Jamie Redknapp Named His 5 Greatest Players in Football History

Jamie Redknapp enjoyed a 15-year footballing career spanning from 1990 to 2005, spending 10 of those seasons with Liverpool and three with Tottenham Hotspur before eventually retiring at Southampton.

Throughout his career, in which he made 374 total club appearances, scoring 47 goals, providing 33 assists, and winning four trophies – all with the Reds – the former midfielder shared the pitch with some of the finest talent of his generation, including Steven Gerrard, Steve McManaman and Claude Makelele.

But, when asked to name his personal five greatest ever football players of all time on Sky Sports’ The Football Show, only one name on the list was someone who played in his era. The remaining choices included World Cup winners, alongside two modern icons who have arguably left an enormous mark on the sport.

Redknapp Named Zidane Among His Favourites

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Coming in at fifth on Redknapp’s list of his top five greatest players of all time is Zinedine Zidane. The Frenchman enjoyed an exceptional career, most notably representing Juventus and Real Madrid at club level, where he collected a combined 11 trophies, including the Champions League. He found the back of the net 125 times and assisted 142 more from midfield in 689 club appearances. Redknapp was particularly struck by how technically gifted Zidane was, especially given his unusually large feet.

In at fourth and third are Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – with the Argentine slightly favoured – both of whom continue to ply their trades around the world and score goals at remarkable rates, just as they have throughout their careers. These modern greats have already cemented their status among the finest players ever, winning virtually every major trophy available between them. When examining the footballing records, it is increasingly common to find one of their names at or near the very top.

For Redknapp, deciding who should take second place between the two Argentine superstars Messi and Diego Maradona was a far tougher call. However, he ultimately opted for the late legend because of the different conditions in which the game was played during the 1980s and 1990s, as well as Maradona’s huge influence at both club and international level while revolutionising the game. With Argentina, he led them to World Cup victory in 1986 virtually by himself, scoring five of his 34 international goals in that tournament, and assisting five more.

Pele Trumps Everyone As Redknapp’s No. 1 Pick

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But for Redknapp, there was ultimately nobody greater than the Brazilian legend himself, Pele, who dominated football from his teenage years and helped Brazil claim three World Cup trophies. The former Premier League midfielder also believes that Pele was the player who truly ‘transcended’ the beautiful game as it is known today, having recorded 77 goals in just 92 appearances for his country.