There are a great number of professional pundits who appear on our television screens, and football would not be the same without them. They provide their verdict on the teams, players, managers, and strategies, which includes analysing and commenting on what went right, what went wrong, and how referees performed and interpreted the video assistant referee system.
A few polls conducted by individuals such as GiveMeSport, The Mirror newspaper, and FourFourTwo have been analysed by us in order to provide you with a summary of the individuals who are ranked in the various positions on the popularity ladder for football units.
Firstly, Gary Neville
When it comes to the polls of pundits, Gary Neville is considered to be among the best; in fact, he was ranked first in all three polls that were just mentioned. It is to his advantage that he has played for Manchester United and England in the past, where he was capped 85 times. His experience was invaluable. As a pundit for Sky Sports, he draws on his extensive knowledge of football as well as his enthusiasm for the sport to provide insightful analysis and personal opinions. He does this not only on matches and players, but also on what is going on behind the scenes, away from the pitch of play.
He has also worked for ITV during the 2022 World Cup, where he got into trouble for criticising the British government regarding their attitude towards strikers. During this time, he criticised the British government. Additionally, he has engaged in a public dispute with Joey Barton as a result of the latter’s offensive remarks concerning female football pundits. He is a man who is not afraid to say what’s on his mind.
Second, Roy Keane
Roy Keane is a notable television football pundit who works for both ITV and Sky Sports. Whether you like him or hate him, he is a football commentator. The controversial views and remarks that he has expressed have sparked a great deal of debate and discussion.
He was just as fiery as a player, and he is just as fiery as a pundit. When the Irishman lost his temper in Saipan, he stormed out of Ireland’s World Cup camp in 2002 as a symbol of protest against what he considered to be unacceptable training facilities. Some of us remember this event from 22 years ago. He hasn’t changed all that great.
He has no qualms about expressing his opinions and tearing into people, including managers like Jurgen Klopp. He is completely fearless doing so. Keane’s current status as a pundit is a direct result of his tendency to speak his mind and take things as they come.
It was Ian Wright.
Ian Wright is widely regarded as one of the most popular football pundits in the country. It is improbable that he did not make his debut in the world of football until he was in his early 20s; however, when he did, he made a splash, and he would go on to score 185 goals for Arsenal, the team he cherished the most.
Wright began his career as a pundit in 2002, when he appeared on BBC TV’s Match of the Day. This was after he had retired from playing football at the professional level in the year 2000. His unflappable demeanour has brought a great deal of happiness to viewers of the legendary television series. He also appeared as a pundit on numerous occasions during the international coverage that ITV provided.
The results of various football pundit polls are not consistent with one another. After Gary Neville, Wright finished in second place in the poll conducted by the Mirror newspaper. This is in contrast to the GiveMeSport poll, in which Wright did not appear at all. His knowledge and sense of humour have made the viewing experiences of a great number of television viewers more enjoyable, despite the fact that he may not be the most insightful and analytical pundit. When he retires from his appearances on BBC Match of the Day at the conclusion of the 2023–2024 season, he will be greatly missed by the audience.
A. Scott, Alex and
When it comes to her career in sports media, Alex Scott has been subjected to a significant amount of discrimination and sexist abuse. The former full-back for Arsenal, who has a quadruple to her name and has also won 140 caps for her country, is an excellent candidate for the role of football pundit because she possesses all of the necessary qualifications.
She has brought her natural analytical ability to both the BBC and Sky, where she has accurately and succinctly dissected the play and events of football matches with genuine insight. As someone who is both charming and easy on the eyes, she will always be a welcome guest on any television program that is related to soccer.
A. Micah Richards, fifth
A large number of people who watch football on television consider “Big Meeks,” or Micah Richards to be his full name, to be their favourite player. Big Meeks is best known for his numerous appearances in the back four for Manchester City between the years 2005 and 2015. He also played for the England national team at the United States Under-16, Under-19, and Under-21 levels, and he also made a few appearances for the senior team. Richards is a pundit for CBS, BBC, and Sky Sports. In addition to his expertise in football and his ability to analyse the game, he always has a positive attitude and a laugh that is contagious. Even the gloomy expression on Roy Kean’s face has been brightened by his presence.
Brazil’s Rio Ferdinand
Rio, despite the fact that he may not be as well-known as Keane or Neville in terms of football punditry, is still held in high esteem for his observations on the current state of football and important matches. These observations were made after Rio spent twelve years at Manchester United and made eighty-one appearances for the England national team. Ferdinand is a regular pundit for TNT Sports, and he covers the Champions League tournament with well-constructed analysis. Despite this, he is prone to the occasional emotional outburst, particularly when it comes to issues concerning racism in football.
Seventh, Jamie Carragher
When Jamie Carragher was a player, he was known for his intelligence on the pitch. He has brought that same intelligence to his role as a television football pundit for Sky Sports, where he has been working for the past few years. For the 2013–2014 football season, Sky Sports has signed him as a member of their team. In 2017, Carragher was hired by TV3 Sport in Denmark to provide expert analysis on the UEFA Champions League that was being broadcast.
Carragher was reinstated at Sky Sports for the 2018/19 season after being fired during the previous season. Since then, he has gone on to become one of the most highly regarded pundits in the United Kingdom. The public’s appreciation of Carragher’s pundit skills led to his reinstatement.
Shearer, Alan, Eighth
As the player who holds the record for most goals scored in the history of the Premier League, Alan Shearer is well-versed in not only the art of scoring goals and the qualities that define a good striker, but also in every facet of the game. When it comes to football punditry, he is the mascot of the BBC, along with Gary Lineker the other official. Along with his keen analytical sense, he also possesses a good sense of humour, and he is widely considered to be one of the most popular and respected football pundits on television networks.
Nineth, Thierry Henry
After an astonishingly successful professional football career, during which he was widely regarded as one of the best forwards of all time, Thierry Henry retired in 2011 and turned his talents towards becoming a football pundit. Following his retirement, he joined CBS Sports in 2014 for a reported fee of twenty-four million pounds. In 2018, he decided to leave Sky Sports in order to pursue a career in football management. Henry came back to CBS Sports in 2021 after having previously worked for the Belgian national team, Monaco, and the Montreal Impact in the United States of America.
He exudes allure and glitz in his role as a television pundit, Thierry Henry. His anecdotes have garnered him a lot of attention, and the players of today are completely awestruck by his presence.
Jamie Redknapp, number ten
Jamie Redknapp, a former creative midfielder who played for Liverpool, Tottenham, and Southampton, did his first foray into the world of football punditry in 2004. He was a studio-based pundit for the BBC during their coverage of the European Championship. After that, he joined Gary Neville at Sky Sports as a full-time pundit and became a part of the team. In a manner similar to that of Neville, Redknapp’s manner is straightforward and solemn, and his analytical potential is highly regarded. On the other hand, in 2010, the Plain English Campaign presented him with the “Foot in the Mouth” award for his persistent use of the word “literally” as well as his habit of misusing it.
11. The Crouch, Peter
As a football pundit, Peter Crouch is adored by a great number of people not only for his expertise in football but also for his outgoing personality. Peter Crouch, who brings his pundit skills to the forefront for TNT Sports, is renowned for putting players and managers at ease when interviewing them, and he always pitches interesting questions that have the knack of keeping viewers tuned in. He is remembered by many for his iconic “robot” goal celebrations as well as the goals themselves. Crouch is also known for his ability to celebrate goals.
Twelveth, Jermaine Jenas
After spending eight years playing for Tottenham Hotspur, Jermain Jenas decided to retire from his position as a football pundit and began working as a freelance football commentator as soon as he hung up his football boots at QPR. His initial appearances were on ITV Sport, where he offered commentary on the UEFA Europa League game that took place in 2014-2015. Subsequently, he secured a position at BT Sport, where he participated in the broadcasts alongside other pundits. It was in 2023 when he posted on Twitter that referee Robert Jones was a “complete shithouse” and that all referees were ruining football. This caused him to get into trouble, and he was forced to publicly apologise for his actions.
As a result of his attractive appearance and affable personality, he has been selected to serve as a co-host on the BBC television program The One Show. Additionally, he has appeared on numerous occasions on the BBC program Match of the Day, particularly on Sunday evenings. The manner in which he presents his analysis of the game is one that is not only considerate but also considerate.
Thirteenth, Emma Hayes
It is possible that the inclusion of her on our list will come as a surprise to you due to the fact that the manager of the Chelsea women’s football team is not exactly a genuine football pundit. Having said that, she receives 1.65% of the votes in the GiveMeSport poll, which places her in the fifteenth position. On the other hand, she has a history of working in television, and she has made a favourable impression on a significant number of viewers. In light of this, as well as the manner in which she interacts with the media, it is reasonable to assume that she would be an outstanding football pundit once her career in management comes to an end.
A. McCoist, Ally (19)
When it comes to personality, it is difficult to find someone who can top the ever-effervescent Ally McCoist. Since 2010, when he began working as a football pundit for ITV Sports, he has been entertaining spectators with his contagious smile and his upbeat personality as a football pundit. His vivacious personality also earned him a spot as a team caption on the BBC’s “A Question of Sport” program on television. McCoist has served as a pundit for a number of different sports networks, including ITV Sports, BT Sport (now known as TNT Sport), and, more recently, Amazon Prime. Punditry and commentary are two of the many things that the former Rangers legend does, and while he is very good at both of them, his true calling is in the commentary box.
15th place: Owen Hargreaves
After making a name for himself as a defensive midfielder for Bayern Munich, Owen Hargreaves went on to play for Manchester United and the England national team. He is currently a member of the England national team. The football analyst Hargreaves is considered to be one of the more serious ones. His lack of humour and, dare we say it, personality do not, however, deny the fact that he is extremely knowledgeable about the game and possesses the ability to conduct in-depth analysis.
The fact that he has spent his entire career playing football at the highest level in Germany has provided him with a profound understanding of the top German league, its teams, and its players. He utilises this knowledge in his role as a reporter for BT Sports’ coverage of the Bundesliga.
Sixteenth, Karen Carney
Karen is one of the most recent football pundits to grace our screens. She has appeared on Sky Sports, ITV, and Amazon Prime, the three most popular streaming services. However, the former player for England’s women’s national team who is now a pundit has been leading the team that covers the Women’s Super League for Sky Sports since 2021, and recent polls indicate that she is doing a pretty good job representing the league. While Ms. Karney is primarily concerned with covering women’s football, she also has a lot to say about the men’s game. She provides her analysis in a clear and concise manner, and she does not have a tendency to make the monotonous comments that a lot of pundits tend to resort to all too frequently.
17th place: Graeme Souness
Due to the fact that he received 4.18% of the vote in GiveMeSport’s most recent survey of the best football pundits, we have decided to include the combative Graeme Souness, despite the fact that he is currently retired from his duties as a pundit. One of the pundits for Sky Sports, Souness is best known for his time spent playing for Liverpool FC, which spanned six years. He is best remembered for his time on the pitch.
Glen Hoddle: the 18th
As a result of his appointment of faith healer Eileen Drewery to the coaching staff of the England national team and his assertions that people born with disabilities could be being punished for their sins from previous lives, Glen Hoddle, who was one of the most creative midfielders of his era, lost a significant amount of Brownie points and credibility in the world of football. When he is asked to appear on television, however, no one can deny the fact that he is knowledgeable about the game. There have been times when he has been seen on ESPN, ITV Sport, and BT Sport. During the month of October in 2018, Hoddle suffered a heart attack and collapsed just before he was scheduled to appear with the latter. In the month of March 2019, he made his return to BT Sport as a pundit.
This is Dion Dublin.
Dion Dublin, who is best remembered as a striker for Coventry City and Aston Villa, is also a well-liked football pundit. He is known to many people today as one of the co-presenters of BBC TV’s “Homes Under the Hammer.” Dublin is also known for speaking about football. As a result of his laid-back personality, which in turn results in his punditry style that is equally laid-back and entertaining, as well as his comprehensive understanding of the game of football, he is always worth listening to. His first job was as a commentator for Sky Sports. Currently, he is a regular guest on the television shows Match of the Day, BBC Sport, and Football Focus.
Twenty-one Danny Murphy
When it comes to playing the role of a football pundit, Danny Murphy is as honest as they come. In spite of the fact that he does not possess the charisma of Thierry Henry, the controversy of Roy Keane, or the humour of Micah Richards, he is able to deliver his in-depth analysis in a commanding manner. Additionally, he is frequently featured on the BBC’s Match of the Day and also makes frequent appearances on the radio program talkSPORT, where he is joined by Jim White and Simon Jordan.
