GOAL attempts the impossible by ranking the finest footballers to grace the English top flight since 2000
Pick the 25 best Premier League players of the 21st century so far – talk about a thankless task. There's no more popular championship on the planet and thus none more scrutinised. Or argued over. You'd be hard pressed to find a football fan anywhere in the world that doesn't have a Premier League team – or at least watches the games on a daily basis, meaning everyone has an opinion on the EPL's greatest teams, and players.
It's, therefore, inevitable that the following list – which is based on a combination of titles, talent, longevity and impact – is going to provoke an avalanche of abuse. Modern greats like Robert Pires, Nemanja Vidic, Sol Campbell, Gareth Bale and Robin van Persie haven't even made the cut for heaven's sake!
It is important to note that achievements and performances that pre-date January 1, 2000 have not been taken into consideration, which precludes the peak years of Premier League legends such as Ryan Giggs, Alan Shearer and Roy Keane, who would be shoo-ins for an all-time XI – but that caveat is hardly going to spare us the bitterest of backlashes. There are just too many contentious calls and compelling cases to be made for inclusion – or exclusion.
So, what are you waiting for? The sooner you get reading, the sooner you can express your outrage in the comments section!
Getty25Yaya Toure
Perhaps the most influential player in Manchester City's ascent to the summit of English football, Yaya Toure joined from Barcelona in 2010 and quickly became the club's colossus in central midfield. The Ivorian had absolutely everything, an intimidating mix of technique and physique, making him almost impossible to dispossess.
Toure was named in the PFA Team of the Year at the end of City's first two Premier League title wins, in 2011-12 and 2013-14, hitting a whopping 20 goals in the latter triumph. When he left the Etihad in 2018, captain Vincent Kompany said, "I just want to say thank you to Yaya. If anyone is going to be considered a legend at this club, it's him."
AdvertisementGetty Images24Cesc Fabregas
Cesc Fabregas was just 16 when he made his Arsenal debut. It was immediately obvious that the Gunners had acquired a truly special talent from Barcelona, a classy yet combative midfielder that belied his tender age with the staggering composure and quality of his performances. Indeed, it came as no surprise to see Arsene Wenger make Fabregas club captain in 2008 – when the Spaniard was still only 21.
Although Fabregas made his professional bow during the 2003-04 'Invincibles' season, he didn't get a medal as he never made a Premier League appearance. However, he won two titles after returning to England to join Chelsea in 2014, and continued to wow audiences with his wondrous range of passing, eventually ending up with 111 Premier League assists – which puts him third on the all-time rankings.
Getty 23Luis Suarez
Unquestionably a controversial inclusion – for a variety of reasons. The Uruguayan upset, offended and sometimes even bit people during his playing days. Suarez also only spent three-and-a-half seasons in the Premier League – but was named in the team of the year twice, and even won Player of the Season in 2013-14, after netting a record-breaking 31 times in just 33 appearances.
The former Liverpool striker was like nothing English football had ever seen before, a terrifying force of nature capable of scoring every type of goal from every possible angle. He tormented defenders with his incessant pressing and bamboozled them with his incredible ability to find space where there appeared to be none. "It's a rare combination," Steven Gerrard later said of Suarez, "to be a miraculous footballer who is willing to use his gifts to selflessly assist and create goals for a team-mate."
Getty Images Sport22Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole was always a divisive character. It wasn't just Arsenal fans who criticised the manner of his protracted move to London rivals Chelsea in 2006. However, nobody would dispute the claim that 'Cashley' was an outstanding player, and arguably the best left-back in the world for a significant stretch of his career.
He proved an absolute revelation after breaking into the Arsenal line-up while still only a teenager and was a key member of two title-winning teams. After his acrimonious exit, he would go on to lift the Premier League trophy for a third time at Stamford Bridge, while also making a fourth PFA's Team of the Year.
"He's certainly the best Premier League left-back ever," Arsene Wenger recently said. "When you look at what he did at the club level, it shows remarkable consistency – and that is always the mark of a big player."