The best Premier League players of all time

From Shearer to Salah, we’ve crunched the numbers to find true footballing royalty. Here’s our complete list of the best Premier League players of all time.

With over three decades of goals, drama, and historic moments, and thousands of players having laced their boots to take part, the Premier League has seen the rise of some of the best footballers of all time who have inspired generations of fans who tune in to every game.

From veteran players with storied careers to modern-day stars whose best years are still ahead of them, there’s plenty of discussion around who the best ever Premier League players are. We decided to look at the facts, balancing a range of factors to make a definitive list of the league’s best footballers. Here are our picks for the best Premier League players of all time – including our full list of the top 50.

The best Premier League players of all time: 20-11

We analysed all players who’ve made at least 100 Premier League appearances, and ranked them on their accolades, legacy, stats, and more. Here are some of the legends that just missed out on our ranking of the 10 best Premier League players of all time:

20. Eden Hazard

Belgian winger and attacking midfielder Eden Hazard became a star attraction for Chelsea fans from 2011 to 2019, leading the side to two Premier League titles, and winning a Playmaker of the Year and Player of the Season award for his efforts. With unmatched pace and an incredible dribbling ability, his control of the ball wowed pundits throughout his career. 

19. Rio Ferdinand 

With six Premier League titles and 189 clean sheet games across his career with West Ham, Leeds, and Manchester United, Rio Ferdinand is regarded as one of the best English defenders of all time. His technical ability was lauded by fans, and his pace made him a feared stopper on the field. With Nemanja Vidic, he formed one of the most formidable partnerships of all time in the heart of Manchester United’s defence.

18. Peter Schmeichel

Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel helped Manchester United to five league titles during his time with the club from 1991 to 1999, and captained the side to their iconic Treble. Standing at an intimidating 6’4”, he earned a Premier League Player of the Season and a PFA Player of the Year award for his performances. 

17. Erling Haaland

One name who’s sure to climb this list in the future is Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker has already earned a reputation as one of football and Man City’s best players at just 24, and started his Premier League career with a bang. In his debut year, his 36 goals in 35 games broke the record for the most scored by a player in a Premier League season, and he has the highest goals per game record (0.89) of any player past and present. 

16. Paul Scholes

Over his 20-year career with Manchester United, Paul Scholes won a total of 11 Premier League titles and scored more than 150 goals. Known for his shooting, technique, and phenomenal football IQ, Scholes was one of the Premier League’s best attacking midfielders early in his career and had a renaissance as a deep-lying playmaker in his later years. A United legend, he has been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame. 

15. Sergio Agüero

As Man City’s all-time goalscorer, and the player with the most hat-tricks in Premier League history (12), Argentine striker Sergio Agüero was a pillar for his side’s dominant rise to the top of club football in the 2010s. He holds the record for the most goals scored by a non-English Premier League player, won the Golden Boot in the 2014/15 and scored one of the most iconic goals in football history to win City the title at the last gasp in 2011/12. 

14. Petr Cech

Our data ranks Petr Cech as the No. 1 goalkeeper in the history of the Premier League, and one of the best ever Chelsea players. The 6’5” Czech international guarded the net for both Chelsea and Arsenal, and his staggering 202 career clean sheets is a Premier League record. Cech was a daunting presence in the Chelsea goal during four title-winning seasons, and he has since retired from football and plays ice hockey professionally (as goaltender, surprise surprise!). 

13. Virgil van Dijk

Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk has played a crucial role in Liverpool’s strong Premier League showings in recent years. As the captain of the club, his leadership, aerial ability, and tackling prowess have earned him 114 clean sheet games across his career (and counting). Van Dijk was instrumental in Liverpool’s title-winning 2019/20 campaign, as well as the current season, which looks as if it will again end with the Premier League trophy heading to Anfield.

12. Harry Kane

Currently playing in the Bundesliga for Bayern Munich, Harry Kane became one of the most prolific goalscorers in Premier League history during his time at Tottenham Hotspur. From 2010 to 2023, he made 317 appearances for the club and scored 213 goals, and he ranks second among the league’s top scorers. While silverware in English football has eluded the star striker, his all-round ability earns him a place among the greats. 

11. Eric Cantona

Ooh! Aah! Cantona! An iconic French striker, Eric Cantona cut his teeth in Ligue 1 before becoming a household name for English fans as a Leeds and Manchester United player. ‘King Eric’ led his United team to four titles in five years and was one of the most technically gifted in England at the time. He had an undeniable charisma that made him a Premier League icon.

The top 10 Premier League players of all time

What about those who crack the top 10? Without further ado, here’s our countdown of the best ever Premier League players:

10. Frank Lampard 

Rounding out our top 10 is Frank Lampard, a dynamic midfielder and fantastic leader with some of the most impressive stats of the 2000s Premier League era. Spending most of his career with Chelsea, Lampard holds the record for the most goals scored by a midfielder in Premier League history and won three titles with the Blues.

A deserving Hall of Fame inductee, Lampard won various personal accolades during his time at Chelsea, including Player of the Year, FWA Player of the Year, and PFA Fans’ Player of the Year. Beyond the Premier League, he was also nominated for the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year in 2005.

Lampard’s 102 assists are the fifth-most in the league’s history, and he’s one of only a handful of players to have broken more than 150 career goals. He could also be counted on for big moments, too, with 61 Premier League match-winning goals. Now in the world of management, his many, many years of experience as one of the best Premier League players of all time can be passed on to a new generation of talent.

9. Ryan Giggs

No Premier League footballer has won more titles than Welsh midfielder Ryan Giggs, whose 13 league wins are unmatched – only Manchester United colleagues Scholes (11) and Gary Neville (8) come close. He played his whole senior career for Manchester United, joining the club in 1990 and leaving them in 2014. During that time, he became known as one of the best wingers of his generation.

Giggs made 632 appearances over the course of his Premier League career – making him one of the most experienced players in history – and made a reputation for himself as a reliable all-rounder who could fit into various roles. He provided 162 assists and 108 goals for Man United – scoring in over 20 consecutive seasons – and won the PFA Player of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year awards for his efforts.

Although he began as a pacy wide player who breezed past defenders with ease, later Giggs would take on more of a playmaking role, demonstrating his exceptional intelligence and skill. After retiring, Giggs became assistant manager of Manchester United, and managed the Welsh national team from 2018 to 2020. As the most decorated player in the history of one of the Premier League’s most successful clubs, it’s hardly a surprise to see Ryan Giggs make an appearance on our list.

8. Steven Gerrard

Regarded as one of the best midfielders of all time, Steven Gerrard’s ability to lead the flow of a game led to him becoming a Liverpool legend over the course of his career. Mostly playing as a central midfielder, Gerrard entered the Premier League in 1998, and would continue playing for the Reds until a transfer to MLS outfit LA Galaxy in 2015.

In that time, Gerrard earned a reputation as a once-in-a-generation midfield dynamo, eventually captaining both Liverpool and the England national team. Although he’s the only player in our top 10 to never win a Premier League title – though he played a central role in Liverpool’s historic Champions League victory in Istanbul – his consistency and technical ability more than make up for his lack of league success.

Gerrard has six Premier League Player of the Month awards to his name and an induction into the Premier League Hall of Fame. He excelled as a team player with 92 career assists, and always seemed to step up in the most important moments, with 37 match-winning goals in the Premier League.

Gerrard was recognised as part of three UEFA Teams of the Year, and started for England in three World Cups. Since retiring, Gerrard has taken on managerial roles for several teams, including Rangers, Aston Villa, and Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq.

7. John Terry

John Terry is the only defender in our top 10, but through captaining Chelsea to five Premier League titles and winning the UEFA Club Defender of the Year award on three separate occasions, he more than earns his place as one of the greatest in the league.

Terry debuted for Chelsea in the 1998-99 season and remained with the club until 2017. He then played one final season for Aston Villa before retiring. As part of his 19 years with the Blues, he made 492 league appearances and scored 41 goals, making him the all-time highest scoring centre half in Premier League history.

His tackling ability and aerial control made him a force to be reckoned with for any striker, and he led Chelsea to 214 clean sheets throughout his career – again, the most of any defender in the Premier League. In the 2004/05 season, where his Chelsea side, widely considered to be among the best Premier League teams ever, conceded just 15 goals across the whole campaign.

6. Kevin De Bruyne

The highest ranked midfielder on our list, Kevin De Bruyne has been an integral component of Manchester City’s dominance at the top of European club football and he will be sorely missed when he leaves at the end of the current season. The Belgian is one of the most technically gifted players to ever play in England and has won Premier League titles.

A creative force who has played all across the midfield positions, De Bruyne has won three PL Playmaker of the Year awards and during the 2019/20 season equalled the record for the most assists in one Premier League campaign with 20. His average of 0.42 assists per game across his Premier League tenure is the highest of any player ever. While not typically known as a prolific goalscorer, he has scored 71 Premier League goals, including some incredible long-range strikes.

De Bruyne is a two-time PL Player of the Season and a two-time PFA Player of the Year, cementing himself as one of the greatest to grace the league. While the forwards might get most of the shine for their big moments, Kevin De Bruyne is the perfect example of a game-changing midfielder and is rightly recognised as one of the best Premier League players of all time.

5. Alan Shearer

When you’re talking about the best Premier League players ever, you have to mention the league’s all-time No. 1 goalscorer. 260 is the magic number that Newcastle fans have held dear for decades, as that’s how many goals legendary No. 9 Alan Shearer amassed during his run in the Premier League.

Shearer moved from Southampton to Blackburn Rovers just before the inaugural Premier League season, and he lifted the title for the Ewood Park club in 1995. He then went on to become a Newcastle legend who produced prolific goalscoring seasons at a rate that nobody has matched since. With three 30+ goal Premier League seasons under his belt, a record-breaking 68 match-winning goals, and 11 hat-tricks during his time in the league, he’s one of English football’s most unstoppable attacking forces ever.

Shearer won the Premier League Golden Boot on three occasions and was named Premier League Player of the Month four times. He was also nominated for the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year in 1996 and was named by Pelé himself in the FIFA’s top 100 players of all time.

You can’t argue with statistics, and Shearer’s incredible ability to find the net made him one of the most valuable players in the world during his career. Many players have tried and failed to break his goal scoring record, but his legacy stands firm.

4. Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo ranks among many people’s two greatest footballers of all time, but this is a Premier League list so we unfortunately can’t consider his stints for Real Madrid and Juventus. While he doesn’t quite top this list, his achievements while playing for Manchester United speak for themselves.

Ronaldo won three consecutive Premier League titles as part of Manchester United’s legendary 2000s run. He was named Premier League Player of the Season, FWA Footballer of the Year, and PFA Player of the Year – winning all three twice. He also has a Premier League Golden Boot in his trophy cabinet and six Player of the Month titles.

Ronaldo was named FIFA Player of the Year twice during his time with the Red Devils, and earned the UEFA Club Forward of the Year for his performances in 2008. He also picked up the first of his five career Ballon d’Or wins while at United, in 2008.

What more can be said about Ronaldo that hasn’t been said a thousand times already? He’s one of the greatest footballers of all time and an icon to his many millions of supporters.

3. Wayne Rooney

Arguably one of the most talented footballers England has ever produced, Wayne Rooney played two stints with his boyhood club Everton from 2002 to 2004 and 2017 to 2018, but it was his 13-year tenure with Manchester United that brought him worldwide fame. He is the club’s all-time record goalscorer

In that time, Rooney took home five Premier League titles, a pair of PFA Young Player of the Year Awards, two PFA Player of the Years, and was nominated for a Puskás Award in 2011. Perhaps most impressive, though, is the range of competitions that Rooney won in Man Utd colours, including the FA Cup, Champions League, League Cup, Europa League, and FIFA Club World Cup.

His ability to clutch victory from the jaws of defeat made him a dependable team player, with 66 of his 208 Premier League goals earning his side the win – the second most in Premier League history, behind Alan Shearer. Rooney has recently stepped into management, but his storied playing career makes him one of the best footballers (and the best-ever English player) to set foot on a Premier League pitch.

2. Mohamed Salah

The highest-ranked active player on our list, Salah debuted in the Premier League for Chelsea in 2014 but has been Liverpool’s golden boy since joining the club in 2017. Averaging 0.63 goals and 0.29 assists per game, he’s both an unstoppable scorer and a facilitator for his team-mates.

The Egyptian forward has been named Premier League Player of the Month seven times – a joint record with Kane and Agüero – and has won more individual awards in the top flight than any other player, earning 19 across his career. He also earned FIFA’s Puskás Award for the best goal of 2018 with a stunning, curled finish with his left foot on Merseyside derby day no less – epitomising his status as a star who shows up for the big occasions.

Having already won one Premier League title in the 2019/2020 season, Liverpool are currently heavily favourites to again triumph this season, putting Salah on track to earn his second. Plus, having just signed a new contract with the Reds, there’s still plenty of time for him to make even more of an impact before he retires.

Salah is a major fan favourite both in Liverpool and around the world, having earned the PFA Fan’s Player of the Year award a record three times. He’s one of the biggest success stories in recent Premier League history, and it’s been years since we’ve seen such consistently elite attacking performances in the English top flight, earning Salah the No. 2 spot on our list.

1. Thierry Henry

Legendary French striker Thierry Henry made his Premier League debut for Arsenal in 1999 and over the next eight seasons went on to become the leading goalscorer in the club’s history. He collected a couple of Premier League titles along the way, including playing a key role in the 2003/04 ‘Invincibles’ season.

On an individual level, Henry won a record-breaking four Premier League Golden Boots, and was named FWA Footballer of the Year a record three times – picking up the PFA Player of the Year awards twice. On the global stage, he earned two Ballon d’Or nominations (2003 and 2006), and was named in the UEFA Team of the Year five times – no other Premier League player has been featured more.

To reel off a few of Henry’s most impressive Premier League stats, we have 8 hat-tricks – only three players have more – 59 match-winning goals, and an incredible 0.68 goals scored per game – second only to Man City powerhouse Erling Haaland. He is arguably the greatest Arsenal player ever, and even set the record for the most assists in a Premier League season with 20 – a mark that is still yet to be surpassed.

For his incredible goalscoring ability, electric pace and immaculate technique, Henry tops our list as the best Premier League player of all time.

Who else ranks among the best Premier League players of all time?

Want to see who else made our complete list? We’ve included out top 50 below, so you can see how each footballer we’ve covered ranks against each other:

Of course, there will always be plenty of debate about the best Premier League players of all time, but as the state of the sport continuously evolves there are bound to be new names to join our list in the future. All the footballers we’ve mentioned here made their way to the top of the game and built their legend status in English football. It’s no easy feat becoming a Premier League footballer, but becoming one of the best is even harder.

Looking to keep up with all the Premier League action this season? Check out all the latest Premier League betting odds, and coverage of all the biggest markets across the competition.

Methodology

To rank all Premier League players (who’ve made 100+ Premier League appearances), we considered the following factors: 

• Premier League titles

• Premier League appearances

• Premier League awards

• Global Profile

• Relevant positional stats

• Premier League legacy

All players were ranked for each factor; and, for each, data was then normalised, to assign each player a score between 0-1. All normalised data was then combined and multiplied, to give each player a total index score out of 100. Players were then ranked according to their combined index score.