This Generation's Soccer Greats: Top 50 Footballers Since 1998

Every generation has footballers they will always remember. This generation's real soccer memories start around the time the 1998 World Cup was played. And since then, we have already seen some of the all-time soccer greats play on the pitch.

I was 10 at the time of the 1998 World Cup, and this list was quite nostalgic for me to make, and I'm sure it will be for those of you that have also seen some of these great players come and go.

Want to know who are the 50 top footballers of our generation?

Start the slideshow to see who's the 50th.

50. Michael Owen

Micheal Owen seemed poised to be one of the world's best with what he did in France in 1998, and he continued to be a fantastic player for Liverpool in the early 2000s. 

However, after he joined Real Madrid, he slowed down. 

He still makes this list at 50, though. 

49. David Trezeguet

Winner of one world cup and scorer of more than 245 goals in his career, Trezeguet is one of the best pure forwards of our generation. 

His best year was in 2001 when he scored 32 goals for Juventus in Serie A. 

48. Arjen Robben

Injuries have slowed him down, but Robben is one of the best dribblers on the wing of all time. 

His best season came when he joined Bayern in 2009, scoring 23 times and winning every national trophy for the Germans. 

47. Deco

Deco is one of the best footballers of this generation. He was a rare combination of talents, as he was a playmaker and play-destroyer in the same player. 

He was fantastic with Portugal, and won everything with Barcelona in 2006.  

46. Raúl

Raúl has been fantastic in Europe and has been a master at goalscoring his whole career.

He scored 32 goals for Real Madrid in 2001. 

45. Filippo Inzaghi

Pippo Inzaghi is almost a synonym for goal-scoring.

It's also rare for a player "to be born off-side". 

44. Rui Costa

Rui Costa had all the technique in the world, and he made a Fiorentina team better just by being there.

He wasn't as successful with Milan though, but Rui's playmaking was just fantastic even in the odd moments he did perform for the rossoneri. 

43. Clarence Seedorf

Clarence Seedorf has been an unstoppable force in midfield for almost 20 years. 

He is still age 35. 

42. Claudio Lopez

With Valencia, "El Piojo" was one of the deadliest strikers in Europe.

Then he left for Lazio and all of that went down fast. 

41. Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney is one of the most complete forwards to ever play the game.

I believe his best years are still ahead of him, but he still holds a spot on this list with what he's done so far.

40. Alessandro Del Piero

Del Piero is just fantastic.

Whether it's his free kicks, his raw technique or the fact that he has played for Juve his whole career, "Pinturicchio" is one of the best players of this generation. 

39. Paul Scholes

Paul Scholes is a living legend at Old Trafford.

Just by remembering some of the long-range goals he has scored for the Red Devils, I miss him already.

38. Didier Drogba

Drogba will live on as one of the most dominating centre forwards the game has seen and one of the top African footballers ever.

The Champions League has eluded him, but his performances for Chelsea have been top class.

37. Hernán Crespo

Football's most expensive man alive, his transfers were some of the most costly ever in the late 90's.

He was a great forward in his own right, and his goal scoring ability will still be remembered to this day.

36. Alan Shearer

Watching Alan Shearer play was just fantastic.

He could go from unnoticed to scoring a volley to the top corner in under a second.

35. Miroslav Klose

One of the deadlier poachers of this generation, Miroslav Klose is the World Cup's second best historical  scorer.

That clinches him a spot on this list for sure.

34. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan is one of the most technically gifted players ever to grace the pitch.

He's not higher because he hasn't had much success in Europe or with his National team.

But talent wise, he's top notch.

33. Carles Puyol

Tarzan is a mythical player for Barcelona already.

He will be remembered forever, let alone this generation.

32. Gianluigi Buffon

Buffon would make this list based just on what he did in the 2006 WC.

However, he has been a top keeper for almost 15 years now.

31. Steven Gerrard

Stevie G has been a magnificent player for Liverpool. 

He hasn't been as good for England, but he still makes number 31 on this list easily.

30. Rio Ferdinand

The most expensive defender ever takes the spot at 30.

Rio Ferdinand has won it all at United. 

Shame he hasn't done the same for England.

29. Fernando Redondo

Fernando Redondo is one of the classiest defensive midfielders to ever play the game.

It's a shame his career was cut short by injuries when he moved to Milan.

28. Ruud Van Nistelrooy

Where Ruud has played he has scored goals.

Lots of them.

He just might be the deadliest pure '9' this generation has seen.

Van The Man indeed.

27. Lilian Thuram

Thuram was as dominating as they come at both centre and right back. 

He was also the world's most expensive defender at one time, and holds number 27 on this list with ease.

26. Andrei Shevchenko

Sheva was just fantastic playing for AC Milan.

He was one of the most feared strikers in the world... and then he moved to Chelsea.

Still holds 26 here because of his performances as a rossoneri.

25. Andrea Pirlo

Andrea Pirlo basically invented the deep-lying playmaker position.

Basically he has been a no.10 playing in front of the defense his whole career.

And he has done a damn good job at it too.

24. Frank Lampard

If you want a box-to-box midfielder that scores goals, Frank Lampard has been the man for this generation.

There's just no one better at that than Chelsea's 8. 

23. Fabio Cannavaro

The 2006 World Cup made Fabio Cannavaro legendary.

So did the Nike ad for the 2010 edition.

He was also a top defender his whole career and will live on forever as one of this generation's best.

22. Ryan Giggs

Ryan Giggs. . 

He would be even higher if he had played in more International tournaments.

Still takes 22 easily.

21. Francesco Totti

I love Totti.

Everything about him is top class.

Definitely one of the best talents we have seen on the pitch for this generation.

20. Gabriel Batistuta

Best pure striker ever?

Batistuta just might be. He seemed to be able to score in every possible way, and his shooting is just unparalleled even to this this.

And he did all of that while not even liking to football that much.

Imagine if he did.

19. Josep Guardiola

Guardiola had all the class in the world and won it all at Barcelona.

He also led the revolution that made Barca turn to playmaking technical midfielders.

You all know how that has turned out.  

18. Javier Zanetti

Skill-wise, Zanetti is nowhere near others on this list.

However, his mentality and his great football for almost 20 years now will make him live on as one of this generation's best.

17. Iker Casillas

San Casillas has been there forever.

And being absolutely dominant at goalkeeping, too.

16. Pavel Nedved

Nedved had a fantastic career for both Juventus and Lazio, and he will always be remembered both for his fighting spirit and his great technique. 

Juve will have a very hard time replacing the Czech superstar.

15. Ricardo Kaka'

Kaká was brilliant and one of the world's best with Milan. 

His speed and dribbling combined with his technique land him at 15 on this list.

A shame one of the top talents of this generation seems to have slowed down considerably for Real Madrid.

14. Luis Figo

He had his best years with Barcelona, but he will always be remembered for his high treason when he joined rivals Real Madrid.

Both because of that and his talent, he's 14 here.

13. Andrés Iniesta

Excellent technique? Check.

Has won championships? Check.

Amazing goal in World Cup final? Check.

Don Andrés has done it all with Barcelona and Spain and his class makes him 13 on this list.

12. Thierry Henry

There were times when Thierry Henry wasn't just the clear-cut world's best.

He was downright unstoppable. 

His performances as a Gunner take him all the way to 12 (his number with France) on this list.

11. Roberto Carlos

The best left-back ever.

Roberto Carlos free-kicks would have him on this list by themselves, but his play down the wing both attacking and defending will always be remembered.

A fitting No.11 for this list.

10. Ronaldinho

10 is for Ronaldinho, who was just unstoppable between 2003 and 2006.

He has slowed down and now plays in Flamengo where he continues to shine based on pure technique and free-kicking skills.

Imagine what could have been if he had kept it going for one more year or two at Barcelona where a certain Lio Messi was waiting on the wings. 

9. Samuel Eto'o

And if 10 is for Dinho, nine must be for Samuel Eto'o.

Four time Champions League winner is easily said.

Not so easily done. 

Brother Samuel is one of the most dominating and winning players of our time. 

8. Xavi

At one time, Xavi was just a glorified play distributor.

Today, he is the very definition of playmaking itself, and is clearly the top midfielder playing right now.

That makes him eighth on this list.

7. Cristiano Ronaldo

CR7 is No.7 on Real Madrid.

He's also seven on this list. 

He could go higher if he keeps it up, though.

6. Rivaldo

Playing in a poor Barcelona team, Rivaldo shined.

Talent wise, he could do it all.

A shame he didn't have a better squad around him, though.

5. Dennis Bergkamp

Dennis Bergkamp was pure class.

I loved watching him with the Netherlands and Arsenal, even if it was in his very last moments. 

He's fifth, thanks to that.

4. Paolo Maldini

One of the best and classiest defenders of all time, I'm glad I got to see Maldini.

It's a shame we wasn't given at least one Ballon d'Or.

Still takes fourth on this list.

3. Lionel Messi

Lio Messi is third on this list just because he has two all-time greats above him.

A word of warning, though: he could top them all before his career ends. 

2. Zinedine Zidane

Everyone will remember Zizou's class.

And his 2002 UCL final goal against Bayer Leverkusen.

Zinedine Zidane is the second best player of this generation.

1. Ronaldo

"Il Fenomeno" isn't just the best of this generation.

He could've been the best EVER, if he wasn't hampered by injuries.

Still, we should all be proud we got to see Ronaldo. 

Even the post-injury one, at that.