurent Blanc
11. Nicolas Anelka
12. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
13. Fat Ronaldo
14. Ronaldinho
15. Juninho
16. Fat Ronaldo
17. Jean-Pierre Papin (Yes, he has played in this decade, look it up)
18. Willy Sagnol
19. Eric Abidal
20. William Gallas