Rooney or Gerrard? Shearer and Richards spark a classic Premier League barney

The Premier League has churned out English stars by the dozen since 1992, but few debates split the pub like naming the best of the lot. On the Match of the Day Top 10 Podcast, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards went head-to-head with their personal rankings – and, predictably, chaos ensued until Gary Lineker weighed in with the casting vote.

Shearer’s shout: Rooney the complete package

Trust Shearer to kick things off with a wink. Handed a shortlist of 10, he parked himself in 10th to dodge the grief from his co-hosts – a touch of humility from the Premier League’s record scorer. From there he put Ashley Cole in ninth, rightly lauding him as the gold standard at left-back in the modern era.

Michael Owen at eight and Harry Kane at seven was Shearer’s nod to elite goalscorers – with Kane’s Bundesliga adventure pausing his run at that 260-goal all-time Premier League record. John Terry landed sixth as the top-ranked defender in Shearer’s list, recognition for years of leadership and medal collecting at Chelsea.

Into the engine room, David Beckham took fifth for the way he bossed games off the right with delivery and discipline. Then came the eternal pub argument: Frank Lampard (fourth), Steven Gerrard (third) and Paul Scholes (second) – three midfielders who defined an era, split by taste as much as trophies. Top of Shearer’s tree? Wayne Rooney. The ex-Everton and Manchester United forward was, in Shearer’s eyes, the ultimate Premier League Swiss Army knife: relentless work-rate, thunderous technique and end product wherever he played. It’s hard to argue when you add 208 league goals and a fistful of titles to the eye test.

Richards’ riposte: Gerrard the game-changer

Richards went off-piste and made waves straight away by sticking Kane in 10th, a stance rooted in the lack of domestic silverware. Ashley Cole (ninth) and David Beckham (eighth) followed, with Richards bluntly suggesting the rest simply had a higher ceiling.

He placed John Terry seventh and Michael Owen sixth – credit for durability and that trademark burst in behind – then Frank Lampard fifth and Paul Scholes fourth. Where Richards really split from Shearer was at the summit: Rooney only third, Shearer himself second (loyalty to Newcastle and a ludicrous 260 goals carried serious weight), and Steven Gerrard at number one. For Richards, Gerrard was the tide that lifted an entire Liverpool side, a force of nature who dragged teams through the biggest moments.

The decider: Lineker goes Rooney

With the pundits deadlocked, Lineker stepped in and sided with Shearer, handing Rooney the crown based on his dominance of the Premier League era and the trophy haul to match his numbers. Whichever camp you’re in, this is a scrap with no bad answers – only great players.

If this Premier League GOAT debate has you weighing flair against medals, have a look at the best betting sites before the next round of hot takes – perspective is everything when the arguments start flying.

Both lists, at a glance

Shearer’s top 10 (best to 10th): 1) Wayne Rooney, 2) Paul Scholes, 3) Steven Gerrard, 4) Frank Lampard, 5) David Beckham, 6) John Terry, 7) Harry Kane, 8) Michael Owen, 9) Ashley Cole, 10) Alan Shearer.

Richards’ top 10 (best to 10th): 1) Steven Gerrard, 2) Alan Shearer, 3) Wayne Rooney, 4) Paul Scholes, 5) Frank Lampard, 6) Michael Owen, 7) John Terry, 8) David Beckham, 9) Ashley Cole, 10) Harry Kane.

Pundit’s verdict

Rooney as the Premier League’s greatest Englishman feels right: a generational prodigy who became a serial winner, happy to graft and still deliver numbers from anywhere on the pitch. Gerrard is the romantic’s pick – a talisman who turned tide after tide in a side that wasn’t always title-ready. Scholes over Lampard and Gerrard? That eternal triangle depends on whether you prioritise control, goals or sheer takeover ability. One plea: don’t sleep on Ashley Cole; week after week he made world-class wingers look ordinary.

Stats matter too: Rooney (208 Premier League goals, 5 titles), Shearer (260 goals, 1 title), Lampard (177 goals from midfield), Scholes (11 titles), Gerrard (the heartbeat of Liverpool, even without a league winner’s medal), and Kane (213 goals and counting, albeit now at Bayern). However you slice it, these names defined the league.

All statistics sourced from the official Premier League website and correct as of 24/01/2026.