Top 50 Premier League Players of All Time

[Eden Hazard]

Np.

[SAS_Robben]

Irwin :heart:

 

Clássico

[Hawkeye]

O que é que vocês achavam do Jaap Stam?

[kareca]

Deve ter sido o melhor central que vi no United, a par do Ferdinand.

[Danskin]

True. Foi um erro terem-se livrado dele.

[Sumudica by Night]

O Fergunson dispensou-o numa bomba de gasolina.

[Eden Hazard]

37. Sol Campbell

Arsenal, Newcastle United, Portsmouth, Tottenham Hotspur

 

 

The future Conservative Mayor of London. The tweed clad country squire off for another hunt. Or for Spurs fans the greatest traitor since Judas Iscariot.

 

Which image jumps into your mind when you think of Sol Campbell? Regrettably the image of one of the greatest centre-backs of his generation is not one that springs to mind immediately.

 

Campbell’s arrogance, occasionally abrasive nature (in additional to the jodhpurs and being the next Boris Johnson) have tended to obscure just what an impressive footballer he was, and really most great footballers need a level of arrogance and egotism to experience the very heights of the game.

 

It’s also easy to forget the by far the largest part of his career was spent as a Spurs. He was captain when Spurs lifted the League Cup in 1999 and many Spurs fans must have dreamed of a future central defensive partnership of Campbell and a promising young Ledley King.

 

It was not to be however and in the summer of 2001 Campbell made one of the most controversial transfers in the history of the Premier League, his free transfer move to North London rivals Arsenal.

 

Under the tutelage of Arsene Wenger Campbell would challenge for the trophies he so craved. He joined an Arsenal side that was about to witness the retirements of stalwarts like Tony Adams and then Martin Keown who had formed the hard core of Wenger’s first great side.

 

Campbell would not have to wait long winning the league and cup double in his debut season with the Gunners.

 

If anything Campbell would reach even greater heights during the 2003-04 “Invincibles” season when Arsenal went unbeaten in the league with Campbell being a leader of a new look defence featuring Jens Lehmann in goals and a usual back four of Lauren, Touré, Campbell and Cole.

 

Campbell’s efforts were recognised when he was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the third and final time.

 

During this period Campbell could have been viewed as among the very best centre backs in world football, he was possessed of all the physical attributes for the role but also possessed of pace, vision and the skill levels expected from a player in a “peak” Wenger team.

 

For England as well Campbell excelled, playing at six consecutive tournaments and being named in the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 Teams of the Tournament.

 

The “Invincibles” year would be the apex of Campbell’s career, injury and loss of form would mean that first team football was harder to come by, he would only make 36 league appearances over the next two seasons, finding himself losing out to the likes of Philippe Senderos and Pascal Cygan.

 

It did appear that there would be one more Arsenal highlight when he put them ahead in the Champions League final against Barcelona but it was to be his last game in his first spell for Arsenal.

 

There was to be a swan song for Campbell at an ambitious Portsmouth under Harry Redknapp which saw Campbell captain Pompey to a FA Cup triumph, the fourth in his career.

 

Soon though financial reality would catch up with Portsmouth and Campbell embarked on an ill-advised move to Notts County before short spells back at Arsenal and finally Newcastle.

 

 

 

36. Paul McGrath

Aston Villa

 

Discussing Paul McGrath’s career can often be an exercise in bemoaning unfulfilled potential. What if McGrath had not had chronic knee problems? What if he had not suffered so acutely with personal demons? Instead, we should look at McGrath as having achieved amazing success in spite of significant obstacles.

 

In the 1992-93 Premier League season, Ron Atkinson took charge at Villa Park and set about putting together one of the most exciting teams in the early Premier League era.

 

Spearheaded by Dean Saunders up front, McGrath was the side’s lynchpin in defence and led his team to a thrilling second place finish behind his former side Manchester United.

 

McGrath was rewarded for his fantastic form over that season with the PFA Player of the Year Award (he is still one of only two Irishmen to win that award).

 

It says much about McGrath’s footballing ability that this award came relatively late in his career, and in spite of dealing with both chronic injury and disruptive personal problems at this time.

 

McGrath’s physical build meant he could have played almost anywhere on the pitch but it was widely acknowledged that he would often be unable to train from week to week due to his knee problems and would simply play every Saturday and spend the week attempting to be ready to go again the following weekend.

 

McGrath was a tough tackler and engaged readily in the physical stakes of defending but his true majesty was in his reading of the game. Such was his positional awareness that at times, it felt as though he possessed the ability to duplicate himself so as to man two spaces at once.

 

At his imperious best, McGrath dominated entire games with his ability to anticipate and break up attacks almost at will.

 

Unfulfilled potential should not be a phrase we ever associate with Paul McGrath. Over-coming huge personal and physical barriers, individual and collective honours, fan adoration (Villa fans still sing his name nearly 20 years after he left the club); by almost any metric, he achieved huge amounts in a storied career and is more than deserving of his place in the BPF Top 50.

 

 

35. Andrew Cole

Blackburn Rovers, Fulham, Manchester United, Manchester City, Newcastle United, Portsmouth, Sunderland

 

 

Andy Cole first exploded on to the scene in blistering fashion with Newcastle United, under the exhilarating but ultimately doomed tutelage of Kevin Keegan.

 

The Magpies were promoted up to the Premier League at the end of the 92/93 season and Cole wasted absolutely no time in quickly establishing himself as one of the most devastating marksmen around, notching 34 goals in 40 games as the Geordies finished third and qualified for the UEFA Cup.

 

As he continued to find the net on a frighteningly regular basis, it was no surprise that Manchester United began making overtures to sign him. Alex Ferguson was determined to get his man and bolster an already impressive United attacking pack, coughing up a British record fee worth £7m to acquire his services.

 

Cole was an instant hit with the Old Trafford crowd, making history in scoring five goals in the 9-0 rout of Ipswich Town and immediately installing him as a Stretford End favourite. His second season – and first full campaign – proved to be stuttering as the United supporters turned their attentions to the exciting return of the King, Eric Cantona. Cole scored 14 goals in all competitions but failed to match his prolific return while at St James’ Park and was suffered a blow to his confidence as a result.

 

Ferguson was clearly not content with Cole’s form and sought out another striker, but failed in his pursuit of Alan Shearer. He did however, capture Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the Norwegian’s arrival did push Cole down the pecking order, even before he suffered a broken leg in a reserve game against Liverpool.

 

But Cole wasn’t prepared to give up on the biggest club in the world just yet. The retirement of Cantona opened a door to which he duly galloped through, finishing the 97/98 season as top-scorer and earning himself a runner-up in the PFA Players’ Player of the Year.

 

Then came Dwight Yorke.

 

The Aston Villa striker was signed at the start of the 98/99 season and, alongside Cole, they formed the most feared strike partnership in European football as United triumphed in unprecedented fashion with the memorable Treble – and Cole scoring 24 goals in another profitable campaign.

 

It was difficult for Cole to maintain such glorious form in the years after and after he left United in 2002 for Blackburn Rovers, he gradually became something of a journeyman striker, popping up at a further seven clubs before eventually hanging up his boots in 2009.

 

Make no mistake though, at the peak of his powers, there was rarely a striker as clinical and confident as Cole, who took great pride in his ability to prise open defences and helped form one of the all-time attacking duos in English football. Pure class.

 

[Danskin]

Que três! Cada um especial à sua maneira. :)

[kareca]

Melhor central do Arsenal 8-)

[Eden Hazard]

34. Claude Makelele

Chelsea

 

 

It’s not often that a player is so successful that their name becomes synonymous with a role and a position on the pitch.

 

Claude Makelele’s talent had been obvious at a young age, but, as was typical for the player, his performances went largely unnoticed at first.

 

Having spent six years establishing himself with Nantes in Ligue 1, Makelele moved to Marseille and then to Spain with Celta Vigo.

 

It was in Spain that he truly developed into a holding midfielder and his standout performances earned him a €14 million to Real Madrid in 2000.

 

The honours flooded in soon after – two La Liga titles, the UEFA Champions League, the Spanish Super Cup, the European Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup (now the FIFA World Club Championship) all followed.

 

Yet, feeling undervalued compared to the rest of the Galacticos, Makelele asked for an improved contract and was promptly sold to Chelsea. Club president Florentino Perez was adamant that Makelele wouldn’t be missed, but his star midfielder disagreed.

 

With David Beckham joining in the same transfer window, Zidane remarked philosophically:

 

Why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the entire engine?

Madrid’s loss was England’s gain however. Signed by Claudio Ranieri for £14 million in 2003, Makelele went on to become part of the spine of Mourinho’s first title-winning Chelsea team.

 

With the midfield anchored, he was able to form a crucial understanding with Frank Lampard and the team never looked back.

 

Makelele’s presence relieved the creative players of their defensive responsibilities and gave the side a balance that allowed them to flourish in attack.

 

It was not only the physical presence that made his teammates look better, but the assurance and protection he gave to the back four.

 

Back to back Premier League titles, in addition to the host of silverware that Chelsea went on to win, may not have happened without him.

 

In the 217 appearances that he made for Chelsea, Makelele’s power, strength and ability to read the game made him one of the most valued players in the British game.

 

His understated but flawless performances contributed hugely to the rise of a resurgent Chelsea that became a new footballing superpower.

 

 

 

33. Gareth Bale

Tottenham Hotspur

 

 

One of the fastest and most explosive players in the world, Gareth Bale’s time in the Premier League could be likened to a feel-good story of a man bouncing back from the brink.

 

The Welshman joined Tottenham Hotspur as a teenage left back with a prodigious left foot. What made young Bale so special was his contributions via his attacking forays from fullback. Gradually establishing a reputation as a set piece specialist, the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United fought for his signature when he left Southampton.

 

The offensive dynamo left English football on the highest of highs as a world record transfer to Real Madrid, after an excellent individual year. In that year, 2013, Bale was named the PFA Young Player Of The Year and FWA Player Of The Year.

 

It seems impossible that Bale was close to leaving White Hart Lane with his tail between his legs for Alex McLeish’s Birmingham City in 2009.

 

A damning statistic of the time was that Bale had gone 24 consecutive matches without being on the winning side for Spurs.

 

It was a positional switch to left wing in 2010 that proved the making of Gareth Bale. The iconic performance he delivered was that famous Champions League night in Milan against Inter – a hat-trick display colloquially dubbed “Taxi for Maicon”. The Welsh international kicked on from there and took his game to a whole new level.

 

He capped that off by being named the 2011 PFA Player Of The Year. The sky was the limit for Bale at that point of time, and indeed it has been. Ahead of the 2012/13 campaign, Bale switched his shirt number from 3 to 11.

 

With hindsight, this rather symbolically marked him breaking into the upper echelons of football. 21 goals and 9 assists in 33 appearances – 26 goals and 15 assists in 44 appearances across all competitions – signalled Bale’s arrival as one of THE stars of the Premier League.

 

A unique blend of pace, power, skill and undoubted professionalism, Gareth Bale was a phenomenal irresistible attacking force in the Premier League.

 

 

32. David Silva

Manchester City

 

 

Even in the dark days of the mid to late-90s, Manchester City fans were able to enjoy some fantastic playmakers; the likes of Georgi Kinkladze, Ali Benarbia and Eyal Berkovic spring to mind immediately.

 

However, none come close to matching the ability and impact of mercurial Spaniard David Silva who made the switch from Valencia to Eastlands for around €32 million back in the summer of 2010.

 

Since then, the now 29-year-old has won the Premier League twice, as well as the FA Cup, League Cup and Community Shield under first Roberto Mancini and then Manuel Pellegrini.

 

Used as a wide player or in behind a lone striker, Silva’s guile and eye for a pass are second to none in the Premier League, and arguably the world, and he topped the assists chart with 15 in City’s title-winning campaign of 2011/12.

 

He for me is the best Manchester City player by a distance. I may shock people when I say that, but he always wants to go forward and he wants the ball all the time. I would have loved to have played with him.

– Thierry Henry

 

If you were to pick a fault in Silva’s game, it would have been his reluctance to shoot from good positions in front goal, but he addressed that in emphatic fashion last season as he bagged 12 goals in 32 Premier League games to finish as City’s second highest scorer behind Sergio Aguero.

 

Unfortunately for City, Silva has suffered his fair share of injuries and there is a noticeable difference in the make up of the team when he isn’t in it, testament to how integral a role he has played in the progress made by the club over the past five years.

 

Perhaps the greatest endorsement of any player comes from those who are on the pitch with him week in, week out, and former City striker Edin Dzeko has labelled him the best player in the Premier League, while others, including Frank Lampard, describe him as humble but great to have in the dressing room.

 

The diminutive Silva has left a lasting impression on the Premier League, and will go down as one of the greatest City players of all time.

 

 

Estes três. :prayer:

[Phil]

Bale :')

não sei se volto a ver um jogador melhor no clube

[HugoSilva88]

Silva craque :cool:

[Hawkeye]

Makelele :prayer:

[Swarley]

Makelélé :prayer:

 

O gajo estava sempre no sítio certo e tinha uma capacidade de antecipação brutal, adorava vê-lo jogar.

 

Melhor médio defensivo que já vi.

[lastdance]

Faz-me um bocado de confusão o Owen em 47º...

[Eden Hazard]

30. Gary Neville

Manchester United

 

 

If it is possible for a player with 85 international caps, eight Premier League titles, and two Champions League winners’ medals to be underrated, then Gary Neville is that man.

 

As a key member of the vaunted ‘Class of ’92’, expectations at Old Trafford were high for the Youth Cup winning captain. And The Bury-born full-back did not disappoint, going on to make over 600 first team appearances and becoming club captain in 2005.

 

What Neville achieved during his near two decades in Sir Alex Ferguson’s team was, without question, remarkable.

 

But ask anyone who followed the Premier League during his career for their thoughts on the older Neville brother and they might not be so complimentary.

 

Whether it was kicking Arsenal’s José Antonio Reyes off the park in 2004, or celebrating in front of the away fans after a last-gasp victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford in 2006, Neville was regularly United’s chief antagonist. Adored by the United faithful, the life-long Red Devil was less popular outside the Theatre of Dreams.

 

However, to summarise Neville’s career in such a way would be to undermine his technical ability.

 

In addition to his sound positional instincts and ability to read the game, Neville also developed into one of the most cultured crossers in the Premier League; he perfected the art of swinging over beautifully arced centres that begged to be gobbled up by the likes of Dwight Yorke or Ruud van Nistelrooy.

 

Neville played his final game on New Year’s Day 2011, away to West Brom. Having struggled through the first 45 minutes, the 35-year-old was substituted at half-time. It was at this moment that England’s most capped right-back knew he could no longer perform at the highest level and decided to call it a career.

 

“I am disappointed that my playing days are at an end,” read Neville’s statement on United’s official website. “However, it comes to us all and it’s knowing when that time is and for me that time is now.”

 

And with that, Neville stepped away from the game with clarity and self-awareness of a man with nothing left to achieve, nothing left to prove.

 

 

 

29. Ashley Cole

Arsenal, Chelsea

 

 

Ashley Cole wasn’t the first footballer to find his private life splashed across all forms of media, but his treatment was similar to that of a soap-opera villain. Even your Nanna had an opinion on him.

 

The future ‘Invincible’ started his career with Arsenal in 1999, soon rising up the ranks to be Arsene Wenger’s star student, and the first elite English player to be brought through under the Frenchman’s stewardship.

 

Cole would play for the Gunners 156 times in the league, scoring eight goals and having a hand in many more, as he formed a lethal trident with Robert Pires and Thierry Henry on the left wing.

 

As the era of all-powerful football agents took hold, Cole went one step too far. The FA certainly seemed to think so anyway, handing him a £100k fine after he and agent Jonathan Barnett were wined and dined by Jose Mourinho, whilst Cole was still an Arsenal employee.

 

A year later, £5 million and William Gallas took Cole’s place at the newly-opened Emirates Stadium. One the greatest bargains in Chelsea history.

 

At Stamford Bridge he had relentless battles with some of best wingers in the world, including Cristiano Ronaldo as Chelsea fought Manchester United for domestic and European titles. In 2009-10 Cole added a third Premier League medal to the two he acquired at Arsenal.

 

He ended his eight-year stay at Chelsea with a further 229 league appearances, as well as winners medals from the Champions League, and a record seven from the FA Cup.

 

Sorry then Nanna, but I’ll have to go with the opinion of somebody who knows a thing or two about being a full-back.

 

 

28. Xabi Alonso

Liverpool

 

Not much was known of Rafael Benitez when he arrived on British shores; having departed UEFA Cup winners Valencia ready to take Liverpool to higher levels than his predecessors could manage.

 

Even less was known of Xabi Alonso, a young central midfield player he brought with him from the Spanish leagues.

 

The fresh-faced, soft spoken Spaniard cost over £10 million from Real Sociedad.

 

He had begun his career there, playing regularly in the Spanish top flight prior to Benitez plucking him from Sociedad and into one of the most famous clubs in the world.

 

It wasn’t long before his calm ball control, audacious long range passing and silky midfield play gripped the Liverpool fans and Premier League spectators.

 

Alonso was adored in his five seasons at Anfield, forming a formidable midfield threesome with first Steven Gerrard and Didi Hamann and soon Gerrard and Javier Mascherano – playing the calm influencer to the gung-ho attacks of Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

 

He’ll be most remembered for his goals from within his own half, first scoring against Luton Town in the FA Cup and then knocking it over Newcastle’s Steve Harper from his side of the centre circle in 2006.

 

The World Cup and European Championship winner played 143 Premier League games for the Merseysiders, his consistency and class forever cementing him as a league legend.

 

The fact Real Madrid took him from us is proof of that.

 

He left the league without a league medal, but did deliver a magnificent Champions League winners medal to Anfield hearts – scoring in the final, the goal that completed the 3-3 comeback.

 

The league has seen few passers with the class and craftiness of Xabi Alonso, a rare type of player which we didn’t get long enough to enjoy.

 

 

Cole. :heart: Ainda estou à espera de ver um defesa-esquerdo do Chelsea igualar o desempenho dele em 09/10. Foi inacreditável.

[kareca]

Cahsley.

[Enzo Dios Perez]

Ver esses nomes todos que têm saído à frente do Owen... :-|

Editado 22 Janeiro 2016 por Enzo Dios Perez

[Eden Hazard]

27. Sergio Aguero

Manchester City

 

 

It’s been three and a half years since Sergio Aguero scored that goal against Queens Park Rangers but you will struggle to find a Manchester City fan who doesn’t get goose bumps watching it again…and again…and again.

 

To base such a wonderful player’s lasting legacy on a single moment might be a bit unfair but it’s no coincidence that City’s first top flight title in 44 years came at the end of the Argentine striker’s first season at the club as he tore the Premier League apart, scoring 23 times in 34 games.

 

Aguero arrived in Manchester after a hugely successful spell at Atletico Madrid in Spain where he was appointed joint vice-captain of the club aged just 22 and formed a strong partnership with Diego Forlan.

 

City shelled out £38 million to secure his services, and Aguero hit the ground running with a goal on debut against Swansea City following his second half entrance as a substitute.

 

After finishing runners-up to rivals Manchester United, City claimed their second Premier League title in 2014 but injuries restricted Aguero to just 23 appearances (and he still managed to score 17 times).

 

Unfortunately Aguero has spent a lot of time on the sideline in his four and a bit seasons at City, though doesn’t seem to have deterred Real Madrid who are linked with a move for him during every transfer window.

 

Behind a cheeky grin and boyish good looks is a player whose drive and determination is evident every time he takes to the field, and his work rate for a striker is up there with the likes of countryman Carlos Tevez.

 

Last season, he claimed the league’s Golden Boot thanks scoring 26 times and to date has netted 84 goals in 128 Premier League games.

 

City fans have been truly blessed to have watched the now 27-year-old during his peak years, and no doubt there is still plenty more to come.

 

 

 

26. Yaya Toure

Manchester City

 

 

Yaya Touré has undoubtedly been one of the premium central midfielders of the Premier League since his 24 million move to Manchester City in 2010. The Ivorian powerhouse left Barcelona as a defensive midfielder who had shown in flashes the potential to make positive contributions in attack.

 

In his first year at City, Touré scored the winner in both the semi-finals (a man-of-the-match display against Manchester United) and the final (against Stoke City) of the FA Cup. Playing ahead of the holding duo of Gareth Barry and Nigel de Jong, Touré had the freedom of movement previously restricted at Barcelona, not that there’s any shame in that with Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta.

 

An FA Cup triumph to end City’s 35-year trophy drought marked a great start to his Premier League career.

 

Over the years, the Ivorian might not have been excellent from matchday 1 through to matchday 38; however, what matters most is that he has come up with the goods when City have most needed him to. He put in an authoritative midfield performance in a crucial 1-0 win in a Manchester derby in 2012 which turned the title race back in City’s favour.

 

Since then he has produced innumerable match-winning displays, often marked by composed finishes after swashbuckling runs, powering past opponents like they weren’t there. Touré’s stunning long-range curler in the 2013 League Cup final springs to mind as another magical moment. A blemish on his record would be the loss to Wigan Athletic in the 2013 FA Cup final.

 

Even so, Touré has impressively done a clean sweep of the domestic trophies on offer. Touré’s honours list in England reads as – two Premier League titles, one FA Cup, one League Cup and twice named in the PFA Team Of The Year. A long-awaited African Cup Of Nations in January 2015 has made all his mid-season absences on international duty worth it.

 

At 1.88m, Touré is extremely well-built yet he possesses the deftness of touch usually associated with players of a much more diminutive stature. Operating in holding midfield in a double pivot or further forward as an attacking midfielder, Touré has been the most impressive goalscoring midfielder since Frank Lampard’s golden years at Chelsea.

 

He has developed into something of a free kick specialist, displaying an exquisite level of finesse at free kicks, where it seems as if he caresses the ball rather than strike it. The City number 42’s formidable blend of power, athleticism, technique and intelligence has made him one of the best players in the Premier League since his debut against Tottenham Hotspur.

 

The move to Manchester has truly liberated Yaya Touré from his defensive midfield shackles, giving English football one of the most mercurial of performers in the history of the Premier League.

 

 

25. Robbie Fowler

Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City

 

Not many people earn the nickname God. One man did earn that nickname for his exploits on Merseyside. That tells you all you need to know about Robbie Fowler.

 

The Toxteth-born striker lived the dreams of many Liverpudlians, playing over 260 games in two spells for his boyhood club. A lethal finisher, Fowler scored over 186 goals during an illustrious career.

 

In truth, Fowler probably doesn’t get the credit or acknowledgment his talents deserve. His first 13 games for Liverpool yielded 12 goals, a remarkable record for a young striker just bursting onto the scene.

 

The next season, Fowler was an ever-present in the Liverpool side, winning the League Cup and recording the fastest ever hat-trick in the Premiership in a game against Arsenal (until broken by Saido Mane in 2015).

 

Fowler won the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 1995 and 1996, the only player along with Giggs and Rooney to do so. He continued to earn a reputation as the country’s most lethal finisher, as well as being a key part of Liverpool’s infamous Spice-Boys group.

 

The striker left Liverpool in 2001, moving to Leeds United. He had fallen out with Phil Thompson and had been dropped by manager Gerard Houllier as a result.

 

Michael Owen and Emile Heskey established themselves as the Frenchman’s first choice striker partnership, leaving Fowler frustrated in the wings. It should never have been allowed to happen, and the man they called God’s career suffered as a result.

 

Robbie Fowler only managed 26 games for England, a result of unfortunate timing of his talents. Whilst Fowler was undoubtedly the best finisher in England, he had to compete with the likes of Alan Shearer, Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham and Michael Owen up front.

 

I have little doubt that if Fowler was in his prime now, he would be one of England’s leading players.

 

[Poeira]

Fowler :heart:

[Almeno]

Fowler :heart:

[Eden Hazard]

24. Ruud van Nistelrooy

Manchester United

 

 

Surprisingly only 12 months later after suffering the dreaded cruciate knee curse which left him out injured for an entire year, Ruud van Nistelrooy moved to Manchester United amid a wave of optimism amongst United supporters. However United fans had every right to be hopeful of expecting great things from the former Dutch international with his goal scoring record at PSV standing at a pulsating 75 goals in 91 games.

 

With a lot of quality up front with players like Solskjaer, Sheringham, Cole and Yorke still at the club, van Nistelrooy came to United facing a lot of competition to make the starting 11, however it soon became apparent that van Nistelrooy was going to be Ferguson’s main man and quickly became a goal scoring machine and an Old Trafford fan favourite.

 

With many great moments in a red shirt, his finest moment for me was the 02/03 season. At the beginning of March, Arsenal sat eight points clear of United at the top of the table and United looked a long way off title-winners after a very dodgy Christmas period.

 

But in typical post-Christmas fashion, United went on to finish the season unbeaten with Van Nistelrooy at the forefront.

 

Van Nistelrooy scored in each of the final eight games of the season, pipping Henry to the Golden Boot and helping United win the title which was subsequently the only title of his United career.

 

In that season he was also named the best striker in Europe after scoring an astonishing 12 Champions League goals.

 

Van Nistelrooy left Old Trafford like so many others before and after him amid speculation of a falling out with Ferguson and was sold to Real Madrid in 2006.

 

His United career, although short, had accumulated quite an impressive goal scoring record of 150 goals in 219 appearances.

 

He also currently holds the record of most consecutive Premier League matches scored in with 10 goals but that may not be true for much longer with the unbelievable form Jamie Vardy currently finds himself in.

 

 

23. Rio Ferdinand

Leeds United, Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers, West Ham United

 

 

Eltham Town’s coach David Goodwin once told his star attacking midfielder:

 

I’m going to call you Pele son – I like the way you play.

Rio Ferdinand’s talent had been obvious at a young age, but his physique saw him marked out by scouts as the ideal centre back.

 

Blessed with immense pace and the ability to bring the ball out from the back, Ferdinand swiftly graduated from the Academy of Football and established himself at the heart of the West Ham defence.

 

In only his second season as a regular in the first team, he was voted “Hammer of the Year” and became the youngest defender to debut for the England national team when he received his first cap.

 

His standout performances caught the attention of other clubs, and he joined Leeds United in November 2000 for £18 million, becoming the most expensive defender in world football – a record that he again broke upon signing for Manchester United in 2002 for an estimated cost of £34 million.

 

The fee was huge, but Sir Alex Ferguson’s judgement looked to have let him down just over a year later when Ferdinand missed a drugs test at United’s Carrington training ground and was handed an eight-month ban at both club and national level.

 

Ferguson however was unphased, and kept faith with the under fire defender.

 

Ferdinand became an integral part of the Manchester United defence, but it wasn’t until 2006 that he was able to enjoy his best football. Paired with newly recruited Serbian stalwart Nemanja Vidic they established a formidable partnership at the heart of Ferguson’s United side.

 

Having captained his team to victory in the 2008 Champions League Final, Ferdinand was then instrumental in United keeping a record 21 clean sheets en-route to a Premier League and League Cup double in the 2008-09 season.

 

Injuries gradually began to take their toll and Ferdinand lost his physical edge, but his ability to position himself in the right place at the right time was still apparent right up until his retirement in October 2014.

 

Controversies aside, he will be remembered as Manchester United’s finest defender in the Premier League era.

 

 

22. Petr Cech

Arsenal, Chelsea

 

For managers, goalkeepers are, in many ways, the hardest position to fill. Recollect the post-Schmeichel period at Old Trafford to see how even a club of Manchester United’s size can struggle to find a player of the requisite skills to guard the net.

 

If a club gets it wrong, it often goes wrong very quickly and very visibly; but get it right and the rewards can last for nearly a decade.

 

This is why Chelsea’s fans, players and managers – in particular Jose Mourinho – should thank current Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri, because it was the ‘Tinker man’ who signed Petr Cech from Rennes in 2004.

 

Good goalkeepers are reliable, great goalkeepers actively win you points over a season; but the truly outstanding goalkeepers become totems, intrinsic components of a team’s spine – thats what Petr Cech became for Chelsea. And all for the frankly absurd price of a mere seven million pounds.

 

In his first full season at Stamford Bridge, aged just 23-years old, Cech broke the record for minutes without concede – keeping the net unbeaten for 1,025 minutes. It would come to define Cech’s career at Chelsea – spectacular reliability.

 

Chelsea’s most successful period would come to be defined by five names – Terry, Lampard, Drogba, Mourinho and Cech. The 6.5 ft shot-stopper became part of a winning spine. An institution.

 

The injury sustained against Reading in 2006 didn’t just threaten to ruin the Czech international’s season, it could have very well ended his life. Despite initially grim predictions, Cech was back in action four months later, sporting a now iconic rugby style skull cap.

 

Even more intrinsic than before, the Chelsea keeper went onto make 333 Premier League appearances, winning the Premier League four times, the Premier League Golden Glove award three times and being named Chelsea’s player of the year in 2011.

 

With the emergence of Thibaut Courtois at Stamford Bridge threatening his chances of regular football, Cech requested a transfer and, in part due to the good will he had engendered at the club, was granted a move to Arsenal this summer.

 

Arsene Wenger, not known for his lavish spending, parted with £10 million to bring the 33-year old to The Emirates.

 

Cech currently holds the Premier League record for clean sheets – at the time of writing 172. With first team football secured and more than a few seasons still left in the tank it may be a while before anyone beats it.

 

Cech. :heart: :cry:

[a.lopes]

apesar de só ter feito uns jogos na Premier League, acho que o Santiago Muñez merecia estar nessa lista

o que ele fez pelo Newcastle foi brilhante

[Eden Hazard]

21. Robert Pires

Arsenal, Aston Villa

 

 

Arsenal have had a long lineage of employing word class wingers exciting fans with their unique skills. David Rocastle, Mark Overmars and Robert Pires are to name a few as they are all very different players but were equally important to the teams they were in.

 

Robert Pires was a star before he joined Arsenal in 2000, winning a World Cup and European Championship with the French National Team. Pires, arrived at Arsenal to fill a Marc Overmars shaped hole when the Dutchman moved onto Barcelona.

 

It was the archetypal Wenger type deal as Overmars moved to Catalonia for £25 million while Pires joined from Marseille for £6 million.

 

The Frenchman initially found it hard to adjust to the rough and tumble style of Premier League football but when he did, he didn’t look back.

 

Him and Thierry Henry were as thick as thieves as Henry frequently shifted out wide to Pires’ left wing to create trouble for defenders.

 

Pires was a winger who rarely relied on pace as his boundless technique and grace on the ball allowed him to discomfort even the sturdiest of defenders.

 

His unique style of prodding the ball down the flank with the outside of his right foot was like watching poetry in motion as he glided into the nightmares of many fullbacks tasked with marking him.

 

Pires also developed a penchant for the extraordinary as sublime goals against bitter North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur were only testament to his incredible eye for goal.

 

He was a pivotal part of the Invincibles team that won the Premier League without losing. Pires won another league title with Arsenal while winning four FA Cups.

 

In the 2001/02 season, he also won the Football Writers Player of the Year.

 

He is one of the Premier League’s greatest bargains as he constantly tormented defences with his brand of sophisticated flair in arguably, Arsenal’s greatest team.

 

 

 

20. David Beckham

Manchester United

 

 

Leading man looks, popstar wife, photogenic family, multimillion-pound sponsorship deals: David Beckham is the man who has it all. But make no mistake, everything that Beckham achieved on the football pitch was a result of good, old-fashioned, hard work.

 

Growing up in London, Beckham was a huge Manchester United fan. Courted as a teenager by local clubs such as Leyton Orient and Tottenham, the youngster signed schoolboy forms for the club he supported on his 14th birthday.

 

He went on to make 394 appearances for United, winning a magnitude of honours including the famous Treble in 1999.

 

Beckham became known for his long-range passing, precision crossing, and deadly free kicks. These abilities can undoubtably be attributed to hours of work on the training field: he could often be found pinging free kicks through a bicycle tyre suspended from the crossbar.

 

Beckham’s story is also one of overcoming adversity.

 

A petulant flick against Diego Simeone’s calves, a dramatic fall from the Argentinian midfielder, and a red card for Beckham. England, down to 10 men, lose a penalty shootout and are eliminated from the 1998 World Cup.

 

The Manchester United man became public enemy number one overnight. The Daily Mirror print a dartboard with his face on it. An effigy of Beckham is hung in front of a London pub ahead of United’s first away match of 98/99 season against West Ham.

 

Fast forward three years to Old Trafford, October 6, 2001. England need only a draw against Greece to secure qualification to the 2002 World Cup, but with 93 minutes played, the Three Lions trail 2-1.

 

A free kick 30 yards from goal represents the last vestige of hope for the 60,000-plus fans biting their nails inside the Theatre of Dreams.

 

Beckham, now England captain, having covered more than 16 kilometres during the game, stands over the ball. He takes a breath, begins his run-up, and curls an inch-perfect strike into the top corner. No bicycle tyre required. England qualify and all is forgiven.

 

After leaving Old Trafford in 2003, Beckham went on to represent Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy and AC Milan, before calling time on his career after a short spell with Paris St-Germain.

 

The Parisians allowed Beckham to captain the side in his final outing, demonstrating the high regard in which he is held throughout the footballing world.

 

 

19. Matthew Le Tissier

Southampton

 

Any footballer who can say he’s called “Le God” by his club’s fans has done well in his career. Matt Le Tissier joined the Southampton youth academy aged 17 and has gone on to be one of the best players in the club’s history.

 

Being named the PFA Young Player of the Year in the 1989/90 season, marked a strong start to his professional career. Things were on the up and only got better from there.

 

The Guernsey-born Englishman was named Premier League Player of the Month in December (an award he would again win in October 1996) and ended that 1994/95 campaign in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.

 

Along the way toward that honour, Le God also picked up a certain “English Football Goal of the Season”.

 

Receiving the ball a few yards inside the Blackburn Rovers half, Le Tissier drove forward. After twisting and turning his way past his marker, he hit the most brilliant of shots – a 40-yard chip over the Blackburn goalkeeper Tim Flowers.

 

That goal was a sublime effort and, with hindsight, is only one of the many magical moments that Le Tissier has blessed the football world with.

 

More than a scorer of great goals, Le Tissier was also a great goalscorer – he was the first midfielder in Premier League history to hit the 100 goals mark. Le God ended his professional career as the second highest league goalscorer in Southampton history on 161 goals.

 

Le Tissier’s goal record should not be surprising, as he time and again showcased his technical ability in games as well as his nerves of steel from the penalty spot.

 

He was a premium penalty specialist and famously holds the statistic of having scored 47 of his 48 spot kick taken.

 

Le Tissier might not have the most impressive of trophy hauls at team level, just the one runner-up medal from a 3-2 extra time defeat to Nottingham Forest in the now-defunct Full Members Cup in 1992.

 

In 2013, the Southampton legend was named in the English Football Hall of Fame. His international career at senior level spanned only 8 caps, though he should have received many more.

 

What Matt Le Tissier was, what his legacy is, is an exceptional midfielder with great technical ability who brought joy to those who played with him and those who watched him play from the stands or on the television.

 

Don’t just take my word for it, take Xavi’s:

 

His talent was simply was simply out of the norm. He could dribble past 7 or 8 players but without speed . He just walked past them. For me, he was sensational.

 

[Oblivion]

Tissi :heart: