2000 – 2009
Galácticos, Istanbul and the age of the super-club
Real Madrid bought a superstar a summer, Chelsea were transformed by new money, and Barcelona built a team from their own academy. The 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul remains the greatest comeback the competition has seen.
Four defining moments
- 2002Brazil win a fifth World Cup; Ronaldo scores eight goals.
- 2004Porto, coached by José Mourinho, win the Champions League.
- 2005Liverpool recover from 3–0 down to beat Milan on penalties in Istanbul.
- 2006Italy win the World Cup in Germany; Zidane’s career ends with a red card.
Why this decade matters
The 2000s set the financial template that still runs the game: billionaire ownership, global branding, academy plus big signing. The gap between the top six and the rest started widening here.