Famous British Football Players
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Any list of world’s favourite football players cannot be complete unless one has mentioned names like David Beckham, Bobby Moore, Wayne Rooney, Peter Shilton, Billy Wright, Jimmy Greaves or even Rio Ferdinand. British footballing legends have left an unforgettable impression on the 120 yard pitch with their game tactics. Be it as a goal keeper, midfielder, forward player or defender, they have turned the game to become the most popular sport of the country. Though it may look all flashy and ostentatious from far-off, football players have to go through a lot under their belt to keep the ball going. Half of their skills and tactics wouldn’t mean anything if not for a sense of patriotism and team spirit. They have added a certain depth to the game which none other sport can boast of. Their commitment for the game, dedication, and natural humility have helped them reached the zenith in their careers. British players have an unending passion which is evident in their 70-minutes on field. Read this segment and find out more about the life of famous British football players, their career, their life in field and their historic wins.
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1
Jamie Vardy(English Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Striker)
Birthdate: January 11, 1987
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Sheffield, United Kingdom
Considered a late bloomer in the world of soccer, Jamie Vardy became the oldest player to win the Premier League Golden Boot award when he scored the maximum number of goals during the 2019–20 Premier League season. Apart from his goal-scoring abilities, Jamie is also known for his direct approach and relentless running.
Birthdate: June 20, 1978
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Romford, United Kingdom
The current head coach of Chelsea Football Club, Lampard spent most of his playing career with Chelsea. He is widely considered one of the greatest midfielders and greatest Chelsea players of his generation. While playing for the England national team, he represented England at three World Cups. In 2015, he was appointed an OBE for his services to football.
3
Jack Grealish(English Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Winger or Attacking Midfielder)
Birthdate: September 10, 1995
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Birmingham, England
Jack Grealish is an English professional footballer. At present, he is affiliated with Premier League club Manchester City and the England national team. He plays as a winger or attacking midfielder. He joined the Highgate United Youth Club as a boy and started playing professionally as a teenager. He is known for his ability to run and dribble past defenders.
4
Peter Crouch(English Former Professional Footballer Who Played as a Striker)
Birthdate: January 30, 1981
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Macclesfield, United Kingdom
Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Peter Crouch is best known for his signature “robot” celebration after scoring goals. He also played with Aston Villa and Liverpool, helping the latter win the the FA Cup and the FA Community Shield. He also helped Tottenham gain a place in the UEFA Champions League.
5
Rio Ferdinand(English Former Professional Footballer Who Played as A Centre-Back)
Birthdate: November 7, 1978
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Camberwell, England
6
John Terry(British Professional Football Coach and Former Player Who Played as a Centre-Back)
Birthdate: December 7, 1980
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Barking, England
7
David Beckham(English Former Professional Footballer Who was One of the Greatest Midfielders of His Generation)
Birthdate: May 2, 1975
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: London, England
David Beckham is a former English footballer who was football superstar on-field and a heartthrob off-field. A former player for Manchester United, Real Madrid and Milan, among others, Beckham was a free-kick specialist, a brilliant crosser of the ball and the first English player to win league titles in four countries. His passion for football, charisma and fashion style have made him an international sensation.
8
Harry Kane(One of the Best Football Strikers in the World)
Birthdate: July 28, 1993
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Walthamstow, United Kingdom
A brilliant striker known for his impressive ability to score goals, Harry Kane is an English football player who leads the national team of England and also plays for Premier League club, Tottenham Hotspur. Harry Kane has been named the Premier League Player of the Month six times and received the Golden Boot twice.
9
Wayne Rooney(English Professional Football Manager and Former Player Who Played as a Forward and Midfielder)
Birthdate: October 24, 1985
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Croxteth, Liverpool, England
Regarded as one of the best football players of the current era, Wayne Rooney is the record goal-scorer for the Manchester United FC and England national team. Originally a boxer, Wayne continues to pursue boxing as a recreational activity. Wayne has been controversy's favorite child for many years now; from allegations of infidelity to legal issues, he has faced them all!
Birthdate: October 31, 1997
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Manchester, United Kingdom
Marcus Rashford is a prominent football player for the Manchester United Football Club and England national team. He became the youngest British footballer to score in his debut match for England. He uses his popularity to fight against issues like child food poverty and homelessness in the United Kingdom. He is often praised for his political activism.
11
Alan Shearer(One of the Best Strikers of His Generation and One of the Greatest Players in Premier League History)
Birthdate: August 13, 1970
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Gosforth, England
Former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer has also worked as a BBC football pundit and a football manager. The Euro 1996 Golden Boot-winner has also represented Southampton and Blackburn Rovers, winning the 1994-1995 Premier League with the latter. With 260 goals, he became the Premier League’s leading goal-scorer.
12
Michael Owen(Former British Professional Footballer Who Played as a Striker)
Birthdate: December 14, 1979
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Chester, England
13
Raheem Sterling(English Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Winger and Attacking Midfielder)
Birthdate: December 8, 1994
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Professional footballer Raheem Sterling currently plays as a winger and attacking midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City. He also plays for the England national team. Born in Jamaica, he moved to England as a child and started playing professional football when he was a teenager. He was named the FWA Footballer of the Year in the 2018-19 season.
Birthdate: November 30, 1960
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Leicester, England
Gary Lineker is a British former football player who currently works as a sports broadcaster. Considered one of the greatest British strikers of all time, Gary Lineker is the third-highest goal-scorer for England. During his 16-year playing career, Lineker never received a red or yellow card, due to which he was honored with the FIFA Fair Play Award in 1990.
Birthdate: May 1, 1980
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Whiston, England, United Kingdom
Steven Gerrard spent most of his career as a Liverpool midfielder and also captained Liverpool and the English national team. His phenomenal performance in the 2006 FA Cup Final led it to be called The Gerrard Final. The Order of the British Empire member now manages the Scottish club Rangers.
16
Jesse Lingard(English Professional Footballer Who Plays as an Attacking Midfielder)
Birthdate: December 15, 1992
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Warrington, England
Manchester United winger and attacking midfielder Jesse Lingard has won several championships with his team, such as the UEFA Europa League, the FA Community Shield, the FA Cup, and the EFL Cup. He was also part of the English national team which finished fourth at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
17
Ashley Cole(English Football Coach and Former Player Who Played as A Left-Back)
Birthdate: December 20, 1980
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Stepney, London, United Kingdom
18
Harry Maguire(British Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Centre-Back)
Birthdate: March 5, 1993
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Sheffield, England
Birthdate: October 7, 1998
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Liverpool, England
20
Gareth Southgate(British Football Manager and Former Player Who Played as a Defender and Midfielder)
Birthdate: September 3, 1970
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Watford, Hertfordshire, England
Gareth Southgate is an English football manager. A former player, he used to play as a defender and midfielder for Aston Villa, Middlesbrough, and Crystal Palace. He retired in 2006, after more than 500 league appearances and began his stint as a football manager. He has been managing the England national team since 2016.
21
Jimmy Greaves(British Professional Footballer Who Played as a Forward)
Birthdate: February 20, 1940
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Manor Park, Essex, England
Died: September 19, 2021
22
Ian Wright(Former Professional Footballer: Now a Television and Radio Personality )
Birthdate: November 3, 1963
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Woolwich, London, United Kingdom
Ian Wright is an English former football player. Renowned for his speed, Wright played for popular clubs like Arsenal and helped his national team qualify for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. After retiring from the sport, Wright went on to become a TV and radio personality; he currently contributes as a commentator for ITV Sport and BBC Sport.
23
James Milner(English Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Midfielder)
Birthdate: January 4, 1986
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Wortley, Leeds, England
24
Declan Rice(English Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Defensive Midfielder)
Birthdate: January 14, 1999
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kingston upon Thames, England
25
Vinnie Jones(British Actor, Presenter and Former Professional Footballer)
Birthdate: January 5, 1965
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Watford, United Kingdom
Before being an actor, Vinnie Jones had a brilliant career as a footballer and had even led the Welsh national football team and excelled as a midfielder. He was later mostly seen playing criminals on screen. Fans adore him for his roles in X-Men: The Last Stand, Elementary, and Arrow.
Birthdate: August 15, 1993
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is an English football player. He is an important member of the England national team and the Premier League club Liverpool. In 2012, he became the second-youngest player to play for England at the UEFA European Football Championship, only behind the legendary player Wayne Rooney. He also represented his national team at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
27
Tammy Abraham(English Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Striker)
Birthdate: October 2, 1997
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Camberwell, England
Tammy Abraham is an English footballer. He currently plays as a striker for Serie A club Roma and the England national team. He is an academy graduate of Chelsea and made his first-team debut for the club in 2016. Since then, he has played for Bristol City and Aston Villa, scoring 25 goals in a single campaign for the team.
28
Jamie Carragher(English Football Pundit and Former Footballer Who Played as a Defender)
Birthdate: January 28, 1978
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Bootle, Merseyside, England
29
Teddy Sheringham(British Football Manager and Former Player Who Played as a Forward)
Birthdate: April 2, 1966
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Highams Park, London, England
Birthdate: May 10, 1982
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Islington, London, United Kingdom
English professional footballer, Adebayo Akinfenwa, currently plays as a striker for the EFL Championship club Wycombe Wanderers. He started playing as a teenager and received praise for his abilities. However, he faced much racial discrimination as he is a man of color. He has been named Wycombe Wanderers Player of the Season twice.
Birthdate: September 19, 1990
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Bury, England
32
Andy Cole(British Former Professional Footballer Who Played as a Striker)
Birthdate: October 15, 1971
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Nottingham, England
33
Joe Hart(English Professional Football Player Who Plays as a Goalkeeper)
Birthdate: April 19, 1987
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Shrewsbury, England
English footballer Joe Hart, goalkeeper for the Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur, began his football career at 16 and has 100 Premier League clean sheets. He is the joint record-holder for the most Premier League Golden Glove awards. He has won two Premier League titles with Manchester City.
34
Kyle Walker(English Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Right-Back)
Birthdate: May 28, 1990
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Sheffield, England
Birthdate: January 11, 1978
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Leicester, England
36
Jack Wilshere(English Football Coach and Former Professional Player Who Played as a Midfielder)
Birthdate: January 1, 1992
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England
37
Ross Barkley(English Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Midfielder)
Birthdate: December 5, 1993
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Liverpool, United Kingdom
Midfielder Ross Barkley joined Everton’s youth system at 11, gradually joining its senior team and then the English national team. He now plays for Aston Villa, on loan from Chelsea. He was part of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He has also played for Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday.
Birthdate: October 7, 1982
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Beckton, London, England
39
Jadon Sancho(English Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Winger)
Birthdate: March 25, 2000
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Camberwell, England
Jadon Sancho is an English professional footballer who currently plays for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team. He is known for his technical skills as a winger and formidable pace. He started playing as a young boy and was part of the England youth team that won the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Birthdate: July 28, 1981
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Wallsend, England
41
John Stones(English Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Centre-Back)
Birthdate: May 28, 1994
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Barnsley, United Kingdom
Birthdate: January 15, 1994
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Cheltenham, England
43
Alex Scott(English Sports Presenter and Former Professional Footballer Who Played as a Right-Back)
Birthdate: October 14, 1984
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: London, England
Alex Scott is an English TV presenter and former professional football player. Apart from playing for popular clubs like Arsenal and Birmingham City, Scott also represented the women's national football team. She also played for Great Britain at the London Olympics. In 2019, she was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.
Birthdate: September 1, 1989
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Brmingham, United Kingdom
Daniel Sturridge is an English football player. During the 2007–08 season, Sturridge made his first-team debut and became the first player in the history to score goals in the Premier League, FA Cup, and FA Youth Cup in the same season. Apart from playing for popular clubs like Chelsea, Sturridge has also represented his national team in prominent tournaments.
Birthdate: October 11, 1937
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Ashington, Northumberland, England
Widely considered one of the greatest players ever, Bobby Charlton was an important member of the England national football team that emerged victorious at the 1966 FIFA World Cup. The recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Ballon d'Or, Charlton received a knighthood in 1994. He is the second-highest goalscorer for England.
46
Andy Carroll(English Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Striker)
Birthdate: January 6, 1989
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Gateshead, England
47
Brian Clough(English Football Player Who Played as a Striker)
Birthdate: March 21, 1935
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Middlesbrough, England, United Kingdom
Died: September 20, 2004
Footballer and manager Brian Clough is remembered as one of the highest goal-scorers of the Football League. He had successful stints with Derby County and Nottingham Forest, as a manager, with Peter Taylor as his assistant manager. His rivalry with Don Revie inspired the book The Damned Utd.
48
Adam Lallana(English Professional Footballer Who Plays as an Attacking Midfielder)
Birthdate: May 10, 1988
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: St Albans, Hertfordshire, England,
49
Jamie Redknapp(English Former Professional Footballer Who Played as a Midfielder)
Birthdate: June 25, 1973
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire, England
50
Paul Scholes(English Former Football Player Who was One of the Best Midfielders of His Generation)
Birthdate: November 16, 1974
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Salford, England, United Kingdom
Paul Scholes, former Manchester United midfielder, had a 20-year stint with the team, winning major titles, including 11 Premier Leagues, 3 FA Cups, and 2 UEFA Champions Leagues. Over the course of his 718 appearances for the team, he has won 25 trophies. He now coaches Salford City.