Real Madrid have the IFFHS’ two best UEFA players of the decade
With Real Madrid struggling in La Liga this season and out of the Copa del Rey again, Madridistas have been turning increasingly to nostalgia. And there has been no better period of success for most current fans than the three-peat Champions League era under Zinedine Zidane.
The 2010.s decade was a fruitful one for Los Blancos, as the club racked up four Champions League titles and had a few memorable La Liga campaigns whilst challenging the dominance of Lionel Messi, Pep Guardiola, MSN, and Xavi and Andres Iniesta at FC Barcelona.
So it’s no surprise that Real Madrid are well-represented in most end-of-the-decade lists, including the International Federation of Football for History & Statistics (IFFHS) list of the top three men’s UEFA players of the 2010s.
In fact, they had the TWO top entries!
Former Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo was the decade’s best
Coming in No. 1, as you may expect, is Cristiano Ronaldo. He was beyond brilliant over the last decade, scoring buckets of goals and winning Champions League title after Champions League title. And, of course, he helped lead Portugal to a European Championship.
In second place is Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos, who was just as influential to Los Blancos’ success in European football. He was also operating at another level for the Spanish national team, whether at center back or right back.
Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer came in third place, and the legendary goalkeeper has certainly earned the respect of Madridistas for his ability. Neuer changed the way the goalkeeper position is viewed and evaluated globally.
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Ronaldo and Ramos have absolutely possessed a global influence on the game in their own right, and Madridistas will be happy to see the IFFHS honor them as the decade’s greatest players. Even in 2021, Ramos and Ronaldo remain world-class and vital to their respective team’s success. Injuries have held Ramos back a little bit in 2020-2021, but Ronaldo is Serie A’s leading goal-scorer and best player.