20. Andriy Shevchenko
Forget the underwhelming spell at Chelsea and remember the AC Milan years, when Shevchenko was one of the best strikers on the planet. A return of 173 goals in 296 games tells its own story, as does a rate of 0.5 per game in the Champions League.
Shevchenko won the Ballon d'Or in 2004, beating off stiff competition from Deco, Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry. Had the Ukrainian remembered to bring his shooting boots to Stamford Bridge, he'd be even higher up this list.
19. John Terry
It's impossible to think of any of Chelsea's achievements in the 2000s without picturing Terry. He was one of the main reasons the Blues conceded just 15 goals on route to the Premier League title in 2004/05, and was equally instrumental in the successful defence of that crown the following campaign.
Often hailed for his bravery and physicality, Terry didn't always get the credit he deserved for his ball-playing abilities. An imperious centre-half in his pomp, he was a natural leader who inspired those around him.
18. Paul Scholes
Scholes was a midfielder throughout his career but his role shifted throughout the decade. He started as an attack-minded goalscorer, whose well-timed runs into the box saw him reach double figures in four out of five seasons. The Manchester United man moved deeper as he got older, ending the 2000s as a sitting, probing midfielder.
Scholes counts Zinedine Zidane, Pep Guardiola and Andrea Pirlo among his fans - not bad for an asthmatic who Gary Neville thought would never make it as a pro.
17. Fernando Torres
At his peak, there was no one in the world that could stop Fernando Torres from doing what he did. He was a complete striker, graceful while he was at it but above all else, a ruthless killer in the penalty area.
This is a man who captained a team that Diego Simeone was a part of too, by the way. He led by example, was the shining light in any team he was a part of in the 2000s and destroyed defences like he was born to do it.
16. Rio Ferdinand
Ferdinand twice became the world's most expensive defender in the 2000s, joining Leeds for £18m and then Manchester United for £30m. Some felt he was overpriced, but his significant contribution to four Premier League title triumphs and Champions League success in 2007/08 proved otherwise.
Ferdinand was the first world-class ball-playing centre-back English football had produced, but he only truly mastered the art of defending at Old Trafford. By the end of the decade, the Londoner was a true all-rounder.
15. Raul
Raul twice fended off his iconic no.7 shirt from arguably the two most marketable players ever: David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. He simply was Real Madrid - there was no taking anything from him.
The bridge between Real's star-producing 80s and Galactico era, this former Atletico boy scored for fun as the fulcrum of a glittering side, setting Champions League records and coming to define a club who spent millions in the new millennium. But few were as reliable, as exciting and as downright clinical as Raul.
14. Frank Lampard
Lamps scored more than 140 goals for Chelsea across the noughties. That he reached those figures as a midfielder is, well, frankly ludicrous. The Englishman perfected the art of arriving late in the box to ping the ball in the onion bag, and he married his goalscoring exploits with workrate, energy and a marvellous passing range. He was the complete midfielder; the driving force behind Chelsea's transformation from plucky midtablers to English football's dominant club.
13. Samuel Eto'o
Possibly the greatest African footballer of all time. Samuel Eto'o's goalscoring ability was impressive at Mallorca, but went berserk at Barcelona. One hundred and thirty goals in 199 appearances for Los Blaugrana fired the Catalan club to three league titles and two Champions Leagues before he departed for more glory at Inter. Speed, intelligent movement and ice cold finishing, Eto'o was simply the perfect striker.
12. Steven Gerrard
Single words are enough to summon memories of Gerrard's influential performances in matches of the highest magnitude: Olympiacos, Istanbul, Cardiff. Dozens more games were bent to his will, as Liverpool's lion-hearted captain led from the front and dragged his team-mates along with him.
Gerrard won two FA Cups, a UEFA Cup and the Champions League in the 2000s. His medal collection would be more sizable had he moved elsewhere, but Anfield was his home. "He has everything," Fernando Torres once said. He would know.
11. Wayne Rooney
The freckled schoolboy from Croxteth became an overnight megastar with his thunderous winner against Arsenal in 2002. Aged just 16, Rooney’s was a debut for the ages and the striker became an overnight phenomenon.
Pele comparisons were drawn when, as an 18-year-old, Wazza battered teams at Euro 2004 before joining Manchester United, where his technical ability and knack for scoring screamers were only matched by his enthusiasm and workrate. Speed, strength, intelligent movement, industry, aerial ability, an eye for a pass and a fiery streak which kept us all on the edge of our seats – Wayne Rooney was astonishingly fun to watch at his peak.
