England has always produced many excellent footballers and holds a legendary status in football history. English footballers nowadays often have a high transfer value. However, historically, many legendary players of the Three Lions have been recognized for their talent rather than their market value. For convenience, let's take a look at the top 10 best England soccer players of all time with Wintips website admin right below.
The 10 best England soccer players you may not know
1. Bobby Charlton
Sir Bobby Charlton was a key player alongside Bobby Moore during England's golden age (1962–1970). He was the driving force of the England team, excelling in maintaining possession, distributing the ball from midfield, and scoring spectacular goals
His goal-scoring record for the England team stood until 2015 when it was surpassed by Wayne Rooney. Harry Kane later broke Rooney’s record. Charlton spent the majority of his career at Manchester United before briefly playing and serving as a player-coach at Preston North End. He won three English league titles, an FA Cup, and the European Cup in 1968, which is now known as the UEFA Champions League.
2. Bobby Moore
Bobby Moore’s leadership guided England to victory in the 1966 World Cup. If you watch video footage of him, you’ll see just how exceptional he was as a defender. His ability to read the game and anticipate opponents’ moves was unparalleled. Franz Beckenbauer and Alex Ferguson have both stated that they had never seen a better defender than Bobby Moore.
Moore led the England team through its golden era, which included reaching the quarter-finals in 1962 and 1970 and finishing third in the 1968 European Championship. His club career spanned 16 years at West Ham and a few fewer prominent years at Fulham. With the Hammers, he won the FA Cup in 1964 and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1965.
3. David Beckham
In the early 2000s, David Beckham was arguably the most famous footballer in the world. At Manchester United, he won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and the 1999 UEFA Champions League. Beckham became a 'Galáctico' at Real Madrid in 2003 and spent four seasons there, winning a La Liga title. He also won two MLS Cups with LA Galaxy and a Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain.
Beckham is widely regarded as one of the greatest free-kick takers in football history. He provided numerous assists and held the record for the most Premier League goals from free-kicks (18) during his playing career. He was named to the PFA Team of the Year four times. David Beckham played for the England national team from 1996 to 2009, reaching the quarter-finals in the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups, as well as UEFA Euro 2004. He was once the third most-capped player for England, behind Peter Shilton and Wayne Rooney, but has since been surpassed by others.
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4. Stanley Matthews
Matthews was renowned for his dribbling ability and precise passing, which helped set up many goals for his teammates. According to his daughter, he placed lead in his shoes to build leg strength while playing. This technique helped him develop strong legs and an exceptional ability to accelerate. Remarkably, during the 1950s, he maintained a rigorous daily training routine and followed a strict diet.
Sir Stanley Matthews was healthy enough to play until the age of 50. He spent 19 years playing for Stoke and 14 years for Blackpool, with a brief spell at Toronto City. With Blackpool, he won his only major trophy: the FA Cup in 1953. Sir Stanley Matthews was awarded the first Ballon d'Or in 1956.
5. Alan Shearer
The next name on the list of the greatest English footballers is Alan Shearer. He is the all-time leading goalscorer in Premier League history, with 260 goals. However, it took him a few seasons to refine his finishing abilities at Southampton. After joining Blackburn in the inaugural Premier League season, he began terrorizing defences, culminating in a Premier League title win and the PFA Player of the Year award in 1995.
Shearer's goal-scoring prowess continued after he returned to play for his hometown club, Newcastle United. Shearer won the Premier League Golden Boot for three consecutive seasons (1994–95, 1995–96, and 1996–97). He was also named in the PFA Team of the Year seven times. Like Harry Kane, Shearer was known for his powerful and accurate finishing.
6. Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney was the second-highest goal scorer in the history of the England national team until Harry Kane surpassed him. The former Manchester United striker broke Bobby Charlton's England all-time goal-scoring record, which had stood for over 45 years. Rooney became the youngest player to make his debut for the Three Lions in 2003, in a match against Australia.
Additionally, this Manchester United legend won multiple individual accolades, including the PFA Players' Player of the Year award in 2010. With 120 appearances for the national team, Rooney is also the second most capped England player, behind only Peter Shilton.
7. Frank Lampard
Not only is he one of the greatest English footballers, but Frank Lampard is also an irreplaceable legend of Chelsea FC. Lampard is the highest-scoring midfielder in Premier League history and ranks 6th overall, trailing only legendary strikers. He is also in the top 10 for assists and appearances in Premier League history. The key to Lampard's effectiveness was his perfectly timed runs into the box.
Frank Lampard started his career at West Ham United but spent the majority of his playing years at Chelsea (2001–2014), where he won three Premier League titles, six domestic cups, and two European trophies, including the 2012 UEFA Champions League and the 2013 UEFA Europa League. He was also named the Premier League Player of the Season in 2005 and was included in the PFA Team of the Year on three occasions.
8. Steven Gerrard
It would be unfair to mention Frank Lampard without also including Steven Gerrard. Gerrard is arguably one of the most complete midfielders of all time. He possesses strength, speed, leadership qualities, an outstanding passing range, precision in tackling and shooting, as well as an exceptional work rate that allows him to cover every inch of the field. He has been named in the PFA Team of the Year on eight occasions, which remains a record for a midfielder.
The Liverpool legend became a regular starter in 2000, winning five domestic cups and two European titles (the 2001 UEFA Cup and the 2005 Champions League). Gerrard's peak on the international stage was between 2002 and 2006 when he reached the quarter-finals of major tournaments three times. However, he missed England's opening match of the 2002 World Cup due to injury.
9. Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker is the epitome of an efficient striker, known for his impeccable positioning and ability to score goals effortlessly. Lineker did not score his first goal for the England national team until he was 24, but from the 1984–85 season onwards, his career skyrocketed.
This talented striker had a remarkable career, scoring 329 professional goals. He won the Golden Boot at the 1986 World Cup, became England's top scorer in a single World Cup tournament, and received the Silver Ball award in 1986. A remarkable fact that few people know: Throughout his 18-year career, starting from Leicester City, Lineker never received a single yellow or red card.
10. Jimmy Greaves
The final name on the list of the best England soccer players is Jimmy Greaves. 'Greaves is a phenomenal striker, possessing an instinctive ability to score. With just a glance and a single touch, he can strike powerfully or curl the ball into the farthest corners of the net.' This perfectly describes the lethal prowess of Jimmy Greaves, a forward who netted 44 goals in just 57 appearances for the England national team.
To this day, Greaves remains the all-time leading goalscorer in the history of the English top flight. He played for Chelsea, Tottenham, and West Ham, scoring a total of 357 goals. At Spurs alone, Greaves scored 266 goals in 379 appearances from 1961 to 1970, an outstanding record.
Conclusion
Above is a list of the Top 10 England soccer players of all time. These players are all familiar faces to football fans around the world. England is considered the cradle of football and also has the most exciting national championship on the planet. However, England are still quite unsuccessful at major tournaments. It is hoped that the Three Lions will achieve success in the future. Don't forget to visit the bookmaker world cup website every day to update more exciting sports news.
