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Best Premier League Strikers of all Time: Top Greatest EPL Strikers

12 min
Top 10 Best Premier League Strikers Ever

Summary

Since 1992, the Premier League has showcased elite strikers who combined goalscoring with technical brilliance. Legends like Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, and Wayne Rooney defined eras with consistency and impact. Others, such as Sergio Agüero and Didier Drogba, delivered in crucial moments. Rankings consider goals, appearances, titles, and honours, highlighting players who not only scored prolifically but also influenced matches and shaped the league’s rich, competitive history.

Since its inception back in 1992, the English Premier League has continued to dominate the club football stage of its rich history and action-packed football. In all these years, the English top flight has seen many of the best Premier League players of all time keep the fans in awe of their magical touches and beautiful goals. The league has been home to the best Premier League strikers of all time.

From the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo to the greatest goal scorer in English Premier League history, Alan Shearer, and from the Uruguayan dynamo, Luis Suarez, to the great Eric Cantona, these sublime finishers have graced English football with their scintillating performances. The list of outstanding strikers in English football history is too large to count, making it difficult to rank the top 10. In this article, we aim to present the list of the greatest Premier League strikers of all time, who were not only prolific goal-scorers but also technically gifted.

Best Premier League Strikers Ever: Top 10 List

Check out the top ten Premier League strikers who have etched history with their goal scoring, attacking abilities, influence and impact in the English top division throughout its history.

RankPlayerCountryAppsGoals
10Robbie FowlerEngland379162
9Michael OwenEngland326150
8Andy ColeEngland415187
7Eric CantonaFrance15670
6Harry KaneEngland320213
5Didier DrogbaIvory Coast254104
4Alan ShearerEngland441260
3Sergio AgüeroArgentina275184
2Wayne RooneyEngland491208
1Thierry HenryFrance258175
Top 10 Best Premier League Strikers

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Who are the Best Premier League Strikers of all Time?

In this section, we are going to discuss the rankings of the best Premier League strikers of all time in brief while looking at their glory and inspirational stint in the English top flight.

10. Robbie Fowler (England)

Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler (Image Credit: X / @premierleague)

The ex-English international Robbie Fowler was a Premier League great who represented three big Premier League clubs: Manchester City, Liverpool, and Leeds United. Coming through the ranks of the Liverpool youth academy, Robbie Fowler found a place in the senior team through his scoring prowess and most of his spell at Anfield Stadium.

Alongside Michael Owen, Fowler became one of the most lethal strikers in England during his time. The Liverpool icon is still the third in list of most Premier League hat-tricks with 9 to his name. He featured in a total of 379 league games, scored 162 goals and assisted 34 times, ensuring his status as the best Premier League striker of all time.

AppearancesGoalsAssistsPL Titles WonIndividual Honours
379162340PFA Young Player of the Year (1995, 1996), Premier League Player of the Month (multiple)
Robbie Fowler’s Premier League Stats

9. Michael Owen (England)

Michael Owen
Michael Owen (Image Credit: X / @premierleague)

Michael Owen reached the highest level of his career during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He solidified his place as one of the greatest players to have ever played in the Premier League by winning the 2001 Ballon d’Or title. In fact, the Premier League legend became one of the youngest to win the Ballon d'Or awards in history.

The former Real Madrid striker's career peaked when he netted 117 goals in seven seasons for the Reds before moving to Newcastle United, and then made a move to La Liga club Real Madrid, respectively. Despite suffering a string of injuries, he utilised his scoring skills to make a mark in the league. Later on in his career, he achieved his dream of winning a Premier League title with Man United.

AppearancesGoalsAssistsPL Titles WonIndividual Honours
326150391Ballon d’Or (2001), Golden Boot (1998, 1999), PFA Young Player of the Year (1998), Premier League Player of the Season nominee/awards, Player of the Month (multiple)
Michael Owen’s Premier League Stats

8. Andy Cole (England)

Andy Cole
Andy Cole (Image Credit: X / @premierleague)

Andy Cole is renowned as one of the greatest English Premier League strikers, having become a heroic figure to the fans of two clubs. Newcastle United and Manchester United, for two different reasons. The Magpies still remember his great season when he netted a record 34 goals in a single EPL campaign to lift the morale of the club, which was desperate to stay relevant in the top flight.

For Manchester United, he is still remembered for his winning goal in the 1999 UEFA Champions League semi-final against Juventus in Turin. The tall forward smashed 187 league goals in his club career, with 93 of them coming at Old Trafford only. Cole was a lethal weapon for the managers due to his aerial abilities and long-range shooting ability; he is termed as one of the best Man United strikers of all time.

AppearancesGoalsAssistsPL Titles WonIndividual Honours
415187695Premier League Golden Boot (1993–94), PFA Team of the Year
Andy Cole’s Premier League Stats

7. Eric Cantona (France)

Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona (Image Credit: X / @premierleague)

Eric Cantona is one of the most influential footballers in history, and his Premier League stint proves his influence. He was fondly called King Eric due to his contributions to making Manchester United one of the most successful English clubs. The Frenchman has won four Premier League titles in his five-season stint at Old Trafford.

The Manchester United icon, Cantona, recorded only 70 league goals in his Premier League career. However, his legacy can’t just be defined by the numbers, as he represented way more than just goals; Eric represented the resurrection of United as a force in modern-day football. He is widely recalled as one of the best Premier League strikers ever.

AppearancesGoalsAssistsPL Titles WonIndividual Honours
15670554PFA Players’ Player of the Year (1994); FWA Footballer of the Year (1996); Premier League Player of the Season (1995–96); Team of the Year (multiple)
Eric Cantona’s Premier League Stats

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6. Harry Kane (England)

Harry Kane
Harry Kane (Image Credit: X / @premierleague)

The former Tottenham Hotspur captain Harry Kane had mostly stayed behind the curtain of secrecy before the 2016-17 Premier League season. The then-Spurs number nine went on to bag a staggering 29 goals tally and won his first Premier League Golden Boot in his career. Kane, who is currently regarded as one of the best players in the world, is now playing for Bayern Munich in Germany.

The English superstar has bagged 213 in 320 appearances during his spell in the English top division until 2023. He marked himself second in the list of Premier League's all-time top scorers, only behind Alan Shearer. Therefore, Harry Kane is lauded as one of the finest strikers to have graced the EPL.

AppearancesGoalsAssistsPL Titles WonIndividual Honours
320213500Premier League Golden Boot (2016, 2017, 2021); Playmaker Award (2021); PFA Team of the Year (multiple); Player of the Month (multiple)
Harry Kane’s Premier League Stats

5. Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)

Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba (Image Credit: X / @ChelseaFC)

The African icon Didier Drogba stands among the greatest Chelsea legends of all time for his feat with the Blues. During his eight-year tenure at Stamford Bridge, he scored 164 goals, lifted 4 Premier League titles, and delivered iconic performances for Chelsea. His 88th-minute equaliser and winning penalty in the 2012 UEFA Champions League final against Bayern Munich is more than iconic.

With over 100 goals in his career for Chelsea during his two stints in 254 EPL appearances. Drogba has won an impressive number of trophies with them, 14 silverwares in total. This speaks to how influential he was to his team’s success. Not only that, but he is a Chelsea icon; the Ivory Coast striker is also regarded as one of the best African footballers of all time for his remarkable career.

AppearancesGoalsAssistsPL Titles WonIndividual Honours
254104594Premier League Golden Boot (2007, 2010); African Footballer of the Year (2006, 2009); PFA Team of the Year (multiple); Player of the Month (multiple)
Didier Drogba’s Premier League Stats

4. Alan Shearer (England)

Alan Shearer during his time at Newcastle United
Alan Shearer during his time at Newcastle United (Image Credit: X / @premierleague)

The Newcastle United icon Alan Shearer is renowned as one of the greatest English footballers of all time. He is by far the greatest goal scorer in the history of the Premier League is with a record-breaking 260 goals tally. Shearer’s peak arrived during his time at Blackburn Rovers, where he scored over 30 goals for three seasons in a row in the Premier League.

During this time, he lifted his career’s only Premier League title and attained the tag of one of the best Premier League strikers ever. He then moved to Newcastle United and became one of the finest strikers in the history of the league. Shearer’s 260 league goals and 441 appearances speak for themselves; even if he wins a single league title with Rovers, he left behind the greatest goalscoring legacy in English football.

AppearancesGoalsAssistsPL Titles WonIndividual Honours
441260681Premier League Golden Boot (1995, 1996, 1997); PFA Players’ Player of the Year (1995); FWA Footballer of the Year (1994); Team of the Year (multiple)
Alan Shearer’s Premier League Stats

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3. Sergio Agüero (Argentina)

Sergio Aguero
Sergio Aguero (Image Credit: X / @premierleague)

The Argentine icon Sergio Aguero is one such player who ensured Manchester City‘s rise from rags to riches within a decade. Premier League fans across the globe still remember his iconic goal against Queens Park Rangers on the final day of the league, which led Manchester City to their maiden Premier League title.

Aguero is hailed as one of the best Manchester City players of all time, leading them to immense success while playing the role of a cornerstone. He scored 20 times in five successive seasons, and is also the highest goal scorer in the club’s history with a staggering 260 goals for the Cityzens. In the EPL, he had lifted five Premier League titles as well as one Golden Boot once.

AppearancesGoalsAssistsPL Titles WonIndividual Honours
275184555Premier League Golden Boot (2014–15); Player of the Month (multiple); PFA Team of the Year
Sergio Aguero’s Premier League Stats

2. Wayne Rooney (England)

Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney (Image Credit: X / @premierleague)

The Man United icon Wayne Rooney has etched his name in the folklore of English football through an eventful legacy. Since bursting onto the scene as a teenager, he continued to dominate in club football at the highest level. With 253 goals, Wayne Rooney is the highest scorer in the history of Manchester United and the third-highest in the English top flight.

Rooney is widely touted as one of the greatest Manchester United players of all time for his notable contributions to the Red Devils. His dribbling, vision, off-the-ball movement, and beautiful assists have earned him a second place on our list of best Premier League strikers of all time. The only regret is that he never won a Golden Boot, but won five league titles during his time at Manchester United.

AppearancesGoalsAssistsPL Titles WonIndividual Honours
4912081145PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2010); FWA Footballer of the Year (2010); Premier League Player of the Season (2009–10); PFA Team of the Year (multiple)
Wayne Rooney’s Premier League Stats

1. Thierry Henry (France)

Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry (Image Credit: X / @premierleague)

Arguably the greatest striker to play in the EPL, Thierry Henry is hailed as the best Arsenal player of all time, as his statistical figures in the Premier League are insane. He lifted three Premier League trophies and while netted 175 goals for the North London outfit Arsenal. Except for the prestigious Champions League, Henry has won it all under Arsene Wenger’s tutelage, including a 24-goal haul for five consecutive seasons.

He is also, one of the greatest French footballers of all time; his positioning before laying a ball for his teammates and scoring stunners from outside and inside the penalty area made football look easy. The French striker was known for his scoring abilities, dribbling, and his play-making ability, which fans usually ignore.

AppearancesGoalsAssistsPL Titles WonIndividual Honours
258175802Premier League Golden Boot (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006); PFA Players’ Player of the Year (2003, 2004); FWA Footballer of the Year (2003, 2004, 2006); Playmaker Award (2003); Team of the Year (multiple)
Thierry Henry’s Premier League Stats

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How did we rank the Greatest Premier League Strikers of all time?

Here are the ranking criteria upon which each individual on the list has been ranked:

  • Goals: The striker’s main job is to score goals and help his team win games. And if you talk about the best Premier League strikers, then goals add more weight to the rankings.
  • Appearances: Appearances help in identifying players who have been consistent, and a striker securing his place in a team means he is in good form.
  • PL Titles / Individual Awards: Lifting EPL titles or winning individual awards means a striker delivered when it mattered most. Showcasing his winning mentality.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the greatest ever striker in EPL?

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Thierry Henry is the greatest ever striker in EPL. 

Is Didier Drogba the greatest ever Premier League striker?

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Yes, Didier Drogba is the greatest ever Premier League striker. 

Is Harry Kane among the top 10 greatest ever EPL strikers?

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Yes, Harry Kane is among the top 10 greatest strikers in EPL.

Who are the top 3 greatest strikers in EPL?

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Thierry Henry, Wayne Rooney and Sergio Aguero.

Which striker has scored the most goals in Premier League history?

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Alan Shearer has the most goals in Premier League history, 260 goals.

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Edited by- Ashu Ranjeet
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