The Premier League Hall of Fame recognises and honours former players who have had exceptional careers and demonstrated incredible contributions to the competition. American sports, such as basketball, baseball, and the NFL boasting a similar structure.
It’s reserved for the very best and only inducts players who are already retired. Players are voted in throughout the year.
In 2022, eight players will join the elite group, with Wayne Rooney and Patrick Viera the first two to be confirmed.
Below, we’ll outline the Hall of Fame process, how it works, and who’s already been inducted.
Two players who combined talent and work-rate to become Premier League legends ?
It is our pleasure to announce @WayneRooney and @OfficialVieira as the first two 2022 Inductees of the #PLHallOfFame pic.twitter.com/WYv4bfCsgU
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 23, 2022
What is the Premier League Hall of Fame?
The Premier League Hall of Fame is exactly as it sounds — the best players of all-time who have played in the league are all being added into the exclusive group.
With a similar structure to that of the American sports, it’s reserved for only the very elite in Premier League history.
Inaugurated in 2020, the award was delayed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has seen 10 players in total inducted.
Players are added yearl, and are added in due to their incredible achievements and contribution to the league, but they must be retired to be considered. This includes the latest additions in Wayne Rooney and Patrick Viera.
Introducing the latest inductees to the Premier League Hall of Fame! ??
Great managers too! pic.twitter.com/gJkyaEU2UZ
— 90min (@90min_Football) March 23, 2022
Premier League Hall of Fame Voting
This award is voted for by the fans and votes from the Premier League Awards Panel. It exists completely online.
All of the members are listed on the Premier League website, which includes in-depth details of their careers, statistics, and achievements.
The shortlist for the next set of players should be available on the 23rd March, with voting open shortly after for fans to vote for their pick.
There are six more players to be selected over the course of the next year, and fans hold (nearly) all the power for who will be chosen.
Who’s in the Premier League Hall of Fame
So far, the Hall of Fame houses 10 Premier League legends, with Viera and Rooney the first of eight to be inducted this year.
The first two players to be selected were Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry. Shearer is the Premier League’s top goal scorer with 265 goals, whilst Henry was a two-time PL champion, 4x Golden Boot winner, and considered the best player to have played in the Premier League.
After that, Manchester United’s Eric Cantona was joined by Dennis Bergkamp as overseas additions, whilst the English trio of Frank Lampard, David Beckham and Steven Gerrard were joined by Ireland’s Roy Keane to cap off a highly prestigious lineup.
Players likely to be added in the near future could include Chelsea’s John Terry, Ashley Cole, and Diddier Drogba, Manchester United’s Paul Scholes, and Nemanja Vidic and Robin van Persie, to name a few.
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