No1: George Best
Best loved nothing better than scoring on and OFF the
pitch. The Northern Irishman was untouchable with the ball at his
feet and was adored away from the game. His lifestyle was often
criticised but Manchester United would not be the club they are
today without him. Quite simply, he set the standard for everyone
to follow.
No2: Gianfranco Zola
Zola's love of the game was clear to see from the
moment he arrived at Stamford Bridge. The Italian was a free-kick
expert but there was far more to his game than the ability to curl
a ball. Zola scored breathtaking goals and was one of the main
reasons Chelsea lifted trophies under both Ruud Gullit and Gianluca
Vialli.
No3: Paul Gascoigne
While Gazza can best be described as daft as a brush,
the midfielder could do it all with the ball at his feet. A
troubled genius he may be, but the former Newcastle and Tottenham
ace was one of the few Englishmen to conquer Serie A.
No4: Eric Cantona
When he wasn't kung-fu kicking fans or talking about
seagulls, Cantona did the business on the pitch as Manchester
United won trophy after trophy. The Frenchman was as mad as they
come but truly gifted. He stunned United fans by hanging up his
boots in 1997 to pursue an acting career.
No5: Cristiano Ronaldo
In years to come, Ronaldo is sure to feature higher in
lists like this. The Portuguese Winker may not be popular with
anyone outside of Manchester but he has cemented his reputation as
one of the world's greatest players. Under the guidance of Alex
Ferguson, Ron has developed into the best goalscoring winger
around.
No6: Glenn Hoddle
Hoddle was one of the classiest midfielders around. His
range of passing was phenomenal and, most importantly, the
Tottenham legend knew how to score a goal. To put it simply, this
man could do it all. After proving himself in France with Monaco,
he enjoyed spells as player-boss at Swindon and Chelsea.
No7: Ryan Giggs
The wing wizard seems to have been around forever — and
he's still going strong. The only thing you can say against Giggsy
is that he is one of the best Englishman never to play for his
country. Instead of choosing the Three Lions, the Manchester United
ace opted for Wales. While international success has eluded him,
Giggs has won the lot with United.
No8: Thierry Henry
Henry is the best player to ever pull on an Arsenal
shirt. The striker's sublime skills made him the club's highest
goalscorer but his time in London ended without what he coveted
most — glory in the Champions League. The Frenchman, who started
his career as a winger, is one of the greatest foreign players to
grace the Premier League.
No9: Peter Beardsley
There are few players who can be described as legends —
but Beardsley fits the bill perfectly. He picked up 59 caps for
England, forming a devastating strikeforce with Gary Lineker. But
he is best remembered for spells with Newcastle, Liverpool and
Everton. Pure and simple, Beardsley played for the love of the
game.
No10: Matt Le Tissier
It's safe to say Le God is one of the greatest players
to never win a major trophy. The talented striker hammered home
long-range stunners for fun and was Southampton through and
through. Despite opportunities to join bigger clubs, Le Tissier
spent his ENTIRE career with the Saints.