Who is the best footballer in England?

Answer 1

The answer to this is truly based on opinion some may say: Thierry Henry, Wayne Rooney or even Steven Gerrard for example. This is basely down to opinion.

Read the article below:

Top 30 Premiership Players of All Time--------(from The Four Four Two Article by Stephen Thanabalan July 2006)

The World Cup may well be over and withdrawal symptoms tend to creep up on us once again, so as a special treat, with another month to go before Premiership football returns, Four Four Two takes us on a walk down memory lane with a countdown of the best 30 players in the Premiership of all time. The selection is based on success, impact, appearances, statistics, goals, assists, overall ratings, man of match and player of month and year awards, and critic's opinions.

1. Ryan Giggs (Manchester United)

Longevity, with a loyalty to club football rarely seen, here is a player who graced every season of the Premiership so far with his phenomenal balance, pace, skill and dribbling ability. Holds the record for most goal assists in the Premiership and most appearances, as well as having played and scored in every single premiership season from the time he was the prodigious PFA Young Player of the year twice in a row till he is a veteran captain now, having won the most number of premiership titles. (1990/91 - current)

2. Alan Shearer (Southampton, Blackburn, Newcastle)

The greatest goal scorer in Premiership history, he represented more than just the goals of Newcastle, Blackburn and Southampton, Shearer was the consummate traditional centre forward, staying on top of his game in a time when foreign talents came to the British game to change the competitive levels in the game. Shearer became the most expensive transfer in 1996 but his talent and level headedness (and one handed salute) and raw combative ability never faded. The deadliest finisher in the Premiership on any day, even when close to retirement. (1991/92 - 2005/06)

3. Dennis Bergkamp (Ajax, Inter, Arsenal)

Dominance, skills, exceptional good behaviour and first touch ball control, the Dutch wonder scored breathtaking goals, had impeccable touch and galvanised an Arsenal side that signified the Wenger revolution from 1996 to 2006. The classiest premiership player in history by far. (1995/96-2005/06)

4. Thierry Henry (Arsenal)

Skills, Goals, Flair, Phenomenal Ability and the main man part of the invincible Arsenal side of the early 2000s. Some of his footballing prowess will go down in history as the greatest to have every graced the game. (1999/00 - 2006/07)

5. Eric Cantona (Leeds, Manchester United)

French Flamboyance, showmanship, skill, vision and flair that saw him herald the start of United's dominance as a talismanic influence, capturing the imagination of the nation within a 4 year short spanning career. 'Kung Fu' kicks, violence and red cards aside, he scored some of the most important goals, and arguably won the title double for the fledgling United side of the mid 1990s, before retiring as 'the King'. (1991/92 - 1996/97)

6. Gianfranco Zola (Chelsea)

The tiny Italian wonder was nominated for PFA Player of the Year within 4 months of arriving in the Premiership in 1996/97 and went on to epitomise the foreign revolution that saw Chelsea rise from mid table mediocrity to top Premiership side under Gullit, Vialli, Ranieri and into the Abramovich era. Was the key man of the Chelsea side that became a top side in European cup competitions. (1996/97 - 2003/04)

7. Peter Schmeichel (Manchester United, Manchester City)

The greatest Premiership goalkeeper of the first decade of the tournament as voted by the TEN SEASONS awards deserves a magnificent 7 finish here. Records are still held by this great Dane for most clean sheets in a season, Save of the Decade, Most Consecutive appearances per games ratio, and till this day, even less memorable stints with Manchester City could not taint the reputation of one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, not just in the Premiership. (1992/93 - 2004/05)

8. Frank Lampard (West Ham, Chelsea) & Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)

Joint 8th place for two English midfielders who characterised the hard work and battling qualities needed to complement flair and style that became the mainstay of the Premiership in the 2000s. Lampard was the linchpin and only prominent domestic talent of the Chelsea title winning sides of the mid 2000s. Gerrard, similarly remained the sole domestic force majeure in a Liverpool side on the resurgence in the mid 2000s, and even before then, was a midfield dynamo with stunning goals, tackling abiities and visionary passing skills. Two players representing the best of British in the 2000s, who still could go on to set more records and win more titles. (1997/98 - current)

9. David Beckham (Manchester United, Real Madrid)

Characterised the fame superhighway for a Premiership footballer from the glory and boom years of the mid 90s to the current heights of stardom and giddy saturation, Beckham will forever be remembered in Premiership history as the most photographed, most talked about, most iconic and well, his football was at times, sheer genius too. The best free kick taker and set piece specialist in Premiership history, Beckham's eye for the dead ball and for crosses sees him ranked 2nd in all time Premiership goal assists even having left the league in 2003, on top of the fact that he was the poster boy for the game, captained England, and won the treble and 6 titles whilst at United.

(1993/94 - 2002/03)

10. Roy Keane (Nottingham Forest & Manchester United) & Patrick Vieira (Arsenal)

The classic combative midfielders (who often tussled with each other), were emblematic of the Manchester United- Arsenal rivalry of the mid-late 90s and early 2000s. For a decade, the two were the key combative tacklers and midfield generals of their sides, perhaps more so Keano than Patrick, but their sheer brute force, 'never say die' attitudes and defensively astute footballing brains saw them captain their club sides to becoming the football powerhouses both teams were in the league, winning titles alternate from each other every other year. Sure, they had many a fiery tunnel and dressing room moment, but that was what made the game so red hot with their talents and temperaments. (1992/93 - 2004/05 Keane), (1996/97 - 2006/07 Vieira)

11. Matt Le Tissier (Southampton)

Sensationally talented, Le Tiss' commitment to his club side single handedly was the biggest boost for a club often seen in the relegation dogfights before eventually going down. Scorchers, goals from corners, free kicks, moments of sheer genius (Barry Venison and Peter Beardsley called him 'Pele' before) and an eye for goal made Le Tiss one of the stars of not just the south coast, but all of the Premiership as well. Humble, down to earth and with a dogged determination to fight for the cause, a true SAINT.

12. Andrew Cole (Newcastle, Man Utd, Blackburn, Portsmouth) & Teddy Sheringham (Tottenham, West Ham, Porstmouth, etc)

Andrew Cole is the second highest goal scorer in the Premiership and that record was set in stone from the time he scored a record 34 for Newcastle in 1993/94. He was PFA Young Player of the Year and went to Man Utd, copped some fan abuse, but still managed to win it all, before playing for other clubs on his winding down. Oh Teddy Teddy! had much the same story, albeit less illustrious. Played for Spurs to sheer delight, did the job for England and then went to Man Utd to win it all. Conitnued playing in the league for prolonged periods with Tottenham again, West Ham and Portsmouth.

13. Cristiano Ronaldo & Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

"Roo-naldo" are a partnership that swept the Premiership from the moment they became partners under Sir Alex Ferguson at United. Their tremendous ball skills captured the minds of the nation, especially Ronaldo's, whose showboating and trickery was notable and seen as the new flair of a new generation. When complemented with ex Everton young prodigy (scored against Arsenal on his debut) Rooney, the pair captured the hearts and minds of the Old Trafford faithful, their battles in Euro 2004 and the World Cup 2006 were well documented, but their success at Man Utd, undauntingly magnificent to behold. Ones for the future.

14. Tony Adams (Arsenal) & David Seaman (Arsenal, Manchester City)

Rock of the Arsenal defence for over a decade, Adams and Seaman were the classical central defender and classical goalkeeper. Adams was strong, big, tackled fiercely and had the occasional ability to net a special goal, as he did in 1997/98 with Arsenal's 4th to seal a win over Everton and claim his first Premiership medal, a title Seaman won as well as reward for all his fine goalkeeping over the years. Adams Captained England, Captained Arsenal and so did Seaman, but most crucial of all was how they adapted to the foreign revolution under Wenger, benefitting largely from it, and we as an audience, did too. Not even a lack of form in his latter days at Manchester City ruined Seaman's incredible career.

15. Sol Campbell (Tottenham, Porstmouth, etc)

Ask anyone to name a top Premiership team over the past decade and you'd be hard pressed to find Sol Cambell's name missing from that list. A defender who has effectively grown from boy to man with the league, Campbell is a legendary veteran of the game, and is in the top 15 simply because of consistency and ability to outlast, survive and also deliver ace performances week in and out for his club sides.

15. Tim Flowers (Blackburn, Leicester)

Flowers is one of only a handful of goalkeepers to have ever won a Premiership medal, and having got more than 500 league appearances during his career, he was one of the star keepers of the first decade of the Premiership. Often overlooked because of Man Utd's Schmeichel and Arsenal's Seaman, Flowers is one of the most underrated stars of the Premiership.

16. Gary Neville & Denis Irwin (Manchester United)

No poll can be without two of Manchester United's long serving veteran defenders, perhaps with time Neville will eclipse Irwin, but until then, the presence of these two hard working, tireless defensive wingbacks are a must in any list, for their commitment to their club's cause and the success they achieved for it.

17. John Terry (Chelsea) & Rio Ferdinand (West Ham, Leeds, Man Utd)

The same can be said of Ferdinand and Terry, who became key defenders with each of their teams in the premiership, and are widely regarded as the best defenders currently in the league. No nonsense, dogged determination and tireless effort are hallmarks of Terry's game, and Ferdinand is noted for his strength and ability to improve each year.

18. Ruud Van Nistelrooy (Man Utd, PSV, Real Madrid)

RUUD RUUD RUUD! Such was RVN's impact on the English game that in just three and a half short seasons in the league, he had become a household name for being top scorer in the league. Sublime control, strength and goalscoring abilities marked this man for success in the physical world of the premiership from the start. His marriage to Man Utd ended in less savoury ways, but the goals he left behind would be remembered for years to come.

19. Robbie Fowler (Liverpool, Leeds, Man City, Blackburn) & Michael Owen

Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen took the Premiership by storm when each of them arrived at different junctures in the 1990s. Both were goal machines and Robbie was the PFA young player of the year twice in a row in the mid 90s in a time where he was arguably the sharpest shooter in the Premiership. If not for the derogatory labelling and on and off the pitch controversies including goal line snorts, dockers' t-shirts, penalty wave aways, homosexual taunts, sarcastic humour and pranks under the Spice Boys tag, Fowler was and still remains in the hearts of many a Premiership (not just Liverpool) fan just based on his goal scoring performances in the years 1994 to 1997 alone. Owen on the other hand was a much more level headed and composed figured, equally gifted, but with greater pace, his brand of finishing was less clinical but just as deadly. Scorer of many important goals and winners in his time, along with Fowler, they are still widely admired as the most "natural" finishers in the Premiership, and currently still ply their trades at the top level.

20. The Two Pauls

Paul Scholes (Manchester United)

Whilst many claim to complain about the over selection of Manchester United players in the top 20, this is inevitable based on statistics, goals, ratings and success levels. Paul Scholes has bagged all of these fundamentals, and his time at Manchester United is notable for longevity, stylish goals from outside the area, cracking volleys, slick footwork and his reinvention from predatory ginger haired striker to creative and incisive midfield dangerman. Retired from International football to good effect and an eye injury nearly ended his career prematurely, but Scholes came back in 2006 with great panache, and continues to peform at his best on the top tier with no difficulty.

Paul Ince (Manchester United, Inter Milan, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Wolves)

Ince is one of the two Pauls that must make up the Top 20 list in any Premiership Best Ever competition. His tackling, tenacity and grit, passion and determination are his notable traits and were hallmarks of his game that saw him win many a midfield battle, countless penalties, and also saw him score some acrobatic strikes of bewildering quality. His experience saw him play across a range of Premiership clubs, from title winning United to the Spice Boys and nearly men of Liverpool having completed a stint in the Serie A, and Boro and Wolves were to benefit from his experience later on. He was also the first black player to Captain England and is set to be a future manager one day.

21. Nicolas Anelka & Gary Speed

This Bolton duo are selected because of adaptability and consistency in the league, and their uncanny ability to do their jobs in the top tier with remarkable efficacy, regardless of which employer they work with. Currently at Bolton, the duo have a diverse array of clubs in their CV, and have always performed well enough to win games with their contributions. Anelka's goals won Arsenal the title in 97/98, saw him move to Real Madrid, where he won the European Cup and he moved to Liverpool, and played in Turkey before. Speed's, whilst less illustrious, was a story of plying his trade for every consecutive season in the Premiership. A Leeds legend, he was also prominent as a midfield man, famed for his adaptability.

22. Dwight Yorke (Aston Villa, Man Utd, Sunderland)

The smiling assasin as he was known, Yorkie was a proven goal scorer in a top 4 Aston Villa side under Brian Little way before he moved to Manchester United and helped form a stunning partnership with Andy Cole to help the side win the treble in 1999. Yorke's goals over the years have been a vital part of his team's successes, and his contribution did not end with goals, often credited with hold up play to open up space for his team mates, Yorke also has a high rate of success with his strike partners.

23. Juninho (Middlesbrough)

One of the shortest players in the premiership, Juninho also had one of the shortest stints in the Premiership, but did he shine for the club. Taking the club to new heights of excitement, Juninho was a pocket revolutionary in his time in the Premiership. He brought new Samba and meaning to the word 'skill' in the early Premiership years and paved the way for many a South American talent to begin the road to English football in the future.

24. Nigel Martyn & Lukas Radebe (Leeds)

Two of the stalwarts of the pre-relegation Leeds outfit, Radebe and Martyn were shining lights of professionalism to the Premiership in their time with Leeds. Martyn was one of the best shot stoppers, but inevitably conceded many goals because he was part of a very poor Leeds side of the late 90s and early 2000s. Radebe made many appearances for the club in defence, and even in goal, as a replacement for Mark Beeney against Man Utd in 1996! Two players not often rated, Radebe's pass completion rate and defensive qualities based on OPTA stats were hugely impressive in a below par Leeds side.

24. Jamie Carragher (Liverpool)

Carra is undoubtedly one of the finest defenders of the decade so far, but it did not always promise to start out that way for the Liverpool legend. Emerging out of the transition era between Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier at a time the club was shifting out of 'Spice Boys' gear and undergoing a continental revolution, Carra started out as a midfielder who gradually found his identity as a left then full back. Since acclimatising under Houllier and now Benitez, Carragher added steel, composure and dedication to his game that has seen him see of many a challenge, literally and metaphorically, to become one of the Premiership's greatest defenders.

25. Stuart "Psycho" Pearce (Nottingham Forest) & Gary McAllister

Despite becoming player/managers towards the end, both Psycho and GazzaMac were key players in the teams they played for. The teams would look sorely out of sorts whenever they were injured or missed games, and that is the hallmark of a top player. Although probably unfamiliar to many new watchers and fans of the game who are probably more aware of him in his capacity as Man City's ex coach, Psycho was a key defender in the first 5 seasons of the premiership, often named in PFA Team of the Year squads. Gary Mac had similar plaudits, often called up to the Scottish National squad, and a key player for Leeds, Coventry and Liverpool in his time, where he was famed for a cool head, a keen eye for passes and scored some nifty goals.

25. Gareth Southgate (Aston Villa, Middlesbrough)

Gareth "penalty miss" Southgate may well be on his way to becoming a manager soon, but he was well known as the rock of the Aston Villa backline for many a Premiership year. Villa boasted an impressive defensive record with Southgate as centreback and later captain, and constantly finished in the top 6. Southgate also has to be applauded for the way he bounced back from setback having missed England's crucial penalty in Euro 96, that saw the home side get eliminated by eventual winners Germany. His resilience, team spirit, ability to motivate and muster up team commitment is notable and reason enough for him to be in the Top 30. Had he been in a side which won a title or two, he may well have been in our top 10 list.

26. Paolo DiCanio (Sheff Wed, West Ham, etc)

Scorer of scorching goals and with an eye for flamboyant skills, DiCanio is the weaver of some of the most eye catching moments in the Premiership, and we aren't talking about his referee pushing sending off incident. Many fans note his super strikes against Wimbledon and so on, and he is remembered for his ability to weave magic even in sides that often faced relegation battles.

27. David Ginola (Newcastle United, Tottenham,etc)

Ginola once came into the Newcastle side and said then when he played football, he was a "butterfly" and everyone else was....he didn't finish the quote according to Jon Beresford, but that just about summed up the flamboyance, arrogance and self belief that Ginola had as a player. He ran into trouble with management many times, but never failed to light up the Premiership with spectacular goals, superb skills and a gift for enthralling the crowd. If ever there was a showpony in the Premiership, Ginola was it.

27. Mark Overmars (Arsenal)

Overmars may have only spent three years in the league, but his contributions including the crucial match winning goal at Old Trafford against Man Utd in 1997/98 that led to Arsenal's title, and contributions in the following two seasons meant he was one of the quickest and most deadly midfielders in the league for those few years.

28. Emile Heskey (Leicester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Wigan)

DJ Emile (known for his celebrations), was a consistently average goalscorer in the premiership for a few seasons, but always scored important goals for his side whilst still at Filbert Street, in a side often lacking midfield supply lines. A move to Liverpool saw him come to greater prominence and he was instrumental in the Cup Treble side of 2001. His goals and contributions have always been notable, and he has been selected partly for longevity in the top tier.

29. Richard Dunne (Everton & Manchester City) & Sami Hyypia (Liverpool)

Both of these two players deserve a top 30 finish solely on the basis of total redemption of their careers in the latter half of their careers, with excellent ratings, peformances and often man of the match awards. Their worth and value to their club sides cannot be stated enough at the times they were plying their trades, and were viewed as rock hard, core defenders crucial to their sides' survival.

30. Steve McManaman (Liverpool, Real Madrid, Manchester City)

Nearly forgotten in the countdown, it was only a revisit to the old footage of Liverpool in the 90s that made us realise what a phenomenal talent this winger was in the 1990s. A visit to the statistics books then prove that the twinkle toed skills and sprinty runs from this dashing and willowy midfielder were not without yield. Named in the PFA Team of the Year for four seasons consecutively, and shortlisted for PFA Player of the Year for three of those, for the 1990s, McManaman assisted in 45% of all Liverpool's goals, and recorded 112 goals in 274 appearances, holding the record for most Premiership assists per season for 3 seasons. Considering he spent just 7 seasons in the premiership, McManmaan still holds the record for 2nd most assists from open play of all time, just 2 behind David Beckham. Never won a title and left the Premiership in his prime, returning largely as a player on the cusp of retirement with Man City, but still, records enough to warrant our final spot in the top 30 placing.

Players Nearly Considered for the Top 30 (in no particular order within each level of shortlists):

Level 1 Shortlist

(players who could easily have been in the Top 30 but lacked no.of appearances, or MOM awards or ratings)

- Ian Wright, Chris Waddle, Ruud Gullit, Ian Rush, Bruce Grobelaar, David Platt, Peter Beardsley, John Barnes & Paul Gascoigne*

- Mark Schwarzer

- Emmanuel Petit

- Nolberto Solano

- Marcel Desailly

- Tim Cahill

- Stephane Henchoz

- David James

- Kevin Phillips

- Paolo Wanchope

- Graeme Le Saux

- Nigel Winterburn

- David Batty

- Fernando Torres

- Emmanuel Adebayor

- Harry Kewell

- Cesc Fabregas

- Gareth Barry

- Didier Drogba

- Darren Anderton

- Paul Merson

- Tore Andre Flo

- Jurgen Klinsmann

- Shay Given

- Les Ferdinand

- Gabriel Agbonlahor

- Pepe Reina

- Edwin Van Der Sar

- Jens Lehmann

- Kolo Toure

- Gael Clichy

- Robert Pires

- Steve Bruce

- Gary Pallister

- Mark Hughes

- Mark Viduka

- Shaun Wright-Philips

- Ricardo Carvalho

- Louis Saha

- Henning Berg

- Gilberto Silva

- Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

- Brad Friedel

- Ole Gunnar Solksjaer

- James Beattie

- Petr Cech

- Carlo Cudicini

- Robbie Keane

- Jaap Stam

- Graeme Le Saux

- John Hendrie

- Martin Keown

- Olaf Mellberg

Level 2 Shortlist

(players who could be within the top 100 Premiership players of all time)

- Chris Armstrong

- Ronny Johnsen

- Marc Degryse

- Georgiou Kinkladze

- Sylvain Wiltord

- Mark Bosnich

- Steve Bould

- Steve Guppy

- Dan Petrescu

- Ashley Young

- Dennis Wise

- Jamie Redknapp

- Tony Yeboah

- Colin Hendry

- Stan Collymore

- Trevor Sinclair

- Robbie Earle

- Julian Dicks

- Marcus Gayle

- Efan Ekoku

- Jay Jay Okocha

- Jari Litmanen

- Darren Huckerby

- Dion Dublin

- Morten Gamst Pedersen

- Chris Sutton

- Nick Barmby

- Roberto DiMatteo

- Steve Staunton

- Dietmar Hamann

- Dalian Atkinson

- Andy Hinchcliffe

- Ludek Miklosko

- A Yakubu

- Faustino Asprilla

- Neville Southall

- Vinnie Jones

- William Gallas

- Ashley Cole

- Gary Kelly

- Andrei Kanchelskis

- Micah Richards

- Andy Johnson

- Gustavo Poyet

- Jermaine Defoe

- Kevin Doyle

- Benito Carbone

- Steed Malbranque

- Jacob Laursen

- Keith Gillespie

- Jonathan Woodgate

- Laurent Robert

- Scott Parker

- John O'Shea

- Craig Bellamy

- Freddie Ljungberg

- Lee Dixon

- Gianluca Vialli

- Steve Ogrizovich

- Fabien Barthez

- David Howells

- Mark Bright

- Eyal Berkovich

- Robert Lee

- Alan Smith

- Florin Radiciou

- Lee Sharpe

- Dean Saunders

- Pierre Van Hooijidonk

- Gheorghe Popescu

- Tony Cottee

- Dietmar Hamann

- John Lukic

Level 3 Shortlist

(players who could be within the top 400 Premiership players of all time)

- Paul Kitson

- Curtis Armstrong

- Gabriel Heinze

- John McGinlay

- Rob Jones

- Jon Moncur

- Keith Curle

- Ian Harte

- John Jensen

- Kevin Campbell

- Carlton Palmer

- Ray Houghton

- Don Hutchison

- Earl Barett

- Ken Monkou

- Mark Draper

- Michael Bridges

- David Wetherall

- Alan Wright

- Duncan Ferguson

- Jason Euell

- Emerson

- Colin Calderwood

- Andy Sinton

- Steve Stone

- Jon Dahl Tomasson

- Darius Vassell

- Frank Lebouef

- Neil Redfern

- Jason Wilcox

- Jermaine Jenas

- Vinny Samways

- John Scales

- Tomas Brolin

- D Akinbyi

- Francis Jeffers

- Olivier Dacourt

- Richard Wright

- Damien Duff

- John Hartson

- Claude Makelele

- Marcus Bent

- Fabrizio Ravanelli

- Lee Hendrie

- Mark Robins

- Ruel Fox

- John Arne Riise

- Ray Parlour

- Marian Pahars

- Neil Lennon

- Regi Blinker

- Milan Baros

- Dean Holdsworth

- Karl Heinz Riedle

- Andy Impey

- Ian Pearce

- Aaron Lennon

- Theo Zagorakis

- Pierluigi Casiraghi

- Thomas Sorensen

- Hamilton Ricard

- Tony Parkinson

- Steve Carr

- Arjen Robben

- Danny Murphy

- Michael Brown

- Chris Powell

- Brian Deane**

- Ian Woan

- Philip Albert

- Rory Delap

- Dean Sturridge

- Julian Dicks

- Steve Lomas

- Atillio Lombardo

- Juan Veron

- Paul Konchesky

- Bobby Zamora

- Joe Cole

- Benni McCarthy

- Marlon Harewood

- Eidur Gujohnsen

- Patrik Berger

- Luke Young

- Brett Emerton

- Mark Wright

- Neil Ruddock

- Egil Ostenstad

- Slaven Bilic

- Stefano Eranio

- Francesco Baiano

- Andy Booth

- Oyvind Leonhardsen

- Paolo Futre

- Xabi Alonso

*lack of appearances and impact in Premiership despite impact for England & English league prior to the Premiership- the poll was for the Premiership alone)

**Scorer of the first ever premiership goal

---FOUR FOUR TWO MAGAZINE 2006.

Answer 2

There are lots of great players but George Best was the 'best' player.

It is purely a matter of opinion and personal preferred.

Answer 3

The best footballer in England was Sir Bobby Charlton.

Answer 4

Another totally subjective question with no real answer. You can't compare a goalkepper to a midfielder or a defender to a striker, it's pointless.

Answer 5

Wayne Rooney

Answer 6

Wayne Rooney

Answer 7

Landon Donavon

Answer 8

beckham