The European team of the decade

Midfield

Defensive midfielder - Sergio Busquets

Deportivo Alaves vs Barcelona - Copa Del Rey Final

Sergio Busquets is the most underrated player in the history of the game. The defensive midfielder has changed people's perception of how players in his position are supposed to work, and he has established himself as one of the greatest to ever do it.

However, he is often overlooked due to his star teammates and his own quiet personality.

Busquets has more tackles (268) and interceptions (196) than anyone else in the last decade of Champions League football.

Having won the treble in 2015 and being the most consistent Barcelona midfielder this decade, Busquets deserves to be on this list.

Central midfielder - Toni Kroos

Toni Kroos has been the best playmaker of this decade

During Real Madrid's amazing Champions League run, Toni Kroos really shone - four straight years with more passes than anyone and he’s created the most chances (223) over the course of the decade in the same competition.

A good player at Bayern, Kroos went to another level when he transferred to Real Madrid. Over the past five years, there has been no playmaker as good as the German international.

Moreover, he won the World Cup with Germany in 2014 and was also involved in Bayern Munich's treble in the 2012-13 season. He just edges out Andres Iniesta on this list, who started declining post-2016.

Centre-midfielder - Luka Modric

Real Madrid CF v Rayo Vallecano de Madrid - La Liga

Luka Modric is the only player not named Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to win the Ballon d'Or this decade.

A world-class player with Tottenham Hotspur, the Croatian midfielder went on to achieve legendary status with Real Madrid.

Winning the Golden Ball at the 2018 World Cup due to his impressive performances, Modric is a legendary playmaker who can shoot the ball as well as he can pass it.

One of the reasons why Real Madrid dominated the European scene for most of this decade, his place here is guaranteed.