Ranking the 5 greatest teams of the 21st century
Football has risen to a whole new level in the 21st century, with a number of legendary teams stepping up from nowhere and producing mesmerising displays over the years.
These teams managed to redefine certain aspects of the game, and brought some new brands of football. They kept us glued to our TV screens as they conjured multiple major triumphs.
It is quite a herculean task to rank the finest teams of the 21st century because there are simply too many options. However, five clubs have really stood out since the turn of the century, in terms of their results, trophies and performances. Here is a look at that quintet:
#5 Chelsea: 2004 - 2007
Jose Mourinho arrived at Chelsea in the summer of 2004 with a new approach to defending. And it was only a matter of time before he made the Blues the most dominant team in the Premier League.
Employing a highly disciplined defensive style to stifle and frustrate opponents, Chelsea took English football by storm. They didn't play the most beautiful football, but it was very effective, as the Blues outclassed opposition teams en route to claiming league titles in 2005 and 2006.
They also set the record for the fewest goals conceded in a Premier League campaign, letting in a miserly 15 goals all season in 2004-05.
Chelsea made it back-to-back league triumphs in the subsequent term. And by the end of the third season, they added one FA Cup, two Carling Cups and one Community Shield to their cabinet.
#4 Manchester United: 2007 - 2009
Sir Alex Ferguson managed to assemble multiple successful teams during his time as Manchester United manager. But the group that ran riot at Old Trafford between 2007 and 2009 was arguably the best of the lot.
With Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney on a rampage up front, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs pulling the strings from the center and the likes of Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Patrick Evra on guard, the Red Devils dispatched opposition teams with ease.
The team won three consecutive Premier League titles between 2007 and 2009. They also won the Champions League, the Carling Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup and two Community Shields in that period.