Highlights
- The 2010s showcased legendary talent like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, shaping football history for decades to come.
- 10 of the best players from this era have been ranked based on factors such as skill, impact, and honours earned.
- Manuel Neuer, Sergio Ramos and Neymar are among the players who shaped a golden decade of football.
The 2010s were an era blessed with unbelievable footballing talent, with many labelling some of the players throughout this era as some of the best to ever play the game. From the greatness of Lionel Messi to the innovation of Manuel Neuer, those 10 years truly had it all.
Picking out the 10 best players to have featured in this period is extremely difficult as there are so many players who are easily ‘world-class’ quality, but a few stand out above the rest. The below list includes the very best that the 2010-2020 decade had to offer in world football. To come to the conclusion of where each football ranks among their peers, the following ranking factors have been considered.
Ranking Factors
- The ability of each player
- Impact during the 2010-2020 decade
- Individual and team honours won throughout the 10 years
10 Greatest Footballers of the 2010s [Ranked] | ||
---|---|---|
Rank | Player | Club(s) |
1. | Lionel Messi | Barcelona |
2. | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid, Juventus |
3. | Andres Iniesta | Barcelona, Vissel Kobe |
4. | Luka Modric | Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid |
5. | Xavi | Barcelona, Al Sadd |
6. | Luis Suarez | Liverpool, Barcelona |
7. | Gareth Bale | Tottenham, Real Madrid |
8. | Neymar Jr | Santos, Barcelona, PSG |
9. | Sergio Ramos | Real Madrid |
10. | Manuel Neuer | Schalke, Bayern Munich |
10 Manuel Neuer
Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Bayern Munich
![The 10 greatest footballers of the 2010s have been ranked (1) The 10 greatest footballers of the 2010s have been ranked (1)](https://i0.wp.com/static0.givemesportimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/manuel-neuer.jpg)
It is rare on a ‘top-ten’ list that you see a goalkeeper due to outfield players typically getting all the praise. However, Manuel Neuer revolutionised the position. With over 500 games for Bayern Munich and 100 for Germany, he has had a legendary career in Germany spanning across 20 years.
Related
50 Best Goalkeepers of All Time Ranked From ‘Safe Hands’ to ‘Greatest Ever’
The 50 best goalkeepers of all time (male and female) have been ranked into six different categories.
Despite being 39 years old, Neuer is still one of the best players in the world, which proves exactly why he is one of the best players of this era. The German shot-stopper won practically everything any player could ever want, including the World Cup in 2014. Neuer is more than deserving of a spot on this list.
Manuel Neuer 2010s Stats | ||
---|---|---|
Team | Appearances | Clean Sheets |
Bayern Munich | 440 | 216 |
9 Sergio Ramos
Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Real Madrid
![The 10 greatest footballers of the 2010s have been ranked (3) The 10 greatest footballers of the 2010s have been ranked (3)](https://i0.wp.com/static0.givemesportimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/sergio-ramos.jpg)
Another player who suffers in the same situation as Neuer in terms of being underappreciated is Sergio Ramos. The Spaniard is not only one of the best defenders of the 2010s era but in football history.
Featuring in the UEFA Team of the Year nine times and winning multiple domestic titles in both Spain and France, Ramos possesses an honours list longer than most players could ever dream of. He is no doubt an icon of the game, being an inspiration to so many defenders throughout their careers. The fact he is only ninth on this list shows exactly how good this era of footballers was.
Sergio Ramos' 2010s Stats | |||
---|---|---|---|
Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
Real Madrid | 393 | 69 | 24 |
8 Neymar Jr
Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Santos, Barcelona, PSG
![The 10 greatest footballers of the 2010s have been ranked (4) The 10 greatest footballers of the 2010s have been ranked (4)](https://i0.wp.com/static0.givemesportimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/mixcollage-17-apr-2024-10-53-am-3395.jpg)
This list can seem extremely harsh as Neymar is often considered one of the best players of this century, let alone the 2010s decade. However, the sheer talent of his peers finds him at eighth. The Brazilian was part of arguably the greatest strike force of all time at Barcelona during this era, dominating football across Spain and Europe during that time.
Related
Brazil's 18 Greatest Ever Footballers (Ranked)
Ronaldo, Pele, Ronaldinho, Neymar and Kaka all feature as 18 the greatest Brazilian players ever are ranked.
He is also the all-time leading goalscorer for Brazil, surpassing the legendary Pele in 2022. Moving to PSG saw even more success for Neymar, winning the Ligue 1 title almost every season he was at the club. All his success saw him establish himself as one of the best in the 2010s.
Neymar Jr's 2010s Stats | |||
---|---|---|---|
Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
Santos | 90 | 56 | 26 |
Barcelona | 186 | 105 | 76 |
PSG | 85 | 70 | 41 |
7 Gareth Bale
Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Tottenham, Real Madrid
Potentially one of the most underrated players of the 2010s, Gareth Bale burst onto the scene in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur and secured his big move to Real Madrid in 2013, where he spent most of his career. Five Champions League trophies and three La Liga titles later, Bale had nothing short of a stellar career in Spain.
Although some love was lost in Madrid by the end of his career, he guided his national side, Wales, to two European Championships and a World Cup, which helped cement his legacy as a footballing legend.
Gareth Bale's 2010s Stats | |||
---|---|---|---|
Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
Tottenham Hotspur | 161 | 66 | 29 |
Real Madrid | 251 | 105 | 56 |
6 Luis Suarez
Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Liverpool, Barcelona
One of the best strikers to ever step onto a football pitch, Luis Suarez earned his legacy thanks to a superb career at Barcelona, earning the title of ‘world’s best’ from many former players and managers.
Related
15 Greatest Barcelona Players of All Time [Ranked]
Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Diego Maradona and Ronaldo Nazario all feature among Barcelona's greatest ever players.
With 147 goals in 191 matches for the Spanish side, his goalscoring talent is likened to some of the best strikers of all time, like Ronaldo Nazario. Him winning the Golden Boot in the Eredivisie, Premier League, and La Liga are just small details that back up these comparisons. As far as natural strikers in the 2010s, he tops this list comfortably. However, he falls short of the top positions on the overall list.
Luis Suarez' 2010s Stats | |||
---|---|---|---|
Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
Liverpool | 133 | 82 | 29 |
Barcelona | 283 | 198 | 96 |
5 Xavi
Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Barcelona, Al Sadd
![The 10 greatest footballers of the 2010s have been ranked (9) The 10 greatest footballers of the 2010s have been ranked (9)](https://i0.wp.com/static0.givemesportimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/mixcollage-30-mar-2024-11-34-am-5731.jpg)
If this was a list of the best players throughout the 2000s, Xavi could be higher than some of the players above him here. However, his departure from Barcelona in 2015 means that he falls down this ranking slightly.
The fact he still finds himself in the top five while only playing half of the decade shows exactly how good he was. He played 521 times for Barcelona whilst establishing himself as one of the best midfielders ever.
His career performance earned him a place in the Ballon d’Or Dream XI, an all-time football team comprised of the best players ever. A multiple-time La Liga winner and a World Cup Champion, he deservedly earns a spot on this list.
Xavi's 2010s stats | |||
---|---|---|---|
Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
Barcelona | 241 | 42 | 58 |
Al-Sadd | 101 | 24 | 31 |
4 Luka Modric
Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid
![The 10 greatest footballers of the 2010s have been ranked (10) The 10 greatest footballers of the 2010s have been ranked (10)](https://i0.wp.com/static0.givemesportimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/modric-1.jpg)
In an era full of some of the best footballers we have ever seen, Luka Modric stood out as one of the best that football had to offer. After earning a move from Tottenham to Real Madrid similar to Bale, the midfielder has been a serial winner almost every season he has played for Los Blancos.
Related
10 Greatest Croatian Players in Football History [Ranked]
Though its history remains young, Croatia have already built a reputation for producing some of Europe's most beguiling footballers.
His 25 major trophies in Madrid, including five Champions Leagues, show exactly how good the Croatian is. He also gained the individual praise he deserved from the football world in 2018, as he was awarded the Ballon d'Or award for his tremendous efforts that year. Modric is a generational talent who has become a legend for his club and country.
Luka Modric's 2010s Stats | |||
---|---|---|---|
Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
Tottenham | 84 | 9 | 9 |
Real Madrid | 343 | 22 | 48 |
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: When Luka Modric won his first Ballon d'Or in 2018, he became the first player to win the award since 2007 other than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
3 Andres Iniesta
Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Barcelona, Vissel Kobe
![The 10 greatest footballers of the 2010s have been ranked (12) The 10 greatest footballers of the 2010s have been ranked (12)](https://i0.wp.com/static0.givemesportimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/collage-maker-31-oct-2023-09-06-am-5081.jpg)
Xavi’s Spanish midfield partner during the golden era of Barcelona, Andres Iniesta, just pipped his ex-teammate to the higher position on this list due to his longevity during the 2010s. Iniesta enjoyed a very similar career to his La Masia counterpart, including scoring one of the most famous goals ever in the 2010 World Cup final to win the tournament for Spain.
His 442 appearances for Barcelona have also seen him win many honours throughout the 2010s. The ‘best of the rest’ in this scenario, Iniesta finishes in a very respectful third place on this list of amazing talent.
Andres Iniesta's 2010s Stats | |||
---|---|---|---|
Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
Barcelona | 363 | 33 | 69 |
Vissel Kobe | 75 | 16 | 19 |
2 Cristiano Ronaldo
Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Real Madrid, Juventus
![The 10 greatest footballers of the 2010s have been ranked (13) The 10 greatest footballers of the 2010s have been ranked (13)](https://i0.wp.com/static0.givemesportimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/mixcollage-10-feb-2024-08-47-am-6878.jpg)
Now onto the two best we have ever seen in football. Despite many debates as to who is first and second on this list, Cristiano Ronaldo just falls to second. Five Ballon d’Or awards, five Champions Leagues, seven domestic titles, and a European Championship. What more can be said about the Portuguese phenomenon? With 765 goals in 1020 appearances, he is simply one of the greatest players to grace the sport.
Related
The 10 Best Records Held by Cristiano Ronaldo [Ranked]
Ronaldo broke yet another record for Al-Nassr becoming the highest Saudi Pro League goalscorer in a single season
His incredible work ethic alongside his natural talent has seen him become a true icon of the game and if it wasn’t for arguably the best player of all time, he would certainly be number one on this list.
Cristiano Ronaldo's 2010s Stats | |||
---|---|---|---|
Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
Real Madrid | 403 | 417 | 109 |
Juventus | 133 | 101 | 20 |
1 Lionel Messi
Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Barcelona
![The 10 greatest footballers of the 2010s have been ranked (15) The 10 greatest footballers of the 2010s have been ranked (15)](https://i0.wp.com/static0.givemesportimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/mixcollage-27-nov-2023-03-24-pm-2201.jpg)
One of - if not - the greatest of all time. The 2010s provided a player that people in years to come will be devastated they never got to see play in his prime. Lionel Messi could be listed as the most technically gifted footballer ever.
Earning his record-breaking eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023, Messi’s honours list is quite simply astonishing. He has won everything possible in his career including, 10 La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues, the World Cup and Copa America with Argentina. A player who will leave a legacy in this sport for the rest of time, Messi will go down as the best player ever in the 2010s era.
Lionel Messi's 2010s Stats | |||
---|---|---|---|
Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
Barcelona | 517 | 507 | 234 |
Related
Ballon d'Or 2024 Power Rankings
The race for the 2024 Ballon d'Or award is now hotting up, with the likes of Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham firmly in contention.
Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt (Accurate as of 31/05/24)