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The Premier League has seen some unbelievable players over the years. Coming from all parts of the globe, viewers have been fortunate to see some players of extraordinary caliber. The Premier League has produced outstanding talent, some of whom have gone down in the history books as the best players ever. Largely acclaimed as the best domestic league in the world, it is impossible to pick the "correct" list of top players to ever play in the league. Having said that, let's take a look at our list of the top five best players to ever play in the Premier League.
#5. Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer makes our list as the fifth best player to ever play in the Premier League. Born in Newcastle, the striker played his entire career in the top tier of English football. Starting out initially with Southampton, the Englishman made his debut in 1988 against Chelsea. He made headlines almost instantly after scoring a hat-trick against Arsenal barely two weeks later. Shearer scored 23 goals in 118 appearances for Southampton in the First Division. He was then sold to Blackburn Rovers for a reported £3.6 million, making him the most expensive player in English football at the time.
With the advent of the Premier League, Shearer slowly developed to become arguably the best goalscorer in English football history. The striker played at Blackburn for four years, racking up a massive 112 goals in just 138 appearances. His numbers only grew year after year, with Shearer peaking between 1994 and 1996 for the Rovers. In the 1994-95 season, Shearer scored 34 goals in 42 appearances to win the Golden Boot. His attacking partnership with Chris Sutton led Blackburn to the Premier League title. The subsequent year saw Shearer score 31 goals, however, it is worth noting that the Premier League had switched to the 20-team format by then.
This was followed by a transfer to Newcastle United in 1996, with the Magpies paying a world-record £15 million to beat Real Madrid and Manchester United to Shearer's signature. Shearer brought his form to Newcastle, scoring 25 goals in 31 appearances and winning his third consecutive Golden Boot. His skills were up for display at Euro 1996 as well, where Shearer scored five goals for England and finished as the tournament's top scorer. His goalscoring antics were met with global appreciation and the striker was nominated for the Ballon d'Or, ultimately finishing third.
Shearer spent ten seasons with Newcastle and broke all goalscoring records in England. He is not only Newcastle's top scorer ever with 206 goals, but also the highest goalscorer in Premier League history, with a seemingly insurmountable 260 goals in 441 appearances. Alan Shearer will go down in history as arguably the best goalscorer ever and one of the best footballers to play in England.
#4. Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard is arguably the best midfielder in the history of the Premier League. Lampard won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups during his time in England. He has also won a Champions League title and a Europa League title, and boasts a unique record of having won every trophy he has ever participated in at club level.
Lampard started his career through the youth system at West Ham United, where he spent six long years. Developing slowly through the years, the midfielder drew vast appreciation for his versatility and his vision. He was regarded as a top midfielder, and his efforts were rewarded with a £11 million move to Chelsea in 2001.
Lampard's career at Chelsea saw him develop personally year after year. He was named in the Premier League Team of the Year in 2004 after an excellent season that saw the Blues finish second, only behind Arsenal's Invincibles. The following season, Lampard was a key figure in Chelsea's metamorphosis under new coach Jose Mourinho. The 2004-05 season was historic for Chelsea, with the club winning the title and breaking multiple records in the process. Lampard shone throughout the season, grabbing 13 league goals and an impressive 16 assists. 2005 was a particularly dazzling year for the Englishman as his excellent displays saw him finish second in the Ballon d'Or competition.
His career progressed brilliantly and Lampard won several trophies along the way. One of the highest points of his career was the 2012 Champions League win, where Chelsea came out victorious against Barcelona in the final. One of the most impressive facets of Lampard's game was his goalscoring ability. Despite being a central midfielder, he managed a total of 177 goals in 609 appearances in the Premier League. He is the highest scoring midfielder in Premier League history and also racked up a very impressive 102 assists during his career in England.
#3. Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney is one of the most famous footballers to ever play in the Premier League. The Englishman had a sublime career, boasting numerous trophies and several individual awards from his playing days in England. He holds multiple records to this day and is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in Premier League history.
Originally from Merseyside, Rooney started his career with the Everton academy. After being promoted to the senior side, Rooney burst onto the scene, scoring a screamer against Arsenal to end their 30 game unbeaten run. He became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history just five days before his 17th birthday. Still only 17 at the time, the following season saw Rooney score nine league goals and secure a transfer to heavyweights Manchester United.
Rooney's career with Manchester United can only be described as phenomenal. The striker spent 13 years with the Red Devils, winning five Premier League titles in the process. His goalscoring prowess was there for the world to see as Rooney netted 158 goals in his first ten years with the club, often one of the most influential players on the pitch.
Rooney won five league titles, a Champions League, as well as several individual accolades. He won the Young Player of the Year award twice in a row and also won the Player of the Year on two separate occasions. Over the last five years of his career, Rooney has demonstrated his versatility, often playing as a midfielder for the club. His style of play can only be described as unique. Rooney brought immense energy to the field and this went hand-in-hand with his strength and pace. He has received wide admiration for his relentless pressing and outstanding technique.
Rooney left Manchester United in 2017 to rejoin his boyhood club Everton, where he spent a season before going abroad to the sunny shores of the USA. After spending two years there at D.C. United, he returned to England's first division as a player-manager at Derby County. He finally retired earlier in 2021, to take up full-time managerial responsibilities at Derby County. His career stats are marvelous, with Rooney scoring a mammoth 208 goals (2nd highest) and recording 103 assists (3rd highest) in the Premier League. Wayne Rooney finished his career as a Manchester United legend and will fondly be remembered by all those who watched him.
#2. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably one of the most recognizable footballers ever. Although the Portuguese spent only six years in England, he ranks number two on our list of top five players to ever play in the Premier League.
Ronaldo joined Manchester United in 2003 from his boyhood club Sporting Lisbon for a reported £12 million, becoming the most expensive teenager in English football history. He received the fabled #7 shirt, and the rest is history. The winger spent his first three years in England adjusting to the pace of the English game, recording only 18 goals in 95 appearances. Although he was developing his game gradually, many critics felt his numbers were not good enough to be a winger at Manchester United.
The following 2006-07 season was his breakout year, with Ronaldo netting 17 goals from the wing. His contributions were crucial as United went on to win the Premier League, breaking Chelsea's dominance. Ronaldo's finding of his groove clicked perfectly with Manchester United's success as they went on to win the Premier League for three consecutive seasons. Ronaldo bagged 66 goals across their title-winning seasons, with the 2007-08 season particularly standing out for Ronaldo.
In the 2007-08 season, Ronaldo scored 31 goals in just 34 appearances, winning the Golden Boot and leading United to the title. His extraordinary numbers earned him the PFA Player of the Year, Fans Player of the Year, and Young Player of the Year as well as the FWA Footballer of the Year award. He became the first player ever to win all four main PFA and FWA honors. He also became the first player in the Premier League era to win both the Young Player of the Year and Player of the Year awards in the same year. He replicated his domestic exploits in the UEFA Champions League, leading from the front and scoring eight goals in Manchester United's trophy-winning campaign. United completed a historic double, with Ronaldo at the forefront of the club's challenge.
The subsequent year saw Ronaldo win the Ballon d'Or, beating the likes of Lionel Messi and Fernando Torres to finish first. Ronaldo continued his goalscoring form into this season, finishing with another Premier League title to take his overall trophy count to nine. He won the His dominance on the world stage earned him a world-record £80 million move to Real Madrid in 2009 to begin the next stage of his career.
It will forever be debated if Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest player of all time, but his time in England can only be described as unforgettable.
#1. Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry is a name that has been etched in Premier League history. Henry spent eight years in England, winning two Premier League titles and two FA Cups with Arsenal. One of the most gifted footballers to ever play the game, Henry has a unique record. He is one of a select few to win the Premier League, Champions League, the Euros and the World Cup.
Henry first came to England in 1999, when Arsenal paid Monaco a reported £11 million to secure the Frenchman's services. Originally a winger, his transformation into a striker was overseen by Arsene Wenger, who had previously managed him at Monaco as well. Then only 22 years old, Henry finished the season with 26 goals across all competitions. Henry replicated his goalscoring form the following year and finished as the club's top goalscorer for the season.
The 2001-02 season saw Arsenal win the Premier League season, with Henry netting 32 goals in all competitions. He won the Golden Boot for the first time and Arsenal also won the FA Cup, celebrating a historic double. Arsenal finished second in the Premier League the following year, however, they did win the FA Cup for the second year in a row.
2003-04 was Henry's best season with the club. The Frenchman scored 30 goals over the season while also supplying nine assists. His contributions proved to be transformative as Arsenal went the entire season unbeaten, a feat that has yet to be matched in the Premier League era. Henry also finished second in the race for the Ballon d'Or.
His goalscoring exploits continued well throughout his Arsenal career. His name was synonymous with dependability, as the Frenchman scored 20+ goals in five consecutive seasons and won the Golden Boot award four times. He continued to break goalscoring records in England until his move to Barcelona in 2007.
In a picture of consistency, Henry will go down as one of the best players in Premier League history, if not the best. The image of Henry lining up in the Arsenal jersey wearing his winter gloves still sends shivers down the spines of defenders to this day. Bowing out with a whopping 175 goals and 74 assists in 258 appearances, his goalscoring numbers are truly spectacular. Often regarded as the best ever player to play in the Premier League by pundits, it's appropriate to say that those who got to watch him play will not forget him in a hurry.
