The English Premier League is the most-watched football league today. According to a ranking by Opta, it’s also the strongest domestic league out there: it’s highly competitive and has some of the best players in the sport, resulting in a global fan base.
It’s also worth mentioning that the Premier League is the direct heir to the oldest football league in the world: the First Division of the Football League, founded in 1888.
Betting on the Best
Six out of the top 10 football clubs in the world this year are English: Man City (2nd), Man United (4th), Liverpool (5th), Arsenal (8th), Tottenham (9th), and Chelsea (10th). Sportsbooks like sportsbet io never fail to cover any event involving those clubs, attracting countless fans at every game.
The list of the best footballers that ever played in the EPL is vast, including a number of international players. Ballon d’Or winners, FIFA World Cup champions, record breakers, the EPL has it all. Here’s a list of the most memorable names.
Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese striker is arguably one of the best players in football history. He won multiple titles (including a Champions League trophy) and more than 800 goals in his career. Not many players can brag about having won a Ballon d’Or, but Cristiano Ronaldo won five of them. Indeed, Man United never forgot Cristiano Ronaldo’s passage in the club, winning several major titles with the club while he was still 18 years old, back in 2003.
Eric Cantona
Before Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United had another idol: the French striker Eric Cantona. Cantona’s best moments happened in the early 90s when he helped the club win four Premier League titles in only five years. Cantona was as brilliant as he was controversial, and his frequent displays of arrogance and talent attracted even those who didn’t support the club to watch him play.
John Terry
John Terry was one of the best midfielders in the world in his generation and a consistent participant in Chelsea’s games. Indeed, Terry donned the blue jersey 492 times in the Premier League, plus five titles in the same competition. His talent and reliability were awarded in 2005, receiving a nomination for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year. Additionally, Terry scored 41 goals in his EPL career. Not bad for a centre-back.
Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes’ 11 Premier League titles should be enough to secure his place on any top list of English footballers. No wonder his peers respected him so much: Xavi saw him as a role model, Zidane admitted that Scholes was the toughest opponent he had ever played, and he was the best player in the EPL, according to Thierry Henry. He spent most of his career at Man United, and he was nearly retiring in 2013 when Alex Fergusson pulled him back to win one more EPL title.
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney’s career started early: he was only 16 in Everton when he faced Arsenal. At that point, no one would bet that a teenager from an underdog team would put an end to a winning streak of 30 games for the Gunners.
Nevertheless, the very young Rooney wasn’t intimidated and scored a fantastic goal. The Gunners had no choice but to hire him promptly, as he was clearly “the biggest English talent” already, according to Arsene Wenger. Rooney is the second top scorer in the history of the competition and the fourth in assists.
Frank Lampard
When Frank Lampard was signed by Chelsea from West Ham in 2001, fans didn’t expect much from him, and they were even sceptical. However, it didn’t take long for Lampard to show his talent, becoming one of the most cherished players from the Blues until today.
He nearly won the Ballon d’Or in 2005, when the honour went to Ronaldinho. Lampard was also one of the team’s top scorers in 2006 when they won the EPL title. Chelsea’s last title before Lampard was in 1955.
Kevin De Bruyne
You don’t need to be a Man City fan to enjoy watching Kevin de Bryune playing. The Belgian attacking midfielder is as elegant as he’s lethal, and he’s also known for his formidable passing skills.
De Bruyne won six Premier League titles with the Citizens, during which period he was named EPL’s Playmaker of the Year thrice. Additionally, he was included in the Team of the Year on five occasions.
Thierry Henry
Arsenal had its fair share of legendary footballers, but not many are quite like Thierry Henry. The Frenchman is still the all-time top scorer in the club: he scored 30 goals only in the 2003-04 season. Henry’s lethality earned him the title of the best French striker, counting 20 goals and 20 assists in the same season. According to Arsene Wenger, “it was embarrassing for defenders”.
