England’s Best Ever Player

There’s no question about whether English football is home to some of the best players of all time. Despite our lack of success on an international stage, we’ve definitely got a roster to be proud of. But who is England’s Best Ever Player? We don’t know if we’ve got the authority to make that call, but with our TangoBet expertise we’re offering you a line up of some serious contenders.

Gordon Banks: Goalkeeper

A keeper of goals if there ever was one. Gordon Banks was an integral part of the 1966 World Cup winning team, stopping at nothing to help bring his team to victory. He set a record during the tournament of 721 minutes of regular time played without conceding. He’s celebrated for his save against Pele in the 1970 World Cup, saving an immaculate header into his far post.

The majority of his club career was spent at Leicester City and Stoke City, he lifted a League Cup title once for each. His agility was world renowned, the lightning quick reflexes saving goals left, right, and centre.

Kyle Walker: Right Back

During his time at Manchester City, Walker has been an irreplaceable cog in their well-oiled machine for eight consecutive seasons. He’s seen 6 Premier League titles, 4 League Cups, 2 FA Cups, 2 Super Cups, a UEFA Super Cup, a Club World Cup, and a Champions League. Aaand breathe.

His supernatural pace paired with his muscle mass and defensive acumen has created an almost totalitarian hold over top wingers, granting him the title as the best right back in the world for a decent amount of time. Looking at his performance on an international level, Walker has played a key role in bringing England to 2 European Championship finals as well as the World Cup semis, playing as both centre back and right back.

John Terry: Centre Back

An icon of the Premier League, John Terry’s desire to win and defensive perspective of the game made him the backbone of Chelsea’s backline for over a decade. During his time at the club he won 5 Premier league titles, 5 FA Cups, 3 League Cups, 1 Europa League, and a Champions League. Terry also had a tendency to shine up front, scoring 67 goals for Chelsea. In 2006 he took on the role of the England captain and was the only national player included in the 2006 World Cup all-star squad.

Bobby Moore: Centre Back

A member in the winning squad of the 1966 World Cup, Bobby Moore’s jaw dropping performances during this tournament brands him an iconic figure in English football history. Playing for West Ham, their most celebrated player, Moore won three trophies during his time at the club, the FA Cup, Super Cup, and UEFA Cup Winners cup. Moore is commended on the role he played in the evolution of the centre back role, his tactics in speed, creativity and technical ability becoming a staple in the modern footballing era. His passing in 1993 saw Pele honouring him as “the greatest defender I ever played against.”

Ashley Cole: Left Back

I’d hope it’s no surprise to see one of the greatest left backs to have graced the pitch make this list. Best known for his legacy at Chelsea, Cole also played a memorable role during his time at Arsenal. Between both London clubs, he won 16 trophies including 3 Premier Leagues, 7 FA Cups, 3 Super League Cups, 1 League Cup, 1 Europa League, and 1 Champions League.

Cole made 22 appearances for England across 5 major tournaments, an impressive full back who didn’t shy away from featuring further up the pitch as well as defending his line. We’d bet our winnings on him being England’s best ever left back.

David Beckham: Right Midfield

Touring the most iconic clubs in the world over the span of his career, Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain, David Beckham is arguably one of the most famous footballers in the world. Best recognised for his unwavering delivery into the box, his signature curve executed with such precision, Becks had one hell of a footballing career. He picked up 3 league titles in 3 separate top five leagues, winning 6 Premier Leagues, 1 La Liga title, and a Ligue 1 winners medal, as well as 2 FA Cups, a Spanish Super Cup, and a Champions League. He really lived up to his Golden Balls title.

Failing to bring home glory on the international stage, he did still make an appearance in five major tournaments including the 1998, 2002, and 2006 World Cups and the 2000 and 2004 European Championships. In total Beckham made 20 major tournament appearances for England.

Paul Gascoigne: Central Midfielder

The Gazza we all know and love, Paul Gascoigne won the heart of every England fan during Euro 1996. His footwork is considered an art form and left fans in awe of his talent, tearing across the pitch with an effortless glide. Most of Gascoigne’s career was spent at Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, picking up an FA cup win during his time down South.

But it was in fact in Scotland where he collected his major silverware, winning two Scottish Championships as well as a Scottish Cup during his time with Rangers, despite only making 48 appearances for the club. Gazza’s unique personality sparked a charismatic love from football fans across the UK.

Bobby Charlton: Central Midfield

Now if we had to place a bet on England’s best ever player, you might find the name Bobby Charlton on our slip. A true master of the game playing for both Manchester United and England, Charlton was crowned the Ballon d’Or winner in 1966. This trophy was largely due to the instrumental role he played in England’s World Cup victory that same year, scoring a gamechanging goal against Portugal in the semi-finals. Whilst at United he won 3 First Division titles, 2 Super Cups, an FA Cup, and a European Cup. He played like no other, with a distinct ability to find pockets of space and strike the ball making him one of the most challenging players on the pitch of all time.

Stanley Matthews: Left Midfield

Another victor, and first Englishman, of the Ballon d’Or, and the first Golden Ball winner in history, Stanley Matthews is a true legend of the left hand side. Thought upon as one of the best dribblers in football history, Matthews’ ability to glide in and out of tackles had him dancing around players on the pitch. He spent time at both Stoke City and Blackpool, with an FA Cup win at the latter. Matthews made an impressive 54 appearances for England featuring in both the 1950 and 1954 World Cup and winning the British Home Championship title nine times.

Wayne Rooney: Striker

A talent if we ever saw one. Wayne Rooney had the eyes of the world on him as he made his debut at Everton aged just 16. He later moved onto Manchester United where he earned the credibility of one of England’s best ever players. He possessed every bit of skill, stamina, and creativity that a striker needed to succeed. This saw him win a catalogue of trophies including 5 Premier Leagues, 4 League Cups, 4 Super Cups, 1 Europa League, 1 Club World Cup, and 1 Champions League.

Rooney was also the England captain from 2014 to 2017, appearing in 21 major tournaments. He won an impressive 4 England Player of the Year awards in 2008, 2009, 2014, and 2015.

Jimmy Greaves: Striker

Rounding off the greatest England 11 of all time is Jimmy Greaves, who admirably led the World Cup winning team of 1966 before suffering an injury in the final group stage match. His career was populated with incredible goalscoring for England, and during his club career at Tottenham made no exception, scoring 266 goals in 374 appearances. He followed a similar vein during his time at Chelsea, scoring 131 times in 164 games and finishing as the top goal scorer in the First Division in 6 different seasons.

Greaves won 7 titles during his club career including 1 Italian League title whilst at AC Milan and 3 Super Cups, 2 FA Cups, and a UEFA Cup Winners Cup for the Lilywhites.

So there you have it, England’s greatest ever 11. The unique technique from each player in this list should be taken note of, and when you’re next looking to place a bet use the qualities of the legends listed above as a checklist. TangoBet has all sorts of tips and tricks to keep you best informed, keep in the loop if you want to bring home as many winnings as Ashley Cole did trophies.

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