Makeleles deep-midfield role helped both provide defensive cover for and unlock the attacking talents of his team-mates further up the field. 14. 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. Hodge's consistency in both midfield and defensive roles were vital to his side's prolonged successes between 2008 and 2015, with Hodge a key name in every contest. Top-12 quarterbacks in Ohio State history - Bucknuts 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. Goodes is a two-time Brownlow Medalist, two-time premiership player and three time best and fairest with Sydney. 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. LANCE FRANKLIN (HAWTHORN/SYDNEY SWANS), 2000-2020 stats: 300 games, 944 goals, 170 Brownlow votes, averaged 15.5 disposals, 2000-2020 CV: Two-time premiership Hawk, eight-time All-Australian (one as captain), one best and fairest, four-time Coleman medallist, 11-time club leading goalkicker. Modern-day forwards like him arent supposed to average 3.5 goals per game across multiple seasons. He won the Scudetto in 2001 before a World Cup in 2006, reinventing himself from a false nine, second striker and attacking midfielder along the way. With his technical ability and intelligence, he would still slot into elite teams in the modern game, many years after he left his six-Premier League title-winning career behind him. More from Telstra afl.com.au womens.afl . 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. Gary Ablett was arguably an even better player at the Suns. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). The 8 Best AFL Debut's of the 21st Century | by Alex Fry | Medium NRL: We pick the best rugby league team of the 21st century - Yahoo! Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated. 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. 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: The 253-game Essendon hero won two best and fairests and three All-Australian selection after entering the 21st century, earning him Hall of Fame honours. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. 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. Ranked! The 100 best players of the 21st Century - MSN 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 from that effervescent starlet grew a dependable leader: Spain's reliable backbone through three consecutive international trophies. Ranked! The 100 best players of the 21st Century - MSN This varies slightly from the Last Word On Baseball All-Decade teams list which took the best individual 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 team at AFL.com.au has dissected every club's records to name the best forward at each since the turn of the century. Itd be a superhuman yet thoroughly well-deserved milestone. At the age of 36, McCulloch scored 17 goals in the 2013-14 season to bring Rangers back into the Scottish Premiership. Lee McCulloch. The game's all-time leader for marks was the focal point for the Saints for over a decade, claiming five All-Australian selections, six best and fairests and four leading goal-kicker awards across 336 games for St Kilda. But Pirlo still found time and he never failed to discover space. 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. Alastair Clarkson told a female reporter "your . 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. The nicknames he inspired over the course of his playing career, il Maestro and lArchitetto, capture Pirlos appreciation for composition, design and set-pieces.. Martin boasts two best and fairest honours, three All-Australian selections and 251 goals from his 225 game career. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. It had become too high in velocity, too intense. 5. Greene hasnt played in the AFL since 2018 but could be a valuable addition for the Hawks, who meet Essendon in round one. In their predictions for the 2023 season, both Hodge and Burgoyne believe Hawthorn will finish rock bottom. 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. He was also a dangerous goalkicker, punctuated by his 36-goal season in 2002 and a seven-goal haul against Adelaide in early 2004. If his body holds up for another year or two, hes a huge chance to become just the sixth player in VFL/AFL history to reach 1000 goals. The rock within the Lions dynamic and star-studded midfield. The greatest bassists of the 21st century, ranked by you! The most anticipated AFL home-and-away games of the 21st century - The Roar Goals: 156+. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. Inducted in 1987: Rod McGregor - 1905-1920 One of the brightest stars of his era, Rod McGregor was a four-time Premiership player for the Navy Blues in a 236-game career that stood as a club record for more than half a century. The 30 Greatest Sports Athletes Of The 21st Century Have Been Named And 22. AFL: The home of Australian rules football on Reddit, including the Australian Football A complete striker, Aguero put beauty in ball-striking, making an art of finding space around the penalty area. 295. Our criteria was that players had to have played at least five seasons in the 21st century. 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. 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. 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. 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. Picture: Colleen Petch, Sign up to all of Foxtel Now with a 10-day free trial. Youll never tire of watching them. 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. 10 greatest AFL players of all time - Betting Site But the trait that defined Voss career was his ferocity at the contest. Source: FOX SPORTS David Zita from Fox Sports @DavidZita1 May 10th, 2020 6:57 pm A leader in defence like few had ever seen in the Premier League, Kompany embraced the club he defined, Mancunian twang and all. featured alongside some of Australias most prominent sports journalists. Login. 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). Espaol. 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. 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. 1 pick Sam Walsh with the Blues confirming he's a certain starter against Richmond. 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. Share, or vent, your thoughts on Facebook or tweet us @FOXFOOTY. 1 pick Sam Walsh with the Blues confirming hes a certain starter against Richmond. Birthplace: Rosario, Argentina. Welcome. "In his prime; Falcao looked absolutely unstoppable: Chelsea fans still have traumatic memories of his impressive prone-trick in the first half of a 4-1 victory in the UEFA Super Cup for Atleti in 2012, he completed a report that carried some of the best things. Puyol was part of Spains triumphant sides at Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, and it was his headed goal against Germany that sent them through to the final of the latter tournament. Healy's "certainty" for the AFL player of the 21st century 236K subscribers in the AFL community. 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. Who is your club's best ruck of the 21st century? Mine are Gary Ablett Junior Buddy Juddy Dusty Unlucky Hodge Selwood Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. He averaged 29.5 a game in 2000 then accumulated 46 touches (plus 20 contested possessions, 13 inside 50s, eight clearances and a goal) against Fremantle early in 2001 in an awesome solo display. How many others have a position named after them? The 2023 AFL Season is just around the corner and the Zero Hanger Season Guide is back! The players have been selected and ranked based on their 21st century performances only, so any seasons prior to 2000 haven't been considered. If you havent, do yourself a favour. Yet the silverware he craved so much, a Collingwood premiership, eluded him until the end. All rights reserved. But in all honesty, selecting the superstars at No. The Colombians football odyssey has taken him to seven different countries, with his most successful spells coming at Porto, Atletico Madrid and Monaco. As if scoring that goal wouldn't endear himself to the Manchester City faithful, the Argentinian became the all-time overseas Premier League hitman, the club's record scorer and one of the greatest forwards of all time. Here are the 25 of the greatest players to ever play the great Australian game ranked from one to 25: 1. Haselbys high possession style of play was a feature of his game throughout his Rising Star award-winning season, and he continued it for 208 games in purple before hanging the boots up in 2010. But not all former Hawks are in agreement with the doom-and-gloom forecast. After three previous top-five finishes, he finally broke through to claim a maiden Brownlow Medal. Former coach Leigh Matthews said his enduring image of Voss would be of him as a missile attacking the ball. THE NUMBERS:12 disposals, 5 marks, 5 goals Mt Rushmore of 21st Century | BigFooty Forum It recognises the role of Italian Australian players in the sport. Provides a lot of energy. Ablett in full flight in the trademark words of Fox Footy caller Dwayne Russell is as good as it gets. Picture: Phil Hillyard. August 1, 2005. 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: Toure won four consecutive African Player of the Year awards between 2011 and 2014, his first four seasons with Manchester City, and he played a pivotal role in the Citizens first title of the Premier League era in 2011/12. During Collingwoods stint at the bottom of the ladder in the late 1990s, Buckley was a rare shining light. CB, CM, CF. It was the first major honour of his career, but far from the last. Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide/Geelong). And there have been moments. While. Pendlebury Good top 5. . 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. Voss presence within the midfield lifted those around him, making some of the greatest onballers within the league better, perhaps producing the 'fab four' himself. Alastair Clarkson defends temper after clash with reporter at North The following players have been inducted into the Carlton Hall of Fame. Ranked! The 100 best players of the 21st Century 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. To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. AFL 2023: Melbourne Demons season preview, pre-season, analysis The Pole with the goals has gone from strength to strength, with an outrageous late career peak. There were devastating patches of brilliance. Hawthorn legends turn on former club with serious fears for 2023 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. Skip to main content. The Galacticos needed a goalkeeper as blockbuster to match. At the time, Bradd Dalziells 32 touches were the most ever recorded in an AFL debut. You will receive a verification email shortly. Official AFL Website of the Carlton Football Club 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. A subscription makes a thoughtful gift for both family and friends. r/AFL - What is your team's best 10 players of the 21st century, and Burnett Bartolo Colon Dan. 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. Since breaking into Bara team at the age of 20, he has never made fewer than 40 appearances a season, he has been the rock on which Messi and co.s cathedral was built throughout the 2010s. There was a problem. Slow succeeded in a fast environment thanks to the genius flashing behind his eyes. THE NUMBERS: 7 disposals, 4 marks, 3 goals . It will be an interesting exercise to look back at these players careers when another decade has passed. Playing Career: 1982, 1984-96 (Haw 1982, Geel 1984-96) Games: 248. Andrew Walker reached great heights (pun intended) during his 204-game career at Carlton. [1] Players and/or at least one of the player's parents or grandparents had to have been born in Italy. AFL Club Essendon Other Teams Coburg Lions, All Boston sides Dec 19, 2022 #352 1. The criteria was a player had to play more than 50 games from 2000 onwards. Ranked! The 100 best players of the 21st Century The 'Little Master' had it all. 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. This devalues names like Robert Harvey, Scott West and Stephen Silvagni. Menzel's top seven AFL captains of the 21st century Individual awards: 2 x Brownlow Medal, 3 x Doig Medallist. Ranking the Top 100 players of the century (5-1) - HoopsHype The two-time Norm Smith medalist has reached unparalleled feats and continues to prove to be a one in a generation-type player. 'Saint Nick' was everything a coach could ask for in a player. Dean Polo is one such player. The Top 20 players of the past 20 years have been revealed. 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. But hes only won the AFLPAs best captain once, which is why I didnt give him the number one spot.. Contents 1 Top 10 AFL Players Right Now 1.1 Dustin Martin - Richmond 1.2 Christian Petracca - Melbourne 1.3 Max Gawn - Melbourne 1.4 Jack Steele - St. Kilda 1.5 Toby Greene - GWS 1.6 Lachie Neale - Brisbane 1.7 Marcus Bontempelli - Bulldogs 1.8 Jack Macrae - Bulldogs 1.9 Nic Naitanui - West Coast 1.10 Zach Merrett - Essendon Haselby himself could hold his head high though with the former No. 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. Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. On the other hand, Jason Carter, born 11 days into the new millennium has already been delisted by Fremantle after two games in 2019. Left-footers like him arent supposed to have a better chance of kicking a goal from the boundary on the wrong side for a left-footer. And hes a Buddy legend. Dangerfield has won seven All-Austrlian selections in the past eight seasons and is a proven threat within the middle and deep forward.