The Premier League is the best football league in the world, and some of the best European clubs play in the English top flight. The best strikers in Premier League history are also one of the best goal-scorers in the world. We have listed the top 21 strikers in Premier League history whose contributions changed their clubs’ fortunes.
1- Thierry Henry
One can only list the best strikers in Premier League history by mentioning Thierry Henry. The French footballer’s pace, power, and skill earned him enormous popularity worldwide.
Henry started his professional career with Monaco in 1994 before landing a move to Italian giants Juventus. But soon, he was signed for Arsenal.
Achievements
And in England, he enhanced his reputation as one of the greatest strikers ever. In 254 top-flight matches, the former France international struck an incredible 174 goals for Arsenal. In season 2001-02, he found himself on the scoresheet on 24 occasions before grabbing 24, 30, 25, and 27 goals in the next four seasons.
2- Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer carved out a big name for himself in the football world, and many regard him as one of the best strikers in Premier League history. He was known for his strength, physicality, and ruthlessness in front of goals and was considered a nightmare for defenders who found him almost impossible to control.
Shearer started his career at Southampton in 1988 but soon moved to Blackburn Rovers. At Ewood Park, he became enormously famous as one of Europe’s most prolific goal-scorers. His enormous contributions to the Riversiders helped them win the 1994-95 Premier League title.
The striker’s achievements grabbed the attention of Newcastle United, who splashed a world record fee for signing him. Shearer made a significant impact with his performances, proved the Magpies right in his decision, helped Newcastle to two FA Cup finals, and contributed heavily to them in the top flight.
Achievements
The former England international scored an incredible 148 goals in 303 league appearances for the Tyneside club, and he retired from football in the summer of 2006.
3- Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona played for several clubs, but his stint at Manchester United made him one of the most famous football players. He won over the hearts of Old Trafford fans with his creativity, power, and goal-scoring prowess. For United supporters, no other player in any list of best strikers in Premier League history can come close to the Frenchman.
Cantona started his career at Auxerre and played for Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nimes, and Leeds. The former France international signed for Manchester United in November 1992. And there, he gave a full display of his enormous talent under the leadership of Sir Alex Ferguson.
‘King Eric’, an affectionate nickname given by United fans, played a significant role in the revival of the Manchester club. During his five years at Old Trafford, he won four incredible Premier League titles. His 64 goals in 143 league matches helped to make the Reds a formidable force in the English top flight.
Achievements
The football star took up a career in cinema after his retirement and appeared in several films. He was voted the Overseas Player of the Decade in 2003.
4- Sergio Aguero
Unlike the best strikers in Premier League history, Sergio Aguero is still playing football. He is currently on the books of Manchester City, which he joined in July 2011. The Citizens had splashed £35 million to sign him from Atletico Madrid. Considering his enormous impact at the Etihad Stadium, that amount looks very small now.
In just his debut season, Aguero struck an injury-time goal against QPR to win his side the Premier League title. And over the years, he became increasingly significant for the Cityzens as they achieved huge successes. Aguero is famous for his pace, goal-scoring prowess, vision, and technique. Even a tiny space looks sufficient for him to smash goals.
Achievements
The Argentine international found himself on the scoresheet 180 times in 270 league matches. He has the distinction of scoring the most hat tricks in the English top flight, with twelve. And his 180 goals have made him the highest non-English scorer in Premier League history.
5- Wayne Rooney
For scoring spectacular goals, there is no better player than Wayne Rooney. He was a joy to watch at the peak of his career at Manchester United. The list of best strikers in Premier League history is complete by including his name.
Rooney started his career by joining the Everton youth team when he was only nine. He rose through its ranks and earned his professional debut at just the age of 16.
The immensely talented footballer’s performances for the Toffees soon landed him a move to Manchester United in 2004. The Red Devils parted with £25.6 million to secure his services. And the forward repaid their faith with his spectacular performances in the English top flight.
Rooney got his United career off to a dream start when he struck a hat-trick on his debut against Fenerbahce. Over the years, he contributed heavily to the success of the Red Devils with his creativity, skill, and physicality.
Achievements
He won an incredible 16 trophies at Old Trafford, including Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup, and during his career earned 183 goals from 393 matches in the top flight.
With 253 goals, Rooney has the distinction of being Manchester United’s top goal-scorer of all time and won the Premier League Player of the Month award five times. He was awarded the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and the FWA Footballer of the Year for the 2009-10 season.
6- Dennis Bergkamp
Dennis Bergkamp is one of the biggest successes in England. When he was first signed by Arsenal for £7.5m from Inter Milan, Stuart Pearce had it called the move ‘a massive gamble.’ However, the Dutch footballer proved him wrong very soon as he displayed his excellent English top-flight skills. He was named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year when he struck an incredible 16 goals in 28 matches during the 1997-98 season. He earned 87 goals and created 94 assists for the London-based club, bolstering his claim as one of the best strikers in Premier League history.
During his illustrious career, Bergkamp also scored a superb treble at Leicester City, prompting Martin O’Neill to call it the best hat-trick I have ever seen. At the same time, many regard his outstanding goal in 2002 against Newcastle United as the best goal in the Premier League. He scored 87 goals and created 94 assists for the London-based club.
Bergkamp won his first Premier League title in 1998 with the Gunners before claiming the coveted trophy again in 2002. He was also part of the Gunners’ team, who went on an entire league season unbeaten on their way to the league crown in 2004.
7- Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez arrived at Anfield in January 2011 in a £22.8m move from Dutch side Ajax. However, he didn’t hit the ground running at his new club and scored only 11 goals in his first season.
Undoubtedly, Suarez was an extraordinarily gifted player, but he had a lot of baggage. The Uruguayan had earned international notoriety after his handball denied Ghana a goal at the 2010 World Cup. He had also caused controversy by biting an opponent during his time at Ajax.
When he moved to Merseyside, the controversies continued. Suarez was banned after being found to be racially abusing Patrice Evra and being punished for another bite on a player.
However, the Uruguayan’s on-pitch performances for Liverpool steadily improved. He struck 23 times during the 2012-13 season, which sparked interest from Arsenal, who was ready to part with a hefty sum for his services. But Suarez remained at Liverpool and made an enormous contribution during the 2013-14 campaign by scoring 31 goals when the Reds came very close to clinching the league crown under then-manager Brendan Rodgers.
His impressive performance earned him the PFA Players’ Player of the Year plus the European Golden Shoe. He moved to Barcelona in 2014 in a move worth £65m.
8- Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of Chelsea. He first came to the London club in 2004 in a £24m move from Marseille. However, his first few months in the English top flight were difficult – he struggled to score goals and was criticized for his diving.
But he soon managed to turn things around and proved himself one of the best strikers in the Premier League. The Ivory Coast international won two back-to-back Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006 under then-manager Jose Mourinho. Drogba won the Golden Boot a year later and repeated that feat in 2010 when he struck an incredible 29 goals to help his side clinch the league crown.
He also immortalized his name in the history of Chelsea when he played a crucial role in the 2012 Champions League victory for the Pensioners.
After short spells in China and Turkey, Drogba returned to the London side and won one more league title in 2015. He also has the distinction of being the only African player to reach 100 Premier League goals.
9- Ruud van Nistelrooy
Ruud van Nistelrooy suffered a severe injury at the Dutch side PSV. And that injury delayed his move to Manchester United.
However, once he arrived in England, the Netherlands footballer was exceptional. His impressive performances earned him the PFA Players’ Player of the Year after his first campaign with the Red Devils. He went on to win the Premier League Golden Boot a year later, having struck an incredible 25 league goals.
As one of the best strikers in the Premier League, Nistelrooy regularly found himself on the scoresheet, having an exceptional goal-per-game ratio. Surprisingly, he won only one league title with the English giants during his five years. The talented Dutch player left for Real Madrid in 2006 after his relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson.
10- Robin van Persie
Robin van Persie was one of the best finishers in the Premier League during his time at Arsenal and Manchester United. He was first signed by the Gunners’ manager Arsene Wenger in 2004. At that time, the London side had just won the league title, and their front line boasted players like Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, and Robert Pires. Therefore, the Dutchman had to make do with substitute appearances only initially.
However, he steadily improved his performance and became the leading man at the Emirates Stadium. He won the Golden Boot in 2012 with the Gunners.
Fans were surprised when he unexpectedly switched to Manchester United that summer. His levels didn’t dip at the Theatre of Dreams, and he performed stunningly in his debut campaign for the Red Devils. He retained his Golden Boot as Sir Alex Ferguson claimed their 20th Premier League title.
He didn’t stay long at Old Trafford after the departure of Sir Alex. The Dutchman moved to Fenerbache in the summer of 2015.
11- Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler is regarded as one of the best strikers in Premier League history. He earned his Liverpool debut in 1993 and played first with Stan Collymore and then partnered with Steve McManaman at Anfield. Nicknamed as God by the Reds’ fans, Fowler became an enormous success in Merseyside. He scored plenty of goals for the English side and earned the distinction of being the only player in history to achieve more than 30 goals in his first three seasons in England.
However, after the emergence of Michael Owen, his importance at the club started diminishing. Fowler left for Leeds United in 2001 after falling out with then-manager Gerard Houllier.
He also spent a brief spell at Manchester City and then returned to Liverpool again in 2006 for a solitary year. Fowler tried his luck with several other clubs before closing the curtain on an illustrious career in 2012.
12- Roberto Firmino
Roberto Firmino Is a Brazilian star who plays as a forward or attacking midfielder for the Premier League club Arsenal. He was transferred to Arsenal on 4 July 2014 for £29 million.
With his strong personality and attitude, his teammates and manager often praise him. He is a tricky player. He can dribble, he can shoot, he can assist, he is a treat to watch.
Many pundits rated him as the Premier League’s best striker. He is lauded for his positional sense ability to make attacking runs and intelligent movements, which draws opposition players in limbo and creates space for his teammates. He is considered his team’s engine due to his energy and defensive work rate.
Achievements
He scored 63 goals and assisted 40 for the Gunners in 203 appearances.
On 31 August 2019, Firmino became the first Brazilian player to smash 50 goals in the Premier League when he netted the third and final goal during a 3–0 win over Burnley.
With his spectacular performance in the 2019/2020 season, they have cliched the premier league title.
13- Carlos Tevez
He is an Argentine professional footballer who played as a striker. He played for West Ham United in 2006 and later on for Manchester United in 2007 and Manchester City in 2009.
Tevez is a powerful hardworking, dynamic, and versatile player. He can play as a striker, a winger, or a supporting forward. Due to his pace, strength, and stamina, he is instrumental when possession is lost, as he excels at pressing opponents.
Tevez is a skillful dribbler, and he is well known for his accuracy and powerful long-distance shots towards the goal.
Achievements
With 84 goals scored and 36 assisted, one cannot deny his capabilities, having won the Golden Boot in the 2010/11 season, which is quite a remarkable achievement. He’s also a multiple Premier League winner, which makes him the Premier League best striker at both Manchester clubs. It is a unique achievement in its own right.
14- Nicolas Anelka
Nicolas Anelka is a French footballer who played as a striker. He began his career at Paris Saint Germain; later on, at 17, he moved to Arsenal for a £500000 transfer fee under Arsene Wenger.
As a player, he is well known for his ability to score and assist goals with speed and accuracy. His good Ariel ability and movement of the ball are a treat to watch.
He is capable of playing both as a striker and a second striker. He won the PFA Young Player of the Year and the Premier League title, scored in an FA Cup final victory at Wembley, scored a Premier League hattrick, and then left for Real Madrid for a record fee of £22.3 million, all within three months of turning 20.
Achievements
He appeared in 364 Premier League games, scored 125 goals, and assisted 48. In his prime foam, he earned himself a Player of the Month twice and the Golden Boot in 2008/09.
15-Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
The former Norwegian striker and current manager of the Red Devils, Ole Gunner Solskjær, is well known for his sensational late goals. He played for Norwegian clubs Clausenengen and Molde. Later on in his career, he signed for Manchester United in 1996 for a transfer fee of £1.5 million.
He was a surprise acquisition as he was almost unknown outside his homeland, but Sir Alex Ferguson did not doubt his abilities.
He is well known as “the Baby-faced Assassin”, He was regarded as a “super-sub” for his knack of coming off the substitute bench to score late goals. He was sensational in and around the box – sniffing out opportunities and clinically sweeping home at will.
Achievements
With 235 appearances, 91 goals, and 37 assists, he is regarded as the best striker in the Premier League. His spectacular show for Manchester United helped the Reds to win 6 titles in the premier league.
16- Harry Kane
Harry Kane is an English national player who is a forward for the Premier League’s Tottenham Hotspur. He is also the captain of England’s national team & highly regarded as one of the best strikers in the premier league who can link play and score goals.
In his maiden season at the club, Kane scored 31 goals. He was the Premier League’s second-highest goalscorer and named PFA Young Player of the Year. He was the top scorer for both the seasons 2015-16 and 2016-17.
On 26 September, Kane scored his first hat trick at UEFA Champions League in a 3–0 group stage win against Cypriot champions APOEL.
Achievements
Winning trophies truly shows the Player’s class. He was described as one of the best strikers in the premier league history, and in the case of Harry Kane, he has won too many.
Scoring 160 goals in 237 appearances is quite a remarkable achievement, honored with the Player of the Month six times. He also earned two Golden Boot titles, making him one of the best strikers of all time.
17- Oliver Giroud
Oliver Giroud is a French footballer. He plays as a striker for Premier League club Chelsea as well as the French international team. He is a player who can play in daring situations and offensive positions with outstanding speed and accuracy. And he proved himself the Premier League’s best striker. Renowned for his goal-scoring rate and heading accuracy, Giroud can hold up the ball for a long time.
In 2018, Giroud moved to crosstown rivals Chelsea for worth £18 million. Triumphing the FA Cup and UEFA Europa League, and finished as top goal scorer later in 2019.
Achievements
Due to Giroud’s remarkable and splendid performances in football, Arsenal signed him for a long-term contract. Scoring 105 goals in 253 games, Giroud touched some new heights. His presence made Arsenal win the English FA Cup three times. Also, scoring 29 international goals in 69 games for the France national team, he placed himself in the list of top ten goal scorers for France. Furthermore, he has also scored an international hat trick in a friendly match.
18- Diego Costa
Diego da Silva Costa is regarded as one of the greatest strikers, played for the Spanish club Atletico Madrid and the Spain national team. He began his football career in his native Brazil and joined Portugal in 2006. On 1 July 2014, he transferred to the Blues, signing a contract of £32 million. The ex-Chelsea striker is currently in Brazil. In negotiation, Palmeiras has presented him with a two-year deal worth around £2.6 million per year.
Achievements
During his stay at Stamford Bridge, he bagged his team two premier league titles in 2014/2015 and 2016/2017. With 89 appearances, he scored 52 goals and assisted 16. His outstanding performance earned him Player of the Month twice in the Premier League.
19- Fernando Torres
Fernando Torres is one of the best strikers in the history of football. He began his career with Atletico Madrid and finalized his time at the club with 75 goals in 175 games.
In 2007, Torres joined the Premier League club Liverpool. Being Liverpool’s first player, he scored 20 league goals in his first season. Further, he marked Liverpool’s history of scoring 50 League goals and was declared the fastest player to achieve that milestone. He is also known for his spectacular performance in the FIFA World XI in 2008 and 2009.
In addition, he became the most expensive player in Spanish history when he joined Chelsea with a transfer fee of £50 million.
Achievements
During his stay in the Premier League, he appeared in 212 games and scored 85 goals. And he assisted 29, which is quite remarkable. Also, he scored the winning goal in the 2008 European championship and in 2012 got the Golden Boot for the highest goal scorer.
20- Jamie Vardy
Jamie Vardy is an English professional footballer considered as the best striker, played for Premier League club Leicester City. He started his career with Stockbridge Park Steels and remained with it for three seasons in 2007. Vardy joined Leicester City for the transfer fee of £1 million.
Achievements
Vardy broke the record of Ruud van Nistelrooy by scoring in eleven Premier League matches in 2015-16 and became the best striker in Premier League history. He also got the title of player of the season. Jamie Vardy won the Premier League Golden Boot in 2019-20. He scored 115 goals and assisted 36 goals in 236 appearances. Also, he won four Player of the Month awards and one Player of the Season award.
21- Dimitar Berbatov
Dimitar Berbatov belonged to Bulgaria and remained captain of its national team from 2006-10. Moreover, he was the all-time leading goal scorer and was considered the remarkable Bulgarian Player. In July 2006, he joined the English club Tottenham Hotspur where he spent two years and moved to Manchester United. He is known for his ball-controlling ability and great precision when passing and shooting. His impressive stature combined with these abilities makes him the best striker in the premier league.
Achievements
One can never see a meteoric rise to stardom like Berbatov. He scored 94 goals and assisted 40 in 229 appearances. However, he won two Premier League titles in the following years from 2008-09 and 2010-11. Berbatov got the Premier League Golden Boot title in 2010-11. And player of the month title twice in the premier league. Due to his outstanding performance, he won the Bulgarian Footballer of the Year a record seven times.
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