The Premier League has been home to some of the greatest footballers in history, but deciding who deserves to be called the best Premier League player of all time is no easy task. From prolific goalscorers and creative midfielders to game-changing wingers, countless players have left their mark on the competition.
For this ranking, we have considered both individual performances and achievements, including goals, assists, consistency, longevity, trophies, individual awards and overall influence. Silverware is important, but it isn’t the only measure of greatness. So, who makes our list of the 10 best Premier League players of all time?
10. Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard is one of two men on this list to have never lifted the Premier League trophy. However, a lack of league titles does little to diminish the legacy of one of the greatest midfielders in English football history. Gerrard spent his entire Premier League career with Liverpool, making 504 appearances and scoring 120 goals. A natural leader, he captained the club for more than a decade and could influence games from almost anywhere on the pitch. He carried the Kopites through some of their most difficult years.
Gerrard combined power, technique and remarkable passing ability. His long-range shooting and late runs into the box made him a constant attacking threat. He was also capable of producing spectacular moments when Liverpool needed them most, becoming particularly renowned for his ability to score from distance and deliver in big games.
His 92 Premier League assists further underline his creativity. Gerrard’s all-action style made him one of the most complete midfielders of his generation and the best Liverpool player of all time. A Premier League title may have escaped him, but Gerrard’s individual quality is impossible to overlook.
9. Harry Kane
Harry Kane spent most of his career with boyhood club Tottenham Hotspur, making 317 of his 320 Premier League appearances with Spurs. He became a legend in North London, breaking their all-time goalscoring record and guiding them to their highest finish in Premier League history as well as their first-ever Champions League final. From his breakout season in 2014-15 up to his final year in England, Kane was comfortably the best striker in the league.
Kane combined physical strength with exceptional movement, finishing and link-up play, making him one of the Premier League’s most complete forwards. He was equally capable of dropping deep to create chances as he was leading the line. His partnership with Son Heung-min became one of the division’s most prolific.
Kane finished his Premier League career with 213 goals and 47 assists, ranking second for goals and showing that his influence extended well beyond his finishing. If it weren’t for his lack of titles, he would undoubtedly be higher up this list. However, currently considered the best striker in the world, there is still time for England’s number 9 to return to the Premier League and lift the trophy that eluded him for nearly a decade.
8. Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard is the highest-scoring midfielder in Premier League history and one of the defining players of Chelsea’s rise to dominance in the 2000s. During his 13 years at Stamford Bridge, Lampard won three Premier League titles and became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer. He also spent time at West Ham United and Manchester City, taking his total Premier League appearances to 609.
Lampard’s greatest weapon was his remarkable ability to arrive late in the penalty area and find the net. His intelligence, passing range, and work rate allowed him to influence games from midfield, while his powerful shooting made him a constant threat from distance. He was named Premier League Player of the Season in 2004/05 and became renowned for his consistency, scoring double figures in 10 consecutive seasons.
Lampard finished his Premier League career with 177 goals and 102 assists, numbers that are extraordinary for a midfielder. His combination of goalscoring, creativity, longevity and silverware makes him arguably the greatest goalscoring midfielder the competition has produced, and an obvious choice for any list celebrating the best Prem players of all time.
7. Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah has established himself as one of the greatest attacking players the Premier League has ever seen since returning to England with Liverpool in 2017. After an unsuccessful first spell at Chelsea, the Egyptian returned as a transformed player. He quickly became the focal point of Liverpool’s attack. He has won the Premier League twice, while also claiming three Golden Boots and two Player of the Season awards.
Salah’s style combines explosive acceleration, exceptional close control and a lethal left foot. Operating primarily from the right wing, he regularly cuts inside onto his stronger foot, creating shooting opportunities or opening space for teammates. His consistency has been perhaps his greatest quality, producing elite numbers season after season while remaining one of the league’s most dangerous one-on-one attackers. At 34, he is still considered one of the best right wingers in the world.
His Premier League record is already extraordinary, with 193 goals and 94 assists in 328 appearances. His goalscoring and creativity have made him one of Liverpool’s most important players of the modern era, and his collection of individual and team honours puts him firmly among the Premier League’s all-time greats.
6. Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer is the Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer, making him almost impossible to leave out of any discussion about the competition’s greatest players. He scored 260 goals during his career, first establishing himself as an elite striker with Blackburn Rovers before becoming a Newcastle United icon. His most remarkable achievement came in 1994/95, when he fired Blackburn to their first Premier League title.
Shearer was the archetypal English centre-forward, combining immense physical strength with intelligent movement, powerful finishing, and outstanding ability in the air. He was equally comfortable scoring from inside the box, striking from distance, or converting penalties. His consistency made him one of the most reliable goalscorers the league has ever produced. He won the Golden Boot three times and scored 20 or more league goals in seven different seasons.
His record of 260 Premier League goals remains the ultimate benchmark for strikers, and his longevity makes the achievement even more impressive. Shearer may not have possessed the same versatility as some players higher on this list. However, his goalscoring consistency, physical dominance and title-winning contribution make him one of the defining players in Premier League history.
5. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first spell at Manchester United introduced the Premier League to a player who would eventually become one of the greatest footballers in history. Arriving as a skinny, skilful teenager, Ronaldo developed rapidly under Sir Alex Ferguson, transforming himself from an exciting winger into one of the most devastating forwards in world football. He won three Premier League titles and the Golden Boot during his time at Old Trafford.
Ronaldo was initially renowned for his explosive pace, elaborate skills and fearless dribbling, but his game evolved dramatically. He became stronger, more direct, and increasingly clinical in front of goal. His 31-goal campaign in 2007/08 remains one of the greatest individual seasons in Premier League history and earned him his first Ballon d’Or.
Despite spending fewer seasons in England than many players on this list, Ronaldo’s peak was extraordinary. He scored 103 Premier League goals in 236 appearances and provided 37 assists, while his three titles and two Player of the Season awards underline his impact. His relatively short Premier League career is the main reason he doesn’t rank higher, but few players have ever reached his level.
4. Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs boasts a list of records with numbers unlikely ever to be beaten. The Welsh wide midfielder lifted the Premier League trophy 13 times during his 24 years with Manchester United, coming through the iconic ‘Class of ‘92’ academy alongside United legends Gary Neville, David Beckham, and Paul Scholes. He was the earliest of that group to break into the first team at Old Trafford, setting the league alight as a teenager in 1991/92.
Earlier in his career, Giggs was renowned for his direct style, blistering pace, and ability to beat defenders before delivering dangerous crosses into the box. As his career progressed, he adapted his game, becoming more of a creative playmaker and using his vision to pick out teammates.
His 162 Premier League assists remain a record, highlighting just how consistently he created chances throughout his career. Few players combined longevity, creativity, and trophy-winning success as effectively as Giggs. He belongs on our list of the best Premier League players of all time.
3. Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne is widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history, playing a central role in Manchester City’s transformation into one of the competition’s dominant teams. After returning to England with City in 2015, the Belgian quickly established himself as one of the league’s premier creators. He went on to win six Premier League titles and three Playmaker awards.
De Bruyne’s passing was his defining quality. He could split a defence with a perfectly weighted through ball, switch play from deep or deliver dangerous crosses from nowhere. His ability to combine creativity with powerful shooting also made him a major goalscoring threat, while his intelligence allowed him to dictate the tempo of matches from midfield.
His Premier League career ended with 72 goals and an incredible 119 assists in 288 appearances, placing him among the competition’s greatest-ever creators. De Bruyne also won Player of the Season twice, demonstrating just how dominant he was at his peak. Few midfielders have combined technical quality, creativity and consistent success at the level of the Belgian.
2. Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney was one of the most complete forwards the Premier League has ever produced. After bursting onto the scene at Everton as a teenager, Rooney joined Manchester United in 2004 and became a key figure during one of the most successful periods in the club’s history. He won five Premier League titles and scored 208 goals in the competition, placing him second among English players and third overall on the all-time scoring charts. Wazza eventually earned a place among the best Manchester United players of all time.
Rooney’s greatest strength was his versatility. He could lead the line, play behind a striker, operate from the wing or drop into midfield. He combined aggression and work rate with outstanding technical ability. His passing and vision also made him an exceptional creator, while his ability to score spectacular goals became a trademark. He was never afraid to attempt the difficult, whether that meant a long-range strike, acrobatic finish, or perfectly timed pass.
Rooney finished his Premier League career with 208 goals and 103 assists, demonstrating that his influence went far beyond scoring. His five titles and ability to adapt his game across different stages of his career make him one of the most complete players the league has produced. Only a handful of players can match Rooney’s combination of individual brilliance, versatility, and team success, meaning he had to feature on our list celebrating the best Premier League players.
1. Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry is our number one and, for many Premier League fans, the greatest player the competition has ever seen. The Frenchman arrived at Arsenal in 1999 and quickly transformed himself into one of the most devastating forwards in world football. Henry won two Premier League titles with the Gunners, including the legendary unbeaten 2003/04 campaign. Add in four Golden Boots, and he is comfortably the best Arsenal player of all time.
What made Henry so special was the combination of pace, intelligence, technique and finishing. He could glide past defenders, create chances for teammates or finish attacks himself, making him almost impossible to contain at his peak. His ability to receive the ball on the left, cut inside and curl finishes into the far corner became one of the most recognisable sights in the Premier League.
Henry finished his Premier League career with 175 goals and 74 assists, while his 258 goal involvements in just 258 appearances underline his extraordinary productivity. His partnership with Dennis Bergkamp became one of the most iconic attacking combinations in history, while his influence on Arsenal’s unbeaten season cemented his legacy. At his peak, there was simply nobody like him, making him our choice as the greatest Premier League player of all time.
