Last year, the FA announced the ’20 Seasons Awards’, a set of awards given to acknowledge those that have stood out in the EPL and for various accomplishments – Best Team’, ‘Best Goal’, etc. The results of these awards can be found here.
One of the awards was given to the ‘Best Player’ of the EPL, a decision which was decided by an FA panel, with the winner being Ryan Giggs. Since then, various websites, magazines and newspapers have come up with lists of their own, citing the greatest players to have played in the Premier League.
However, the similarity with these lists is that they are all small , normally citing 10 or 20 players and as such, the same players are mentioned over and over again. This list aims to change that, by acknowledging a whole wealth of players, 100 to be exact, who have graced the Premier League over its 21 seasons.
Obviously, with hundreds of players having played in the Premier League, creating a list of such magnitude requires a large amount of research and a series of criteria that needs to be established, and I’d like to thank my brother Jack for his help.
Furthermore, I realise that not everyone will agree with this list. Everyone will have their favourite players, and those they feel who deserve to be recognized. I also understand that I may have missed a few players and if so please let us know in the comments with your opinion on why you feel they should have made the grade. Ideally, the comment system is there to promote debate, but we ask you to be civil – after all, this list is simply an opinion.
So without any further ado, here is my list of the 100 greatest players to have played in the Premier League. And stick around to vote for your own Greatest Ever Premier League player after the top player is revealed…
All Statistics are taken from the official Premier League website. Some statistics may be out of date as they are ever-changing but are correct as of when the article was written.
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20 Comments
Great list, agree that Henry is the greatest Premier League player in history; an extra season and Ronaldo might of just topped him but he was a constant goal scorer and wonderful player to watch.
Only thing I would change is Petr Cech as the greatest goal keeper in the Premier League, when Mourinho was in charge he was unstoppable and I read a stat that in his time at Chelsea he’s made more saves than Casillas has in his entire career. Considering he overcame a skull fracture as well. He’s the best. (Leaving out Ben Foster of course, it wouldn’t be fair if he was involved.)
Thanks Luke.
I’d never really though about Cech in that way, that’s an impressive statistic.. I do think he’s the best keeper currently in the league, but I still Van Der Sar are Schmeichel were better than him.
No Francis Benali? For shame!
But seriously, very good list.
As a Spurs fan I was kind of expecting Luka Modric, Jurgen Klinsmann and (in particular) Ledley King to appear, but other than that it’s very comprehensive.
Thanks mate.
I was thinking about Klinsmann, but I didn’t put him in as I feel he didn’t play in the Premier League long enough to really bring anything to it.
I have to admit however that Ledley King was an oversight on my part – a great defender, particularly considering his chronic knee injury.
Saying Ronaldo is the best player in the world invalidates all the list. Messi is the best. And not just actually. He’s the best ever. Don’t be blind.
Actually, I was just thinking (though I’m not gonna read it all the way through again to find out!), were there any guys who only ever played for Middlesbrough on this list? There was a time when they had a hell of a team – Juninho, Ravanelli and company.
No I didn’t put any in the list, only Gareth Southgate. I had considered Juninho, Boateng and Zenden but when I looked into a bit further most of their players in the 2003-2004 season (the one I think where they got into Europe) only played in the Premier League for a few seasons – I know Juninho only played there between 2002-2004.
Juninho had 3 spells at Boro: His first spell (his best) was 95-97, then on loan in the 99-00 season, then the 02-04 spell you speak of when he was past his best.
Where is Rio Ferdinand??? Answer me!!!
He’s at #27. Did you even read the article?
I don’t think he deserves #27. He should be around #50!!!!
and Vidic deserves a better position than him!!!!!
Nothing really wrong with the list, decent choices!
I have some issues with your information though!
First i saw “Everton United” and thought it was some kind of inside joke but now i’m starting to think that you didn’t know that its simply Everton.
Second, Pepe Reina has not won a Champions League. He signed for Liverpool the season after they won it and got a Runners up medal when they lost to AC Milan in 2007.
Next, in the Rio Ferdinand part, Leeds have never won the Premier League. It was in fact Arsenal who won the league in 2001/2. Leeds came 5th and missed out on the CL in what is considered to be the start of their downfall
Nothing really wrong with the list, decent choices!
Agree that Thierry Henry is the greatest, definately my favourite!
I have some issues with your information though!
First i saw “Everton United” and thought it was some kind of inside joke but now i’m starting to think that you didn’t know that its simply Everton.
Second, Pepe Reina has not won a Champions League. He signed for Liverpool the season after they won it and got a Runners up medal when they lost to AC Milan in 2007.
Next, in the Rio Ferdinand part, Leeds have never won the Premier League. It was in fact Arsenal who won the league in 2001/2. Leeds came 5th and missed out on the CL in what is considered to be the start of their downfall
Thanks James.
Everton United was a mistake. I changed some positions around and simply forgot to delete that word.
I was meant to say UEFA Super Cup for Reina and Leeds winning the title was an error on my part – as an Arsenal fan I know we won it that year, I’m really not sure why I wrote it.
I’ll sell if I can get permission to edit those entries.
I know this may be my own bias, but the day Frank Lampard is deemed a better player than Steven Gerrard is the day I lose fate in humanity.
Worst list ever Heskey? Crouch? How was cantona so low down on the list he should have been number one or two. And Dicanio and Zola should have been in the top ten. Also I can see you are an arsenal fan and think you have been a bit biased by putting seamen above van der saar.
I think Wayne Rooney should’ve been in the top 10 and Vieira also. Its that no one was or has been great like Thiery Henry in the Premier League
No Tugay Kerimoglu? considered as one of blackburns greatest legends, morton gamst pedersen in front of him :s
Having Lampard above Gerrard and rating Ronaldo above Messi completely invalidates this list. You can’t rate a midfielder higher simply because he has scored more than the other. Gerrard is the better all round player and has carried Liverpool through many a game some might even say season
This list seems accurate. Though personally I think Shearer was the best but I support Newcastle so sure you can call me biased. But a good list all the same. Oh and LAmpard is better than Gerrard.