For as long as the wind is blowing, we might as well be surfing the wave…
After FourFourTwo’s Top 100 footballers list, the ‘Association of Football Statisticians’ Top 100 Greatest Ever Footballers, and recently once again FourFourTwo’s 2007 EPL ‘Rich List’, The Sun is jumping onto the Top 100 bandwagon and starting a Top 10 ranking of their own: every week the ‘most trustworthy publication in the UK’ (yeah, cheap shot) will bring you the latest list of the best (and worst) things from the world of sport.
This week, it’s a Top 10 of the most entertaining footballers in EPL history. Like any other ranking, this article is to be taken with a grain of salt. Fire your cheers/comments/insults away, but remember… I’m only the messenger. 🙂
Here, I’ll get you started: notable absentees include Dennis Bergkamp, Chris Waddle, John Barnes, Kevin Keegan, Alan Shearer, David Ginola…
From The Sun article:
English football fans have been blessed over the years. OK, the national team have not exactly set the world on fire, but when it comes to domestic action, we simply cannot be beaten. Some of the greatest entertainers have graced England’s top-flight and the debate will always rage about who is the best. We’ve picked our top 10 right here – but if you don’t agree, let us know.
| It’s safe to say Le God is one of the greatest players to never win a major trophy. The talented striker hammered home long-range stunners for fun and was Southampton through and through. Despite opportunities to join bigger clubs, Le Tissier spent his ENTIRE career with the Saints. | ||||
| There are few players who can be described as legends — but Beardsley fits the bill perfectly. He picked up 59 caps for England, forming a devastating strikeforce with Gary Lineker. But he is best remembered for spells with Newcastle, Liverpool and Everton. Pure and simple, Beardsley played for the love of the game. | ||||
| Henry is the best player to ever pull on an Arsenal shirt. The striker’s sublime skills made him the club’s highest goalscorer but his time in London ended without what he coveted most — glory in the Champions League. The Frenchman, who started his career as a winger, is one of the greatest foreign players to grace the Premier League. | ||||
| The wing wizard seems to have been around forever — and he’s still going strong. The only thing you can say against Giggsy is that he is one of the best Englishman never to play for his country. Instead of choosing the Three Lions, the Manchester United ace opted for Wales. While international success has eluded him, Giggs has won the lot with United. | ||||
| Hoddle was one of the classiest midfielders around. His range of passing was phenomenal and, most importantly, the Tottenham legend knew how to score a goal. To put it simply, this man could do it all. After proving himself in France with Monaco, he enjoyed spells as player-boss at Swindon and Chelsea. | ||||
| In years to come, Ronaldo is sure to feature higher in lists like this. The Portuguese Winker may not be popular with anyone outside of Manchester but he has cemented his reputation as one of the world’s greatest players. Under the guidance of Alex Ferguson, Ron has developed into the best goalscoring winger around. | ||||
| When he wasn’t kung-fu kicking fans or talking about seagulls, Cantona did the business on the pitch as Manchester United won trophy after trophy. The Frenchman was as mad as they come but truly gifted. He stunned United fans by hanging up his boots in 1997 to pursue an acting career. | ||||
| While Gazza can best be described as daft as a brush, the midfielder could do it all with the ball at his feet. A troubled genius he may be, but the former Newcastle and Tottenham ace was one of the few Englishmen to conquer Serie A. | ||||
| Zola’s love of the game was clear to see from the moment he arrived at Stamford Bridge. The Italian was a free-kick expert but there was far more to his game than the ability to curl a ball. Zola scored breathtaking goals and was one of the main reasons Chelsea lifted trophies under both Ruud Gullit and Gianluca Vialli. | ||||
| Best loved nothing better than scoring on and OFF the pitch. The Northern Irishman was untouchable with the ball at his feet and was adored away from the game. His lifestyle was often criticised but Manchester United would not be the club they are today without him. Quite simply, he set the standard for everyone to follow. | ||||
Marco Pantanella writes for the mCalcio blog
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