Greatest English Premier League Strikers
This list is an attempt at celebrating the finest strikers produced in the English Premier League era. Since it’s inception in 1992, the English Premier League has gifted us a fine crop of world class strikers. Menacing to their opponents and pleasing to the viewer's eyes, ranking these talents is definitely not an easy task. Here's a look at 10 of the greatest strikers ever to grace the Premier League:
#10. Eric Cantona
Premier League Appearances: 143
Premier League Goals: 64
Titles:
Manchester United: EPL (1993, 1994, 1996, 1997)
FA Cup (1994, 1996)
Eric Cantona was probably the first 'Premier League Era' superstar. The maverick Frenchman was a regular feature in the tabloids, but most importantly one of EPL's finest attacking talents.
In 1992, Manchester United raided Leeds for Eric Cantona, and sealed a 1.2 million Pound move for him. His aggresion, swagger and goalscoring heroics soon established him as a hero at Old Trafford. Even today, 17 years since Cantona wore a United shirt, fans sing praises of 'King Eric' at the Theatre of Dreams.
Cantona shocked everyone by announcing his retirement from football in 1997 at just 30 years of age. Had he stayed back, he would definitely have been a part of United's history-making 1999 Champions League winning side, and may have gone on to add more to his already-rich legacy in EPL.
#9. Michael Owen
Premier League Appearances: 325
Premier League Goals: 150
Titles:
Liverpool: FA Cup (2001)
League Cup (2001, 2003)
UEFA Cup (2001)
UEFA Super Cup (2001)
Manchester United: EPL (2011)
League Cup (2010)
Inspite of having a very injury-plagued career, Michael Owen makes his way at 7th in the list of all-time EPL goal-scorers and on our list of EPL's finest strikers.
Inconsistency due to injuries may have made a dent on Owen's goal scoring prowess, but the Englishman still has an enviable record. Breaking into the Liverpool team at just 17, he went on to net 118 EPL goals for the Reds.
His performances at Merseyside earned the Reds an impressive treble of trophies in 2001. As Owen continued to torment opposition defences, Liverpool won the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and the League Cup in 2001. His performances also led to him winning the Ballon D'Or that year.
Though he later went on to join arch rivals Manchester United, Owen is still adored by Liverpool fans. In their 2013 list of '100 Players Who Shook The Kop'- an official Liverpool fan poll, Owen came in at 14th.
#8. Wayne Rooney
Premier League Appearances: 374
Premier League Goals: 173
Titles:
Manchester United: EPL (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013)
League Cup (2006, 2010)
Champions League (2008)
Club World Cup (2008)
While at Everton, Wayne Rooney was touted as the next boy-wonder. The promise shown at Goodison Park, earned Rooney an England cap at just 17 years of age. Playing in a friendly against Australia on 12 February, 2003, he became the youngest to play for the Three Lions.
Though initially trying to snare off advances from Manchester United, Everton finally had to let the English prodigy go. Rooney left Everton for Manchester United seeking titles and glory in a 26.5 million Pound move in 2004. And 10 years since that day, Rooney has gone on to become the Red Devils's 3rd highest goal-scorer in history.
Goals aside, Rooney has also adapted to roles other than central striker at Old Trafford. Though this constant experiment has led to the Englishman handing a transfer request on several occasions, Rooney continues to be a United talisman.
For those who watched Wazza score the superb bicycle-kick goal against rivals Manchester City in 2012, they would pray for more such performances from this temparemental striker.
#7. Ruud Van Nistelrooy
Premier League Appearances: 150
Premier League Goals: 95
Titles:
Manchester United: EPL (2003)
FA Cup (2004)
League Cup (2006)
Though he featured in only five Premier League seasons, Ruud Van Nistelrooy left his indelible mark over it. A devastating striker, the Dutchman slammed 95 goals in just 150 EPL appearances for Manchester United.
In four of those five seasons at Old Trafford, Nistelrooy broke the 20-goal mark. His heroics of 25 goals in the 2002-03 season guided United to the league title, and the Dutchman to the EPL Golden Boot and PFA Player of the Year Awards.
His tiff with club-mate Cristiano Ronaldo and manager Alex Ferguson signalled an end to his United career. United's leading goal-scorer in Europe, Nistelrooy was eventually shipped off to Real Madrid in 2006 for 14 million Euros.
#6. Dennis Bergkamp
Premier League Appearances: 315
Premier League Goals: 87
Titles:
Arsenal: EPL (1998, 2002, 2004)
FA Cup (1998, 2002, 2003, 2005)
A staunch believer in the Dutch principle of Total Football, Bergkamp was a master all over the pitch at Ajax. The Dutchman experimented playing in every position on the field, except as a goalie, while at Ajax.
His move to Arsenal from Inter Milan in 1995, saw him take the second striker role. Bergkamp excelled in this position, aiding the likes of Ian Wright, Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka. The Dutchman acted as the perfect foil for Arsenal's success as the lead strikers stole the show.
He may be at just 11th on the list of Arsenal's top goal-scorers in history, but most of those strikes were absolutely sublime. Bergkamp was revered for his aggresive style of play and above all his superb first touches. Speaking on Bergkamp transforming goalscoring into a sublime form of art, manager Arsene Wenger said ""He needs fewer touches to score. Sometimes just one, when others need two or three."
#5. Robbie Fowler
Premier League Appearances: 378
Premier League Goals: 162
Titles:
Liverpool: FA Cup (2001)
League Cup (1995, 2001)
UEFA Cup (2001)
UEFA Super Cup (2001)
Though one of Premier League's most prolific scorers, there is a sense of 'what if' in his career. Fowler broke into the Liverpool team as a teenager and soon took over the show. With 120 goals for the Reds, the Englishman won over the Kop. He earned the nickname of 'God' from fans at Anfield and cemented his place amongst the Merseyside club's legends.
But the rise of Michael Owen and a reported fall-out with manager Gerard Houlier saw Folwer seeking greener pastures. Unfortunately he never recovered his magic touch with Leeds, Manchester City, Cardiff City and Blackburn. He returned to Liverpool in 2006, but was just a shadow of the talent that he was earlier.
Though 6th in the list of highest Premier League goal-scorers, Fowler might have achieved even more accolades and glory.
#4. Andy Cole
Premier League Appearances: 414
Premier League Goals: 188
Titles:
Manchester United: EPL (1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001)
FA Cup (1996, 1999)
Champions League (1999)
Blackburn Rovers: League Cup (2002)
Andy Cole was a product of the Arsenal academy but couldn't make his mark in the Gunners first team. The Gunners loaned him to Fulham, then in the third division and eventually sold him over to Bristol City in the second division.
At Bristol, Cole grabbed headlines with his heroics and was snapped up by Newcastle for a club-record 1.75 million Pounds in 1993. The Englishman guided Newcastle to promotion in the EPL, after the Magpies had won the Division One title.
After 55 league goals in just 70 outings at St. James Park, Cole was wooed over by Manchester United in 1995. The Red Devils bought him for 7 million Pounds, and he went on to become the foundation for several United successes. His 121 goals in Manchester United colours saw them win 5 Premier League titles and secured a historic triumph at the 1999 Champions League.
#3. Didier Drogba
Premier League Appearances: 226
Premier League Goals: 100
Titles:
Chelsea: EPL (2005, 2006, 2010)
FA Cup (2007, 2009, 2010, 2012)
League Cup (2005, 2007)
Champions League (2012)
Drogba may not be amongst the top 10 goalscorers in Premier League history, but he ruled over England with his brute force. He has a total of 157 goals while at Chelsea, of which 100 were scored in the Premier League.
He joined the London club from Marseille in a 24-million Pound move and went on to torment defenders all over EPL. With his brute force, power and a brilliant heading ability, Drogba was the rock on which Chelsea's success under Jose Mourinho was built on. He was at his finest in the 2009-10 season, netting 29 goals in the league to hand Chelsea the league crown.
Though faced with the threats of Andriy Shevchenko and then Fernando Torres for the role of the leader of the strike force, Drogba overcame them with elan. In a fitting climax, this Chelsea legend ended the Blues' quest for the elusive Champions League title in 2012, before moving to Shanghai Shenhua.
#2. Thierry Henry
Premier League Appearances: 258
Premier League Goals: 175
Titles:
Arsenal: EPL (2002, 2004)
FA Cup (2002, 2003, 2005)
Sorry Arsenal fans, but Thierry Henry is not on top of the list of greatest strikers in the Premier League.
Henry joined Arsenal in 1999 for a 11 million Pound move from Juventus. At Highbury he was reunited with his former Monaco manager Arsene Wenger, and the French duo scripted history together at North London. Wenger converted Henry from a winger, to a lethal striker paired with Dennis Bergkamp. His pace, power, dribbling and finishing skills took the EPL by storm soon. In his debut season goals flowed from Henry's boots, scoring 26 goals in 47 games for the Gunners.
Henry played a part in scripting history, as Arsenal became the first team in more than a century to go through the entire domestic league season unbeaten in 2003-04. His heroics with the Gunners won him the2004 European Golden Boot, and earned a second place in the race for 2004 FIFA World Player of The Year (losing to Barcelona forward Ronaldinho).
The Frenchman continued to rule over the Premier League till his move to Barcelona in 2007. Highest goal-scorer in the history of the North London club (226 goals), Henry even today remains a darling for Arsenal fans. It was a walk down memory lane to watch Henry return and again score goals during his 2-month loan spell with Arsenal in 2012. At his peak watching Henry play in an Arsenal shirt, can be best summed up as 'poetry in motion'.
#1. Alan Shearer
Premier League Appearances: 441
Premier League Goals: 260
Titles:
Blackburn: EPL (1995)
Alan Shearer was one of the first superstars of the Premier League. The Englishman set the league alight with his heroics in the 90's and continued to be a force to reckon even into his late 30's.
A product of the Southampton academy, Shearer broke into the first team in the 1988 season. He grabbed headlines in his very first start for the Saints. The 17-year-old netted a hat-trick against Arsenal in a 4-2 home win, becoming the youngest to score a hat-trick in the English top-flight. Developing into a lone striker role at Sothampton, Shearer went on to net 43 goals in 158 appearances for Southampton. The best of Shearer was yet to come as Blackburn came knocking on his door. He thwarted interest from Manchester United to join the Rovers in a British transfer record-breaking 3.6 million Pound move.
At Ewood Park, Shearer transformed into the goal-machine that he is famous for. In 3 of his 4 seasons at Blackburn, Shearer netted over 30 goals. That he went on to score 130 goals in just 171 appearances is a proof of the way he dominated the league. The towering striker also led Blackburn to their only EPL title in the 1994-95 season.
In 1996, persuaded by his boyhood hero and Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan, Shearer again turned down Manchester United to join Newcastle. Playing for his hometown club, he plundered 206 goals in 404 outings.
Scoring against opponents with such relative ease, it is of no doubt that Shearer with 260 strikes is the all-time highest goalscorer in the Premier League and on the top of our list.