20 Best English Footballers of All Time (Ranked)

England have produced a whole host of wonderfully talented footballers over the years. While the Three Lions have only won a major international tournament once, countless incredible footballers have graced the famous Wembley turf.

Wayne Rooney topped the voting as he was crowned the greatest footballer to play for England in the eyes of fans. However, there will be other supporters who strongly feel that Sir Bobby Charlton or Bobby Moore deserve that title, given the fact they were key figures in the nation’s triumph at the World Cup in 1966. We’ve crunched the numbers and ranked the top 20 best English players ever, which includes members of the country’s ‘Golden Generation’ as well as a few names of England’s World Cup win.

Ranking factors

• Importance to club and country.
• Success with club and country.
• The calibre of teams they played for.
• Longevity.
• Goals.
• Assists.
• Clean sheets.

20

Jordan Pickford

England caps: 80

Jordan Pickford is a divisive figure in club football, often criticised for his inconsistent performances. However, you can’t say the same when he puts on an England shirt. The Everton goalkeeper established himself as the number one in time for the 2018 World Cup, where the Three Lions reached the semi-finals. This included a crucial penalty save against Colombia, which was England’s first shootout victory in World Cup history.

He also saved penalties in the Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy and the Three Lions’ quarter-final victory against Switzerland at Euro 2024. In fact, of the 20 penalties Pickford has faced as an England goalkeeper, he has saved five of them. His performances in major tournaments for the Three Lions have been invaluable in helping the country reach consecutive European Championship finals.

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19

Jude Bellingham

England caps: 43

Jude Bellingham has already earned 43 caps for England, despite being only 22. Following his Champions League and La Liga victory at Real Madrid, the Birmingham-born midfielder came close to delivering European glory for the Three Lions. In the Round of 16 at Euro 2024, he scored a bicycle kick in the dying stages to send Gareth Southgate’s side’s match against Slovakia to extra time. He also scored at the 2022 World Cup, becoming the second-youngest player to score for England at the World Cup.

Bellingham will have plenty more options to end the 58 years of hurt for England in major tournaments. In the meantime, he will likely win multiple domestic titles for Real Madrid and become one of the country’s most decorated footballers ever.

18

Michael Owen

England caps: 89

With 40 goals for his country, Michael Owen is the sixth top scorer in English football history. The former Liverpool and Manchester United striker played in five tournaments, scoring in four of them. He is most famous for his goal against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup, which remains one of the most memorable goals for the Three Lions in a major tournament.

He was also extremely successful at domestic level, winning the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Cup. In 2001, he won the Ballon d’Or after winning three trophies for Liverpool in the same season. Owen remains the youngest scorer for England at a World Cup with his goal against Romania on 22nd June 1998. He was just 18 years and 190 days old at the time of the goal.

17

Peter Shilton

England caps: 125

No one has played more games for England than this man, Peter Shilton. As such, he’s done more than enough to earn a spot on this list of the Three Lions’ all-time greatest players. The former Leicester City man played 125 times for his country, and his time with England spanned the course of two decades, with his first appearance coming in 1970, and his last in 1990.

Having been inducted into the England Hall of Fame back in 2002, Shilton’s excellent legacy with the international team can’t be overstated. No one could usurp him in between the sticks at major tournaments with England for quite some time.

16

Frank Lampard

England caps: 106

Devastating disallowed goal against Germany in the 2010 World Cup aside, Frank Lampard had a great career with his national team. Playing over 100 times and scoring just under 30 goals, his return in front of the net is one that even many of the country’s best strikers would be envious of.

Alongside Paul Scholes and Steven Gerrard, Lampard has been part of a longstanding debate on the best English midfielders of all time, and while he ranks below both of those stars on this list, there is no denying the fact that he was still a very, very good footballer.

15

Paul Scholes

England caps: 66

Paul Scholes will go down as one of the best midfielders to ever play in the Premier League. He spent his entire club career with Manchester United and won several trophies under Sir Alex Ferguson. The Red Devils legend was known for his exceptional vision, precise control, and passing ability, which allowed him to dictate the tempo of games.

It’s a travesty that he was occasionally wasted when playing for England – arguably one of the big reasons why the Three Lions failed to win anything in the early 2000s. Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, and Scholes should have been a midfield capable of winning either the Euros or the World Cup. Alas, no manager – particularly Sven-Goran Eriksson – could get it done. The former Swedish manager has revealed in the past that the United man was the best of the three.

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14

Ashley Cole

England caps: 107

Ashley Cole is, without a doubt, the greatest left-back that the country has ever produced. Often regarded as the best full-back of the Premier League era, he is one of nine players to reach 100 caps for the Three Lions. Over the years, for England and at club level, he had many great battles against Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portugal forward named Cole as his toughest opponent ever. During the peak of his powers, he was a joy to watch. His ability to balance defensive responsibilities while also posing a threat in attack made the former Chelsea and Arsenal defender a complete full-back.

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13

Sir Stanley Matthews

England caps: 54

Sir Stanley Matthews was a true England legend. He was the winner of the inaugural Ballon d’Or award in 1956 while playing for Blackpool. He remains the oldest-ever winner of the award, having picked up the prestigious honour at the age of 41. The almost-mythical winger is best known for his display in the 1953 FA Cup Final – which is better known as the ‘Matthews Final’.

On the international front, he earned 54 caps. In 1956, he became the oldest England player to ever score for the Three Lions, aged 41. While he thoroughly deserves a place in the top 15, Matthews misses out on making it into the final 10 due to his lack of success for his country. That said, he was still an incredibly gifted star during his era.

12

Gary Lineker

England caps: 80

Gary Lineker was a prolific forward who scored goals for fun during his time at the likes of Everton, Tottenham, Barcelona, and England. With 256 goals in his professional career for both club and country, he’s one of the top-scoring English footballers ever.

Only Bobby Charlton, Wayne Rooney, and Harry Kane have scored more goals for the nation throughout history. His most iconic moment for his national side came at the 1986 World Cup when he finished top scorer of the tournament with six goals. Unfortunately, the Three Lions were narrowly beaten by Argentina in the quarter-finals. Lineker has been an ever-present on our TV screens over the past three decades and is best known these days for hosting Match of the Day.

11

David Beckham

England caps: 115

David Beckham was an absolute joy to watch in his prime. His international career appeared to be over after his red card against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup. He would bounce back in style, though, captaining his country and earning 115 caps.

During those appearances, he made the list of players to register the most international assists in the 21st century. Beckham’s global fame and on-field success make him one of Manchester United’s most legendary number sevens. Unquestionably one of the greatest free-kick takers in the game since 2000, the Englishman is a true legend of the game.

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