Fans’ Top 25 England Legends – A List to Split the Pub and Start the Row

Fan rankings always light the touchpaper, and this countdown of England’s 25 greatest is pure dynamite. One World Cup between them, yet a conveyor belt of icons who’ve defined eras — that’s England for you. The latest fan vote has thrown up some brave calls and a few eyebrow-raisers. Here’s my take on places 25 to 16 — the appetizer before the proper arguments begin.

25. Trent Alexander-Arnold — 34 caps

A right-back who thinks like a No 10 — and sometimes plays like one. Trent’s delivery and range are outrageous, but international life has been complicated: often behind Kyle Walker in tournaments and briefly trialled in midfield at Euro 2024 before that plan was shelved after two games. He’s looked more at home back in his natural berth under Lee Carsley. He once said he’d sooner become the first Ballon d’Or-winning right-back than win the World Cup — divisive to some, sure, but it tells you the scale of his ambition.

24. John Barnes — 79 caps

Glorious to watch. Barnes dazzled with Watford and then Liverpool, making a generation fall in love with the game. For England he chipped in with 11 goals across 79 outings, and as Jamie Carragher once quipped, he was a version of Thierry Henry before Thierry Henry. Beyond the pitch, his voice in the fight against racism has only cemented his standing.

23. Sol Campbell — 73 caps

From North London’s most notorious switch to bona fide great. Under Arsène Wenger, Campbell became a rock: quick, dominant in the air, and a master of the one‑on‑one duel. He featured at six straight major tournaments — Euros 1996, 2000, 2004 and World Cups 1998, 2002, 2006 — a marker of elite consistency for the Three Lions.

22. Peter Shilton — 125 caps

England’s most-capped player sitting this low tells you how brutal these lists are. Shilton succeeded Gordon Banks in 1970 and was the nation’s first choice for two decades, taking in three World Cups and a Euros. Yes, the “Hand of God” is part of his story, but so is longevity at the very top few keepers ever match.

21. Ian Wright — 33 caps

Now everyone’s favourite pundit uncle, but in his pomp Wrighty was a ruthless finisher. Palace and Arsenal fans know the tale by heart. For England, chances were thinner on the ground — 33 caps, nine goals — partly a victim of timing and competition. Still, few struck a ball cleaner.

20. Jimmy Greaves — 57 caps

One of football’s purest goalscorers. Forty-four in 57 for England and 220 in 321 for Spurs — jaw-dropping returns. A member of the 1966 squad and later a TV natural on Saint and Greavsie, Greaves’ legacy is indelible. He passed away in 2021 at 81, but the memories and the numbers remain untouchable.

19. Jude Bellingham — 44 caps

Already a Galáctico at 22 and playing like he owns centre stage. Bellingham’s move to Madrid supercharged his game; at Euro 2024 he was England’s heartbeat, not least with that last-gasp bicycle kick against Slovakia that’s straight into the national highlights reel. A Ballon d’Or in the next few years? You wouldn’t bet against it.

18. Paul Gascoigne — 57 caps

Genius with a grin. Gazza could do the outrageous as if it were routine, and even his celebrations — the infamous “dentist chair” nod — became cultural moments. Life brought battles, but on the pitch he was one of England’s most gifted, beloved entertainers.

17. Sir Stanley Matthews — 54 caps

The original wing maestro. Matthews won the first ever Ballon d’Or in 1956 while at Blackpool — and did so at 41, still the oldest winner. With a career spanning 33 years, his individual brilliance in the 1953 FA Cup final ensured that game would forever be synonymous with his name.

16. John Terry — 78 caps

The organiser, the leader, the blocker of everything. Terry was Chelsea’s standard-bearer from 1998 to 2017 and better on the ball than many gave him credit for. For England, he formed a fearsome axis with Rio Ferdinand, notching six international goals and nearly always in the thick of the biggest assignments of the so-called Golden Generation.

The pundit’s verdict on 25–16

There’s plenty to admire — the craft of Barnes, the command of Campbell, the timeless class of Matthews — but the rankings will keep the debates flowing. Shilton at 22 feels harsh given 125 caps; Bellingham at 19 may look conservative in a few years if his trajectory continues. And Trent at 25? That’s a nod to talent over tournament legacy, which is a bold stance by the voters.

If this is how lively 25 to 16 is, the top 15 will be absolute fireworks. Fancy a flutter on the debates you’ll be having down the pub? Have a nose around the best betting sites and pick your side — then come back for the rest of the countdown.