Messi, Ronaldo, Mane, Henry: Who is the greatest front three of the 21st century?

Following confirmation of Sadio Mane’s £35 million switch from Liverpool to Bayern Munich earlier this week, one of the most potent front threes of the 21st century is no more.

Alongside Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino, Mane helped inspire the Reds to one of the most successful periods in their illustrious history.

First popularised by Pep Guardiola in his early days as head coach at Barcelona, three-man striking units – or tridents – have popped up all over Europe during the last decade.

It’s not just putting together three big-name strikers, though. A truly effective front three should work as a unit for the betterment of their team and Salah, Mane and Firmino have certainly done that since linking up at Anfield in 2018.

Where, though, does the now-separated trio belong in terms of the greatest attacking trios of the 21st century? In an attempt to answer that question, we’ve had a stab at ranking the 10 best below.

This fabulously talented trio really should have won silverware together – and looked set to do so when they went in 3-0 against Liverpool at half-time in the 2005 Champions League final. We all remember the madness that unfolded over the rest of that crazy night in Istanbul, but Milan’s capitulation on the big stage doesn’t change how glorious Kaka, Shevchenko and Crespo were to watch during this period.

Bergkamp was undoubtedly past his best during Arsenal’s ‘invincible’ 2003/04 title-winning season, but his outrageous technical ability never left him.

Sitting in behind Henry and pulling the strings for the Gunners’ attack, Bergkamp’s assured approach to the game was the perfect foil for tricky winger Pires who would bamboozle defences with his two-footed brilliance.

To this day the last attack to stop