The Top 50 Premier League Players of All Time

“The scouser in our team.” It was clear that local boy Trent Alexander-Arnold wasn’t your typical right back from the outset. Cross-field switches delivered with deadly accuracy, crosses and through-balls arced around helpless defenders. A quarterback playing football.

But for all his wonderful creative talents, the conversation often came back to his weaker defensive skill set. In fact, he’d be higher up this list if his one-v-one defending and positional awareness had been stronger.

Luckily for him (and us) his longstanding manager at Liverpool, Jürgen Klopp, was more than happy to focus on the positives, sitting back to appreciate the mesmerising and destructive passing.

48. Edwin van der Sar

• Years Active: 2001–2011
• Clubs: Fulham, Manchester United
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Appearances: 280; Clean Sheets: 111
• Honours: 4 x Premier League (2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–2011), 3 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2006–07, 2008–09, 2010–11), Premier League Golden Glove (2008–09)

One of only four goalkeepers in this list, Edwin van der Sar is the oldest player to win the Premier League (40 years and 205 days). He was already 34 when he joined Man Utd in 2005, but was widely considered as the first comparable keeper to the great Peter Schmeichel since the Dane left Old Trafford in 1999.

The 6’ 6” Dutchman also holds the Guinness World Record for the longest period without conceding a single Premier League goal, lasting an astonishing 1,311 minutes (between 8 Nov. 8, 2008, and March 4, 2009).

47. Jamie Vardy

• Years Active: 2014–2023, 2024–2025
• Club: Leicester City
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 342; Goals: 145; Assists: 48
• Honours: 1 x Premier League (2015–16), FWA Footballer of the Year (2015–16), Premier League Golden Boot (2019–20), 2 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2015–16, 2019–20), Premier League Player of the Season (2015–16) 4 x Premier League Player of the Month (Oct. 2015, Nov. 2015, Apr. 2019, Oct. 2019)

The poster boy of the greatest underdog story in Premier League history.

Jamie Vardy enjoyed a remarkable rise from non-league football to Premier League champion with Leicester between 2010 and ’16 and proved his 24-goal title-winning season was no one-off.

The Englishman also holds the record for the longest Premier League scoring streak after he scored in 11 successive games during the Foxes’ title triumph.

46. Robert Pires

• Years Active: 2000–2006, 2010–2011
• Clubs: Arsenal, Aston Villa
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 189; Goals: 62; Assists: 41
• Honours: 2 x Premier League (2001–02, 2003–04), FWA Footballer of the Year (2001–02), 3 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04) Premier League Player of the Month (Feb. 2003)

As his utterly delightful chipped goal against Southampton attests, Robert Pires was an exceptional footballer. Grace and poise fused with a killer instinct and a burst of pace.

At the peak of his powers at Arsenal, the ex-France international was a force to be reckoned with, weighing in with an average 14 goal contributions a season during his time under Arsène Wenger.

45. Sol Campbell

• Years Active: 1992–2011
• Clubs: Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Portsmouth, Newcastle United
• Position: Defender
• Appearances: 496; Clean Sheets: 117; Goals: 20
• Honours: 2 x Premier League (2001–02, 2003–04), 3 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (1998–99, 2001–02, 2003–04)

Although Sol Campbell is remembered as much for making the highly controversial move from Tottenham Hotspur to Arsenal in 2001 he was also one of the greatest centre backs England has ever produced.

Physically imposing, quick, great positional awareness and able to time tackles well, Campbell’s arrival at Arsenal coincided with a flurry of trophies. As well as forming the backbone of the Invincibles.

44. Sadio Mané

• Years Active: 2014–2022
• Clubs: Southampton, Liverpool
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 263; Goals: 111; Assists: 38
• Honours: 1 x Premier League (2019–20), Premier League Golden Boot (2018–19 (shared)), 4 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2016–17, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22), 3 x Premier League Player of the Month (Aug. 2017, Mar. 2019, Nov. 2019)

A lot of people, many Liverpool fans included, thought the Reds overpaid when they forked out £36 million ($48 million) to sign Sadio Mané from Southampton in 2016.

His exquisite debut goal at Arsenal where he cut in from the right wing onto his left and arrowed one into the top corner was a sign of things to come. Suffice to say, the doubters were proven very, very wrong about Mané.

Whether played on the right, the left or through the middle, the Senegalese was an utter joy to watch in Klopp’s successful Reds as they ended their 30-year wait to claim the Premier League title.

43. Cesc Fàbregas

• Years Active: 2004–2011, 2014–2019
• Clubs: Arsenal, Chelsea
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 350; Goals: 50; Assists: 111
• Honours: 2 x Premier League (2014–15, 2016–17), PFA Young Player of the Year (2007–08), 2 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2007–08, 2009–10), 2 x Premier League Player of the Month (Jan. 2007, Sept. 2007)

That Cesc Fàbregas ultimately replaced Patrick Vieira in the Arsenal midfield tells you one thing, that he did it as a 17-year-old only reinforces how impressive he was. Neither was he intimated by older, more celebrated opponents, frequently mixing it when things got heated.

He is widely regarded as one of the Premier League’s best ever midfielders, a reputation he only enhanced when he returned to England to play for Chelsea in a trophy-laden, four-season spell. Remarkably racking up 18 assists in the 2014–15 title-winning season.

42. Gary Neville

• Years Active: 1994–2011
• Club: Manchester United
• Position: Defender
• Appearances: 397; Clean Sheets: 81; Goals: 5
• Honours: 8 x Premier League (1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2008–09), 5 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2004–05, 2006–07)

An insightful, popular pundit/analyst these days, Gary Neville was a stalwart in the most dominant club era in Premier League history in his playing days.

The Man Utd right back built a reputation for no-nonsense defending, overlapping his right-sided partner David Beckham, and whipping in dangerous crosses. And the passion for his hometown club was best illustrated by running up to the visiting Liverpool fans to kiss the badge after (another) victory over their northwest rivals.

41. Ruud van Nistelrooy

• Years Active: 2001–2006
• Club: Manchester United
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 150; Goals: 95; Assists: 14
• Honours: 1 x Premier League (2002–03), PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2001–02), Premier League Golden Boot (2002–03), 2 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2001–02, 2003–04), Premier League Player of the Season (2002–03), 3 x Premier League Player of the Month (Dec. 2001, Feb. 2002, Apr. 2003)

The ultimate penalty box striker, Ruud van Nistelrooy scored just one of his 95 Man Utd Premier League goals from outside of the area.

Thanks to his instinctive movement and natural finishing, Van Nistelrooy was deadly for United, providing a supremely effective focal point to the team. His first season at Old Trafford was all the more impressive when you remember he had spent the previous 12 months at PSV recovering from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injury.

40. Andy Cole

• Years Active: 1993–2008
• Clubs: Newcastle United, Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Fulham, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Sunderland
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 414; Goals: 187; Assists: 73
• Honours: 5 x Premier League (1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01), Premier League Golden Boot (1993–94), PFA Premier League Team of the Year (1999–2000), Premier League Player of the Month (Nov. 1997), Premier League Hall of Fame (2024)

There are two things to know about Andy Cole; he played for a lot of clubs and scored a lot of goals. Oh, and he prefers to be called Andrew.

While his goals—and brilliant partnership with Dwight Yorke—fired United to unprecedented Premier League success, his goal return at the likes of Newcastle, Blackburn, Fulham and Man City was also strong.

His 187 Premier League goals ranks him fifth on the all-time charts, with only three penalties. He famously avoided penalties claiming strikers should be able to score in open play.

39. Robbie Fowler

• Years Active: 1993–2007, 2008–2009
• Clubs: Liverpool, Leeds United, Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 379; Goals: 163; Assists: 39
• Honours: 2 x PFA Young Player of the Year (1995, 1996), 2 x Premier League Player of the Month (Dec. 1995, Jan. 1996)

If your footballer nickname is “God,” it’s fair to assume you must have been rather good. Robbie Fowler was that and more.

A natural finisher with a knack for being in the right place at the right time, Fowler’s key weapon was shooting early, often before the goalkeeper was “set.” The Merseysider’s form between 1994 and ’97 is the stuff of legend, bagging a ridiculous 71 Premier League goals.

38. Nemanja Vidić

• Years Active: 2005–2014
• Club: Manchester United
• Position: Defender
• Appearances: 211; Clean Sheets: 92; Goals: 15
• Honours: 5 x Premier League (2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13), 4 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11), 2 x Premier League Player of the Season (2008–09, 2010–11), Premier League Player of the Month (Jan. 2009)

A good shout for one of best January signings of all time—a snip at £7 million ($9 million)—it was as if Nemanja Vidić was designed in a laboratory in the quest for the perfect centre back. Quick, physical, strong in the tackle and in the air, a born competitor and capable of scoring the odd goal.

His partnership at Old Trafford with Rio Ferdinand was the stuff of legend. Vidić the combative bruiser, Ferdinand the elegant playmaker. Yin and yang.

37. Alisson Becker

• Years Active: 2018–Present
• Club: Liverpool
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Appearances: 235; Clean Sheets: 97; Goals: 1
• Honours: 2 x Premier League (2019–20, 2024–25), PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2021–22), 2 x Premier League Golden Glove (2018–19, 2021–22)

When you sign a player for a world-record fee you expect them to be pretty good. Especially a goalkeeper at £67 million ($91 million). The fact people rarely talk about how much Alisson cost Liverpool, instead focussing on his remarkable saves is testament to his quality.

The Brazilian’s innate positioning makes unsavable shots look manageable and he’s very capable of starting attacks from the back with pinpoint passing. His talents don’t end there, as his dramatic, late, headed corner helped the Reds salvage Champions League qualification in 2020–21 season.

36. Gareth Bale

• Years Active: 2007–2013, 2020–2021
• Club: Tottenham Hotspur
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 166; Goals: 53; Assists: 22
• Honours: 2 x PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2010–11, 2012–13), PFA Young Player of the Year (2012–13), FWA Footballer of the Year (2012–13), 3 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13), Premier League Player of the Season (2012–13)

To think that Gareth Bale was signed by Tottenham as a left back blows your mind when you picture his blistering forward surges and all manner of sublime finishes.

It’s also worth noting he failed to win any of his first 24 Premier League games (all for Spurs).

But then things got good—very good—as he carved out a reputation as one of the most exciting wingers ever to grace the Premier League, culminating in his 21 Premier League goals during the 2012–13 season.

While he still made an impact on his return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after seven seasons at Real Madrid, it’s tantilising to think what more he’d have achieved had he never left the Premier League.

35. Robin van Persie

• Years Active: 2004–2015
• Clubs: Arsenal, Manchester United
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 280; Goals: 144; Assists: 53
• Honours: Premier League (2012–13), PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2011–12), FWA Footballer of the Year (2011–12), 2 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2011–12, 2012–13), 2 x Premier League Golden Boot (2011–12, 2012–13), 5 x Premier League Player of the Month (Nov. 2005, Oct. 2009, Oct. 2011, Dec. 2012, Apr. 2013)

When your fans’ chant about you includes the line “He scores when he wants,” you can be sure you’ve made your mark.

Robin van Persie had his early injury struggles at Arsenal, but he stayed fit from 2010 to ’15 and his form—and goalscoring—went through the roof. And not just any old goals, but some really, really good goals.

Painfully for the Gunners, the Dutchman took his shooting boots with him to Old Trafford in the summer of 2012 and promptly won the Premier League for the first time in his debut season at Man Utd.

34. Yaya Touré

• Years Active: 2010–2018
• Club: Manchester City
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 230; Goals: 62; Assists: 32
• Honours: 3 x Premier League (2011–12, 2013–14, 2017–18), 2 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2011–12, 2013–14)

In 2013–14, Yaya Touré had the single greatest season any midfielder has ever had in the Premier League. Better than any Steven Gerrard season, better than any Roy Keane season, better than any Frank Lampard season.

His 20 goals fired Manchester City to the title that year. A three-time Premier League winner, the Ivorian is undoubtedly an all-time great.

33. Luis Suárez

• Years Active: 2011–2014
• Club: Liverpool
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 110; Goals: 69; Assists: 23
• Honours: PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2013–14), FWA Footballer of the Year (2013–14), Premier League Golden Boot (2013–14), 2 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2012–13, 2013–14), Premier League Player of the Season (2013–14), European Golden Shoe (2013–14)

If this list was taking into account players’ full careers and not just their spells in the Premier League, Luis Suárez would probably be in the top 10.

Suárez only pulled on the Liverpool jersey for three-and-a-half seasons but made quite the impression during that period.

In his final two campaigns with the club, Suarez netted 23 goals in 33 games and then 31 in 33 to win one Golden Boot, one PFA Player of the Year, one FWA Footballer of the Year and one European Golden Boot, but sadly, like another Liverpool legend, never a Premier League title.

32. Gianfranco Zola

• Years Active: 1996–2003
• Club: Chelsea
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 229; Goals: 59; Assists: 41
• Honours: FWA Footballer of the Year (1997), 2 x Premier League Player of the Month (Dec. 1996, Oct. 2002)

Before Roman Abramovich brought a huge swathe of international icons to Stamford Bridge, Gianfranco Zola was Chelsea’s one and only superstar.

The No. 10 dazzled Blues fans throughout the 1990s into the early 2000s, scoring stunning free kicks, long-range rockets and even an audacious back-heel volley.

31. Tony Adams

• Years Active: 1992–2002
• Club: Arsenal
• Position: Defender
• Appearances: 255; Clean Sheets: 36; Goals: 12
• Honours: 2 x Premier League (1997–98, 2001–02), 3 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97), Premier League Hall of Fame (2023)

Arsenal’s greatest-ever centre back and captain, Tony Adams’s career in north London is rightfully the stuff of legends.

After helping the Gunners dominate the domestic game during the First Division era under George Graham, Adams continued to be one of the best defenders in England throughout the 1990s and 2000s while Arsène Wenger was manager.

His two Premier League titles and three PFA Team of the Year nods were more than deserved.

30. Didier Drogba

• Years Active: 2004–2012, 2014–2015
• Club: Chelsea
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 194; Goals: 88; Assists: 41
• Honours: 4 x Premier League (2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2014–15), 2 x Premier League Golden Boot (2006–07, 2009–10), 2 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2006–07, 2009–10), Premier League Hall of Fame (2022)

If you look up “clutch” in the dictionary you’ll probably read something like “a clutch is a mechanical device that allows the output shaft to be disconnected from the rotating input shaft” or “to grasp something tightly,” but it should actually just read “Didier Drogba.”

Drogba was the big-game player throughout his time at Stamford Bridge, rising to the occasion to fire Chelsea to Premier League title after Premier League title after Premier League title.

His 104 league goals won Chelsea four titles in total and etched his name in the club’s history as one of the Blues’ greatest-ever players.

29. Vincent Kompany

• Years Active: 2008–2019
• Club: Manchester City
• Position: Defender
• Appearances: 265; Clean Sheets: 94; Goals: 18
• Honours: 4 x Premier League (2011–12, 2013–14, 2017–18, 2018–19), 3 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14), Premier League Player of the Season (2011–12), Premier League Hall of Fame (2022)

Signed as a central midfielder from Hamburg for just £6 million ($8 million), Manchester City fans probably weren’t expecting Vincent Kompany to be the centre back they built their golden era around, yet that’s exactly what he became.

Four Premier League titles and a statue later, Kompany is widely regarded as one of the greatest centre backs in Premier League history.

28. N’Golo Kanté

• Years Active: 2015–2023
• Clubs: Leicester City, Chelsea
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 227; Goals: 12; Assists: 17
• Honours: 2 x Premier League (2015–16, 2016–17), PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2016–17), FWA Footballer of the Year (2016–17), 2 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2015–16, 2016–17), Premier League Player of the Season (2016–17)

Between 2015 and ’17 in particular, Kanté was a cheat code in midfield. The France international singlehandedly won countless midfield battles to inspire both Leicester City and Chelsea to title triumphs.

If you want an example of just how highly regarded he is and was, watch a video of the France national team hoisting him up during its 2018 World Cup celebration. A modern day icon in midfield.

27. Ashley Cole

• Years Active: 2000–2014
• Clubs: Arsenal, Chelsea
• Position: Defender
• Appearances: 385; Clean Sheets: 118; Goals: 15
• Honours: 3 x Premier League (2001–02, 2003–04, 2009–10), 4 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2010–11), Premier League Hall of Fame (2024)

Before there were flying full backs who were essentially wingers and inverted full backs who were essentially midfielders, there were two-way full backs who could defend as well as they could attack, and there was no better two-way full back than Ashley Cole.

The ex-England international was utterly exceptional, and Invincible, during his time at both Arsenal and Chelsea, making four PFA Teams of the Year while helping the London clubs to three Premier League titles.

26. Peter Schmeichel

• Years Active: 1992–1999, 2001–2003
• Clubs: Manchester United, Aston Villa, Manchester City
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Appearances: 310; Clean Sheets: 81; Goals: 1
• Honours: 5 x Premier League (1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99), PFA Premier League Team of the Year (1992–93), Premier League Player of the Season (1995–96), Premier League Hall of Fame (2022)

Peter Schmeichel was an intimidating shot-stopper and could even make a major impact in the opposite box whenever United needed a late goal. A five-time league champion, a treble winner, a PFA Team of the Century honouree and a Hall of Famer.

25. Rio Ferdinand

• Years Active: 2000–2014
• Clubs: West Ham United, Leeds United, Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers
• Position: Defender
• Appearances: 504; Clean Sheets: 150; Goals: 11
• Honours: 6 x Premier League (2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13), 6 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2001–02, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2012–13), Premier League Player of the Month (Oct. 2001), Premier League Hall of Fame (2023)

The centre back role has changed a lot over the years. Way back in the day the position consisted of heading medicine balls clear of the penalty box, and now it mostly entails having the ball at your feet (a normal one, not a medicine ball) and retaining possession for your team. Some would be quite surprised by how many touches modern central defenders make in a game.

Rio Ferdinand is one of the few centre backs who would’ve thrived in either era.

The former England international was as good on the ball as he was off it during his 15-year career in the Premier League, winning six Premier League titles and being named in six PFA Teams of the Year as a result.

24. Erling Haaland

• Years Active: 2022–Present
• Club: Manchester City
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 104; Goals: 94; Assists: 17
• Honours: 2 x Premier League (2022–23, 2023–24), PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2022–23), FWA Footballer of the Year (2022–23), 2 x Premier League Golden Boot (2022–23, 2023–24), 2 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2022–23, 2023–24), Premier League Player of the Season (2022–23), Premier League Young Player of the Season (2022–23), 3 x Premier League Player of the Month (Aug. 2022, Apr. 2023, Aug. 2024), European Golden Shoe (2022–23)

Some may say it’s premature to be putting Erling Haaland in a list of all-time Premier League greats, but his CV says otherwise.

Two Golden Boots, a record 36 goals in one season, an absurd amount of hat tricks, the catalyst behind the first treble-winning campaign for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson’s Man Utd—Haaland’s ceiling lies higher on this list.

23. Rodri

• Years Active: 2019–Present
• Club: Manchester City
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 180; Goals: 22; Assists: 21
• Honours: 4 x Premier League (2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24), 2 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2022–23, 2023–24), Ballon d’Or (2024)

Alongside Michael Owen and Cristiano Ronaldo, Rodri is one of only three Premier League players in history to win the Ballon d’Or, deservedly scooping the prestigious award in 2024.

Why? As put by Cesc Fàbregas no less, he’s the “perfect” midfielder—solid at both ends of the pitch and, most importantly, able to pretty much run games at will thanks to his intelligent movement and passing.

With four Premier League titles to his name and counting, few have ever done it like Rodri.

22. Petr Čech

• Years Active: 2004–2019
• Clubs: Chelsea, Arsenal
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Appearances: 443; Clean Sheets: 178
• Honours: 4 x Premier League (2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2014–15), 2 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2004–05, 2013–14), 4 x Premier League Golden Glove (2004–05, 2009–10, 2013–14, 2015–16), Premier League Player of the Month (Mar. 2007), Premier League Hall of Fame (2023)

With four league titles, four Premier League Golden Gloves and the most clean sheets in Premier League history (178) to his name, the former Chelsea and Arsenal star is rightly considered one of the greatest goalkeepers ever.

Is Petr Čech the Premier League greatest goalkeeper of all time? Likely so.

21. Eden Hazard

• Years Active: 2012–2019
• Club: Chelsea
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 245; Goals: 85; Assists: 54
• Honours: 2 x Premier League (2014–15, 2016–17), PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2014–15), FWA Footballer of the Year (2014–15), PFA Young Player of the Year (2013–14), 4 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17), Premier League Player of the Season (2014–15), 2 x Premier League Player of the Month (Oct. 2016, Sept. 2018)

While Eden Hazard’s move to Real Madrid will go down as one of the worst of all time, that doesn’t detract from the fact that he was an utter joy to watch at Chelsea.

The Belgian was the perfect modern wide player during his time at Stamford Bridge, combining goal threat with an ability to set up his teammates and a flair for the utter sublime.

He netted double figures in five of his seven league campaigns, assisted 54 goals during his Premier League career and scored an all-timer with his stunning effort against Arsenal.

20. David Beckham

• Years Active: 1995–2003
• Club: Manchester United
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 265; Goals: 62; Assists: 80
• Honours: 6 x Premier League (1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03), PFA Young Player of the Year (1996–97), 4 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000), Premier League Player of the Month (Aug. 1996), Premier League Hall of Fame (2021)

The poster boy of the Premier League throughout the 1990s, David Beckham’s aesthetics can mask his athletic prowess.

After breaking into the Manchester United team as a floppy-haired teenager, Beckham became a household name with an outrageous halfway-line goal against Wimbledon in 1996. The revered set-piece specialist—he still jointly holds the record for most free-kick goals in the competition’s history—cemented his place in the pantheon of iconic United No. 7s with an unassuming blend of dexterity and industry beneath the pop veneer.

Had his Premier League career not come to an abrupt end aged 28 after falling out with Sir Alex Ferguson, Beckham would have surely added to his stack of six league titles.

19. David Silva

• Years Active: 2010–2020
• Club: Manchester City
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 309; Goals: 60; Assists: 93
• Honours: 4 x Premier League (2011–12, 2013–14, 2017–18, 2018–19), 3 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2011–12, 2017–18, 2019–20), Premier League Player of the Month (Sept. 2011)

“He’s an incredible legend. He’s a huge competitor. In small spaces, in the pockets,” Pep Guardiola once said of David Silva. “I never saw a player like him.”

That’s lofty praise coming from the man who previously managed the greatest footballer of the time Lionel Messi, and it’s more than justified.

Silva was genuinely that good at Manchester City. Signed by the club as one of their first marquee players, Silva more than lived up to the billing with consistently fantastic performances during his 10 seasons at the Etihad Stadium, which now has a statue of the diminutive Spaniard standing outside it.

18. Virgil van Dijk

• Years Active: 2015–Present
• Clubs: Southampton, Liverpool
• Position: Defender
• Appearances: 308; Clean Sheets: 118; Goals: 25
• Honours: 2 x Premier League (2019–20, 2024–25), PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2018–19), 5 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2023–24, 2024–25), Premier League Player of the Season (2018–19)

The signing that pretty much changed everything for Liverpool.

Purchased for an eyebrow-raising £75 million ($101.4 million at the time) from Southampton in Jan. 2018, Van Dijk proved to be the missing piece of the puzzle for Klopp’s Reds. After signing the defender, the club would go on to win their first Premier League title thanks in large part to the Dutch star’s imperious influence at the back.

In 2018–19, Van Dijk’s performances were so good that he became the first defender in 14 years to win the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award.

Now with two league titles under his belt, Van Dijk could well be considered the best defender the league has ever seen by the end of his career.

17. Patrick Vieira

• Years Active: 1996–2005, 2009–2011
• Clubs: Arsenal, Manchester City
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 292; Goals: 29; Assists: 34
• Honours: 3 x Premier League (1997–98, 2001–02, 2003–04), 6 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04), Premier League Player of the Season (2000–01), Premier League Hall of Fame (2022)

You know the player everyone thought Paul Pogba could be during his time at Manchester United? Well, that was exactly who Patrick Vieira was. With added warrior spirit.

The three-time title winner with Arsenal was quite simply a perfect midfielder. As commanding on the ball as he was off it, Vieira won trophies as well as hearts and minds. Arsène Wenger hailed his trusted lieutenant as the “umbilical cord” between the team and the crowd, capturing the imagination of all those who lay eyes on the graceful force of nature.

16. Dennis Bergkamp

• Years Active: 1995–2006
• Club: Arsenal
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 315; Goals: 87; Assists: 94
• Honours: 3 x Premier League (1997–98, 2001–02, 2003–04), PFA Players’ Player of the Year (1997–98), FWA Footballer of the Year (1997–98), PFA Premier League Team of the Year (1997–98), 4 x Premier League Player of the Month (Aug. 1997, Sept. 1997, Mar. 2002, Feb. 2004), Premier League Hall of Fame (2021)

Dennis Bergkamp’s cerebral approach to the game captivated Premier League fans across the globe. His return of 87 goals and 94 assists in 315 appearances may not immediately leap off the page, but his impact on Arsenal transcended anything numbers can offer.

The link between midfield and attack, Bergkamp brought his effortless grace, unrivalled technique and pinpoint vision to the Gunners for 11 magical seasons, dictating play in a way which has never been seen since on English shores.

Bergkamp was a selfless teammate who thrived on making others look good, but his talent was so strong that it quickly became impossible to ignore.

15. Sergio Agüero

• Years Active: 2011–2021
• Club: Manchester City
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 275; Goals: 184; Assists: 47
• Honours: 5 x Premier League (2011–12, 2013–14, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21), Premier League Golden Boot (2014–15), 2 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2017–18, 2018–19), 7 x Premier League Player of the Month (Oct. 2013, Nov. 2014, Jan. 2016, Apr. 2016, Jan. 2018, Feb. 2019, Jan. 2020)

“AGUERROOOOOOOOOOOO!!”

Sorry, we had to.

Sergio Agüero provided football fans with the most dramatic moment of the Premier League era with that title-winning goal against Queens Park Rangers in the final minute of the final day of the 2011–12 season. Had that been the only goal he ever scored in his life, he still would have made this list.

As it turned out, he netted a few more. Agüero racked up 183 others for Manchester City in the Premier League. In fact, out of anyone who has scored 100-plus goals in the division, the stocky Argentine has the best minutes-per-goal record.

14. Steven Gerrard

• Years Active: 1998–2015
• Club: Liverpool
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 504; Goals: 120; Assists: 92
• Honours: PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2005–06), FWA Footballer of the Year (2008–09), PFA Young Player of the Year (2000–01), 8 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2000–01, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2013–14), 6 x Premier League Player of the Month (Mar. 2001, Mar. 2003, Dec. 2004, Apr. 2006, Mar. 2009, Mar. 2014), Premier League Hall of Fame (2021)

Unquestionably the greatest player never to win a Premier League title, Steven Gerrard certainly did all he could to try and force Liverpool over the line. The Merseyside giants’ talismanic captain was the closest any player has come to a living embodiment of Roy of the Rovers, the comic book character whose cartoonish heroics struggle to match Gerrard’s very real feats.

Voted into the PFA Team of the Year on eight separate occasions, the most of any player in the Premier League era, Gerrard was a figure you wanted on your side.

13. Ryan Giggs

• Years Active: 1992–2014
• Club: Manchester United
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 632; Goals: 109; Assists: 162
• Honours: 13 x Premier League (1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13), PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2008–09), PFA Young Player of the Year (1992–93), 6 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (1992–93, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2006–07, 2008–09), 2 x Premier League Player of the Month (Aug. 2006, Feb. 2007)

There are plenty of reasons why Ryan Giggs is widely regarded as one of the best footballers in Premier League history.

Manchester United hadn’t won a league title for 26 years before Giggs elbowed his way into the first team right at the start of the Premier League era. The Red Devils proceeded to win 13 during a playing career of unrivalled longevity. They haven’t won another since he retired.

Simply put, Giggs was a winner.

12. Paul Scholes

• Years Active: 1994–2013
• Club: Manchester United
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 477; Goals: 106; Assists: 52
• Honours: 11 x Premier League (1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13), 2 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2002–03, 2006–07), 4 x Premier League Player of the Month (Jan. 2003, Dec. 2003, Oct. 2006, Aug. 2010), Premier League Hall of Fame (2022)

Once hailed as the “best central midfielder of the last 20 years” by Barcelona’s own scheming icon Xavi Hernández and “the best I’ve played with” by Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes was quite the player.

A member of the famed Class of ’92, Scholes played a key role in a golden era for Manchester United throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Evolving from a box-crashing goalscorer to a metronomic presence in the middle of the park, the unassuming kid from Salford proved to be the catalyst for the Red Devils dominating opposition week in, week out for the best part of two decades.

11. John Terry

• Years Active: 1998–2017
• Club: Chelsea
• Position: Defender
• Appearances: 492; Clean Sheets: 177; Goals: 41
• Honours: 5 x Premier League (2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2014–15, 2016–17), PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2004–05), 4 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2014–15), Premier League Player of the Month (Jan. 2005)

Spoiler alert: John Terry is the highest ranked defender in our top 50.

And for very good reason.

The former England and Chelsea captain was the perfect central defender. Brave in the tackle, good on the ball and able to marshal a backline with authority, it’s very easy to see why Terry made the PFA Team of the Year four times and was named UEFA Club Defender of the Year on three occasions.

Without his influence at the back, it’s all but impossible to imagine Chelsea winning the five Premier League titles they have amassed in the 21st century. The Blues are still waiting for their first without Terry.

10. Eric Cantona

• Years Active: 1992–1997
• Clubs: Leeds United, Manchester United
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 156; Goals: 70; Assists: 56
• Honours: 4 x Premier League (1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97), PFA Players’ Player of the Year (1993–94), FWA Footballer of the Year (1995–96), PFA Premier League Team of the Year (1993–94), Premier League Player of the Month (Mar. 1996), Premier League Hall of Fame (2021)

When Sir Alex Ferguson describes you as the “messiah” and the “catalyst” for four Premier League titles, chances are you’re pretty good at this game.

Something about Eric Cantona was just different. His justifiable arrogance inspired a free-flowing playing style which took English football by storm and effectively dictated the trajectory of the entire division, with Man Utd rising to the top of the pile and becoming the dominant force in the Premier League.

Man Utd have had some truly sensational players over the years, but few have come close to rivalling Cantona’s influence both on and off the pitch, with many fans still regarding him as the ultimate superstar of Old Trafford legend.

9. Harry Kane

• Years Active: 2012–2023
• Clubs: Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City (loan)
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 320; Goals: 213; Assists: 46
• Honours: PFA Young Player of the Year (2014–15), 3 x Premier League Golden Boot (2015–16, 2020–21, 2022–23), 6 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21, 2022–23), 7 x Premier League Player of the Month (Jan. 2015, Feb. 2015, Mar. 2016, Feb. 2017, Sept. 2017, Dec. 2017, Mar. 2022)

Alan Shearer breathed possibly the biggest sigh of relief of all time when Harry Kane’s move to Bayern Munich was confirmed, because the England captain was getting closer and closer to breaking Shearer’s Premier League goalscoring record.

Tottenham’s greatest-ever goalscorer left England’s top flight with a quite incredible 213 league goals to his name—47 behind Shearer—and three Premier League Golden Boots under his belt.

He didn’t end up breaking Shearer’s record as he was expected to, nor did he win a league title with a talented Spurs outfit, but he’s almost certain to return at some point before he hangs up his boots—and Shearer will be quaking when he does.

8. Frank Lampard

• Years Active: 1996–2015
• Clubs: West Ham United, Chelsea, Manchester City
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 609; Goals: 177; Assists: 102
• Honours: 3 x Premier League (2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10), FWA Footballer of the Year (2005) 3 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06), Premier League Player of the Season (2004–05), 4 x Premier League Player of the Month (Sept. 2003, Apr. 2005, Oct. 2005, Oct. 2008), Premier League Hall of Fame (2021)

Unlike the aforementioned Bergkamp, there was nothing understated about Frank Lampard’s Premier League success.

Chelsea’s maestro is the highest-scoring midfielder in the Premier League, finding the back of the net a stunning 177 times and reaching double figures in no fewer than 10 seasons for the Blues. He redefined what it meant to be a midfielder, but somehow still managed to fulfil his traditional creative duties. His 102 assists puts him fifth in the all-time standings.

Lampard has longevity on his side but, at the peak of his powers, was the runner-up for the 2005 Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards, playing an integral role in establishing Chelsea as one of Europe’s premier powerhouses.

7. Roy Keane

• Years Active: 1992–2006
• Clubs: Nottingham Forest, Manchester United
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 366; Goals: 39; Assists: 33
• Honours: 7 x Premier League (1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03), FWA Footballer of the Year (2000), 5 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (1992–93, 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001–02), 2 x Premier League Player of the Month (Oct. 1998, Dec. 1999), Premier League Hall of Fame (2021)

With seven Premier League titles under his belt, Roy Keane should need no introduction.

The epitome of a box-to-box midfielder, the Republic of Ireland international loved a crunching challenge just as much as firing a low strike into the bottom corner, but his leadership was arguably his strongest attribute and left those around him prepared to run through a brick wall in pursuit of the legacy which inevitably followed.

Retirement has gifted fans a new perspective of Keane as an unintentionally comedic pundit who continues to flash the understanding of the game which turned him into a Premier League icon.

6. Mohamed Salah

• Years Active: 2013–2015, 2017–Present
• Clubs: Chelsea, Liverpool
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 308; Goals: 188; Assists: 89
• Honours: 2 x Premier League (2019–20, 2024–25), 3 x PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2017–18, 2021–22, 2024–25), 3 x FWA Footballer of the Year (2017–18, 2021–22, 2024–25), 4 x Premier League Golden Boot (2017–18, 2018–19 (shared), 2021–22 (shared), 2024–25), 4 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2017–18, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2024–25), 2 x Premier League Player of the Season (2021–22, 2024–25)

An unconvincing start to life in the Premier League with Chelsea threatened to bring an end to Mohamed Salah’s time on English shores, but Liverpool brought him back in 2017 and have been reaping the rewards ever since.

The Egyptian King has been sensational on Liverpool’s right wing, racking up goals and accolades which force his way up these rankings. Not only is Salah the highest-scoring African player in Premier League history, but he is up there in the conversation of greatest goalscorers period. With a joint-record of four Golden Boots behind him, Salah has second place on the all-time scoring charts in his sights.

Those numbers have not been hollow, either. Salah was crucial to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool and played a part in some of the greatest single-season sides we’ve ever seen, and his return of two Premier League titles could easily have been significantly higher with just an ounce more good fortune.

5. Kevin De Bruyne

• Years Active: 2012–2014, 2015–2025
• Clubs: Chelsea, Manchester City
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 288; Goals: 72; Assists: 119
• Honours: 6 x Premier League (2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24), 2 x PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2019–20, 2020–21), 5 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23), 2 x Premier League Player of the Season (2019–20, 2021–22)

Following an eerily similar path to Salah, Kevin De Bruyne is another who needed to leave Chelsea to reach his potential while his rivalry with Salah’s Liverpool as Manchester City’s talisman was the stuff of legend.

De Bruyne spent the late 2010s and early 2020s as the Premier League’s most talented player and was the creative force behind an unparalleled period of dominance under Pep Guardiola, lifting six Premier League titles before his departure in 2025.

His eye for a pass was something special and one look at the assist charts, where he sits second all-time on 119, should be all the evidence you need, but perhaps most telling is De Bruyne’s status as just one of three players to ever retain the PFA Player of the Year award, which is decided by the vote of fellow players. The respect for his talent was clear.

4. Alan Shearer

• Years Active: 1992–2006
• Clubs: Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 441; Goals: 260; Assists: 64
• Honours: 1 x Premier League (1994–95), 2 x PFA Players’ Player of the Year (1994–95, 1996–97), FWA Footballer of the Year (1993–94), 3 x Premier League Golden Boot (1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97), 6 x PFA Players’ Player of the Year (1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 2002–03), Premier League Hall of Fame (2021)

Let’s jump right into it. Alan Shearer is the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer with 260 strikes to his name.

It’s hard to determine what aspect of that status is most impressive. The sheer volume of goals is unrivalled but so is the longevity as Shearer struck double figures in 11 different seasons, including both his first and his last. Four of those campaigns ended in the 20s and three even broke the 30 barrier.

His title triumph with Blackburn Rovers is one of the Premier League’s greatest stories, but his record-breaking success with boyhood side Newcastle United is something most fans across the globe can only dream about.

3. Wayne Rooney

• Years Active: 2002–2018
• Clubs: Everton, Manchester United
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 491; Goals: 208; Assists: 103
• Honours: 5 x Premier League (2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13), PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2009–10), FWA Footballer of the Year (2009–10), 2 x PFA Young Player of the Year (2004–05, 2005–06), 3 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2005–06, 2009–10, 2010–11), Premier League Player of the Season (2009–10), 5 x Premier League Player of the Month (Feb. 2005, Dec. 2005, Mar. 2006, Oct. 2007, Jan. 2010), Premier League Hall of Fame (2022)

No player has ever reached double figures for goals in more Premier League seasons than Wayne Rooney’s 12, but that does not come anywhere close to explaining the full extent of his legacy.

An all-round talent who combined impeccable passion with natural technique, Rooney could do a bit of everything on the pitch. Scoring goals was his first responsibility, and his status as Man Utd’s all-time leading scorer shows just how good he was at that, but the Englishman was also tasked with linking up play with those around him to turn his team’s forward line into an unstoppable, irresistible force.

Rooney helped Man Utd to five Premier League titles and was a three-time Team of the Year feature, establishing himself as one of the division’s most feared strikers.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo

• Years Active: 2003–2009, 2021–2023
• Club: Manchester United
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 236; Goals: 103; Assists: 37
• Honours: 3 x Premier League (2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09), 2 x PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2006–07, 2007–08), 2 x FWA Footballer of the Year (2006–07, 2007–08), PFA Young Player of the Year (2006–07), Premier League Golden Boot (2007–08), 4 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2021–22), 2 x Premier League Player of the Season (2006–07, 2007–08), 6 x Premier League Player of the Month (Nov. 2006, Dec. 2006, Jan. 2008, Mar. 2008, Sept. 2021, Apr. 2022), Ballon d’Or (2008), European Golden Shoe (2007–08)

If we were debating a list of the greatest players to have ever played in the Premier League, Cristiano Ronaldo would undoubtedly be very much part of that conversation. His spells in England came either side of his prime with Real Madrid but were still impressive enough to command a spot this high on this list.

Arriving at Man Utd at just 18 years old, Ronaldo did not need long to live up to his exciting reputation. With the famous No. 7 shirt on his back, Ronaldo added dominance in front of goal to his ludicrous dribbling skills, and by the time 2008 arrived, he was the best player in the world. Ronaldo won that year’s Ballon d’Or and was the first Premier League player to ever win the FIFA World Player of the Year award. Real Madrid made him the world’s most expensive player soon after.

The on-field success is clear, but Ronaldo is more than a player. He is now a brand, one of the most recognised names across the globe and an influence for many of the modern greats who grace our sport today.

1. Thierry Henry

• Years Active: 1999–2007, 2012
• Club: Arsenal
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 258; Goals: 175; Assists: 74
• Honours: 2 x Premier League (2001–02, 2003–04), 2 x PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2002–03, 2003–04), 3 x FWA Footballer of the Year (2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06), 4 x Premier League Golden Boot (2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06), 6 x PFA Premier League Team of the Year (2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06), 4 x Premier League Player of the Month (Apr. 2000, Sept. 2002, Jan. 2004, Apr. 2004), Premier League Hall of Fame (2021), 2 x European Golden Shoe (2003–04, 2004–05)

Arsène Wenger had to convince Arsenal fans of his decision to sign Thierry Henry in 1999, and a slow start to life in England sparked questions about the Frenchman’s ability to adapt to the Premier League. Oh, how wrong the doubters were.

Watching Henry glide past hapless defenders to score stunning goal after stunning goal week in, week out throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s was a formative experience for many football fans. Henry was proof that genuinely magical things could happen on a football pitch.

The Arsenal legend cemented his name in English footballing folklore with five straight 20-goal seasons, four Golden Boots, two European Golden Shoes and the ability to guide his team to an unprecedented unbeaten title-winning season. It simply does not get better than him.

READ SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’S RANKINGS OF THE CURRENT 25 BEST PLAYERS IN EVERY POSITION