Ally McCoist has named Kenny Dalglish as the greatest Scottish player in the history of football. The pundit is a Rangers legend and spent the majority of his 23-year run on the pitch with the Glasgow giants. He was at the club between 1983 and 1998, playing over 400 times for them and scoring over 250 goals along the way.
These days, McCoist has become synonymous with his work as a commentator and can regularly be heard covering Champions League matches for TNT Sports. He’s become a huge fan favourite through his work as a pundit, but it pales in comparison to the impact he had at Ibrox Stadium. Despite his status as a Rangers legend, though, the now 62-year-old revealed he thought a former Celtic player was the best Scottish footballer of all-time.
McCoist Named Dalglish the Best Scot Ever
He also showered Graeme Souness with praise
Speaking during a Reddit Q&A, McCoist was asked who he thought was the best Scottish football in history and that is when he revealed he thought it was former Cetlic and Liverpool star Dalglish. Despite his status as an icon for Rangers’ greatest rivals, the 62-year-old couldn’t help but admit Dalglish was his favourite. He said:
“Great question! I mean, there’s been some fantastic Scottish players. My own personal favorite would be Kenny, to be honest with you, I’d go for Kenny Dalglish. Graeme Souness was out of this world and before that Jimmy Johnstone, Jim Baxter, absolutely wonderful, talented players, but my favorite is probably Kenny.”
It might sting Rangers fans to see one of their legends publicly praising a former Celtic player like this, but it’s hard to imagine anyone will blame McCoist for identifying Dalglish as the best Scottish player ever. Whether it was for the Hoops, or Liverpool or the Scotland national team, the former forward was a magician on the football pitch.
Dalglish’s list of accolades was unprecedented. He’s regarded as one of the Reds’ greatest ever players, he’s one of the top scorers in Celtic history and he’s been named one of the most creative British players of all-time. Few players could match up with the star during his career and he managed to stand out whenever he took to the pitch.
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Dalglish came through the academy at Celtic and spent eight years with the senior side at Celtic Park. He played over 200 times for the side during that time. He scored over 100 goals too, and earned a move to Liverpool in 1977. From there, he took his career to incredible new heights and played for the Reds for 13 years. He was a crucial part of the most dominant run in Liverpool’s history and lifted six league titles during his run at Anfield. He also lifted three European Cups with the Reds and is still considered one of their greatest ever players to this day. It’s hard to argue with McCoist’s selection of Dalglish as the best Scottish footballer ever.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and accurate as of 11/01/2025
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