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Europe has consistently produced some of the best players in the history of the beautiful game. Whether they're gracing the hallowed pitches of their reputed clubs or showcasing their abilities on the international stage, European footballers consistently raise the bar for excellence.
European leagues are widely viewed as the epitome of club football and the continent houses many of the traditional powerhouses. Nations like France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, England, Spain and the Netherlands have been home to some of the legends of the game.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the five best European players of the last decade.
#5 Kylian Mbappe (France)
The only reason why Kylian Mbappe is not higher up on this list is because he broke onto the scene only in the 2016-17 season. But ever since, he has been simply phenomenal at both club and international levels.
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He is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world and at the age of 24, the Frenchman has already had an illustrious career. In 323 appearances in all competitions in his club career so far, Mbappe has scored 244 goals and provided 114 assists.
He played a huge role in France's 2018 FIFA World Cup triumph. The Paris Saint-Germain attacker has also won six Ligue 1 titles, three Coupe de France titles and one UEFA Nations League title so far in his career.
He also won the Golden Boot at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and even netted a hat-trick in the final of the tournament against Argentina albeit in a losing affair.
#4 Robert Lewandowski (Poland)
Robert Lewandowski is widely regarded as one of the finest strikers of the modern era. The iconic centre-forward's prolific goalscoring skills and consistency at the very top for both club and country sets him apart.
He possesses a lethal combination of clinical finishing, aerial prowess and footballing intelligence. This has earned him many accolades in the last 10 years, including the FIFA Best Men's Player Award, which he has won two times.
Additionally, Lewandowski has won one Champions League title, eight Bundesliga titles, one La Liga title, three DFB-Pokal titles, one UEFA Super Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup in the last decade. He also won the European Golden Shoe in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
#3 Karim Benzema (France)
Karim Benzema is one of the most well-rounded centre-forwards of the 21st century. His status as one of the finest players of the last decade is underpinned by his exceptional versatility and consistency.
Benzema seamlessly adapted to different styles of play and roles within Real Madrid's dynamic attack and has played a pivotal role in their successes in the last decade. His wonderful ball control, link-up play and clinical finishing have made him a force to be reckoned with in the attacking third.
His longevity at the top has also been quite remarkable. Benzema won the 2022 Ballon d'Or after producing some wonderful performances for Real Madrid in the 2021-22 season and firing them to the La Liga and Champions League titles.
Benzema has won five Champions League titles, three La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey trophies, one UEFA Nations League title, four UEFA Super Cups and five FIFA Club World Cups in the last decade.
#2 Luka Modric (Croatia)
Luka Modric is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders of the modern era. The Croatian legend has mesmerized footballing fans over the last decade with his exceptional vision, precise passing and ability to dictate the tempo of matches.
He has showcased remarkable footballing intelligence and an ability to control the flow of games from deep positions. Modric's excellence has helped propel his teams to success.
In addition to his successes at Real Madrid, he was instrumental in guiding Croatia to the final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
In the last 10 years, Modric has won three La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey trophies, four UEFA Super Cups and five FIFA Club World Cups. He also picked up the prestigious Ballon d'Or award in 2018.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers of all time. The Portuguese legend has epitomized hard work and dedication throughout his career. His incredible athleticism and prolific goalscoring prowess have helped him win numerous accolades at both club and international levels.
Ronaldo won four Champions League titles with Real Madrid in the last decade and was the highest scorer in the tournament in each of those editions. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid icon was named the winner of the Ballon d'Or four times in the last 10 years.
He has also won the Best FIFA Men's Player Award twice. Ronaldo picked up four Champions League titles, one La Liga title, two Serie A titles, one UEFA European Championship, one UEFA Nations League title, one Copa del Rey, one Coppa Italia, two UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups in the last 10 years.
He has also won the European Golden Shoe twice in that period. Ronaldo is also the leading goalscorer in men's international football with 123 goals to his name.
