We’ve been blessed with plenty of English players who have had incredible careers filled with triumphs, game-changing goals and experiences that will live on in our collective memories.
From the heroes of England’s historic World Cup victory in 1966 to the icons of today, many have made a distinct contribution to the rich history of English football, as well as other leagues and competitions around the world.
But, who is the best of the best?
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ByStephan Georgiou
1
Bobby Charlton
1956-1980
2
Bobby Moore
1958-1983
3
Jimmy Greaves
1957-1980
4
Harry Kane
2009-present
5
Wayne Rooney
2002-2021
6
Paul Gascoigne
1985-2004
7
Gordon Banks
1958-1977
8
Alan Shearer
1988-2006
9
David Beckham
1992-2013
10
Gary Lineker
1978-1994
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ByCharlie Smith 10 Gary Lineker 1978-1994
Gary Lineker is regarded as one of the most prolific attackers in English football history. After making a big impression at Leicester City, where he started his professional career, Lineker went on to have successful stints with Everton, Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur and Nagoya Grampus Eight in Japan.
With 30 league goals in his lone season with Everton, Lineker led the First Division scoring charts. After moving to Barcelona, he won the European Cup Winners’ Cup, the Copa del Rey and La Liga. He also won the FA Cup and another Golden Boot at Tottenham, scoring 283 goals in total during his club career.
Lineker excelled for England abroad, winning 80 caps and placing fourth in England’s scoring standings with 48 goals. He was also the top scorer at the 1986 World Cup. Lineker later played a crucial role in helping England finish fourth at the 1990 World Cup, showcasing his vital goalscoring skills on the largest platform.
The most interesting fact about Lineker is that he never received a yellow or red card in his entire career, highlighting his reputation for fair play.
England caps
80
England goals
48
First England goal
26th March 1985 v Republic of Ireland
England honours
1986 World Cup Golden Boot
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ByLuke Randall 9 David Beckham 1992-2013
David Beckham is regarded as one of the most legendary players in football, respected for his achievements both on and off the field. As a member of the legendary Class of ’92, Beckham started his career at Manchester United and went on to make his name at Old Trafford. He helped the team win multiple Premier League titles, FA Cups, and the UEFA Champions League, completing a historic treble in 1999.
As a result of his exceptional ability to deliver accurate crosses and free kicks, Beckham became known as one of the top set-piece specialists in the game. Following a fruitful stint at Manchester United, Beckham moved on to Real Madrid, where he won further titles, including La Liga in his last campaign. He also spent time at LA Galaxy, where he was a major contributor to the growth of Major League Soccer in the United States, and ended his club career with stints at Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
In his 115 international caps for England, Beckham scored 17 goals and competed in two European Championships and three World Cups.
England caps
115
England goals
17
First England goal
26th June 1998 v Colombia
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ByLewis Thompson 8 Alan Shearer 1988-2006
Alan Shearer is the all-time top scorer in the Premier League and one of the league’s finest strikers.
When Shearer made his full debut as a 17-year-old at Southampton, he scored a hat-trick to establish himself as a star. Due to his goalscoring ability, he was transferred to Blackburn Rovers, where he won the Premier League in the 1994/95 season, securing the Golden Boot that year as well as in the two campaigns that followed.
In 1996, Shearer joined Newcastle United for a then-record transfer fee. He turned into a legend while on Tyneside, amassing 206 goals to become the club’s all-time top scorer. Shearer’s individual efforts and devotion to the Magpies sealed his place in the hearts of supporters and made him a Premier League legend, even though the team failed to bring home any significant trophies.
The 53-year-old scored 30 goals for England in 63 caps, which included being a member of two World Cup squads and being the tournament’s top scorer during Euro 1996.
England caps
63
England goals
30
First England goal
19th February 1992 v France
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ByCharlie Smith 7 Gordon Banks 1958-1977
One of the best goalkeepers in football history, Gordon Banks left behind a legacy of amazing talent and sportsmanship.
The pinnacle of Banks’ career was his crucial contribution to England’s 1966 World Cup victory.
He started his club career at Chesterfield before going to Leicester City, where he won the League Cup in 1964. The high point of his club career came when he moved to Stoke City in 1967. There, he won the League Cup twice and cemented his place among the game’s top goalkeepers.
Banks received 73 caps for England, but his save, dubbed the “Save of the Century” from a Pelé header during the 1970 World Cup against Brazil, is still remembered as one of the most memorable moments in football history. Numerous honours were given to Banks in recognition of his achievements in football, including six FIFA Goalkeeper of the Year titles.
England caps
73
England goals
0
England honours
1966 World Cup
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ByLuke Randall 6 Paul Gascoigne 1985-2004
Paul Gascoigne is one of the sport’s most gifted players. His remarkable talent, originality and flair on the field was demonstrated throughout his career, which also reflects his turbulent personal life off it.
With Newcastle United, where Gascoigne started his football career, his natural potential was immediately apparent. With his ability to dribble and score goals, he made an impression in midfield and eventually moved to Tottenham Hotspur. Gazza’s career peaked with Spurs, especially during the FA Cup run in the 1990/91 season.
However, a devastating knee injury he sustained in that cup final tarnished his time there and had a huge impact on his career trajectory. Following Tottenham, his career featured stints at Lazio in Italy, where he struggled with injury before becoming an icon among supporters, and Rangers in Scotland, where he had a remarkable comeback and won two Scottish Premier League titles.
Gascoigne was a star for England, winning 57 caps and becoming a national hero in Italy at the FIFA World Cup 1990. His performances propelled England to the semi-finals, and his touching response to receiving a yellow card in the semi-final that would have prevented him from playing in the final won over supporters all across the world.
Gazza was also instrumental in England’s success in Euro 96, with his goal against Scotland standing as one of the competition’s most iconic moments.
England caps
57
England goals
10
First England goal
26th April 1989 v Albania
5 Wayne Rooney 2002-2021
It’s safe to say that Wayne Rooney is regarded as one of the greatest players of his time and one of the game’s most accomplished attackers.
At the age of 16, Rooney made his professional debut for Everton, where he immediately rose to prominence as one of the most talked-about young players in English football.
After making the switch to Manchester United in 2004, he went on an incredibly successful stint there, becoming a vital member of the squad. Rooney won multiple trophies throughout his 13 seasons with United, including five Premier League titles, one FA Cup, four League Cups, one Champions League and one Europa League.
He also broke Sir Bobby Charlton’s long-standing goalscoring record, scoring 253 times to become Manchester United’s all-time top scorer.
Rooney has the second-most caps for England on the international scene, with 120. He also became England’s all-time top scorer with 53 goals, but was later overtaken by Harry Kane.
England caps
120
England goals
53
First England goal
6th September 2003 v Macedonia
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ByLuke Randall 4 Harry Kane 2009-present
Harry Kane is currently one of the world’s best strikers and an important member of Bayern Munich and the England national team.
Starting out in the youth system at Spurs, Kane made his first appearance for Tottenham Hotspur in 2011. However, he didn’t start to show himself as a prolific goalscorer until the 2014/15 campaign, when he quickly rose to prominence as Spurs’ top striker. He broke various club and league scoring records and earned multiple Premier League Golden Boots.
After earning his first senior cap in 2015, Kane has been a crucial member of the England squad on the international scene. At the 2018 World Cup, he led England to their best World Cup performance since 1990 with a fourth-place finish, earning the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer in the process.
His goalscoring prowess and leadership have been essential to England’s recent successes on the international stage, including their run to the Euro 2020 final. He is now England’s all-time top scorer, too.
England caps
110
England goals
76
First England goal
27th March 2015 v Lithuania
England honours
2018 World Cup Golden Boot
3 Jimmy Greaves 1957-1980
Jimmy Greaves was one of the best goalscorers in the world during his era.
He started his career at Chelsea, where he scored 132 goals in 169 games. Milan then took notice of his prolific scoring, although he only stayed there for a short time before leaving to join Tottenham Hotspur. Greaves rose to legendary status with Spurs, as he amassed 266 goals in 379 games to become the team’s all-time top scorer.
Many accolades were won during his time at Tottenham, including the European Cup Winners’ Cup and the FA Cup twice.
On the international stage, he won 57 caps and scored 44 goals. Despite not playing in the final due to an injury sustained during the tournament’s group stage, he was a member of the 1966 World Cup-winning team.
England caps
57
England goals
44
First England goal
17th May 1959 v Peru
England honours
1966 World Cup
2 Bobby Moore 1958-1983
Bobby Moore was a legendary English football player and one of the finest defenders in history. His best-known achievement is leading England to their one and only World Cup title in 1966.
He spent most of his club career at West Ham United, where he played over 600 games for the Hammers and captained the side for 10 years. Moore led the Hammers to several trophies during his time there, including the FA Cup in 1964 and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965.
At the time of his retirement, he set a record for England caps with 108, which now sees him sit in fifth. England’s achievements in the 1960s were greatly aided by his collaboration with players such as Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters, both at club and international level.
England caps
108
England goals
2
First England goal
5th January 1966 v Poland
England honours
1966 World Cup
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ByStephan Georgiou 1 Bobby Charlton 1956-1980
Sir Bobby Charlton is a highly regarded figure in football, renowned for his impeccable career and services to the game.
The footballing legend rose to fame at Manchester United, where he spent more than 20 years, becoming the team’s all-time top scorer with 249 goals in 758 appearances, a record he kept until 2017.
During his tenure at Manchester United, he accomplished a great deal, winning three First Division titles and an emotional victory in the 1968 European Cup, which saw the Red Devils become the first English club to win the competition, just ten years after the Munich plane disaster.
On the international front, Charlton played a significant role in England’s 1966 World Cup-winning squad. His contributions during this tournament were crucial, as evidenced by his two goals against Portugal in the semi-final. He scored 49 goals and received 106 caps during his Three Lions career, ranking him among the greatest goalscorers England has ever seen.
England caps
106
England goals
49
First England goal
19th April 1958 v Scotland
England honours
1966 World Cup