In 794 games, Ovechkin scored 460 goals, with 177 on the power play. He's not just a survivor but a winner: he has notched 340 of them in 585 games, most in the decade. The Belgian is slightly held back by only reaching world level under Guardiola's gaze, but underrate his performances under Manuel Pellegrini and with Wolfsburg at your peril.
He was second in goals above average (153.8) and wins above replacement (28.5) for the decade. John Buccigross of Sportscenter, and the most important stories in Hockey this season. Since 2009-10, there have been 2,196 skaters and 229 goaltenders who appeared in at least one National Hockey League game. Catch 300-plus NHL games streaming live or on replay this season on ESPN+.
Liverpool fans adored Luis Suarez - even after he left Anfield for Barcelona in 2014. He was 18th in goals scored above average per 60 minutes (0.50).
His magnum opus came at Manchester United with a first English league title, scoring no fewer than 30 goals, before shining at the 2014 World Cup and unwinding his career at Feyenoord. The majority of the stats listed here are through Dec. 16, and they were compiled from sources such as NHL.com. Since he burst onto the scene by winning the Calder Trophy with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015, and through his years in Columbus, Panarin has the 10th-best points-per-game average (1.02) among all players. His goals-per-60 minutes average (1.22) was first overall, and he was seventh among forwards in goals above average per 60 minutes (0.656). Thanks to injuries, Parise never lived up to the roll on which he entered the 2010s with the Devils.
The Brazilian’s career took something of a nose-dive after he moved to the Camp Nou, while Liverpool went on to become champions of Europe.
On the ice, Subban was 14th in points among defensemen (413), winner of the 2013 Norris Trophy and a finalist three times. This man could easily take first place for the 2020s. Modric rose through the ranks at Tottenham with his shimmering talent and quickly proved the naysayers wrong at Real Madrid. For a few seasons, "Pickles" was the go-to example of "most underrated defensive defenseman in the NHL." It's so widely accepted that Pique is one of the greatest defenders of the modern era that he's been picked in the FIFPro World XI four times and has featured in five UEFA Teams of the Year. The 28-year-old has won every trophy under the sun during his spells in Germany and Spain, while the fact he's only made a single Bundesliga Team of the Year is nothing short of criminal. No one is finishing the decade more emphatically than the No.
How could we leave out a World Cup Golden Boot winner? Bale announced himself by destroying Inter Milan home and away in 2010, before proving he was truly world-class with 20 Premier League goals from out wide during the 2012/13 campaign. Goals, goals, goals. Kenny Dalglish then briefly took the reins, delivering the League Cup, before Brendan Rodgers’ appointment in June 2012. How good was Kopitar? Bring it down to just right wings, and only Patrick Kane had more points. Moving to the Camp Nou ensured Alba had the La Liga and Champions League crowns his name, while he's also formed a near-telepathic connection with someone who might top this list... Coming from absolute obscurity to win two consecutive Premier League titles, the World Cup, FA Cup and Europa League doesn't seem to do Kante's fairytale decade justice.
Thirty-three goals in 122 games isn’t a bad return at all. Remember what Sidney Crosby was then, to a lot of people? There was no disputing the world's best right-back when Carvajal was lifting four Champions League trophies in the space of five years at the Bernabeu.
Look at Firmino's goal-scoring record and you might be underwhelmed, but you know what the Liverpool man is all about if you've ever seen him play. Although the Sharks are still looking for their first Stanley Cup, Thornton was 24th in points-per-game average (0.78) in the postseason.
Kane romped his way to back-to-back Premier League Golden Boots, won the equivalent award at the 2018 World Cup and becoming England's all-time leading scorer seems a formality. In terms of raw numbers, his 242.1 goals saved above average is over 75 more than the next player on the list. The guy who complained to the refs? A promising start for a goalie signed through 2028. Once upon a time, Falcao was the world's best number nine and it wasn't even close, scoring 71 goals in just 91 games at Atletico Madrid to fire himself into Ballon d'Or contention. At his best, what a player. He scored 26 goals last season and has bagged 14 in 27 games so far this term. Just send on Divock Origi. He was then replaced by Jurgen Klopp in October 2015 and the charismatic German coach has transformed the club’s fortunes over the past four years. One of the best defensive players of the decade, he also had 527 points in 766 games. The following list ranks the best of the decade, pitting skaters against defensemen against goaltenders. This is because, as Flyers fans will tell you, Giroux doesn't get his due. One of the most underrated defensemen of the decade, with a goals above replacement per 60 minutes (0.59) that's better than any other defenseman. That carried over to the playoffs, too: The last misbegotten vestiges of "Ovechkin as playoff choker" were rendered futile with his 0.90 points-per-game average in the postseason (ninth in the NHL, minimum 50 playoff games). Steven Gerrard scored 186 goals for Liverpool, 61 of which came in the 2010s. Plus, we had to reward a player who scored arguably the most iconic goal of the decade against QPR in 2012 and away from City duties, he's also bagged over 40 strikes for Argentina. Great on faceoffs, dominant in possession (54.4 shot attempts percentage for the decade) and behind only Alex Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos in goals (132) from 2012-13 to 2015-16, one of the best goal-scoring stretches of the decade. If it wasn't for their impermeable defender, Juventus would never have dominated Italian football this decade and Barzagli has played a massive role in that monopoly.
Enjoy a selection of the greatest Premier League strikes of the 2010s. Considering Mbappe is still just 21 years old, the fact he's a World Cup winner and has scored over 100 goals is nothing short of astonishing. Postgame analysis and highlight show airing each night throughout the season from Barry Melrose and Linda Cohn. In 427 games, Datsyuk had a 0.93 points-per-game average, good for 14th in the decade. He won the Vezina in 2016, finished second for it in 2017 and backstopped the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup in 2018. Kane won the Hart in 2016 and the Conn Smythe in 2013, finishing second in the decade in points-per-game average in the postseason (0.98). He watched Matt Murray lead the Penguins to the 2016 Cup. He led the playoffs in points in both of the Kings' Stanley Cup wins, and was 16th among all players at 0.89 points per game. He was second in the decade in even-strength save percentage (.927) and third in wins (314) in backstopping the Rangers to seven playoff appearances.
The Englishman squeezes his way on to the list after some world-class displays during the 2011 and 2013 Premier League title wins alongside another player who will feature further down... Now a bona fide Borussia Dortmund legend, Reus would be much higher on the list - as well as in possession of a World Cup winners' medal - if it wasn't for a series of heartbreaking injuries. One of the top two-way centers in the league, he was 11th among forwards in points per game (1.01) from 2015 onward, including last season's 96-point breakout.
Has there been a better shot-stopper in world football during the 2010s?
Once Ryan Suter left and Shea Weber was traded, Josi took over the legacy as the Predators' homegrown defensive ace. Chuck in another 31 goals for Argentina and a highly-underrated stint with Juventus, which has harvested 61 goals, and you have one of the greatest strikers of the decade. Instead, he ended up being a dominant winger with Connor McDavid, hitting 50 goals last season. The Real Madrid legend had time to add a second European Championship trophy to his collection, too, and captained Los Blancos to their first Champions League crown in 12 years. That’s pretty impressive. Since 2017, Gibson leads all goalies in goals saved (67.3) and wins (12.8) above average.
• The best (and worst) teams One of the most underrated goalies of the decade. That said, he was a fantastic player for the Reds, and some of his 54 goals were out of this world. He was also part of Spain's World Cup-winning squad in 2010 and headed home the opening goal in the Euro 2012 final to pave the way for his second European Championship medal. Oh, and he captained Barca to the Champions League in his final season. The ESPN Daily delivers the biggest sports news and moments every weekday. If it wasn't for some stagnant recent years with Arsenal - he's never topped that 19-assist season in 2015-16 - the German playmaker would find himself much closer to the top 20. Torres held the World Cup, European Championship, Europa League and Champions League titles simultaneously in 2013 and won the Golden Boot at Euro 2012. When you consider Cole was the best left-back in the world at the turn of 2010, it seems harsh that the Premier League legend barely makes his way into the top 100.
The Premier League and La Liga are widely considered to be the world's toughest leagues and Courtois has won both titles as well as finishing seasons in each with the most clean sheets. It was a little surprising to see that Fernando Torres failed to make the top 10, but then you remember that he left Anfield in January 2011. The 2010s have been quite the decade for Liverpool.
However, the German did more than impress at the World Cup and produced some of the most prolific seasons of his career - scoring 63 times in 170 Lazio games - during the 2010s.
Imagine a player who finished in the top five for one award every season for an entire decade.
But those four nominations for the Vezina Trophy and his win in 2018 loom large. Robben was an absolute star at the 2010 World Cup, coming just a toe away from scoring in the final, and emerged as Bayern's hero with the winner in the 2013 Champions League climax.
01:38 FPL Update: Big-hitters boosted by lack of international action 12/10/2020 CC AD; He then arrived at Chelsea, racking up a stunning 18 assists on his way to a maiden Premier League crown - and did we mention he won a World Cup and European Championship, too? A further 61 strikes have come in Polish colours; he's scored more than anybody else in Europe in 2019 and who could forget when he bagged five goals in just nine minutes against Wolfsburg!? Jumbo's 1.56 assists per 60 minutes ranked him seventh for the decade in 765 games.
30 funniest moments in football (2010-2019), Steven Gerrard's Soccerbox episode: The best bits, Virgil van Dijk's injury: Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool identify two potential replacements for Dutchman. Salah currently has 13 goals in 26 games this term and will be aiming to hit at least 25 goals for the third season running. In total, he was 16th in total points, at 648. So it's understandable if your reaction to this lofty ranking is to scream "Sample size!" Keith was the backbone of the Blackhawks' success this decade. Starting the decade with the Premier League title and Golden Boot was pretty good going, but adding the Champions League to his collection two years later was even sweeter. The previous decade was his best on the ice, and some of his underlying numbers weren't great this decade, but his first three seasons with Vancouver and his yeoman's work with the Panthers later on earned him this spot.
But we can't not talk about his 2018, where the Croatian won the World Cup Golden Ball, lifted the Champions League, nabbed FIFA's 'The Best' award and ended the Ronaldo-Messi duopoly. Scott Van Pelt on the legendary career of Mike “Doc” Emrick.