Premier League’s Greatest Players: A Tribute to Legends

The English Premier League came into being in 1992, and since then it has gone on to become one of the biggest and best leagues in the world. Every weekend, fans from all over the world tune in to watch some of the best players in the world battle it out.

Below, we are going to take a look at some of the best players to grace this league, looking at the career as a whole, key achievements, and impact on their team. Without further ado, let us dive right on in.

Ashley Cole

As far as left backs go, Ashley Cole is the best to have played in the Premier League. He was fast, tenacious and relentless, and paved the way for a new type of full-back in England. Not only was he very solid in defence, but he could also cause a number of problems in attack.

He helped Arsenal to claim the Premier League title in 2001/02 and was then part of the Arsenal team that won the 2003/04 title without losing a match. He then moved to Chelsea, where he helped them to claim the Premier League title. He made 385 appearances in the EPL and managed to keep a very impressive 147 clean sheets. He also chipped in with 15 goals.

Andy Cole

We move from one of the best defenders to grace the EPL to one of the best goalscorers in the form of Andy Cole. During his career, he played 414 matches in the English Premier League and scored 187 goals.

Not only did he know where the back of the net is, but he was also a non-selfish teammate as can be seen from the fact that he has 73 assists to his name. Remarkably, all but one of his goals were scored in open play.

He played for Manchester United between 1995 and 2001 and during this time he picked up no fewer than five Premier League titles. This means that he only failed to win the title during one season at United.

A very impressive stat if you ask us. He claimed the Golden Boot when playing for Newcastle during the 1993/94 season, scoring a total of 34 goals. This is the second-most by a player in a season to this day.

Petr Cech

Petr Cech is, without a shadow of doubt, one of the EPL’s best keepers. In his debut season, the Czech kept no fewer than 24 clean sheets as he helped Chelsea go on to lift the title. This is a Premier League record that is yet to be beaten, and we do not see it being beaten in all honesty.

He made 443 appearances in the English Premier League and kept 202 clean sheets, with no other keeper coming close to this record. During his playing time at Stamford Bridge, he won four titles and the Golden Glove on three occasions. He then switched to Arsenal and won another Golden Glove in 2015/16. He is definitely one of those keepers that young shot stoppers look up to.

While many footballers when they retire opt to go into coaching or punditry, Cech surprised everyone by becoming an ice hockey player. He used his keeping skills to win plenty of admirers and titles on the ice, and still plays a bit.

John Terry

If there was one player who epitomised the word “captain”, it was John Terry. He knew how to lead his troops, and he always led by example out there on the field, putting his body on the line time and time again to ensure that the ball does not go in Chelsea’s net. Harry Kane, who scored goals for fun in the Premier League, once declared that Terry was the hardest defender that he had faced.

He made 492 appearances in the Premier League, keeping no fewer than 214 clean sheets along the way. He is also knew where the net is as can be seen from the 41 goals that he netted – the most by any defender in the history of the English Premier League. During his time as captain of Chelsea, he led his team to five EPL titles, which makes him the most successful captain of the Premier League era.

Thierry Henry

If you look up grace, power and pace in the dictionary, do not be surprised if you see a photo of Thierry Henry looking back at you. During his eight years in the Premier League, he gave defenders nightmares, scoring 175 goals in the 258 matches that he played for Arsenal.

He originally started as a winger, but Arsene Wenger put him up front and the rest is history. For five seasons in a row, he scored more than 20 goals in the league, claiming the Golden Boot on four occasions.

He also knew how to set up his teammates as can be seen from the 74 assists that he has to his name. He won two titles while playing at the Emirates, and Terry named him as the best player that he has ever had to try and defend against.

When he retired from football, he was snapped up by Sky Sports to be one of their pundits due to his fun personality and quality footballing knowledge. He now hosts alongside Kate Abdo, Jamie Carragher, and Micah Richards, forming a team that everyone enjoys watching.

Eric Cantona

Eric Cantona joined Manchester United from Leeds in 1992, and he was the catalyst for their dominance in the early and mid 90s. United had not won a title for 26 years, but the Frenchman helped them to end this drought at the first time of asking.

He played for United for a total of five seasons, and he picked up the Premier League title on four occasions. He was a fantastic player to watch as he could do things with a football that nobody else could.

He made 156 league appearances for Manchester United, scoring 70 goals and setting up 56. At the end of the 1993/94 season, he was voted in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year. The previous season he had finished third in the race for the Ballon d’Or, which is given to the best footballer in the world.

Honorable Mentions

The above are not the only top-quality players that have wowed us with their skill in the Premier League, but we do not have the space to talk about them all in detail. Thus, below you can find a list of our honourable mentions:

• Rio Ferdinand
• Tony Adams
• Patrick Viera
• Wayne Rooney
• Ian Wright
• Peter Schmeichel
• Didier Drogba
• Paul Scholes
• Serio Aguero
• Vincent Kompany
• Roy Keane
• Alan Shearer
• Steven Gerrard
• Frank Lampard
• Dennis Bergkamp

Conclusion

All of the aforementioned players have gone a long way to helping the English Premier League become known as one of the best leagues in the world. Their performances have attracted many players over the years as they attempt to emulate their heroes. Have we missed anyone out that you would have certainly included? Share your own views with us at Waitakere United and give us your favourite moments.