The greatest British footballers ever

Counting down the finest English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish players of all time

Britain: it's where football all began more than 150 years ago – so it's only natural that these islands have produced some pretty special players.

Here at FourFourTwo, we've racked our brains to rank the most special talents of all from the Home Nations.

Let's dive straight in shall, we?

34. Glenn Hoddle (England)

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A mesmerisingly gifted playmaker, Glenn Hoddle delighted fans of England and Tottenham alike with his dazzling midfield displays during the 80s.

Capped 53 times by his country, the UEFA Cup and two-time FA Cup winner won countless admirers throughout the game, with the great Johan Cruyff telling him: “I've heard a lot about you, but I didn’t realise how good you were until I played against you.”

33. Sir Tom Finney

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Sir Tom Finney: a footballer and a gentleman. Loyal to hometown club Preston North End, making over 400 appearances and scoring more than 200 goals, the legendary forward was voted FWA (Football Writers’ Association) Footballer of the Year in 1954 and 1957.

A two-time First Division runner-up and 1953/54 FA Cup runner-up with Preston, Finney netted 30 times in 76 England caps, playing (and scoring) at the 1954 and 1958 World Cups.

32. Billy Bremner (Scotland)

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Notoriously one of the hardest players ever to take to the pitch, Billy Bremner was among the finest midfielders of his era, running the show for Leeds and Scotland – and captaining both.

A two-time First Division champion, an FA Cup and League Cup winner, and a European Cup finalist, Bremner – who featured at the 1974 World Cup – was voted Leeds’ greatest player of all time in 2006.

31. Gary Lineker (England)

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The first England player to win the World Cup Golden Boot – top-scoring with six goals at the 1986 tournament – Gary Lineker was a natural poacher, regularly making the net rustle for club and country.

First Division top scorer on three occasions – once apiece for hometown club Leicester, Everton and Tottenham – the future Match of the Day anchor won the FA Cup with Spurs, and the Cup Winners’ Cup and Copa del Rey with Barcelona.

30. Steven Gerrard (England)

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Nothing less than a hero to Liverpool fans, consistently talismanic skipper Steven Gerrard was the catalyst behind the Reds’ remarkable ‘Miracle of Istanbul’ – when they fought back from 3-0 down against AC Milan to win the 2005 Champions League final.

The goalscoring midfielder – who hit two stunners as Liverpool made a similar comeback against West Ham in the 2006 FA Cup final – later captained England, earning 114 caps in all.

29. Billy McNeill (Scotland)

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As captain of Celtic’s immortal ‘Lisbon Lions’ – the first British side to lift the European Cup, in 1967 – Billy McNeill has been assured of legendary status for well over half a century.

A formidable defender capped 29 times by Scotland, McNeill helped his country to three British Home Championships and won nine Scottish top-flight titles with Celtic.

28. Frank Lampard (England)

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In the 2009/10 season, en route to winning this third and final league title with Chelsea, Frank Lampard made history by becoming the first midfielder to reach the 20-goal mark in a Premier League campaign (he finished with 22).

The Blues’ record goalscorer and widely considered their best ever player, Lampard – who earned 106 England caps, playing at four major tournaments – also got his hands on the Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup.

27. Jimmy Johnstone (Scotland)

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Another ‘Lisbon Lions’ hero, ‘Jinky’ Jimmy Johnstone – so nicknamed for his bamboozling dribbling ability – is widely considered to be Celtic’s greatest ever player.

A 23-time Scotland international, the iconic outside right finished third in the voting for the 1967 Ballon d’Or – having done the treble with Celtic during the 1966/67 season.

26. Danny Blanchflower (Northern Ireland)

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“The game is about glory,” inimitable Tottenham skipper Danny Blanchflower famously said – and he enjoyed his fair share, captaining Spurs to the double in 1960/61, another FA Cup the following season, and the 1962/63 Cup Winners’ Cup.

A Northern Ireland international on 62 occasions, imperious right-half Blanchflower claimed the prestigious FWA (Football Writers’ Association) Footballer of the Year award in 1958 and 1961.

25. Jim Baxter (Scotland)

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One of Scotland’s finest players, legendary left-half Jim Baxter helped Rangers to three Scottish top-flight titles, three Scottish Cups and the final of the 1960/61 Cup Winners’ Cup.

Nominated for the 1965 Ballon d’Or, Baxter won 34 international caps and starred in the Scots’ 3-2 victory over world champions England in 1967.

24. Billy Wright (England)

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Capped 105 times by England – including a whopping 90 as captain – Billy Wright was the first footballer in the world to represent their country on 100 occasions.

A one-club man who racked up 541 appearances for Wolves – captaining them to three First Division titles and an FA Cup – the centre-half appeared at the 1950, 1954 and 1958 World Cups, and placed second in the 1957 Ballon d’Or.

23. Billy Meredith (Wales)

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An FA Cup winner with Manchester City and Manchester United in the early 20th century, and a two-time First Division champion with the latter, Welsh legend Billy Meredith (above left) was one of football’s first superstars.

Capped 48 times by his country, the incredibly agile outside forward loved a volley and notched more than 200 career goals overall.

22. Alan Shearer (England)

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The Premier League’s all-time leading scorer with 260 goals, Alan Shearer was one of the word's best strikers in his 90s prime.

Premier League Golden Boot winner three seasons running between 1994/95 and 1996/97, the Newcastle and Blackburn Rovers legend averaged almost a goal every other game in his 63 England caps, finishing as top scorer at Euro 96.

21. Pat Jennings (Northern Ireland)

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Very few ex-players could be presented to fans at the Emirates Stadium of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to equal adulation – but Patt Jennings can.

A hero on both sides of the North London divide, the all-time great Northern Ireland goalkeeper – who starred at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups, the latter aged 41 – lifted the FA Cup with Spurs in 1967 and Arsenal 12 years later.

20. Mark Hughes (Wales)

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One of Europe’s top attacking players of the late 80s, Mark Hughes had spells with Manchester United, Barcelona and Bayern Munich before the decade was out.

But Sparky – a two-time PFA Players’ Player of the Year who scored 16 goals in 72 Wales caps – had most of his success with United, returning in 1988 and going on to star in their first two Premier League title-winning sides under Alex Ferguson.

19. David Beckham (England)

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Probably the most recognisable sportsperson on the planet in the early 00s, David Beckham enjoyed iconic status playing for Manchester United and England – inspirationally captaining the latter for six years.

And, for all his silverware with United – including the 1998/99 treble – the dead-ball king’s best moments came with Three Lions on his shirt: that World Cup qualification-clinching free-kick against Greece; that redemption-sealing penalty against Argentina.

18. Ryan Giggs (Wales)

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A 13-time Premier League champion with Manchester United, among countless other honours, Ryan Giggs is one of the most decorated players in football history.

Integral to United’s historic 1998/99 treble triumph, the 2009 BBC Sports Personality of the Year winner earned 64 caps for Wales and captained Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics.

17. Paul Gascoigne (England)

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The most gifted English footballer of his generation, Paul Gascoigne was one of the game’s great entertainers during the 90s, delighting fans of England, Tottenham and more.

Capped 57 times, Gazza helped the Three Lions to the semi-finals of Italia ’90 – where he famously cried after receiving a booking which would have kept him out of the final – and Euro 96 – where his volley against Scotland (followed by ‘dentist’s chair’ celebration) ranks as one of England’s most iconic goals.

16. Neville Southall (Wales)

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Iconic goalkeeper of Everton’s double First Division title-winning team of the 80s, Neville Southall was probably the world’s best in his position at the time.

An intimidating presence who would dash off his line to put off onrushing opponents, ‘Big Nev’ was capped 92 times by Wales over the course of a 15-year international career.

15. Sir Stanley Matthews (England)

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Winner of the first ever Ballon d’Or in 1956, making appearances in the top flight beyond his 60th birthday, and knighted while still playing, Sir Stanley Matthews really was something else.

Renowned for his victory-inspiring display for Blackpool in the 1953 FA Cup final – where he performed so imperiously that he stole the show from hat-trick scoring teammate Stan Mortensen – Matthews earned 54 England caps, featuring at the 1950 and 1954 World Cups.

14. Gordon Banks (England)

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The greatest British goalkeeper of all time, Gordon Banks’ save from Pele at the 1970 World Cup is the stuff of legend – and often cited as the finest save ever made.

Four years before that, Banks had steadfastly kept goal for England en route to 1966 World Cup glory.

He spent most of his club career with Leicester City and hometown club Stoke City, lifting the League Cup with both.

13. Denis Law (Scotland)

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A free-scoring striker for Manchester United and Manchester City – not many can say that – Denis Law won two top-flight titles, the FA Cup and European Cup with the former.

One of Scotland’s all-time leading marksmen with 30 goals in 55 caps, the legendary ‘Lawman’ – who also had a brief stint in Italy with Torino – picked up the 1964 Ballon d’Or.

12. Graeme Souness (Scotland)

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A hard-nosed pundit in retirement, Graeme Souness was one of the hardest midfielders around during his playing days – as anyone who came up against Liverpool or Scotland in the late 70s and early 80s will attest.

But there was great class to Souness – who appeared at three World Cups – and he played an integral part in five First Division title-winning seasons with the Reds – and three European Cup triumphs, even finishing as joint top goalscorer in the 1983/84 edition.

11. Ian Rush (Wales)

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One of the most lethal finishers in world football during the 80s, Ian Rush made scoring look easy as he racked up the goals for Liverpool – well into the 90s, in fact.

First Division and European Golden Boot winner with a career-best 32 league goals in 1983/84 – when he won his third of five league titles and his second of two European Cups with the Reds – Rush found the net 28 times in 73 Wales caps.

10. John Charles (Wales)

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An absolute icon of the Welsh game, John Charles has to go down as one of Britain’s finest football exports of all time.

Adept at centre-forward or centre-back, Charles won three Serie A titles in four seasons with Juventus between 1957/58 and 1960/61, racking up 105 goals for the Italian giants.

At international level, he helped Wales to the quarter-finals of their maiden World Cup in 1958.

9. Jimmy Greaves (England)

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Jimmy Greaves’ 357 First Division goals – across spells with Tottenham, Chelsea and West Ham – remains an English top-flight record. The 1966 World Cup winner – who struck 44 times in 57 caps – really was an elite goalscorer.

Greaves – who also notched nine goals in 13 games for AC Milan – lifted two FA Cups and the European Cup Winners’ Cup with Spurs, placing third in the voting for the 1963 Ballon d’Or.

8. Harry Kane (England)

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The only player on this list still active, Harry Kane’s prolific decade with Tottenham marked him out as one of the very best strikers on the planet – and prompted Bayern Munich to cough up £86m for his services in the summer of 2023.

A multiple Premier League Golden Boot winner, Kane – who was named England captain in 2018 – eclipsed Jimmy Greaves and Wayne Rooney as record goalscorer for Spurs and the Three Lions respectively.

7. Kevin Keegan (England)

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In 1979, Kevin Keegan, then of Hamburg, became just the second player – after Johan Cruyff – to retain the Ballon d’Or. The Liverpool and England legend was a seriously special talent.

Renowned for his dazzling dribbling and clinical finishing, Keegan won league titles in England and Germany – as well as the European Cup and two UEFA Cups with Liverpool.

Capped 63 times by his country, Keegan scored 21 international goals and captained the Three Lions at the 1982 World Cup.

6. Wayne Rooney (England)

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England’s best player of the 2010s, Wayne Rooney surpassed fellow Manchester United great Bobby Charlton as record scorer for club and country, notching more than 300 goals for the two combined.

From the moment he burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old with that goal for Everton against Arsenal, it was obvious that Wazza was going to achieve very special things indeed – and five Premier League titles and a Champions League triumph were among them.

5. Gareth Bale (Wales)

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An all-time great in the history of Tottenham, Real Madrid and Wales, Gareth Bale was one of the finest footballers of his generation.

Welsh skipper at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, Bales career saw him transition from prodigious left-back to world-class winger – and he proved his credentials by winning three La Liga titles and five Champions Leagues with Real.

4. Bobby Moore (England)

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England’s immortal 1966 World Cup-winning skipper, there will never be another player quite like Bobby Moore.

Upon Moore’s untimely death from cancer in 1993, a certain Pele said: “Bobby Moore was my friend as well as the greatest defender I ever played against. The world has lost one of its greatest football players and an honourable gentleman.”

Equally revered at club level, Moore captained West Ham to victory in the 1963/64 FA Cup and 1964/65 Cup winners’ Cup.

3. Sir Bobby Charlton (England)

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A fine footballer and an even finer person, the late Sir Bobby Charlton’s legend will endure eternally – for his world-beating exploits in the colours of England and Manchester United.

After surviving the tragic 1958 Munich air disaster, the supremely graceful midfielder-cum-striker lifted the World Cup with the Three Lions and the European Cup with United – where he also won three top-flight titles – as well as scooping the 1966 Ballon d’Or.

2. Sir Kenny Dalglish (Scotland)

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Liverpool’s greatest player of all time, ‘King Kenny’ Dalglish won it all as a Red – with five First Division titles and three European Cups among his numerous honours.

And that was only after the legendary forward had done three doubles with Celtic in his native Scotland – by whom he was capped 102 times, scoring 30 goals and starring at two World Cups.

1. George Best (Northern Ireland)

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“Maradona good; Pele better; George Best”

So they say in Northern Ireland – and, as far as the debate over the best British ever British footballer goes, they’re not wrong (in FourFourTwo’s humble opinion).

A magician; a maverick; a master: Best arguably remains the greatest player ever to represent Manchester United – where he won two First Division titles and the 1967/68 European Cup, finishing as leading top-flight goalscorer the same season