Best Tottenham Hotspur Players of the 21st Century (So Far)

Tottenham Hotspur has had its share of success in the Premier League in the 2000s. Many teams like Hotspur are carried by serious talent that has risen to the top and become truly noticeable or contributed to victory subtly, whether through leadership or defensive work. Here are the best Tottenham Hotspur players of the 21st century as of January 2025.

Harry Kane

Harry Kane scored 280 goals during his tenure with the Tottenham Hotspurs. Even with a long career of 435 games, his numbers show unmatched versatility as a striker and a passer. He also recorded 61 assists, which were earned through exceptional vision. Kane is also the all-time leader in Hotspurs scoring, having recently beaten Jimmy Greaves’ record. The team and fans consider him a leader on the field, too, with consistent communication, a mix of getting emotional at the right time and a calm coolness.

Some also say that Kane is boring off the field, which, to be fair, might be a good thing for a star football player. Hotspur fans looking for drama about Kane’s life might be better off searching for excitement on the top blackjack sites from casinos.com instead, as Kane married his high school sweetheart and is considered a model parent to their four kids.

Kane’s abilities might qualify him as one of the best Tottenham Hotspurs players of the 21st century and one of the top Hotspurs players ever.

Son Heung-Min

Heung-Man wasn’t quite as prolific a goal scorer as Kane, but no one matches that prowess. Son Heung-Min came close. His 320 appearances with Tottenham produced 125 goals and 68 assists, proving that in addition to having a strong kick, Heung-Min also has excellent passing skills and field vision to lead his teammates to goals. Son is especially well known for his speed and using both feet, making him immensely fun to watch for Hotspurs fans and their opponents.

Son is also the first and only Korean football player to win the Premier League Golden Boot. To many in his home country of South Korea, he is known as the native son. After just signing a new extension, he’ll be in England for a while longer.

Gareth Bale

Bale brought speed and balance to the Hotspurs during his two stints. He played left winger, though he occasionally switched to right or wherever else he needed to be. His efforts to be very versatile were successful. He scored 71 goals and had 53 assists, which shows he was more than willing to pass and set his teammates up.

Gareth was not only known for his ability to score. He also could be in the right place at the right time, and he scored several clutch goals for the Hotspurs, tying or earning a lead in the waning moments of a game.

While Bale left for Real Madrid for some time, he came back to join Kane and Heung-Min, making three players on this list so far on the same roster at the same time. That’s quite a lineup already!

Christian Eriksen

As a midfielder, Christian Eriksen wasn’t the first to charge down the field, but his contributions were still significant to the Hotspurs. Eriksen scored 69 goals, though his standout statistics was 88 assists. Many Tottenham fans would also say he was the most understated player on the team, much like any other midfielder or defender who isn’t always on camera but can move the team down the field with a precise pass.

Eriksen is currently winding down his football career at Manchester United. Still, Tottenham misses his ability to create turnovers and make seemingly impossible threaded passes.

Ledley King

More recent fans of the Hotspurs might know Ledley King as a member of the team’s coaching staff. Before that, King was a feared defender because he had keen situational awareness and could steal the ball from anyone. To some, he could have been one of the best defenders England has ever seen, but he had serious issues with his knees that limited his career. King still excelled despite not always being able to practice with the team too often due to knee pain.

King is one of those players who could have been generational, and we can’t help but wonder what could have been.

Jan Vertonghen

Vertonghen was a unique left-footed defender and centre. He scored only a handful of goals with Tottenham, but like King, he made up for it with the sure presence of someone who wouldn’t let the offence past him. Unfortunately, he seriously declined as a footballer following a collision that caused a severe concussion the medical staff had him play through. Still, he is known as one of the best of the 21st century.

Conclusion

The Tottenham Hotspurs have had many successful players in the 21st century. Premier League fans might remember that even with some good talent on their roster, the Hotspurs have yet to win a Premier League championship. But the team might have the right combination of skill and timing to pull it off someday. Let’s hope so!