Football’s Best forwards in the last decade
Over the last decade, the world of football has witnessed some of the best forwards to have played the game and it is very difficult to pick from them. These two players though, have stood out and the title for best forwards is well deserved for their performances from the year 2000-2010.
Thierry Henry – France, Arsenal, Barcelona
World Cup winner with France and UEFA Champions League winner with Barcelona, Henry has been one of the most feared forwards of the last decade. During his time at Arsenal, the Frenchman was one of the most prolific goal scorers in Europe, winning the European Golden Boot on two occasions, in 2004 and 2005. He was also part of ‘The Invincibles’ of 2004, where Arsenal went undefeated through the league season on route to winning the Premier League title.
From 2001 to 2006, Henry scored 30 goals in every season, which in an unbelievable record and one unmatched in the league so far. During that time Henry won the Golden Boot in the Premier League on four occasions, another record. After starting off his career as a winger, Henry’s phenomenal scoring record shows the progress he made during the course of his career, making him one of the best forwards of all time, not just the last decade, and an Arsenal legend.
During his time at Barcelona, Henry played mostly as a left winger but his scoring record was still exceptional, especially in the 2008-2009 season when he scored 26 goals in 42 appearances as Barcelona completed a treble of the Spanish La Liga, Copa del Ray and the UEFA Champions League.
A move to the New York Red Bulls points towards the fact that this magnificent player is nearing the end of his career, but judging by his performances in pre-season, he still has a lot to offer.
Diego Forlan – Uruguay, Villareal, Atletico Madrid
Diego Forlan’s decade started off to a very slow start after transferring to English Champions Manchester Untied. With starting opportunities limited, the Uruguayan International chose to try his luck in the Spanish La Liga at Villareal, after interest from a number of English clubs.
In his first ever season in Spanish football; Forlan won the prestigious Pichichi Trophy, awarded to the highest scorer in the Spanish League, with 25 goals. The tally also meant that Forlan won the European Golden Boot for the first time in his career, an impressive feat since he settled into the league so quickly. Forlan’s goal scoring record at the club earned him a move to Atletico Madrid where the goals continued to flow freely.
What separates Forlan from some of the other excellent forwards in the last decade is his knack for scoring outstanding goals. Capable of shooting with either foot, Forlan is a long-range shot expert and rarely scores from inside the penalty area.
During his three seasons with Atletico Madrid, Forlan has scored 23, 35 and 30 goals respectively making him the most prolific goal scorer in Europe in the last five years. His goals also earned him another Pichichi and European Golden Boot in 2008.
After being voted the best player at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Forlan cemented his place among the best forwards in world at the moment. Forlan, now 31, still has a few years ahead of him.
There are a number of other players who deserve an honourable mention including the Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy, the Spaniard David Villa and the Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o, who were excellent during the last decade but ultimately Thierry Henry and Diego Forlan have been the best considering the statistics and the way they have scored their goals.
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