Football news - Eurosport's Premier League team of the decade... with one player per club max

Updated 24/12/2019 at 10:11 GMT

Here at Eurosport we wanted to work together and build a collective Premier League team of the decade using just one player per club.

Gareth Bale, N'Golo Kante, Luis Suarez

Image credit: Eurosport

But we couldn’t…

Apart from all putting N’GoloKante in midfield (that is, until Marcus Foley submitted his team in the 11th hour), our XIs were so different, we felt it best to share with you each individual team, with said Eurosport writer explaining their reasoning.

Leicester City's N'Golo Kante lifts the trophy as they celebrate winning the Barclays Premier League

Image credit: Reuters

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The format is simple. One player per club, plus a manager too, that have shone in the Premier League this past decade.

That of course allows for some leeway, as you can choose the Leicester or Chelsea version of Kante, for example, or include any Liverpool player from their time at Southampton.

So take a look at our respective XIs, comment below with your own team, and remember: it’s just a bit of fun. Merry Christmas.

‘Man City player the toughest choice’

Tom Adams’ XI: David de Gea (Man Utd); Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea), Vincent Kompany (Man City), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Leighton Baines (Everton); Idrissa Gueye (Aston Villa), Santi Cazorla (Arsenal), N’Golo Kante (Leicester), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Sadio Mane (Southampton), Wilfred Zaha (Crystal Palace)

Manager: Brendan Rodgers (Swansea)

I wanted to take players who were at their peak, or close to it, while playing for the teams cited. Jamie Vardy is probably the player of the decade in the Premier League but he misses out here with N’Golo Kante taking the Leicester City spot, in order to free up Branislav Ivanovic at right-back as the Chelsea member.

The hardest decision was probably picking the right Manchester City player: Vincent Kompany gets the nod over Sergio Aguero or David Silva having captained four title-winning sides during this period. The manager slot goes to Brendan Rodgers. His Swansea side made a lasting impression with their possession-based style and he went on to make big impressions with two further clubs…

Vincent Kompany celebrates with David Silva

Image credit: Reuters

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'No Kante? No need for defensive-minded clowns'

Marcus Foley's XI: Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham), Seamus Coleman (Everton), Jonny Evans (West Brom), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Yaya Toure (Manchester City), Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal), Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Sadio Mane (Liverpool).

Manager: Tony Pulis (Crystal Palace)

So, Evans and Ferdinand would have been Manchester United's starting pair for a period had Nemanja Vidic not been there. Evans has always been class so that's a solid base. Two forward thinking full-backs as the centre halves have it covered. Fabianski falls under the same category as Evans - underrated and a fine shot-stopper. No one will get the ball off that midfield so need for defensive-minded clowns. Combine the front three and you have the perfect centre forward. Tony Pulis is there to stand up at press conferences and intimidate anyone who fancies giving it and to occasionally sort out the defensive set-up and at a push headbutt someone if they give it large about the Christmas party. Lovely stuff.

Pep Guardiola and Tony Pulis

Image credit: Getty Images

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‘Rage away…’

Ben Snowball’s XI: David de Gea (Man United); Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Jose Fonte (Southampton), John Terry (Chelsea), Leighton Baines (Everton); N’Golo Kante (Leicester), Michu (Swansea), Dimitri Payet (West Ham); Gareth Bale (Tottenham), Sergio Aguero (Man City), Luis Suarez (Liverpool)

Manager: Eddie Howe (Bournemouth)

Picked a front six who had outstanding individual seasons, rather than only displaying longevity, and did the complete opposite for the defence. It’s why Gareth Bale (heroic in 2012-13) is in over Harry Kane, Luis Suarez (unstoppable in 2013-14) is in over Eden Hazard, and Sergio Aguero (scored THE goal of the decade) is in over Alexis Sanchez. Recency bias can dilute memories of certain candidates – you’ll be livid that Michu made the cut, despite his one-season wonder exploits in 2012-13 – so this team tries (and probably fails) to reflect an entire decade. Rage away…

Sergio Aguerooooo

Image credit: Getty Images

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‘Too attacking? Too right’

Dan Quarrel’s XI: David De Gea (Manchester United), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Virgil van Dijk (Southampton), John Terry (Chelsea), Leighton Baines (Everton); Dimitri Payet (West Ham), N’Golo Kante (Leicester), Michu (Swansea City), Gareth Bale (Tottenham); Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

Manager: Eddie Howe (Bournemouth)

You might be thinking this team looks a tad too attacking. You’d be right. But with Virgin van Dijk at the back and N’Golo Kante at the base of the midfield, there really is absolutely nothing to worry about. David de Gea was a functioning fax machine away from departing for Madrid in 2015, but he has been one of the few consistently competent stars at Old Trafford since.

Michu only needed one season to warrant selection, such was his glorious and fleeting impact; meanwhile, if Sergio Aguero had only scored one goal in his entire Manchester City career he would still have made this team as a result of that thrilling title-winner. This team has defining moments, entertainment and glory running right through it (even Bacary Sagna representing Arsenal, just about).

David de Gea

Image credit: Getty Images

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‘I could do this ten times and get different starting XIs’

Tom Bennett’s XI: Petr Cech (Arsenal); Seamus Coleman (Everton), Winston Reid (West Ham), Toby Alderweireld (Southampton), Andy Robertson (Hull); N’Golo Kante (Chelsea), Michael Carrick (United), Yaya Toure (Man City); Gareth Bale (Tottenham), Jamie Vardy (Leicester), Luis Suarez (Liverpool)

Manager: Brendan Rodgers (Swansea)

A lot of excellent players miss the cut in my selection because of the one-player rule, particularly from Manchester City. However, the one-club rule also allowed for some creativity in selection (Marcos Alonso does not make the cut for his performances solely at Bolton, for example).

Gareth Bale, Luis Suarez, Yaya Toure, Michael Carrick and Petr Cech win selection for phenomenal performances in the first half of the decade which could easily be overlooked due to recency bias. Current Liverpool players Andy Robertson and Virgil van Dijk narrowly miss out on the Hull City and Southampton selections respectively. I could do this another ten times and probably get ten different starting XIs, but I like the balance of my side.

Gareth Bale at Tottenham

Image credit: Eurosport

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‘This team would actually work well in real life’

Demi D’Cunha’s XI: David de Gea (Man Utd); Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Virgil van Dijk (Southampton), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle), Leighton Baines (Everton), Gareth Bale (Tottenham), Yaya Toure (Man City), N’Golo Kante (Leicester); Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal), Luis Suarez (Liverpool), Romelu Lukaku (West Brom)

Manager: Brendan Rodgers - Swansea

It's a fairly balanced team and I think it would genuinely work in real life. It can line up in a 4-4-2 formation but having Luis Suarez's work rate would allow it to fluidly drift in to a 4-2-3-1 if needed. N'Golo Kante and Yaya Toure offer energy and creativity in the middle, while keeping a nice balance of defence and attack. Expect Toure, Alexis Sanchez and Gareth Bale to chip in with plenty of goals, although Suarez and Romelu Lukaku carry plenty of threat going forward too. The defence is solid and - importantly - contains players who are genuine leaders, so except them to perform the complete opposite way of the Arsenal defence. I reckon this side would be challenging for the Premier League title.

Luis Suarez at Liverpool

Image credit: Getty Images

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'This may not actually be the best team...'

Pete Sharland's XI: Petr Cech (Arsenal), Seamus Coleman (Everton), Vincent Kompany (Man City) Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Andrew Robertson (Hull City), N'Golo Kante (Leicester City), Juan Mata (Manchester United), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea City), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Dimitar Berbatov (Fulham), Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle United)

Manager: Roy Hodgson (Crystal Palace)

Okay first off, there has been some creative manipulation of the rules here and I won't apologise for that. Secondly this isn't the best XI of the decade, it's just a collection of some of my favourite players for various reasons.

The back four five is probably the only place where I can genuinely make a claim for actual talent winning out, whereas the front three is just a loveable bunch of mercurial mavericks.

Roy Hodgson is the manager because no-one has really had a decade quite like him. He began it by taking little Fulham all the way to the Europa League final, then he oversaw Liverpool's banter era that eventually led them to where they are today. Then he rebuilt himself at West Brom, took charge of his country and now is rebuilding again at Crystal Palace. Hodgson's career is a truly beautiful thing, it shouldn't be forgotten when he retires.

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‘Van Persie to good to ignore’

James Gray’s XI: Jack Butland (Stoke); Seamus Coleman (Everton), Vincent Kompany (Man City), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Ryan Bertrand (Southampton); David Silva (Man City), N’Golo Kante (Leicester), Dele Alli (Tottenham); Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Robin van Persie (Man Utd), Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)

Manager: Sean Dyche (Burnley)

Well that was tough, especially on the Liverpool front. I just felt there was such a dearth of central defenders in the clubs outside of those very successful ones, who always have attackers you'd rather plump for, that Van Dijk seemed like an easy way to fill that gap.

Getting someone between the sticks was tough too as outside of the European places, the best ones don't last too long at those sorts of clubs, but Jack Butland was pretty consistently England's second or third best with the gloves, all while playing for Stoke.

I feel like I've left out a whole lot of strikers but when you look at Van Persie's goal-scoring record at Manchester United, it's hard to argue with.

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‘De Bruyne the best since Scholes’

Freddie Clayton’s XI: Ben Foster (Watford); Kyle Walker (Spurs), Jonny Evans (West Brom), Virgil van Dijk (Southampton), Andrew Robertson (Hull); N’Golo Kante (Chelsea), Kevin De Bruyne (Man City), Paul Scholes (Man Utd); Luis Suarez (Liverpool), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Jamie Vardy (Leicester)

Manager: Carlo Ancelotti (Everton)

Irresistible opportunity to have the two ginger masters in central midfield - Scholes' return for Manchester United from retirement was emotional, and KDB is the only player since fit to lace his shoes. Jonny Evans is always good, everywhere he goes - timeless centre-back. Suarez, RVP and Vardy the most elite set of forwards the decade has produced. Ancelotti has three Champions League titles. Team picks itself.

De Bruyne for Manchester City

Image credit: Getty Images

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'Big Sam and a team of juggernauts - what could go wrong?'

James Kilpatrick XI: Asmir Begovic (Stoke); Coleman (Everton), Van Dijk (Southampton), Vidic (Man Utd), Van Aanholt (Sunderland); David Silva (City), Fabregas (Arsenal), Kante (Leicester); Bale (Spurs), Drogba (Chelsea), Suarez (Liverpool).

MANAGER: Sam Allardyce (Crystal Palace)

Building a team of the decade means stacking the attack with legends is crucial. Pace, power and goals dominate the front three before we delve into a technically gifted trio with N’Golo Kante – who can do both sides of the game - mopping up.

Seamus Coleman and Patrick Van Aanholt are not really defenders so there is plenty of work for Virgil Van Dijk and Nemanja Vidic to be getting on with, while Asmir Begovic’s gloriously solid stint in between the sticks for Stoke simply cannot be overlooked. Big Sam and a team of juggernauts - what could go wrong?

Sam Allardyce has ruled himself out of the running for the vacant Huddersfield manager's job.

Image credit: PA Sport

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‘Chelsea Kante allows for Vardy’

Michael Hincks’ XI: David de Gea (Man Utd); Hector Bellerin (Arsenal), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle) Vincent Kompany (Man City), Leighton Baines (Everton); Idrissa Gueye (Villa), N’Golo Kante (Chelsea), Dimitri Payet (West Ham); Harry Kane (Spurs), Luis Suarez (Liverpool), Jamie Vardy (Leicester)

Manager: Eddie Howe (Bournemouth)

I’ve gone with the Chelsea incarnation of Kante as Jamie Vardy simply cannot be overlooked. He looks set to steer Leicester into the Champions League next decade having been an integral part of their Premier League title-winning season.

You get to a point where you’re questioning your own XI and asking why on earth you’ve left the likes of Eden Hazard, Gareth Bale and Sergio Aguero out, but along with Kante for Chelsea, one-season wonder Harry Kane deserved the nod, as did Vincent Kompany for leading City during their greatest era to date.

Jamie Vardy of Leicester City celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Leicester City at Villa Park on December 08, 2019 in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Image credit: Getty Images

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