Well that Premier League decade flew by, didn’t it?
From Sergio Aguero’s last gasp title-clincher to theLeicestermiracle and Manchester City’s centurions, it has been an eventful 10 years in the English top-flight.
But who stood out for you?
Well against our better judgement (and because it’s the international break) we’ve decided to look back and select our top 50 players in the division from the past 10 years.
You are almost certainly going to disagree with our choices and the order in which they have been presented to you, but before you get angry please con sider these crucial factors we’ve used when compiling the list.
- Longevity matters. The longer a player has been in the division then the more chance they’ve got to impress. We’re also not considering anyone who has been in the league fewer than two years.
- Success is a big factor. So we’re talking league titles, PFA Player of the Year awards, Golden Boots, Golden Glove awards etc.
- Absolutely nothing that happened before January 1 , 2010 is taken into account. Nothing. Not a thing. As far as we’re concerned, these players were all created on 01 / 01 /
Got all that? Good.
Going to take it all into consideration before getting angry in the comments section? Of course not.
Right, eyes down. Here we go.
. Wes Morgan
Club:Leicester
Years active:2012 – present
The Foxes’ 2015 / 16 title winning captain was a key part of the Leicester miracle, and helped create some of the most iconic images of the decade. Not the most gifted, but worth a mention.
49. Son Heung-min
Club:Tottenham
Years active:2015 -present
Tottenham’s quicksilver South Korean attacker is Asia’s top Premier League scorer, and should reach his half century this season.
48. Aaron Ramsey
Club:Arsenal
Years active:2010 – 2019
The Welshman was a key player for Arsenal when he was fit and available, turning in a series of tigerish midfield displays across the decade.
47. Bernardo Silva
Club:Manchester City
Years active:2017 – present
The Portuguese has become a vital cog in the Manchester City machine, and looks certain to be regarded as a Premier League star for years to come.
46. Cesar Azpilicueta
Club:Chelsea
Years active:2012 – present
A bargain £ 7million arrival from Marseille, the Spanish full-back has two league titles to his name and was crucial in Antonio Conte’s successful switch to three at the back in 2016 / 17.
45. Leroy Sane
Club:Manchester City
Years active:2016 -present
The PFA Young Player of the Year for 2017 / 18, the German winger is as quick as any player we’ve ever seen in the Premier League, and adds a new dimension to City when available.
44. Dele Alli
Club:Tottenham
Years active:2015 -present
Still only 23, the attacking midfielder’s 18 – goal 2016 / 17 season was perhaps the best from a player in his position since the heydays of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.
43. Didier Drogba
Club:Chelsea
Years active:2010 – 2012, 2014 – 2015
The Ivorian was at his fearsome best in the 2009 / (season, scoring) goals as Chelsea won the league under Carlo Ancelotti.
42. Thibaut Courtois
Club:Chelsea
Years active:–
After three years on loan at Atletico Madrid, the Belgian replaced Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal in 2014 and promptly won the first of two league titles as well as one Golden Glove award.
41. Ederson
Club:Manchester City
Years active:2017 – present
After a failed experiment with Claudio Bravo, Pep Guardiola turned to the Brazilian stopper in 2017 and two Premier League titles have promptly followed.
40. Michael Carrick
Clubs:Manchester United
Years active:2010 – 2018
Often the calming influence in the United midfield, the Englishman won two of his five Premier League titles in this decade and was in the PFA Team of the Year in 2012 / 13.
39. Jan Vertonghen
Club:Tottenham
Years active:2012 – present
One of the most consistent defenders in the division, the Belgian has been in the PFA Team of the Year twice this decade.
38. Juan Mata
Clubs:Chelsea,Manchester United
Years active:2011 – present
At one point Chelsea’s shining light, the Spaniard has become a household name in the division for his efforts for the Blues and Manchester United, although he has never won the trophy.
37. Olivier Giroud
Clubs:Arsenal, Chelsea
Years active:2012 – present
The scorer of 78 Premier League goals over the decade, the Frenchman has always been somewhat underrated and has fine quality on the ball.
36. Alexis Sanchez
Clubs:Arsenal, Manchester United
Years active:2014 – present
There was a period when he was at Arsenal when the Chilean was almost untouchable, and he scored 24 goals in The 2016 / 17 campaign. The less said about Manchester United the better though.
35. Hugo Lloris
Club:Tottenham
Years active:2012 – present
At his best the 2018 World Cup winner has been one of the most consistent goalkeepers in the English top-flight.
34. Joe Hart
Clubs:Manchester City, Birmingham (loan), (West Ham) (loan), (Burnley)
Years active:2010 – present
The winner of two league titles and a record four Golden Glove awards was Manchester City’s undisputed No.1 until Pep Guardiola arrived at the club .
33. Pablo Zabaleta
Clubs:Manchester City, West Ham
Years active:2010 – present
A key part of the early Manchester City revolution, the Argentinean was a mainstay of the 2011 / 12 and 2013 / 14 title winning sides.
32. Christian Eriksen
Club:Tottenham
Years active:2013 – present
One away from 50 Premier League goals, the Dane was in the PFA Team of the Year in 2017 / 18.
31. Philippe Coutinho
Club:(Liverpool)
Years active:2013 – 2018
A bargain £ 8.5million arrival from Inter Milan in January 2013, the Brazilian became one of the best, most watchable players in the Premier League during five seasons at Anfield.
30. Steven Gerrard
Club:Liverpool
Years active:2010 – 2015
The Liverpool icon’s best days were certainly in the 2000 s, but h e was still a force of nature in this decade and was the Premier League top assist provider in 2013 / 14, when he made the PFA Team of the Year for a Premier League record eighth time.
29. Romelu Lukaku
Clubs:Chelsea, West Brom (loan),Everton(initial loan), Manchester United
Years active:2011 – 2019
The Belgian never got much of a chance at Chelsea despite impressive loans at West Brom and Everton, who he eventually moved to permanently. His 25 goals in 37 games in 2016 / 17 was his best return, and earned him a move to Manchester United.
28. Mesut Ozil
Club:Arsenal
Years active:2013 – present
A player who has often promised so much, Ozil chalked up the most assists in the 2015 / 16 season with a total of 19 in 35 games.
27. Frank Lampard
Clubs:Chelsea, Manchester City
Years active:2010 – 2015
As with others on this list you can’t doubt Lampard’s quality in the 2000 s, and his 2010 s impact was felt in his stunning 2009 / 10 campaign when he helped Chelsea to the title with 22 goals and 14 Assists.
26. Roberto Firmino
Club:Liverpool
Years active:2015 -present
A Brendan Rodgers signing, the Brazilian has developed into the perfect Jurgen Klopp player as he’s become one of the first names on Liverpool’s teamsheet.
25. Cesc Fabregas
Clubs:Arsenal, Chelsea
Years active:2010 – 2011 , 2014 – 2019
The Spaniard’s last year and a half at Arsenal earned him a move back toBarcelona, from where he returned to London with Chelsea in 2014 and picked up two league titles.
24 . Virgil van Dijk
Clubs:Southampton, Liverpool
Years active:2015 – present
Imperious displays at Southampton developed the Dutchman’s reputation as one of the very best defenders in the division, before Liverpool bought him in January 2018 and turned him into one of the best in the world.
23. Sadio Mane
Clubs:Southampton, Liverpool
Years active:2014 – present
Two years at Southampton featured a Premier League hat-trick at record pace, and then the forward’s move to Liverpool has brought the Golden Boot and two PFA Team of the Year inclusions.
22. Diego Costa
Club:Chelsea
Years active:–
The fearsome forward’s light burned briefly but brightly at Stamford Bridge, and his 52 goals across three seasons helped yield two league titles.
21. Fernandinho
Club:Manchester City
Years active:2013 – present
The calming, metronomic presence in the Manchester City midfield, the Brazilian has three Premier League titles to his name and was in the PFA Team of the Year last season.
20. Kevin De Bruyne
Clubs:Chelsea, Manchester City
Years active:2012 – 2014, 2015 – present
After being underused at Chelsea, the Belgian has gone on to prove his often outrageous qualities at Manchester City, where he won the inaugural Playmaker of the Season award for his 16 assists in 2017 / 18.
19. Wayne Rooney
Clubs:Manchester United, Everton
Years active:2010 – 2018
The forward’s best years were in the late 2000 s, b ut his 26 goals almost helped Manchester United to the title in 2009 / 10 and he struck 27 when they narrowly missed out again two years later. He did win the league twice in the decade though.
18. Robin van Persie
Clubs:Arsenal, Manchester United
Years active:2010 – 2015
Winning back-to-back Golden Boots with different clubs marks the Dutchman out as a modern day top-flight legend, with his arrival the catalyst for Manchester United’s 2012 / 13 title win.
17. Petr Cech
Clubs:Chelsea, Arsenal
Years active:2010 – 2019
With two Premier League titles the previous decade, the Czech’s 2010 s haul of two more and three Golden Glove awards mark him out as one of the best.
16. Mohamed Salah
Clubs:Chelsea, Liverpool
Years active:2014 – 2015, 2017 – present
Nobody in 38 – games-a -season Premier League history has scored more goals than the 32 that the Egyptian notched in his first season with Liverpool, when he picked up the first of back-to-back Golde n Boots.
15. Jamie Vardy
Clubs:Leicester
Years active:2012 – present
The Premier League Player of the Season in the 2015 / 16 campaign when Leicester shocked the world, the forward has started this season looking as though he could beat his top-flight record of 24 goals in a campaign.
14. Riyad Mahrez
Clubs:Leicester, Manchester City
Years active:2014 – present
Mesmeric when Leicester won the league, it is astonishing to think that the Foxes signed the 2015 / 16 PFA Player of the Year for just £ 450, 000 back in January 2014. Four-and-a-half years on, they sold him for £ (million.)
13. John Terry
Club:Chelsea
Years active:2010 – 2017
Picking up the league title three times in the decade, the center-back was able to carry on his form from the 2000 s to lead Chelsea to repeated success .
12. N’Golo Kante
Clubs:Leicester, Chelsea
Years active:2015 – present
Little known in England when he arrived, the diminutive Frenchman snapped up back-to-back league titles with Leicester and Chelsea, picking up the PFA Player of the Year award with the latter in 2016 / 17.
11. Raheem Sterling
Clubs:Liverpool, Manchester City
Years active:2012 – present
After being slowly introduced to the Liverpool team as a teenager the Englishman had a stellar 2013 / 14 as the Reds were just pipped to the title by Manchester City, who he joined in 2015, from where he’s never looked back.
10. Luis Suarez
Clubs:Liverpool
Years active:2011 – 2014
The Uruguayan wasn’t in the Premier League for long, but the impact he made over two-and-a-half years with Liverpool certainly was a lasting one, and he was top scorer and PFA Player of the Year in 2013 / 14.
9. Gareth Bale
Clubs:Tottenham
Years active:2010 – 2013
The PFA Player of the Year in 2010 / 11 and 2012 / 13 – adding the Young Player award in the latter – the Welshman was an unstoppable Premier League force for a while, earning him a move toReal Madrid.
8. James Milner
Clubs:Aston Villa, Manchester City, Liverpool
Years active:2010 – present
Incredibly, the Yorkshireman was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the 2009 / 10 season, and he’s still going strong 10 years later. He was Young Player of the Year in the same season, and after two league titles with Manchester City he’s going for another one with Liverpool.
7. Harry Kane
Clubs:Tottenham, Norwich (loan)
Years active:2012 – present
Tottenham’s reliable goal-getter can boast a staggering record of 130 Premier League strikes in 185 games, earning him two Golden Boots and four spots in the PFA Team of the Year.
6. Yaya Toure
Club:Manchester City
Years active:2010 – 2018
The relentless driving force in the Manchester City midfield, the Ivorian’s 20 goals in 2013 / 14 were one of the key reasons City beat Liverpool to the title that season, his second of three successes with the club.
5. David de Gea
Club:Manchester United
Years active:2011 – present
After initial struggles as a young goalkeeper, there have been times when it has seemed to be impossible for attackers to beat Manchester United’s Spanish last line of defense, who helped his side to the title in 2012 / 13.
4. Eden Hazard
Club:Chelsea
Years active:2012 –
At his best it was almost impossible to stop the Belgian during his seven years in the Premier League, which he won twice as he made the PFA Team of the Year four times.
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3. Vincent Kompany
Club:Manchester City
Years active:2010 – 2019
Manchester City’s inspirational leader got his hands on the Premier League trophy four times in the 2010 s, and scored that unforgettable strike against Leicester that effectively clinched glory
2. David Silva
Club:Manchester City
Years active:2010 – present
One of the most graceful players ever to play in the division, the Spaniard will leave City at the end of the season having already picked up four league titles and a place in Premier League folklore.
1. Sergio Aguero
Club:Manchester City
Years active:2011 – present
The scorer of a record 172 Premier League goals across the last 10 years, the Argentinean is certainly responsible for the most dramatic moment of the era as he clinched the first of four league titles for Manchester City in the decade.
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