Top 5 greatest Premier League cult heroes of the 2010s
The Premier League has entered a new stratosphere of popularity as we enter deeper into the 2020s. A key reason behind the popularity is for the stage the league gave to mercurial talents such as Thierry Henry, Wayne Rooney, Eden Hazard, Sergio Aguero and many others.
Much admiration, however, is reserved for players who hadn't quite played for the biggest of teams, but nevertheless managed to make their way into the hearts of many fans with their talent and ability. Here is a list of "Top 5 greatest Premier League Cult Heroes of the 2010s" that the streets will never forget.
#5 Adel Taarabt
Modern football is so very often reduced to a statistical reading of goals scored, passes completed, xGs and "successful dribbles". Some players, though, go beyond the numbers. Morocco's Adel Taarabt is one such player whose wizardry graced the Premier League.
Blessed with lazy elegance and the audacity of a true "street baller," Queens Park Rangers's Taarabt took dribbling and technical ability to near Ronaldinho levels, armed as he was with an arsenal of dummies, feints, stopovers and nutmegs.
Massively entertaining for the masses, Taarabt, in his near five-year spell baring loan stints at Fulham and AC Milan, alternated between a frustrated participant and an electric attacker seemingly possessed by the spirit of Johan Cruyff himself. Queens Park Rangers twice suffered relegation during his stay and he was very so often the lone bright spark for the club.
#4 Hatem Ben Arfa
Hatem Ben Arfa at his very best lit up Newcastle United's St. James’ Park stadium with his silky smooth dribbles and control of the ball. Some adoring Newcastle supporters might even go on to compare his left foot to that of Leo Messi! Joining the likes of Yohan Cabaye, Papis Cisse and Demba Ba, Ben Arfa was a bonafide star in the Newcastle United team of the early 2010s, as they defied expectations with a 5th place finish in 2012.
Armed with creativity, brilliance and a direct attacking ability, many fans would say that Ben Arfa has had a far less successful career in comparison with individuals such as Eden Hazard though possessing similar traits.
Aged 33, the Frenchman has recently been trying to write a new chapter in his legacy with Bordeaux after less than impactful spells with Paris Saint Germain and OGC Nice.