Cristiano Ronaldo and the 20 Best Players of the Last 20 Years

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Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most exciting names in world football today. He is the face of Real Madrid and the Portuguese national team, and as a player still in his mid-twenties, has already had an incredible career laden with titles and accolades.

His performances for both Manchester United and Real Madrid have earned him the World Player of the Year award in 2008, and he has already surpassed the 100-goal mark for Madrid in just over two years.

In the company of Ronaldo are the 20 best players of the last 20 years, and the impact they have made in European football.

Thierry Henry

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Arguably Arsenal’s greatest player, the Frenchman arrived in North London with very few expecting the out of favour winger would make in impact in the Premier League.

Henry went on to become Arsenal’s greatest goal scorer with 226, and helped the team to two league titles, three FA cups and an appearance in the 2006 Champions League final.

Ronaldo

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Possibly the greatest striker of his generation.

Ronaldo stormed the European leagues when he arrived at PSV Eindhoven in 1994, and racked up 54 goals during his time in Holland.

Ronaldo went on to bigger things by kicking off his first stint in Spain with Barcelona before moving to Italy with Inter Milan, and then back to Spain with Real Madrid.

Ronaldinho

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Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi are always going to draw comparisons, both being South Americans reigning supreme at Barcelona during the height of their footballing powers.

Ronaldinho, however, was something special, and a phenomenon never seen before. His highlight-reel goals and Latin skills were a joy to watch.

He enjoyed two league titles and a Champions League win during his time at Barcelona. But one of his more memorable moments will be the free kick that stunned David Seaman and England in the 2002 World Cup.

Paolo Maldini

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With a career spanning two and a half decades, Maldini is considered one of the greatest defenders of his time, and specifically, one of Milan’s greatest players.

Described as a leader among leaders, he led his country and club to a number of successes including seven Serie A titles and five Champions League titles.

He will be remembered fondly for being the model professional and one of Europe's outstanding centre-backs.

David Beckham

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David Beckham fits in with this list not because he had the skills of his South American counterparts or because of blistering pace. He fits in because of what he represents for English football.

The former England captain has enjoyed success and stardom wherever he has gone, winning league titles in England and Spain, and attempting to take football to a wider American audience.

A perfect role model and an ambassador for the game, Beckham stands as one England’s elite footballers from the past two decades.

Lionel Messi

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Lionel Messi is still very much in the springtime of his career in comparison to others on this list, but he makes the grade nonetheless.

Barcelona’s adopted son and currently the World’s best player, there are not enough superlatives to describe the mesmerising ability of the small Argentine.

At such a young age he could very well be considered the greatest player of all time by the time he hangs up the boots. Until then, the world should enjoy Messi as a footballing gift.

Rivaldo

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Rivaldo made a name for himself in Europe following his big-money move from Deportivo to Barcelona.

During his five years at the club, he won the La Liga title and Copa del Rey.

Rivaldo is a World Cup winner and former World Player of the Year.

Zinedine Zidane

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Zinedine Zidane is still considered the greatest French export since Michel Platini, and very few are expected to reach the heights of the former World Player of the Year.

Zidane was part of Real Madrid’s Galacticos and scored the memorable winning volley in the 2002 Champions League final.

Luis Figo

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A controversial figure in Barcelona now following his move to rivals Real Madrid. Once the most expensive player in world football, Figo was the face of football in Catalonia, captaining the side for a number of years.

Figo was part of Portugal’s “Golden Generation,” and also won the Ballon d’Or in 2000.

Javier Zanetti

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The versatile Inter Milan captain, who has been at the club since 1995, slots perfectly into this list of the 20 greatest players of the past two decades due to his consistency and leadership at the highest level.

Zanetti currently holds the record for most appearances for Inter by a non-Italian.

Raul

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For so many years Raul was the face of Real Madrid, captaining the side and never having to take his wallet out with him to dinner in Spain’s capital.

He was one of the leading scorers in the Champions League and part of the first Galacticos.

Raul has now moved on, but his legendary status will always be upheld in Madrid.

Sol Campbell

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Possibly the best English centre-back of his time, Sol Campbell made the controversial move across North London from Tottenham Hotspur to Arsenal in 2001.

But it was only once he had arrived at the Gunners did he enjoy the successes his career would bring, including league titles alongside some of Arsenal’s modern-day legends and an integral piece in Arsenal’s Invincibles.

Iker Casillas

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The current Real Madrid captain and living legend amongst Madridstas.

Casillas debuted at the age of 17 for Madrid and became the firm No.1 by 2000.

Others have so far been unable to displace him at the international level and, at the age of 30, still has a number of years at the highest level.

No question Casillas is one of the greatest goalkeepers of the past two decades.

Dennis Bergkamp

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Dennis Bergkamp might be one of Arsenal’s most important signings in the history of the club as the Dutchman represented a different type of footballer than we were used to in England.

He was a gamble as creative flair players were not considered the norm, with clubs preferring traditional strikers in the mould of Alan Shearer.

Bergkamp became an integral part of Arsenal’s three league titles under Arsene Wenger, and has been described by Thierry Henry as the best player he has played with.

Pavel Nedved

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One of the finest midfielders of the modern era, Pavel Nedved is one of the most successful players to emerge from the Czech Republic.

Enjoying numerous title successes with Juventus and Lazio, Nedved will be remembered as one of the greatest midfielders in Serie A.

Roberto Carlos

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It’s often difficult to think of a left-back who is more synonymous with the position than Roberto Carlos.

A runner-up to Ronaldo as World Player of the Year in 1997, Roberto Carlos came to prominence while at Real Madrid by playing in well over 300 games for the club and helping them to a number of titles.

Fabio Cannavaro

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A former World Cup winning captain and Ballon d’Or winner, Fabio Cannavaro is the definition of an efficient Italian defender.

Moving from Juventus following the relegation to Real Madrid, Cannavaro continued his success by winning back-to-back league titles.

Andriy Shevchenko

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If it were not for Andriy Shevchenko’s disastrous move to Chelsea in 2006, then the memory of him being one of Europe’s deadliest strikers would not have faded.

A success story that started in Ukraine and continued in Italy with AC Milan, Shevchenko is the third-highest scorer in European competition.

Another former Ballon d’Or winner, Shevchenko also won the 2003 Champions League with Milan.

Ryan Giggs

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The incredible solo effort Ryan Giggs scored against Arsenal in the 1999 FA Cup semi-final will be remembered as one of his finest moments.

A staple in the Manchester United squad even at the age of 37, he has helped the Red Devils to success upon success and helped to establish the Premier League as the elite league in world football.

Alan Shearer

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Alan Shearer caps off this list as one of England’s finest strikers from the past two decades.

Following his title winning campaign in 1995 with Blackburn Rovers, Shearer got a move to his boyhood club Newcastle United following Euro ‘96.

Shearer finished his career with 148 goals for Newcastle United, and one in two for England in 60 appearances.