Debate is a big part of football. Every week, both Premier League commentators and supporters debate which club should have won something and if a particular player is superior to another.
For many years, the debate over Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard, and Steven Gerrard has dominated English football. In a similar vein, arguments over who Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo is better still cause supporters to become passionate.
In light of this, reaching a consensus on subjective issues is always intriguing. Recently, a group of journalists joined together for FourFourTwo with the goal of ranking the 100 greatest Premier League football players ever.
This is what they developed.
100–81
The first person on the list is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a legend of Manchester United, barely fits in here. He was most remembered for his 17 goals off the Red Devils’ bench while playing as a supersub. Peter Crouch makes the squad and only lost one goal when playing as a substitute in the Premier League.
As a reminder of his enduring talent, Raheem Sterling is the only player on the list who is currently playing. FourFourTwo penned:
“We believe that history will treat Sterling more kindly than it does now. He was the first player to play for four different Premier League teams in Europe, rebranded himself, and became a vital member of Pep Guardiola’s team.
“One of the finest English talents of a generation: he definitely lived up to the hype he showed as a wonderkid.”
Top Premier League Players
Rank
The player
100.
Solskjaer, Ole Gunnar 99.
Bruce Steve
98.
Dion Dublin, 97.
Peter Crouch
96.
Evra Patrice
95.
Emmanuel Petit
94.
Dembele Mousa
9.
Gareth Barry, age 92.
Phillips, Kevin
91.
Floyd Hasselbaink, Jimmy
90.
Juninho
8.9.
Carvalho Ricardo
88.
Sterling Raheem
87.
Heskey, Emile
86.
Cahill, Tim
85.
Carragher, Jamie
84.
Firmino Roberto
83.
Keane Robbie
8.2.
Ljungberg, Freddie
81.
Gary Speed
80–61
Brad Friedal was ranked higher than Ederson, Joe Hart, and David de Gea.
This list includes well-known players including Robin van Persie, Matt Le Tissier, Luka Modric, and Sadio Mane. Brad Friedal, at number 65, is arguably the most outlier on the list.
It is surprising that he is ranked so highly, especially considering that he is ahead of the great Premier League goalkeepers Ederson, Joe Hart, and David de Gea. The call was explained by FourFourTwo, who noted:
“The American goalie is the player with the most Premier League appearances in a row. Friedel played 310 consecutive games between August 2004 and October 2012, which spanned eight years, six managers, and three clubs.
In February 2004, Friedel even equalised for Blackburn against Charlton Athletic in the 90th minute, but the Addicks scored an even later winner to win 3-2. An excellent goalie, communicator, and leader.
Top Premier League Players
Rank
The player
80.
Klinsmann, Jurgen
7.
Jaap Stam
78.
Ginola, David
77.
Jay-Jay Okocha
76.
Les Ferdinand
75.
Claude Makelele
74.
De Gea, David
7.
Hart, Joe
72.
Mane Sadio
71.
Modric Luka
70.
Silva, Bernardo
69.
Defoe Jermain 68.
Ederson
67.
Le Tissier, Matt
66.
Tevez Carlos
65.
Brad Friedal
64.
Berbatov Dimitar
63.
Persie, Robin
62.
Anelka, Nicolas
61.
Di Canio, Paolo
60-41
Trent Alexander-Arnold 43rd
Trent Alexander-Arnold may not have much more time to play in the Premier League, but he has done enough to cement his place among the greatest of all time with Liverpool. Despite being mostly a midfielder, James Milner, Kyle Walker, and Gary Neville also made the cut, suggesting that this group is only for exceptional English right-backs. They provided justification for Neville’s inclusion:
“While younger generations are familiar with the blunt-spoken commentator, G-Nev’s time as a loud right-back at United will be remembered by those who witnessed him play. Even as his manager constructed many championship-winning teams, he remained a mainstay at Old Trafford thanks to his intellect, aggressive tackling, and excellent crossing.
Top Premier League Players
Rank
The player
60.
Alonso Xabi
55.
Mahrez, Riyah
55.
Sheringham, Teddy
57.
Milner, James
56.
Yorke, Dwight
55.
Carrick, Michael
54.
Campbell, Sol
53.
Seaman, David
52.
Nistelrooy, Ruud van
51.
Zola Gianfranco
50.
Ian Wright
49.
Vidic Nemanja
48.
Neville, Gary
47.
Torres Fernando
46.
Michael Owen
45.
Walker, Kyle
44.
Robbie Fowler
43.
Arnold, Trent Alexander
42.
Kompany, Vincent
41.
Pires, Robert
40-21
Erling Haaland ranked 27th
Son Heung-min, Alisson, Jamie Vardy, Erling Haaland, and Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, are the five Premier League players who presently play in this division. Vardy’s inclusion is arguably the most impressive of the group. Despite coming from non-league football, his position is well-earned because his goals helped Leicester City win the 2016 title in an unprecedented shock.
True entertainers Eden Hazard and Dennis Bergkamp received great acclaim, and they wrote about Liverpool great Luis Suarez:
“He was a one-man disaster. A deadly hitman who would royally take you out of business in the process. See diving at the feet of David Moyes. Observe the boldness of his long-term endeavours. Watch his demolitions with just one man.
Top Premier League Players
Rank
The player
40.
Irwin, Denis
39.
Van der Sar, Edwin
38.
Fabregas Cesc 37.
Yaya Youe
36.
Adams, Tony
35.
Heung-min Son
34.
Alisson
33.
Andy Cole
32.
Vardy, Jamie
31.
Silva, David
30.
Didier Drogba
29.
Eden Hazard
28.
Bale, Gareth
27.
Haaland, Erling
26.
Terry, John
25.
Suarez Luis
24.
Kante N’Golo
23.
Bergkamp, Dennis
22.
Ferdinand, Rio
21.
Rodri
20-1
Thierry Henry named the greatest Premier League player of all time
Since David Beckham is so frequently recognised for his celebrity more than any other accomplishment, his ranking in the top 20 serves as a helpful reminder of his qualities. Along with Kevin De Bruyne, the only current Premier League players to make the cut are Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool.
Alan Shearer, the division’s all-time greatest scorer, joins Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, two legends of Manchester United, in the top four. But Thierry Henry, the idol of Arsenal, was ranked first. Why Mark White is the best Premier League player of all time was explained by him:
“The Golden Boot has never been won by anyone more than once. In a season, no one helped more. Nobody has ever frightened defenders with such a blend of amazing strength and captivating grace. He carried them on his back throughout the dark days, ignited English football with his trademark swagger, and was the driving force behind two Premier League victories for Arsenal.
And it’s getting more and more relevant as the years go by. We use Henry as a benchmark for all Premier League players, past, present, and future, not just based on sheer stats but also on pure entertainment value.
Top Premier League Players
Rank
The player
20.
Beckham, David
19.
Petr Cech
18.
Ashley Cole
17.
Schmeichel, Peter
16.
Giggs, Ryan
15.
Scholes, Paul
14.
Vieira, Patrick
13.
Van Dijk, Virgil
12.
Gerrard, Steven
11.
Aguero Sergio
10.
Lampard, Frank
9.
Keane, Roy
8.
Harry Kane 7.
Cantona, Eric
6.
De Bruyne, Kevin
5.
Salah Mohamed
4.
Shearer, Alan
3.
Rooney, Wayne
2.
Ronaldo Cristiano
1.
Henry Thierry
