There's been some fabulous players who have graced our magical league in the past who have come from abroad. Sergio Aguero, Luis Suarez, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dennis Bergkamp to name a few. Andrew Corns picks his all-time best XI of foreign Premier League players...
Coming off the heels of Alan Shearer’s claim that Sergio Aguero is the all-time greatest foreign player to ever grace the Premier League, I’ve put together my all-time best XI comprised of players outside the UK.
GK: Petr Cech. This was one of the tougher picks and I have Cech narrowly beating out Peter Schmeichel. Schmeichel delighted United fans for seven years, but Cech’s longevity and overall resume were too much to ignore. 11 years at Chelsea and entering his 4th now with Arsenal, Cech has 4 league titles and 1 Champions League trophy to his name. It’s a testament to his work ethic that he’s still going strong at 36 and even though the end is nearing, his place among the goalkeeping greats is firmly secured.
RB: Branislav Ivanovic. During his decade’s run at Chelsea, Ivanovic brought a physicality and competitiveness that helped see him be part of 3 Premier League winning sides and the team that won Chelsea’s only Champions League.
CB: Vincent Kompany. The commanding Belgian defender enters his eleventh season with Manchester City still among the very best defenders in the world. Kompany really has it all as far as the skill set you’d want in your ideal defender. He’s the perfect blend of strength, intelligence and technical ability without even factoring in the intangibles he brings to the table. It’s no surprise he’s anchored this City side to 3 league titles and has a place alongside the greatest defenders to ever play the game.
CB: Nemanja Vidic. In just nine years at the centre of Manchester United’s defence, Vidic picked up 5 league titles, 3 league cups and a Champions League crown. Even though Vidic’s pace left something to be desired, his impeccable reading of the game and positioning were second to none.
LB: Patrice Evra. Is it any wonder that Manchester United collected as much silverware as they did in the 2000's when you factor in the quality and consistency of their back line? Patrice Evra was a real precursor to the fullbacks and wingbacks we see on almost every major club today. He brought an edge to his play and coupled that with excellent pace and a wonderful ability to deliver perfectly timed crosses into the box to devastating effect.
MF: Patrick Vieira. You’d be hard pressed to ever find a more well-rounded and complete midfielder than what Vieira brought to Arsenal during the late 90’s and early 00’s. He was a true box to box player that was as capable of delivering a crunching tackle as he was powering into the box and firing off a rocket into the back of the net. Also, Vieira was one of the greatest captains the Premier League has ever seen.
MF: Claude Makelele. He may have only played five seasons in England, but what Makelele did for the defensive midfield role can’t be ignored. Helping anchor Chelsea during Jose Mourinho’s first run at the club, he was an unstoppable force in the middle of the pitch, breaking up play and helping control the overall tempo and flow of the game in ways few others can.
MF: Xabi Alonso. Here’s another player with a shorter amount of time spent in the Premier League making this list. Alonso may have only had five years to show what he was capable of in England, but there’s arguably never been a better quarterback-style midfielder in the league. The level of vision and long range passing Xabi brought was instrumental in creating one of the greatest midfield partnerships alongside Steven Gerrard.
FW: Thierry Henry. My personal pick for the greatest player the Premier League has ever had the pleasure of watching week in and week out. An absolute nightmare for every defence he faced, Henry was silky smooth in his movement and immaculate in his first touch. His blistering pace also routinely left defenders desperately trying to catch up as he slotted it in the back of the net.
FW: Dennis Bergkamp. Take what was just said about Thierry Henry and you can almost copy and paste here for Dennis Bergkamp. He may not have scored as many goals as Henry during their time at Arsenal, but his influence was just as vital. Bergkamp showed versatility during his career playing in a myriad of positions making it almost impossible to contain he and Henry in their peak.
FW: Cristiano Ronaldo. For six glorious years, the Premier League witnessed the rise of one of the best footballers that’s ever walked the face of the Earth. It took a few years under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson for Ronaldo to reach his full potential, but his final three years at United brought three consecutive league titles and a Champions League trophy. Ronaldo’s 2007-2008 season might also be the best the league has ever or will ever see. That year, Ronaldo scored 31 goals in only 34 league matches.
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