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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>There always seems to be negativity when it comes to the discourse surrounding Tottenham Hotspur. Every loss and misstep has to be 'Spursy', every year tacked onto their trophy drought is an unmitigated failure.How about we lower our arms for one day and appreciate the good they have done in the modern era, eh? A first-ever Champions League final, consistently punching above their financial weight, a billion-pound stadium move across about 30 centimetres to the south and a boat-load or two of top-class players to have come through the doors is nothing to be sniffed at.We at GOAL have run through the archives and ranked Tottenham's 25 best players of the 21st century through its first quarter...<table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va2ivxLJJhzdzbJdwo0n">Follow GOAL on WhatsApp!</a> 🟢📱</td></tr></tbody></table>

Harry Kane, Gareth Bale & the 25 best Tottenham players of the 21st century so far - ranked

Premier League

Manchester City

Tottenham

What better place to start than with the man who gave Tottenham fans of all ages one of their most beloved moments following the club... and then little else. On his day, Lucas Moura was, well, a player who could <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/perfect-10s-haaland-messi-mbappe-14-players-rare-10-10-rating-l-equipe/blt77dc115202ec14a1" target="_blank">score a hat-trick in a Champions League semi-final</a>. His day didn't come about too often, as it so happened.In the moment against Ajax on that fateful May 2019 night, it was obvious that would be his peak as a player, but the drop-off which followed was disappointing. Still, there went a forward who will forever be synonymous with that version of Spurs.

Lucas Moura

Next up on our list is a journeyman cult hero who frustrated and delighted in more equal measure. Having joined the Tottenham academy as a schoolboy and left as a young adult in 2000, it took Peter Crouch nine years to find his way back to White Hart Lane.Signed under Harry Redknapp - obviously - Crouch became the man for the big occasion rather than a consistent source of goals, as best demonstrated by his respective returns of four goals in 34 Premier League appearances and seven in 10 Champions League matches during 2010-11.His obvious height advantage made him the perfect partner for the likes of Jermain Defoe and Rafael van der Vaart (and sometimes begrudgingly, Roman Pavlyuchenko), though his less-than-prolific heading ability angered the fans sitting in the stands.

Peter Crouch

There aren't too many of Tottenham's new generation who have cracked our list, but Micky van de Ven is one exception. It's astounding that Spurs were the only club in for the Dutchman upon his 2023 departure from Wolfsburg, and that he wasn't even the north Londoners' first-choice that window, with Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba seemingly higher on their shortlist.Van de Ven is now, by both stats and the eye test, the <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/revealed-premier-league-fastest-players-man-city-erling-haaland-tottenham-micky-van-de-ven/bltfb35d35a88f162f7" target="_blank">quickest player in the Premier League</a> and a supremely unique weapon at Tottenham's disposal. His one-man recoveries while playing in a high line marry up nicely with his ability to carry the ball all the way up the pitch like a handsome, runaway freight train.There are realistically only two factors that should stop Van de Ven becoming one of the greatest defenders of his generation - injuries, and any long-term commitment to Spurs even if their projects don't pan out as planned.

Micky van de Ven

In hindsight, it is ludicrous that Tottenham were able to pinch Michael Carrick from West Ham so easily back in 2004 after the Hammers failed to secure immediate promotion back to the Premier League. A boardroom battle between then-head coach Jacques Santini and sporting director Frank Arnesen meant Carrick didn't break into the team until the autumn, but it then soon became clear the midfielder was destined for greater things.For two years, Spurs fans were able to enjoy Carrick pulling the strings in midfield, and he was a huge reason why they were first able to compete for a place in the top four after Martin Jol's appointment as manager.

Michael Carrick

One for the old heads, Stephen Carr shouldn't be lost to Father Time. Do you want to know how good the right-back was? Despite playing in a middling Spurs team, he was voted into the 2000-01 PFA Team of the Season, missed the following campaign with a knee injury, then made the PFA Team of the Season again in 2002-03 upon his return. Remember, Tottenham weren't even good at that time.The Irishman's legacy threatened to be tainted by an acrimonious exit to Newcastle in 2004 after well over a decade of service. Reports at the time claimed he was after a significant pay rise and the chance to win trophies (at a club that still hasn't won any since the 1950s), though he has since insisted he didn't feel a sense of loyalty from Spurs during contract talks. Carr's participation in one of the club's only legends' games in 2019 to christen their new billion-pound stadium suggests it's all water under the bridge.

Stephen Carr

As a footballer and as a bloke, Michael Dawson ticked all the right boxes. He was never one to overestimate himself or think he was any better than his actual ability, a solid second-choice option for any centre-back partnership battling for a Champions League place. He also seemed like someone who was good value for a pint.Dawson formed fine duos with Ledley King and later Jan Vertonghen during a nine-year stay at White Hart Lane, and though he is now primarily a pundit, the 40-year-old is still a Tottenham club ambassador.

Michael Dawson

At no point during his decade at Tottenham was Eric Dier ever one of the team's key players. In fact, he was more often than not one of the defining weak links in any starting XI he featured in (this is a great way to start a tribute, by the way).So why does he crack this list at a fairly modest ranking, you ask? Well, for most of his stay, Dier was still somewhat important to whatever regime he was playing in. When Mauricio Pochettino rocked up to Hotspur Way in 2014, Dier filled in as a makeshift right-back due to a lack of other options. He was then successfully trialled as a defensive midfielder when the club failed to recruit any, before shuffling back to centre-back in a 3-4-3 alongside Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld. Dier told Jose Mourinho he only wanted to play as a central defender regardless of formation, and so he did right up until his surprise 2024 move to Bayern Munich.You can't just overlook that kind of service, even if performances were nosediving come the end of his days at the club. Dier was almost always of use to his manager.

Eric Dier

Outsiders will remember Danny Rose as the debutant who thundered home a volley to help Tottenham win their first north London derby in forever back in 2010, but he was responsible for so much more.There was a good two-year stretch between 2015 and 2017 where Rose was the top left-back in the country - he clinched a spot in the 2016-17 PFA Team of the Season despite playing only 18 out of 38 games. Fans appreciated his emotional devotion to the club, even if an explosive interview with The Sun criticising their transfer plans nearly plunged them into crisis.Spurs' 2-0 loss to Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final was rather limp, but Rose was one of their only outstanding performers that night. To this day, he still attends games as a fan.

Danny Rose

When Tottenham supporters think of Aaron Lennon, they think of the sound of the old seats at White Hart Lane clacking. This was a player who brought you to your feet when he was on the ball, even if sometimes the end product - usually by way of a chipped cross towards the back post - was lacking.But that rarely mattered. Lennon was an immediate fan favourite from the off because of his bravery on the ball, that innate willingness to get chalk on his boots and race to the byline via the touchline.Like fellow Leeds-native Rose, Lennon's openness on difficult topics such as mental health and his unwavering support for Spurs to this day mean he remains beloved in N17.

Aaron Lennon

A more cynical writer would have docked Kyle Walker some brownie points for the way he handled his departure from Tottenham, informing Pochettino of his desire to leave only days before defeat to Chelsea in the 2016-17 FA Cup semi-finals. On this occasion, he's let off the hook.Walker was England and the Premier League's premier right-back for his final few years at Spurs, and it wasn't particularly close, which is precisely why Manchester City dropped £50m on him in 2017. He was unfairly tarred with the 'liability' brush and Pep Guardiola was praised for turning Walker into an elite defender, but that completely overlooks the improvement he'd made at Spurs under full-back whisperer Pochettino.

Kyle Walker

Dimitar Berbatov was only a Tottenham player for two seasons, but such a two seasons they were that rival fans think he was there for much longer. It's not as if the Bulgarian was an unknown quantity when he arrived in England in 2006 having already scored goals by the boatload for Bayer Leverkusen, so it was frankly an insult he didn't secure an even bigger move at first.The intangibles made Berbatov a player worthy of the price of admission, however. Someone so obviously technically-gifted to an unmatched level on pretty much every pitch he set foot on. After finding the back of the net 46 times in lilywhite, including once in their last cup-final victory, Berbatov was sold to Manchester United for £32.5m.

Dimitar Berbatov

As with Berbatov, Van der Vaart had a hugely transformative effect on Tottenham across a two-year stint. Even now, his shock deadline-day signing from Real Madrid is the most high-profile signing made under Daniel Levy and ENIC's ownership.There was incredulity over how Spurs were able to bring in a superstar like Van der Vaart, only a month or so removed from playing in the 2010 World Cup final. Fans were right to have gotten their hopes up for the Dutchman, who met every expectation set of him and scored some of the most important goals in the club's modern history.

Rafael van der Vaart

Who remembers when Southampton threatened Tottenham with legal action for hijacking their deal with Atletico Madrid for Alderweireld? Those were the days...Anyway, though the Saints had no grounds for their case, they will have felt aggrieved watching the defender take his game to whole new level at Spurs. Reuniting with fellow Belgium international and former Ajax team-mate Vertonghen, Alderweireld formed one half of one of Europe's best centre-back pairings.There wasn't a cross-field pass that Alderweireld couldn't play, not a single strand of hair that stood out of place. This is what peak male performance looked like.

Toby Alderweireld

Upon his arrival at Tottenham in 2002, Keane was Tottenham. The charismatic Irishman was the only fun thing about the club for a long while until they actually became competitive again.You could play Keane up front with anyone - Defoe, Crouch, Berbatov, Frederic Kanoute, Mido, you name it - and he would deliver one way or another. He became loved for his goals, loved for his roly-poly celebration, loved for his energy, loved for organising a Christmas party against the wishes of manager Redknapp in 2009.

Robbie Keane

There will likely be some debate and controversy over the rankings of Keane and Defoe. There isn't a lot to split them, and at their very peak, Keane was probably the better player.Defoe, however, ultimately scored more goals for Tottenham - he ranks seventh in the club's all-time list - and was more successful than his Irish strike partner across two different stints at White Hart Lane. That's all to really separate the pair.

Jermain Defoe

Dele Alli has unfulfilled potential, sure, but he also enjoyed one hell of a Tottenham career regardless. The modern-day successor to Frank Lampard and the 1.0 version of Jude Bellingham, the mercurial midfielder was one of the best uses of £5m spent by Spurs.Ben Davies claimed it was Dele's relentlessness and lack of fear that really set him apart, that this was the foundation behind his <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/dele-alli-reminds-fans-tottenham-incredible-goal-highlight-reel-free-agent-long-awaited-return-injury/blt21b047674618e364" target="_blank">scoring exploits</a> during his first three seasons with Tottenham. He was the boy wonder with the bad-boy edge, a friendly face but a feared foe.Whatever happens next for Dele, he will always have a spiritual home at Spurs. That can't be taken away.

Dele Alli

Was Luka Modric a player worthy of winning the Ballon d'Or before he left Tottenham for Real Madrid? No, of course not, but it's not as if he magically became world-class just by leaving White Hart Lane.Any Spurs follower who even half-understood football could have told you just how good the little Croatian was going to be for Los Blancos having regularly been the best player on pitches which included Gareth Bale and Van der Vaart. Modric's influence was similarly understated like Carrick, but on an even grander scale.This was a man who just never made the wrong decision. Every pass was perfect. You couldn't teach what Modric did. Yes, he really was that good pre-Madrid.

Luka Modric

There's a famous clip which every now and then does the rounds showing many of Mousa Dembele's former Tottenham team-mates hailing him as the greatest Spurs player of that era, beyond even Harry Kane.When he wasn't crocked by injuries, Dembele was a one-man midfield. During the 2015-16 season, he engaged in 207 duels (dribbles and tackles) and was only unsuccessful in 20 of those excursions. That's a success rate of 90.3 percent. That's completely insane. There aren't enough superlatives to describe how ridiculous that is.Dembele also has the honour of being one of few midfielders to have run rings around the great N'Golo Kante. Like so many on this list, Dembele didn't win any silverware with Spurs, but his legacy lives on through anecdotes of literally unbelievable legend.

Mousa Dembele

One of football's <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/best-goalkeepers-21st-century-ranked/bltef0e4899d03fd46d#csb218901ea3435a14" target="_blank">best contemporary goalkeepers</a> spending the bulk of his career and prime with Tottenham, where he won nothing yet captained France to World Cup glory, is certainly strange.That's a tad reductive, however. Lloris was the skipper for one of Europe's top over-achievers for 10 years, even if that spell went without silverware. The club's infamous Amazon documentary also shed great light into his leadership behind the scenes, even if that meant nearly getting into fisticuffs with the world's nicest man, Son Heung-min. He cares deeply about Spurs and is <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/same-feeling-harry-kane-mauricio-pochettino-hugo-lloris-tottenham-mentality-2019-champions-league-final-liverpool/blt302b243e374f20a6" target="_blank">still trying to hold those upstairs accountable</a> for not turning glory into trophies.Lloris arrived at Spurs seen as a modern goalkeeper due to his sweeping and swiftness off his line, though his downfall was ironically centred around his out-of-date distribution and the clangers which became commonplace.

Hugo Lloris

'Super Jan' will always be a superhero to the Tottenham faithful. It felt like this was always going to be his destiny when he rejected Arsenal to join in 2012.While the rest of Europe was scrounging around trying to find a fabled left-footed centre-back who was comfortable in possession but not a complete liability defensively, Spurs were chilling at home safe in the knowledge that they had Vertonghen who fit the bill to a tee.At his best next to Alderweireld, Vertonghen gave absolutely everything to Tottenham, which sadly meant his decline accelerated after returning to the pitch far too quickly after a nasty head injury during their Champions League showdown with Ajax.

Jan Vertonghen

By essentially all accounts, King is the greatest defender to have played for Tottenham that didn't win a league title. If his career wasn't plagued by knee injuries and a lack of cartilage surrounding them, he simply wouldn't have been at Spurs for too long.The ex-England international is cited by Arsenal rival Thierry Henry as his toughest opponent Premier League opponent, the only player capable of dispossessing him cleanly and without fouling. It's only fitting that King was the last Tottenham captain to lift a trophy.King was forced into retirement at the age of 32 due to the severity of his knee issue, but ended an esteemed career having only picked up eight yellow cards. That might be more staggering than that Dembele stat from earlier.

Ledley King

There is not a single Tottenham player in history whose influence was more understated than Christian Eriksen's. None. Not one.Kane, Son and Dele were the headline-makers and the star attractions, but Eriksen was the one at the wheel. That trio could drop in and out of the XI and the goals could be replaced, but Spurs were a sorry watch when the great Dane wasn't on the pitch.Better still, Eriksen was quite the scorer himself, grabbing 13 late equalisers or winners alone, as well as 23 goals from outside the box. He was as clutch a player that Tottenham had under Pochettino, someone comfortable with both feet, someone who could pick out a pass or a goal from anywhere 25 yards from the net. Those sorts of players don't just grow on trees.

Christian Eriksen

Yep, he only ranks third, but that's hardly a slight on Bale and what he did for Tottenham. After all, he was a cheat code of a player in two different ways.The Bale who burst onto the scene by ripping the heart and soul out of Inter right-back Maicon was the purest touchline winger seen since the peak days of countryman Ryan Giggs. There was no one he wouldn't beat in a race down the left flank.Redknapp's short-lived experimentation with inverted wingers led Spurs fans to chant, 'Gareth Bale, he plays on the left'. His successor, Andre Villas-Boas, didn't care for that sentiment, though, and helped transform the Welshman into the phenomenal inside forward he's remembered as today.In Bale's final season as a permanent Tottenham player, he scored a remarkable succession of last-gasp stunners to save his side from the brink of oblivion, thus earning a <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/hit-or-miss-most-expensive-signings-21st-century/blt9f1f5e81e108285d#cse01ac60b855d29a9" target="_blank">world-record £85m dream move to Real Madrid</a>. You couldn't begrudge him that after dragging a mediocre team through the mud to a then-record Premier League points haul of 72.To top it all off, Bale returned to Spurs on loan for the lockdown-hit 2020-21 season, joining forces with Kane and Son in some sort of fan fiction. Whew, what a ride.

Gareth Bale

Son isn't quite as underrated as Eriksen, but he's still under-appreciated regardless. There strangely seems to be a greater sense of his worth to Spurs from fans of other clubs rather than those of his own.The South Korean is into his 10th season with Tottenham, his second as club captain. For whatever reason, he loves the club more than some of homegrown players of past and present. Only four players have grabbed more Spurs goals than him and he is their all-time leading foreign scorer.Trophies have alluded him at club level, but he has made all other sorts of history. Most notably, in 2021-22, Son became the first and only Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot, matching Mohamed Salah's season tally of 23 despite not having taken a penalty all year long.Even beyond the hard reality of stats and numbers, Son at full flow was one of the most fun players to watch across any sport. He even has a gong to back that up having taken home the Puskas Award for his solo effort against Burnley in December 2019. What's not to love about this guy on a human or footballing level?

Son Heung-min

There was only going to be one player here. The real question about Kane is where he ranks among Tottenham's all-time greats, not just those in his own era.Though not completely impossible, it's incredibly unlikely that any player will surpass Kane's tally of 280 goals for Spurs. All sorts of goals they were, and all. Right foot, left foot, headers, long-rangers, tap-ins, winners, equalisers, meaningless stat-pads, the lot.Kane went to a whole different stratosphere when he started leaning more on his absurd passing range, adding assists to his game and claiming both the Premier League Golden Boot and Playmaker Award in 2020-21. Somehow, he didn't receive any of the division's Player of the Season prizes.If there's any solace that Tottenham fans can take from Kane's painful exit to Bayern Munich, it's that the rest of the world have finally agreed with them on how phenomenal he truly is. And to think, when he first broke into the Spurs senior fold, he was merely a meme. Football, eh?

Harry Kane

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