Former Super Eagles captain Mikel Obi has named ex-France international Thierry Henry as the best player in the history of the Premier League, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Premier League has had many stars that have left indelible marks over the years. For some, Alan Shearer is the greatest to grace the English game, as he leads the all-time goalscorers' chart with 260 top-flight goals.
Alan Shearer Newcastle (Photo credit: Imago)
To others, Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest, especially as he has a truckload of trophies. However, he spent just six years in England and had a bigger impact in La Liga.
For most Chelsea fans, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, and John Terry deserve a shout due to their influence between 2004 and 2015.
Meanwhile, Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has entered the conversation following his consistent performances. The Egyptian has recorded 178 goals and 82 assists in the English Premier League.
Mohamed Salah (photo credit: Imago)
However, former Super Eagles star Mikel believes Salah has not done enough to be named the greatest player in Premier League history. Recall that Mikel also played with Drogba, Lampard, and Terry. He even played against Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. Still, he believes that Henry is the best player in the history of the English top-flight.
“Numbers-wise, you can put Salah in the conversation, but when you want to talk about a complete player, you can't put him in the conversation,” Mikel said on the Obi One Podcast.
“I'm a huge fan of Salah, he's my friend, I know him from my days at Chelsea, although he's a different Salah now because he's so confident, he looks mentally and physically stronger.
Thierry Henry with the Premier League trophy (photo credit: Imago)
“The best player that has played in the Premier Legaue is Thierry Henry. There was a period he dominated the Premier Legaue for 2-3 years. He had everything, he was so good on the ball, he had everything.”
Mikel spent over ten years at Chelsea and made a big impact, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League.
Kelvin Omachonu is a professional football columnist and sports writer with over half a decade of experience covering major events and delivering captivating, analytically-driven stories.
A graduate of the University of Ibadan, he is fueled by a profound dedication to sports journalism and the beautiful game. His insights have previously been featured in respected outlets, including IndyPress UI, UCJ UI Newshive NG, Sportpremi, and a few others.
Away from work, Kelvin is an avid fan of basketball, enjoys a great movie, and is always discovering new music.
