The 1990s was a massive decade for popular culture as much as it was sport. Times steadily shifted from perms and mullets, to curtains, bangs and frosted tips - and this stylistic rebrand wasn't just contained to hair. Within football, the '90s saw the introduction of the , the birth of the , and a cool Italian stride of dominance, as everyone in the UK in particular, looked to for inspiration via Channel 4.
From 's heroics with France in '98 to 's wonder goal for England in '96, read on as this piece hones in on 1990s football and some of the finest midfield talents to take to the turf in the era - undoubtedly inspiring generations to come. Diego Maradona, Michel Platini and Ruud Gullit all made their mark in the 1980s. Paul Gascoigne is one of most naturally gifted footballers ever.
In the 90s he trailblazed an engaging path across many football fans' consciences. Initially, 'Gazza' wasn't a shoe-in for the Italia '90 squad as manager Bobby Robson had reservations around how he would handle the pressure. However, the midfielder dispelled those doubts with a Man of the Match display in a warm-up against Czechoslovakia.
Subsequently, he was one of the stars of the tournament. His skill and dribbling gave England fans hope as he helped England reach the semi-final before the tournament ended in tears. Though not quite the force he was in 1990, he lit up '96 with a brilliant goal and iconic dentist chair celebration against .
However, again, England would experience semi-final heartbreak once more. Club-wise, his eccentricity ran parallel. However, with an injury acquired at the start of the decade in '91's final, many deem the Gateshead native to have missed that extra bit of magic seen at Italia '90.
That said, exploits with England were brilliant, as they were in glimpses at both Lazio and Rangers. Career Stats Appearances 456 Goals 88 Assists 23 Honours 8 A moment in time: remembering when England's greatest maverick showcased his genius A dynamic and tireless defensive midfielder, was one of the best of his generation and after unrelenting success at Ajax that saw several domestic and continental titles, including the in 1992 and the Champions League in 1995, he added to his success at . With his move to Italy, Davids added three Scudettos and a Supercoppa Italiana to his haul, with the first Serie A title ending the decade nicely.
He spent six-and-a-half impressive seasons at Juve, before short stays at , , , Ajax again, and Barnet. He also won 74 caps for , helping them to third place finishes in both 2000 and 2004. Career Stats Appearances 655 Goals 50 Assists 44 Honours 15 The glasses became Edgar Davids' trademark during his career - but why exactly did he wear them? The supremely gifted Gheorghe Hagi was Romania's talisman throughout much of his international career, let alone the 1990s.
However, in this decade, he helped his nation to the knockout stages of three successive . The main highlight came in 1994, when Hagi scored three times, including a quite ridiculous 40-yard lob against Colombia and another in his side's surprise 3-2 win over Argentina in the last 16. He ended his international career in 2000 with 124 caps and 35 goals and led Galatasaray to a string of titles late in the 1990s, having featured for both and Barcelona earlier in the decade to great effect and cult acclaim.
Throughout his club career, Hagi won three Romanian League titles, two Cupa Romaniei titles, and the European Super Cup with Steaua București – also reaching the final of the 1988–89 European Cup –, a Supercopa de Espana title with Real Madrid, the Anglo-Italian Cup with Brescia, another Supercopa de Espana title with Barcelona, and four Super Lig titles, two Turkish Cups, two Turkish Super Cups, the UEFA Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup with Galatasaray. Career Stats Appearances 532 Goals 171 Assists 109 Honours 19 Considered one of the most successful players in Champions League history, is the only player to have won the UCL with three different clubs — once with Ajax in 1995, once with Real Madrid in 1998, and twice later with in 2003 and 2007. A physically commanding midfielder, Seedorf had all the attributes to enable him to read the game flawlessly.
His fitness and athletic characteristics caught the eye, yet he was also an elegant, creative player who could bring fluidity as much as strength to the middle of the park. Much of his best football came in the 1990s and his 40-yard driven lob against is one of the many highlights from that time. He won 87 caps for the Dutch national team in an extraordinary career that saw him take part in three European Championships (1996, 2000, 2004) and the 1998 FIFA World Cup, reaching the semi-finals of the latter three tournaments.
Career Stats Appearances 961 Goals 139 Assists 145 Honours 19 Including the likes of Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten and Arjen Robben, the best Dutch players of all time have been ranked. A player whom famously described as a "water-carrier", was often the most hard-working cog within a gifted plethora, battling back possession and covering serious mileage for many intricate teams he played in. Deschamps was extremely effective as a defensive midfielder for France and also his club sides.
He captained Les Bleus in their 1998 World Cup win – and again as they claimed the title at Euro 2000 – and contributed to Champions League victories with and Juventus in an impressive career that also saw two French league titles and a further three in Italy. When Deschamps was part of the Marseille squad that became the first, and so far only, French club to win the UEFA Champions League in 1993, he became the youngest captain to lift the trophy - at 25 years of age. Career Stats Appearances 667 Goals 25 Assists 30 Honours 16 The success of the French national team over the years has largely been driven by an array of fabulous midfielders, but who are the best 10? During his storied playing career, Michael Laudrup deservedly became one of 's leading talents.
The older Laudrup brother, he won league titles with Ajax, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus, playing mainly as an attacking midfielder. A pivotal player within Johan Cruyff's "Dream Team" at Barcelona, he won nine trophies, including four successive La Liga titles from 1991 to 1994 and the European Cup in 1992. Controversially, he then moved to arch-rivals Real Madrid in 1994, with whom he won his fifth La Liga title in a row.
These feats followed homeland grounding with KB and Brondby before a move to ultimately set him on his path to the elite levels as Juventus liked what they saw in 1985. Laudrup is considered by many in the sport as one of the best passers of all time and one of the most technically accomplished players ever. A quick and intelligent playmaker with a seemingly innate brilliance, the fleet-footed Laudrup presents himself as one of the most effective and versatile attacking midfielders ever, as well as one of the most skilful and elegant players in the history of the game.
Michael Laudrup's Career Stats Appearances 669 Goals 169 Assists 67 Honours 15 Denmark have been a mainstay at World Cups and European Championships for decades, even winning Euro 1992. Rivaldo once claimed that Luis Figo would have received much more acclaim had he been Brazilian. For a period in the late 1990s, the Portuguese may have been the best player in the world, and he was adored by Barcelona fans until he did the unthinkable and joined hated rivals Real Madrid in 2000.
The brilliant Portuguese won the that year and overall, his stats at the two clubs are similar. He won the Champions League at Real, too, as well as two more La Ligas, but he was probably a better player during his time at Camp Nou. After this drama, a spell at Inter brought four more league titles and three other domestic honours.
Yet another elegant, gliding player from this era, winger Figo was part of a 'Golden Generation' for , and featured 127 times (a record at one time) while scoring 32 goals as he represented his nation at three European Championships and two World Cups. He helped them to a runners-up finish at Euro 2004, as well as a semi-final at the 2006 World Cup. Career Stats Appearances 784 Goals 150 Assists 244 Honours 22 Figo won the Ballon d'Or in the year he left Barcelona for Real Madrid Yet another Ballon d'Or winner, Rivaldo is renowned as one of the greatest, most skillful, and most creative players of all time.
He was recognised for his free-kick prowess, agility, feints, powerful ball striking from distance, and ability to both score and create goals. After helping Barcelona to back-to-back La Liga titles towards the end of the decade, forming a deadly partnership with Patrick Kluivert in that time, and winning the with Brazil in 1999, Rivaldo won the Ballon d'Or and was also named FIFA World Player of the Year. A feat of brilliance that many find encapsulates Rivaldo, is his hat-trick against Valencia to qualify the Blaugrana for 2001-02's Champions League.
His first goal was a beautiful 30-yard free-kick that delicately clipped the post on its way in. The second, was a low driven effort from the same distance while the third was the pick of the bunch. Receiving the ball on his chest from a Frank De Boer lofted delivery, he pulled out an outrageous bicycle kick from outside the box to spark immense jubilation.
Career Stats Appearances 639 Goals 273 Assists 110 Honours 24 Ronaldo, Pele, Ronaldinho, Neymar and Kaka all feature as 18 the greatest Brazilian players ever are ranked. A Ballon d'Or winner with 150 caps for his country, Lothar Matthaus arrives as one of the finest, and toughest, midfielders of the 90s. Matthaus spent 14 of his 22-year-career with , and won 14 trophies.
In his international career, he rubber-stamped his impact as part of the 1980 team that lifted the Euros in Italy. His success story and solid decade continued as West Germany made it to the final of both the 1982 and 1986 editions of the World Cup, although the decade after saw a more dominant Matthaus. He captained West Germany at the 1990 World Cup and led by example, scoring four goals in some impressive displays from central midfield en route to victory.
Matthaus had been playing in Italy with and later claimed Italia '90 felt like playing at home. After 's decline, the German stepped up as the placeholder in world football and carried on playing until 2000, returning to the international fold after a three-year hiatus mid-decade after impressing with Bayern Munich and finishing his career with those aforementioned 150 caps, and 23 goals. Career Stats Appearances 965 Goals 227 Assists 80 Honours 20 Toni Kroos, Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller and Manuel Neuer are among the greatest German footballers ever.
Zinedine Zidane had become well known by the time the 1998 World Cup final arrived. However, France were not really expected to win their showpiece clash against . However, he silenced critics in this highlight game of the era, aptly beating Claudio Taffarel with two headers to set up an incredible win on home soil for.
France followed that up by winning Euro 2000 as Zidane starred once more. The move to Real Madrid came later, but with Juventus and France in the mid-to-late 1990s, Zidane had proved himself as a world beater, and one of the most technically gifted players around (and later, of all time). Fellow French great, Michel Platini, once aptly gushed: After beating Brazil in 2006's World Cup, an awe-struck Pele said: Career Stats Appearances 997 Goals 156 Assists 171 Honours 15 They aren't the most obvious names.
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