The best English football players of all time
England is one of the biggest football nations in the world, boasting the best league and fantastic players in its national team. We compiled a list to help you discover the Three Lion's best players ever. Here we go!
Forcing a breakthrough as a teenager at Everton FC, Wayne Rooney would go on to become a legend of Manchester United and the Three Lions. The attacker scored 253 goals for the Red Devils, helping them win four league titles and one Champions League.
A Chelsea legend, Frank Lampard is without a doubt one of the best English midfielders of all time, performing at top level for many years.
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With his excellent passing and shooting skills, Paul Scholes might well be one of the most complete English midfielders ever. Serving Manchester United for many years, Scholes earned eleven league titles and two Champions Leagues.
Gary Lineker started his career at Leicester City, but would really make a name for himself at FC Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur. With 80 appearances and 48 goals for the Three Lions, Lineker was also a key figure for the England national team.
Steven Gerrard performed at top level for 17 years, playing countless games for his boyhood club Liverpool. Winning the Champions League in 2005, he is one of the all-time greats of English football.
A legendary goalkeeper in his time, Peter Shilton is still England's most capped player up until today.
Having played for the Three Lions on 63 occasions, Kevin Keegan is the only Englishman to have won the Ballon d'Or twice. He did so playing for German side Hamburger SV, where he crowned himself Bundesliga champion in the 1978-79 season.
Strong, but with greet feet, Rio Ferdinand was one of the best defenders of his generation. Ferdinand enjoyed a highly successful spell at Manchester United under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson, winning no less than fifteen trophies with the club.
Michael Owen was a teenage star at Liverpool, making an immediate impact with 23 goals in his first season. At the FIFA 1998 World Cup, he amazed the world with a glorious goal against England's arch-rivals Argentina.
Winning the 1956 Ballon d'Or, Stanley Matthews was one of the greats of his generation. A Blackpool and Stoke City icon, Matthews earned 54 England caps, scoring 11 goals.
England's all-time top scorer Harry Kane is one of the most clinical strikers in modern-day football. The Tottenham star is key for club and country, building himself an impressive career that started at the Spurs youth academy.
One of the most gifted English football players ever, Paul Gascoigne, was a star of the 90s. 'Gazza' excelled for the Three Lions and enjoyed a club career at Newcastle, Tottenham, Lazio and Rangers.
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A prolific striker in his time at club and international level, Alan Shearer is still the all-time Premier League top scorer. The former attacker crowned himself champion in 1995 with Blackburn, and would go on to score countless goals for Newcastle after that.
Known for his precise crosses and set-pieces, David Beckham became an international football star at Manchester United. He left Old Trafford with a loaded trophy cabinet and headed for Real Madrid, where he was a part of Florentino Pérez's Galácticos project. After that, Beckham would go on and play for LA Galaxy, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
Another Manchester United legend, Bobby Charlton crowned himself world champion with England in 1966. He would also win the Ballon d'Or that same year.
One of the best English strikers ever, Jimmy Greaves was known for his impressive goal-scoring ability that allowed him to excel for Tottenham and Chelsea. In 57 England caps, Grieves scored 44 goals for his country. Impressive.
A unique defender, Bobby Moore captained England to the 1966 world title. Moore is a West Ham United legend, guiding the Hammers to domestic and European success.
An integral part of England's 1966 World Cup winning team, Gordon Banks was one of the best goalkeepers ever. The 1970 FIFA World Cup saw him making 'the save of the century', with Banks denying Pelé an almost certain goal.
Considered the best Tottenham player ever by many, Glenn Hoddle deserves a spot in this list. Hoddle won the UEFA Cup with Spurs and also crowned himself French champion with AS Monaco, before retiring at Chelsea in 1996.
A Chelsea icon, John Terry guided the Blues to five league titles and a Champions League win in 2012. Solid in defence, but also dangerous on set-pieces, Terry wore the England shirt on 76 occasions.
One of England's all-time best defenders, Stuart Pearce is a Nottingham Forrest hero, serving the club for no less than 12 years. Pearce also played for Newcastle, West Ham and Manchester City, and won 78 caps for the Three Lions.
A full-back of exceptional quality in his time, Ashley Cole established himself at a young age at Arsenal, before continuing his career at Chelsea. A three-time league champion and one-time Champions League winner, Cole represented England 107 times.
Jude Bellingham is still young, and many might argue whether he already deserves a place in this list. However, since his move to Real Madrid, Bellingham has shown what a great footballer he is and has taken Los Merengues to the next level. Can he do the same with England's national team?
A Liverpool star of the 80s and 90s, John Barnes guided the Reds to two league titles, two FA Cups and one League Cup. On an international level, Barnes won 79 caps for England, scoring 10 goals.
Considered one of the greats in Manchester United history, Bryan Robson started his career at West Brom. In 1981, he was transferred to the Red Devils, where he would win a grand total of eleven trophies.
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Scoring a hat-trick in the 1966 final, Geoff Hurst almost single-handedly guided the Three Lions to World Cup history. At club level, Hurst excelled at West Ham, winning the 1964 FA Cup and the 1965 European Cup Winners' Cup.