Monday 21st December 2009

In the last of a three parter on my review of the decade, here's my picks from the last ten years of football.

Team of the decade - Manchester United
The noughties have seen Chelsea go from underachievers to one of Europe's strongest teams, thanks to Roman Abramovich's billions, but Manchester United have won six Premier League titles and a European Cup in the last ten years.
The decade started well for them with two league crowns, but they suffered a blip in the middle of the noughties with Arsenal, then Chelsea becoming the the leading teams. But credit to Sir Alex Ferguson, he rebuilt the team around upcoming stars such as Wayne Rooney and the now departed Cristiano Ronaldo whilst still managing to get the best out of veterans Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs and they've come back stronger than ever. Manchester United were the team of the 1990s and this decade hasn't been as easy for them, but they're still the team to beat. It will be interesting to see if their great rivals Manchester City can take the crown from them in the next ten years.

Player of the decade - Thierry Henry
The Frenchman's reputation has suffered in recent weeks after the 'Hand of Gaul' scandal, but even his harshest critics can't argue that he's been simply magnificent over the last ten years. Arsenal brought him to the Premier League in 1999 for £10.5 million and he went on to light up Engish football, helping the Gunners to the double in 2002 then spearheading them to the title in 2004 undefeated. His best years appeared to be behind him when he moved to Barcelona in 2007, but that hasn't stopped him helping the Catalan club to a Champions League title earlier this year. Henry is a genius with the ball at his feet and he has scored some truly remarkable goals this decade.

Game of the decade - The 2006 World Cup Final
July 9th, 2006, at the Olympiastadion, Berlin, on the biggest stage of them all. Italy take on France to determine who will be crowned world champions. Zinedine Zidane gave France the lead after seven minutes from the spot with an audacious chip that went in off the cross bar. Italy levelled on 19 minutes through Marco Materazzi.
The game would remain 1-1 going into extra time, but it was both goalscorers who would be involved in the most shocking incident I have ever witnessed in a football game. The best player of his generation, Zidane was playing in his last ever game and this could have been a sweet swansong. However, the Frenchman's last ever act in football was to headbutt Materazzi after the Italian appeared to have goaded him verbally. Zidane left the field for the last time ever after being given the red card and Italy went on to lift the famous trophy after winning 5-3 on penalties.
The World Cup Final of 2006 was football drama at its finest that could not have been written. Let's hope next year's final in South Africa is just as entertaining.

That concludes my review of the last ten years in the world of journalism, politics, entertainment and football. Anything you strongly disagree with? Let me know and we shall debate it endlessly!