So many great players have graced the Premier League with their exceptional talent, skill and commitment to the game. Some are known for their left foot, others for their right foot and then there are many in-between. Although the game of soccer has changed drastically over the past three decades – it has become faster, players are receiving more attention and higher salaries than ever and VAR has given referees more control over the outcome of their decisions – one thing hasn’t changed though and that is the skill that is passed through generation to generation in the Premier League.
It’s a competitive league to get into, the best premier league odds of a young player coming from the second division into the top flight is relatively slim, which is why the players who not only made it to this level, but became their own household name, are truly exceptional.
David Beckham
David Beckham was one of the greatest British players to ever set the stage in the Premier League. He started to play soccer when he was only a little child, with his father, also called David Beckham, watching and often coaching from the sidelines. Beckham’s reputation proceeded him from a very young age when he was first discovered by Sir Alex Ferguson and drafted into the Manchester United team at only 17. He spent ten-plus years at Manchester United before being sold to play four seasons with Real Madrid. Thereafter, he was offered the chance to play for the LA Galaxy team, a move that many thought was wrong for a player of his caliber but one he made with his family in mind. Ready for more of a challenge, four years later he moved over to AC Milan on a loan from the LA Galaxy team and then ended his career with PSG (Paris Saint-Germain) in 2013. Not to mention that he was captain of the national England team and earned 58 caps during his 6 years captain tenure. His most prominent and successful years were during the early 90s when his left foot made him a legend in the halls of Old Trafford Stadium.
Ryan Giggs
One of the only players to ever stay with one team during his entire career is Ryan Giggs. He started his journey as a youth player for both Manchester City and Manchester United, finally deciding to play professionally for Manchester United in 1990. Although many offers were made to draft this exceptional player for other teams, Giggs stayed stubborn and only wanted to play for the great Manchester United team. He spent 24 years playing for them, retiring from his professional career in 2014. He is known to be one of the most decorated players of all time, winning 13 Premier League medals, which is more than any player in the history of the sport. After playing for the team, he went on to coach the Manchester United team as an assistant coach – making him a true-blood Manchester United advocate.
Alan Shearer
As the Premier League’s goal record holder, with a whopping 260 goals, Alan Shearer was one of the greats. He made his name for himself during his time with the Blackburn Rovers in the early 90s. During this time, he won a Premier League title with the team and earned himself two golden boots. A few years later he moved to his hometown club, Newcastle United and continued his excellent career there. Known for his exceptional skill at hitting on target, he managed to set the record for the above-mentioned 260 goals. He retired around the mid-2000s and has naturally stayed a massive fan of soccer.
There are so many others to choose from. Patrick Viera, Eric Cantona, David Ginola, Matt le Tissier, Robbie Fowler, Paul Scholes, Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp, the list goes on. If you don’t know these players, do yourself a favour and search for their names on YouTube and sit back and enjoy.