The best football players of the 2000s played through a decade that connected two major eras of the sport. Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo Nazário entered the decade as established stars, Ronaldinho became football’s leading entertainer, Thierry Henry dominated the Premier League, and Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi emerged near the end. The decade also included three World Cups, several memorable Champions League finals, and some of the strongest club teams of the modern era.
For this ranking, we counted only performances from January 2000 through December 2009. We compared peak level, international tournament impact, major club success, individual awards, consistency, and each player’s role. Achievements from the 1990s or 2010s do not improve a player’s position. This rule matters especially for Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, whose complete careers became much greater after the 2000s ended.
Key Takeaways
- Ronaldinho ranks as our best football player of the 2000s.
- Zinedine Zidane takes second after winning EURO 2000, the 2002 Champions League, and the 2006 World Cup Golden Ball.
- Thierry Henry ranks third after years of elite scoring and creativity for Arsenal.
- Kaká’s 2007 Champions League and Ballon d’Or place him fourth.
- Ronaldo Nazário’s 2002 World Cup comeback gives him one of the decade’s greatest individual stories.
- Only performances from 2000 through 2009 count toward this ranking.
Top 10 Best Football Players of the 2000s
| Rank | Player | Country | Main Position | Key 2000s Achievement | FootballerRank Decade Rating |
| 1 | Ronaldinho | Brazil | Attacking Midfielder / Forward | 2005 Ballon d’Or and 2006 Champions League | 99/100 |
| 2 | Zinedine Zidane | France | Attacking Midfielder | EURO 2000 and 2006 World Cup Golden Ball | 97/100 |
| 3 | Thierry Henry | France | Forward | Arsenal Invincibles and four Premier League Golden Boots | 96/100 |
| 4 | Kaká | Brazil | Attacking Midfielder | 2007 Champions League and Ballon d’Or | 94/100 |
| 5 | Ronaldo Nazário | Brazil | Striker | 2002 World Cup Golden Shoe and Ballon d’Or | 93/100 |
| 6 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | Winger / Forward | 2008 Champions League and Ballon d’Or | 92/100 |
| 7 | Xavi | Spain | Central Midfielder | EURO 2008 Player of the Tournament and 2009 treble | 90/100 |
| 8 | Luís Figo | Portugal | Winger / Midfielder | 2000 Ballon d’Or and 2002 Champions League | 89/100 |
| 9 | Fabio Cannavaro | Italy | Centre-Back | 2006 World Cup and Ballon d’Or | 88/100 |
| 10 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | Forward | 2009 treble and Ballon d’Or | 87/100 |
FootballerRank Decade Ratings are editorial scores. They are not official FIFA, UEFA, club, or Ballon d’Or ratings.
How We Ranked the Best Players of the 2000s
This is a decade ranking rather than a career ranking.
That distinction is especially important here because several players continued producing historic achievements after December 2009.
Messi’s later Ballon d’Or awards do not count.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid achievements do not count.
Xavi’s 2010 World Cup and later Champions League success do not count.
We used six factors:
| Ranking Factor | Weight | What We Considered |
| Peak performance from 2000–2009 | 25% | How dominant the player was at his best |
| International tournament impact | 20% | World Cups, EURO, Copa América and other major events |
| Major club success | 20% | Champions League, league titles and major continental trophies |
| Individual recognition | 15% | Ballon d’Or, FIFA awards and tournament awards |
| Consistency | 10% | How long the player remained near an elite level |
| Position and team influence | 10% | Importance within the player’s tactical role |
We also avoid using goals as the only measure.
That would unfairly favor strikers over players such as Xavi or Cannavaro.
1. Ronaldinho
Country: Brazil
Main clubs in the decade: Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, AC Milan
Position: Attacking Midfielder / Forward
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 99/100
Ronaldinho is our choice as the best football player of the 2000s.
Few players controlled the identity of a period as clearly as he did during his Barcelona peak.
His decade already included major international success before he reached Spain.
Ronaldinho played an important role as Brazil won the 2002 World Cup.
His famous long-range free kick against England helped Brazil reach the semi-final.
The strongest part of his case, however, came at Barcelona.
After joining in 2003, Ronaldinho helped change a club that had struggled for consistency.
Barcelona won La Liga in 2004/05 and 2005/06.
Ronaldinho won FIFA’s leading men’s player award in 2004 and 2005.
He also won the 2005 Ballon d’Or.
The following season brought his biggest club trophy.
Barcelona won the 2006 Champions League, beating Arsenal in the final.
Ronaldinho was the creative centre of that team.
His game included dribbling, passing, free kicks, unexpected touches, long-range shooting, and the ability to create scoring chances from positions that looked harmless.
His peak did not last as long as Henry’s or Zidane’s.
It was strong enough to keep him first.
Why he ranks No. 1: Ronaldinho combined a World Cup, Ballon d’Or, consecutive FIFA player awards, domestic titles, and Champions League success with one of the decade’s highest individual peaks.
2. Zinedine Zidane
Country: France
Main clubs in the decade: Juventus, Real Madrid
Position: Attacking Midfielder
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 97/100
Zinedine Zidane entered the decade already established as a world champion, but his achievements before 2000 do not count here.
He still built an exceptional 2000s record.
His first major achievement came at EURO 2000.
France won the tournament, and Zidane was named its best player.
His performances against Spain and Portugal in the knockout rounds showed his ability to control important matches.
He was also named FIFA’s leading men’s player for 2000.
Zidane moved from Juventus to Real Madrid in 2001.
His greatest club moment came in the 2002 Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen.
With the score tied at 1-1, Zidane met a high cross with a left-foot volley from the edge of the penalty area.
The goal gave Real Madrid a 2-1 victory.
He later won FIFA’s leading men’s player award again in 2003.
His final tournament added another major argument.
At the 2006 World Cup, Zidane returned from international retirement and helped France reach the final.
He produced one of his finest matches against Brazil in the quarter-final.
France eventually lost the final to Italy on penalties.
Despite his red card in that match, Zidane won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.
Why he ranks No. 2: EURO 2000, Champions League success, two FIFA player awards during the decade, and a 2006 World Cup Golden Ball give Zidane a strong decade-wide case.
3. Thierry Henry
Country: France
Main clubs in the decade: Arsenal, Barcelona
Position: Forward
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 96/100
Thierry Henry produced one of the most consistent attacking decades on this list.
He spent most of the period with Arsenal and became the main forward in Arsène Wenger’s attack.
Henry was more than a traditional striker.
He often started from the left, carried the ball toward goal, created chances, and combined speed with calm finishing.
His international decade began with success.
France won EURO 2000, and Henry scored three goals during the tournament.
His greatest club period came with Arsenal.
Henry won the Premier League in 2001/02 and again in 2003/04.
The second title became famous because Arsenal completed the entire league season without losing a match.
Henry scored 30 Premier League goals during that Invincibles campaign.
Across his Arsenal career, he won the Premier League Golden Boot four times.
He also helped Arsenal reach the 2006 Champions League final, where Barcelona won 2-1.
Henry later joined Barcelona.
His second season in Spain ended with a historic 2008/09 treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Champions League.
Unlike most players above him, Henry never won the Ballon d’Or.
He twice finished second in FIFA’s leading men’s player voting during the decade.
Why he ranks No. 3: Henry combined long-term scoring, creativity, Premier League dominance, international success, and a Champions League-winning finish to the decade.
4. Kaká
Country: Brazil
Main clubs in the decade: São Paulo, AC Milan
Position: Attacking Midfielder
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 94/100
Kaká reached the top of world football in 2007.
He had already been part of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup squad, although his role in that tournament was limited.
His true rise came after joining AC Milan in 2003.
Kaká was unusual for an attacking midfielder because he could combine technical skill with direct running.
He could receive the ball in midfield and carry it quickly through open space.
His strongest season came in 2006/07.
AC Milan won the Champions League.
Kaká finished as the competition’s leading scorer with 10 goals.
He produced major performances during the knockout rounds, including against Manchester United in the semi-final.
Milan beat Liverpool in the final.
Kaká then won the 2007 Ballon d’Or, FIFA’s leading men’s player award, and UEFA’s top club-player honor.
That made him the clear individual leader of the year.
He remained a major Milan player until joining Real Madrid in 2009.
Why he ranks No. 4: Kaká’s 2007 Champions League run and sweep of major individual awards produced one of the decade’s strongest single-year peaks.
5. Ronaldo Nazário
Country: Brazil
Main clubs in the decade: Inter Milan, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Corinthians
Position: Striker
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 93/100
Ronaldo Nazário’s greatest overall career peak began in the 1990s, so none of those earlier achievements count here.
His 2000s story is still extraordinary.
Serious knee injuries caused him to miss long periods of football around the start of the decade.
His return at the 2002 World Cup became one of the sport’s great comeback stories.
Ronaldo scored eight goals during the tournament.
He scored both goals as Brazil beat Germany 2-0 in the final.
He finished as the tournament’s leading scorer.
Later that year, Ronaldo won both the Ballon d’Or and FIFA’s leading men’s player award.
He then joined Real Madrid.
Ronaldo continued scoring at a high level and helped Madrid win La Liga in 2002/03.
His Real Madrid career did not deliver a Champions League title, and injuries continued affecting his consistency.
That prevents him from ranking higher than players who maintained elite club form for more of the decade.
At his best, however, Ronaldo remained one of the most dangerous strikers in football.
Why he ranks No. 5: Ronaldo’s eight-goal 2002 World Cup, final brace, Golden Shoe, and Ballon d’Or make his comeback one of the decade’s defining individual achievements.
6. Cristiano Ronaldo
Country: Portugal
Main clubs in the decade: Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid
Position: Winger / Forward
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 92/100
Cristiano Ronaldo’s greatest career achievements came later, but his late-2000s peak was already enough for sixth place.
He joined Manchester United in 2003 as a talented winger.
Over the next several seasons, he became faster, stronger, more direct, and much more productive in front of goal.
Manchester United won three straight Premier League titles from 2006/07 through 2008/09.
The biggest season came in 2007/08.
Ronaldo scored 31 Premier League goals and 42 across all competitions.
Manchester United won both the Premier League and Champions League.
Ronaldo scored in the Champions League final against Chelsea.
He finished as the competition’s leading scorer.
Those performances earned him the 2008 Ballon d’Or and FIFA’s leading men’s player award.
Portugal also reached the EURO 2004 final and the 2006 World Cup semi-final during the decade.
Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in 2009, but nearly all of his famous Madrid achievements belong to the following decade and do not count here.
Why he ranks No. 6: Ronaldo’s transformation at Manchester United produced three league titles, a Champions League, elite scoring, and the 2008 Ballon d’Or.
7. Xavi
Country: Spain
Main club: Barcelona
Position: Central Midfielder
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 90/100
Xavi’s placement shows why a football ranking should not be built around goals.
His value came from controlling matches.
Xavi could receive the ball in crowded areas, move it quickly, find passing angles, and control the rhythm of possession.
He spent the entire decade with Barcelona.
His first Champions League title came in 2006.
His strongest international achievement followed two years later.
Spain won EURO 2008, ending a 44-year wait for a major international trophy.
Xavi was named the tournament’s best player.
His ability to control possession became central to Spain’s style.
The decade ended with an even greater club season.
Barcelona won the 2008/09 treble under Pep Guardiola.
They won La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League.
Xavi supplied the cross for Lionel Messi’s goal in the Champions League final victory over Manchester United.
His later World Cup and Champions League achievements do not count here.
Why he ranks No. 7: Xavi combined EURO 2008’s top individual tournament honor with two Champions League titles and a central role in Barcelona’s 2009 treble.
8. Luís Figo
Country: Portugal
Main clubs in the decade: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan
Position: Winger / Midfielder
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 89/100
Luís Figo began the decade as one of football’s leading individual players.
He helped Portugal reach the EURO 2000 semi-final.
His performances during that year earned him the 2000 Ballon d’Or.
Figo then made a famous move from Barcelona to Real Madrid.
He became a major figure in Madrid’s Galácticos era.
Real Madrid won La Liga in 2000/01 and the Champions League in 2002.
Figo also won FIFA’s leading men’s player award in 2001.
His international career remained strong.
Portugal reached the EURO 2004 final on home soil but lost to Greece.
Two years later, Portugal reached the 2006 World Cup semi-final.
Figo finished his career at Inter Milan, winning several Serie A titles before retiring in 2009.
His ability changed as he became older.
Early in the decade he relied more on dribbling and acceleration. Later he used passing, crossing, and decision-making more heavily.
Why he ranks No. 8: A Ballon d’Or, FIFA award, Champions League title, and deep international tournament runs give Figo a strong full-decade record.
9. Fabio Cannavaro
Country: Italy
Main clubs in the decade: Parma, Inter Milan, Juventus, Real Madrid
Position: Centre-Back
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 88/100
Fabio Cannavaro is our highest-ranked defender.
His defining year was 2006.
Italy entered the World Cup with a defence filled with experienced players.
Cannavaro captained the team.
Italy conceded only two goals across the entire tournament.
One was an own goal and the other was a penalty.
Cannavaro played every minute of Italy’s campaign as they reached the final against France.
Italy won the title on penalties.
His defensive performances earned him the 2006 Ballon d’Or.
He also won FIFA’s leading men’s player award that year.
Winning both awards as a centre-back was rare.
Cannavaro later joined Real Madrid and won consecutive La Liga titles in 2006/07 and 2007/08.
He was not as dominant across the entire decade as Maldini had been in the 1990s, but his 2006 peak was exceptional.
Why he ranks No. 9: Cannavaro captained Italy to the World Cup and became one of the few defenders to win the Ballon d’Or.
10. Lionel Messi
Country: Argentina
Main club: Barcelona
Position: Forward
FootballerRank Decade Rating: 87/100
Lionel Messi takes the final place because his late-decade peak was already extraordinary.
He made his competitive Barcelona first-team debut in 2004.
By the middle of the decade, his dribbling and close control had made him one of football’s most exciting young attackers.
Injuries limited parts of his early career, but his influence continued to grow.
Everything came together in 2008/09.
Under Pep Guardiola, Barcelona won the treble.
Messi became a central attacking player rather than simply a young winger.
Barcelona beat Manchester United 2-0 in the Champions League final.
Messi scored the second goal with a header.
He finished the Champions League campaign as its leading scorer with nine goals.
He then won the 2009 Ballon d’Or by a huge voting margin.
Messi ranks tenth rather than higher because this is a full-decade list.
Most of the career achievements that later made him an all-time great happened after December 2009.
Why he ranks No. 10: Messi’s 2009 treble, Champions League scoring title, and Ballon d’Or give him an elite peak despite entering the decade’s top level relatively late.
Who Was the Best Football Player of the 2000s?
Ronaldinho was the best football player of the 2000s in our ranking.
His case combines individual peak, team success, and international success.
He won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil, helped Barcelona win consecutive La Liga titles and the 2006 Champions League, won the 2005 Ballon d’Or, and was named FIFA’s leading men’s player in both 2004 and 2005.
Zinedine Zidane is our closest challenger.
His 2000s record includes EURO 2000, a famous Champions League-winning goal, major individual awards, and the Golden Ball at the 2006 World Cup.
Thierry Henry takes third because he remained one of the world’s elite attackers across a larger portion of the decade.
What Made 2000s Football Special?
The 2000s produced several distinct phases rather than one dominant style.
Brazil began the decade with a World Cup-winning attack
Brazil won the 2002 World Cup with Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho playing major attacking roles.
Ronaldo supplied the goals.
Ronaldinho added creativity.
That victory restored Brazil after losing the 1998 final.
The Galácticos changed football’s superstar culture
Real Madrid brought several major stars together.
Zidane, Figo, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Raúl, and David Beckham all played for the club during the decade.
The strategy made individual football stars even more globally visible.
The Premier League produced several elite teams
Arsenal completed an unbeaten league season in 2003/04.
Chelsea became a dominant domestic side under José Mourinho.
Manchester United returned to the top and won the 2008 Champions League.
Liverpool also produced its famous 2005 Champions League comeback.
Barcelona ended the decade with a new style
Ronaldinho led Barcelona’s mid-decade rise.
Messi, Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, and other academy players then became central to the next team.
The 2008/09 treble marked the beginning of another major era.
FAQs
Who were the top three football players of the 2000s?
Our top three are Ronaldinho, Zinedine Zidane, and Thierry Henry. Ronaldinho ranks first for his peak with Barcelona, Zidane follows for major international and club performances, and Henry takes third for long-term attacking consistency.
Was Ronaldinho the best football player of the 2000s?
Yes, in our ranking. He won the World Cup, Champions League, Ballon d’Or, consecutive FIFA player awards, and two La Liga titles during the decade.
Was Zidane better than Ronaldinho in the 2000s?
Their cases are close. Zidane had the stronger long-term international record, while Ronaldinho reached a slightly higher combined club and individual peak during the middle of the decade. We give Ronaldinho a narrow edge.
Who was the best striker of the 2000s?
Thierry Henry is our highest-ranked player who spent most of the decade as a forward. Ronaldo Nazário had an exceptional 2002 World Cup, while Samuel Eto’o and Andriy Shevchenko also had strong cases.
Who was the best midfielder of the 2000s?
Zinedine Zidane is our highest-ranked attacking midfielder. Xavi is the highest-ranked deeper central midfielder and won the EURO 2008 Player of the Tournament award.
Who was the best defender of the 2000s?
Fabio Cannavaro is our highest-ranked defender. He captained Italy to the 2006 World Cup and won both the Ballon d’Or and FIFA’s leading individual men’s award.
Why is Messi only No. 10?
Most of Messi’s greatest career achievements happened during the 2010s and 2020s. For a strict 2000–2009 ranking, only his early Barcelona years and 2009 peak count.
Why is Cristiano Ronaldo only No. 6?
Cristiano Ronaldo became one of the world’s best players during the second half of the decade and won the 2008 Ballon d’Or. However, most of his Real Madrid records and later individual awards belong to the 2010s.
Why is Gianluigi Buffon not in the Top 10?
His complete career is evaluated separately in our ranking of the Best Goalkeepers of All Time.
Who just missed the Top 10?
Gianluigi Buffon, Andrés Iniesta, Samuel Eto’o, Andriy Shevchenko, Pavel Nedvěd, Raúl, Andrea Pirlo, Steven Gerrard, Francesco Totti, and Paolo Maldini all had strong cases.
The final positions were difficult because the decade contained several players with very different roles and peaks.
Does this ranking include achievements from 2010?
No. The cutoff is December 31, 2009. Anything from January 2010 belongs to our Best Football Players of the 2010s ranking.
Sources and Fact-Checking
This ranking was checked against historical World Cup records, European Championship records, Champions League history, Ballon d’Or winners, FIFA individual awards, domestic league records, and official club histories.
FootballerRank uses a strict decade rule. Only performances and achievements from January 2000 through December 2009 affect the order.
The ranking also accounts for position. Goals and assists matter for attacking players, but defenders and central midfielders need to be judged by the work their roles require.
Conclusion
After comparing performances from 2000 through 2009 only, Ronaldinho has the strongest case as the decade’s best football player. Zidane’s international and big-match record places him second, while Henry’s consistency puts him third. Kaká, Ronaldo Nazário, Cristiano Ronaldo, Xavi, Figo, Cannavaro, and Messi complete a Top 10 that reflects a decade split between established legends and the first rise of players who would dominate the next era. Keeping achievements after 2009 out of the scoring gives us a clearer answer to who actually defined football during the 2000s.
