Ranked! The 25 best English players ever

Who is the greatest English player ever? 

It's a debate that has rolled on for years and through generations, but here's our take on the eternal question. 

From world champions to generational talents and modern-day greats, here's our rundown of the best 25 male players to pull on a Three Lions shirt. 

The 25 best English players ever: 25. Raheem Sterling

Among the most decorated English players of the 21st century, Raheem Sterling won four Premier League titles with Manchester City – along with the FA Cup and four League Cups.

The versatile former Liverpool forward, now of Chelsea, starred throughout England’s run to the final of Euro 2020, scoring three goals – most notably the opener as Gareth Southgate’s side beat Germany 2-0 in the last 16.

24. Michael Owen

He’s been retired for more than a decade now, but Michael Owen still sits 11th on the all-time list of Premier League top scorers.

After bursting onto the scene with Liverpool, Owen – who went on to play for Real Madrid and Manchester United, among others – announced himself to the international stage with that solo goal against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup – one of 40 he scored for the Three Lions in all (only five players have notched more).

23. John Terry

One of the finest defenders English football has ever seen, John Terry is also the highest-scoring centre-back in Premier League history – finding the net 41 times for Chelsea, more often than not with his head.

The Stamford Bridge legend captained the Blues to five top-flight titles and Champions League glory (somewhat infamously lifting the trophy in full kit despite being suspended for the final) – and briefly wore the armband for England, earning 78 caps overall.

22. Glenn Hoddle

Quite possibly the most gifted English player of his generation, Glenn Hoddle gained iconic status at Tottenham and has been named as the club’s best ever player on numerous occasions.

A magician with the ball at his feet, the midfield maestro was a mainstay of Bobby Robson’s England side during the 80s – when he also reached number 12 in the charts with ‘Diamond Lights’, a duet with teammate Chris Waddle (because why the heck not?!).

21. John Barnes

After making a name for himself at Watford, John Barnes took his wing wizardry to Liverpool and helped the Reds to two league titles, two FA Cups and a League Cup between the 1987/88 and 1994/95 seasons.

Born in Jamaica, Barnes earned 79 England caps – and it was during a 1984 friendly that he produced the most iconic moment of his career (bar the ‘World in Motion’ rap, obviously), gliding through Brazil’s defence at the Maracana to score arguably the Three Lions’ greatest goal (with his weaker right foot, no less).

20. Frank Lampard

During his trophy-laden career at the top level, Frank Lampard redefined what it meant to be a goalscoring midfielder. With 177 goals (two more than Thierry Henry), Chelsea's best ever player ranks sixth on the all-time Premier League list.

Lampard won 106 caps for England, as many as the great Bobby Charlton (only five players have ever earned more) – under a string of managers who never quite cracked the conundrum of how to partner him effectively with his similarly elite contemporary, Steven Gerrard.

19. Billy Wright

The first player to reach the milestone of 100 caps for any country, Billy Wright captained England 90 times (a joint record alongside World Cup-winning skipper Bobby Moore) – wearing the armband at the 1950, 1954 and 1958 World Cups.

At club level, the centre-half spent his entire career with Wolves – where he was captain for all three of the club’s First Division titles and featured in some of the earliest European matches: the famous floodlit friendlies at Molineux.

18. Steven Gerrard

Another true Premier League legend who loved a goal from midfield, Steven Gerrard will forever be synonymous with Liverpool’s 2004/05 Champions League triumph – from that goal against Olympiacos to that night in Istanbul, where his header sparked the Reds' stunning comeback against Milan.

But he’s also the fourth most-capped England player of all time, having turned out for his country 114 times during a 14-year international career which saw him appear at five major tournaments – and serve as captain under Roy Hodgson.

17. Tom Finney

After fighting in the Second World War, Tom Finney established himself one of the finest footballers on the planet during the mid-20th century – spending almost his entire career with hometown club Preston North End and representing England 76 times.

Finney was a selfless forward known for his assists as much as his goals, and his all-round gentlemanly conduct, with Preston teammate Bill Shankly calling him “the greatest player I ever saw, bar none”.

16. Paul Scholes

A member of Manchester United's ‘Class of ‘92’, Paul Scholes’ midfield mastery proved pivotal to the Red Devils' sustained success under Sir Alex Ferguson. The diminutive playmaker made 718 appearances for 13-time Premier League champions, scoring 155 goals and starring in 11 of those title triumphs.

Scholes' England career was relatively short – he retired from international duty seven years before his (first) retirement from the game outright – but he made some notable contributions, such as bagging both goals in the Euro 2000 play-off win over Scotland at Hampden Park.

15. Peter Shilton

See the name Peter Shilton and you probably instantly think of Diego Maradona outjumping him to score his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal for Argentina in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final – but England’s most-capped player (125 caps) was one of the best goalkeepers of his generation.

As well as featuring for the Three Lions at three World Cups and two Euros, Shilton twice lifted the European Cup with Nottingham Forest – and made a whopping 1,005 league appearances for eight clubs overall, finally hanging up his gloves in 1997.

14. Rio Ferdinand

A player ahead of his time, Rio Ferdinand was a continental kind of defender ball-playing ability and athleticism set him apart from other English centre-halves around the turn of the century.

The world's most expensive defender not once but twice, Ferdinand enjoyed a glittering 12 years with Manchester United  – who he joined from bitter rivals Leeds in 2002 – and had a short stint as captain of England, winning a total of 81 caps and featuring at two World Cups.

13. Kevin Keegan

A European cup winner and three-time top-flight champion with Liverpool, Kevin Keegan went on to become one of England’s biggest hits abroad after joining Hamburg in 1977 (for his trendsetting perm as well as what he did on the pitch).

But, as incredible a player as he was, the two-time Ballon d’Or winner – who captained his country on 31 occasions – is most synonymous with a certain moment from his managerial career: that 1996 rant in the direction of Sir Alex Ferguson…

12. Ashley Cole

An Arsenal 'Invincible' by the age of 23 and a winner of, well, pretty much every other trophy going at Chelsea, Ashley Cole has a claim to be one of the most complete full-backs in the history of the game.

England's greatest ever left-back combined intelligence and athleticism, attacking forays with defensive solidity, and even once forced Cristiano Ronaldo to ask to be substituted after the Portuguese had a nightmare against him in 2006. 

11. Stanley Matthews

“Stanley Matthews taught us the way football should be played,” said Pele; “I couldn’t believe he was just a man. He was the best player in the world,” opined Bobby Charlton. Sounds like he was pretty handy, then...

One of the game’s all-time greats, ‘The Wizard of the Dribble’ – who famously played professionally until he was 50 – won the inaugural Ballon d'Or in 1956, lifted the 1952/53 FA Cup with Blackpool – running the show in the 'Matthews Final' – and represented England at the 190 and 1954 World Cups.