Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been best players of past ten years, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney and Xavi among contenders for ‘next best’
One of incredible duo has won every Ballon d'Or since 2008 and in all but one year, they have finished in top two positions
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SINCE 2008, only two men have won the Ballon d’Or: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
And, in that time, only once — in 2010 — were they not the top two.
It is without question that they are the elite players of the past decade. Possibly even of all-time.
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So who is the third best player of the past ten years?
Here is a list of ten possible candidates — and we’ve gone for those who have played the majority of the decade at the highest level.
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Gianluigi Buffon
The most expensive goalkeeper of all-time moved to Juventus way back in 2001 for £31million from Parma.
Buffon won the World Cup with Italy in 2006 and finished as a runner-up to international team-mate, Fabio Cannavaro, in that year’s Ballon d’Or standings.
Has won Serie A’s Goalkeeper of the Year award 11 times.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Wherever he’s been, he’s won titles — and is still his side’s most influential player at the age of 35.
In just the last decade alone, Ibrahimovic has won the Scudetto with three different clubs in Italy, as well as league titles in Spain and France and now the EFL Cup in England.
Finished fourth in the 2013 Ballon d’Or standings which was a career high, and could claim a first-ever European trophy, if Manchester United win the Europa League.
Andrea Pirlo
A classy operator who makes the game look easy.
Pirlo won the Champions League twice with AC Milan and World Cup in 2006.
Oozes class and style and actually enjoyed the best years of his career towards the end when he won four league titles and was voted Serie A Player of the Year three seasons in a row.
Xavi
Another stylish player who revolutionised the game.
Despite lacking obvious qualities often looked at by fans of English football, Xavi dazzled using his brain, positional sense and accurate passing.
The Spaniard has won everything and was voted in the Ballon d’Or top three three seasons in a row.
Iker Casillas
Like, Buffon has been guarding the net of a top side since the turn of the Millennium.
Casillas is one of the game’s greats and has won the Champions League three times as well as captaining Spain to World Cup success in 2010.
Was voted Uefa goalkeeper of the year six years in a row from 2007-2012, despite competition from the likes of Buffon, Edwin van der Sar and Petr Cech.
Andres Iniesta
A big game player if ever one existed.
Iniesta is a modern diamond who trusts himself on the ball, when marked by three player — and is still key for Barcelona and Spain.
Scored the winner in a World Cup final and also sent his side to the 2009 Champions League final with a last-gasp goal at Chelsea.
Arjen Robben
A decent player at Chelsea, who moved to Real Madrid and whose career shot to life with a transfer to Bayern Munich in 2009.
In his first season in Germany, Robben was exceptional as his side made an unexpected venture to the Champions League final — but he was anonymous and the ‘big game bottler’ tag would follow him after disappointing performances in the World Cup final and 2012 Champions League final defeat to his former club.
However, he vindicated himself with a last-gasp winner in the all-German Euro affair in 2013, and is still going strong now at the age of 33.
Franck Ribery
Was one of the star men at the 2006 World Cup, but really came to the fore a year later with his move to Bayern.
Ribery was the star of the side which won the Treble in 2013 and finished third behind Ronaldo and Messi in that year’s Ballon d’Or standings.
Still an important player to the Bundesliga side, who could yet repeat that incredible feat.
Wayne Rooney
His decline has been swift — but he’s been one hell of a player.
Before an ankle injury suffered against Bayern in 2010, Rooney was on top of the world — and looked set to final shine at a World Cup.
However, niggling injuries and a long career at such a high level have taken their toll.
But he’s won five Premier League titles, the Champions League, three League Cups, an FA Cup a Club World Cup title — scoring the winner and being named man-of-the-match in the final — is England captain, United captain and has broken both goal scoring records.
Sergio Ramos
Often maligned because of his red cards, but if he's not a great defender, who is?
Ramos has been at the heart of an incredible Real Madrid side and a dominant Spain team.
Recently, he has also become the man Los Blancos turn to when they need a goal most