British football fans have been blessed with some incredible talents making their way to the very top of the football pyramid throughout the years.
That was no different between the years of 1985 and 2005, a period in which English football grew into a dominant force worldwide thanks to the inception of the Premier League, crystalising in the form of the first ever all-English Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester United in 2008. Scottish football, meanwhile, headed in the opposite direction and during this period began to decline from its status as one of Europe's more intriguing top flights.
No country within the British Isles achieved significant international success during this time. England's Golden Generation failed as Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland struggled to qualify for major tournaments. But some of the talent being born would go on to bring better times ahead. Since 2005, when those born 20 years prior were just about making their debuts, England have transitioned from international football's laughingstock to regular tournament finalists, while Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have all made it to major tournaments.
So, who are the most significant British football talents to emerge during this time? We've named the best British player born every year between 1985 and 2005 to find out.
Ranking factors
Statistical data - goals, assists, etc.
Silverware won throughout career
Impact made on club/country
Career longevity (for older players on this list)
Career potential (for younger players on this list)
1985 - Wayne Rooney
Notable clubs: Everton, Manchester United
Wayne Rooney vs Fenerbahce
Bursting onto the scene as a fiery 16-year-old at Everton, the potential of Wayne Rooney was always there. But whether he could live up to the high expectations was an entirely different story.
After a move to Manchester United in 2004, though, that potential would be realised and nurtured under Sir Alex Ferguson with the striker being a natural, going on to become the club's record goalscorer, scoring 253 goals in 13 seasons before returning to Everton to see out his Premier League career.
After a move to MLS side DC United, Rooney called it quits on his career 18 months later in 2021, at the age of 35, having racked up 313 career goals, and another 53 internationally - the second-most in England history, and 17 trophies.
1986 - James Milner
Notable clubs: Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Leeds, Brighton & Hove Albion
James Milner celebrates scoring for Liverpool.
It feels like James Milner has been playing in the Premier League forever, and that isn't far off from reality. Making his debut for Leeds United in 2002 at 16-years-old, Milner is still plying his trade in the English top flight today, at age 38, with Brighton & Hove Albion, having amassed 85 goals and 135 assists in 880 appearances.
In between then and now, he has spent time with Newcastle and Aston Villa, but his stints with Manchester City and Liverpool between 2010 and 2023 have borne the most silverware, where he has won 12 trophies, including three league titles and a Champions League. Having played in virtually every outfield position in his long career, Milner is considered one of the most 'complete' players of his generation.
1987 - Jamie Vardy
Notable club - Leicester City
Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy celebrating
Jamie Vardy has been with Leicester City since 2012, when he signed for a then-non-league record of £1 million from Fleetwood Town - something pundit Jamie Carragher feels is the best transfer of all time. In just two seasons, he would transform the Foxes, and help them get promoted to the Premier League.
Just two seasons into his career at the top level of English football, his 24 league goals helped Leicester become unlikely winners of the Premier League in the 2015/16 season, earning him a Three Lions place at the European Championships that summer. He would also help Leicester win an FA Cup and a Community Shield, becoming an integral part of their recent success.
1988 - Jonny Evans
Notable clubs - Manchester United, West Bromwich Albion, Leicester City
Manchester United's Jonny Evans
Jonny Evans has been considered as an underrated player throughout his career, having recorded 107 caps for Northern Ireland since he made his debut in 2006. At club level, he began his career at Man United, though he wouldn't make his debut until 2007 after loan spells with Royal Antwerp and Sunderland.
However, he would spend nine seasons with the club before being sold to West Bromwich Albion, and then on to Leicester, making 248 appearances in all competitions, before a surprise return to Old Trafford in 2023. In total, for the Red Devils, he has made 239 appearances, and won 11 trophies with the club, including three league titles and a Champions League.
1989 - Gareth Bale
Notable clubs: Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, Los Angeles FC
Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale's trophy-laden success came after he moved from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid for a then-world-record fee back in 2013. Despite starting his career as a left-back, and helping Spurs claim the League Cup in 2008, he would transform into a world-class winger, which has him touted as one of the best widemen of his generation.
For the Spanish juggernauts, Bale would form a formidable attacking front-three with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, where he scored 106 goals and added another 67 assists in 258 appearances in all competitions, winning 16 trophies, including five Champions Leagues. He would also find success in the MLS, winning the MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield with Los Angeles FC in the 2021/22 season before hanging up his boots in 2023.
1990 - Aaron Ramsey
Notable clubs - Cardiff City, Arsenal, Juventus, Rangers
Aaron Ramsey captaining Wales
Aaron Ramsey is one of the most naturally gifted British footballers of recent decades and was able to demonstrate his immense pedigree at times throughout his career. A peak spell at Arsenal saw him muster 33 goals and 37 assists across six Premier League seasons, while he was rarely short of excellent for Wales. He boasts a near-one-in-four record of 21 goals in 86 caps, a brilliant return for a midfielder playing for an often lesser-fancied nation, and his performances at Euro 2016 earned a place in the Team of the Tournament.
Nonetheless, Ramsey's career has been dogged by injury problems, catalysed by an infamous tackle from Stoke City's Ryan Shawcross when he was just 19 years old. Some say Ramsey never became the world-class player he truly could've been because of that incident, but it has been an impressive career nonetheless, resulting in domestic cups in England, Scotland and Italy, as well as a league title in the latter. He's also had some unforgettable moments for boyhood club Cardiff and his national team.
1991 - Tom Cairney
Notable clubs - Hull City, Blackburn Rovers, Fulham
Tom Cairney of Fulham applauds
Whilst he doesn't have the accolades that others on this list have, Tom Cairney has still been a very solid player throughout his career, starting out with Hull City before finding a home with Fulham via a brief spell with Blackburn Rovers.
Having been with the London club since 2015, the 33-year-old has since become the club captain after taking over the armband from Scott Parker in 2017. Despite having struggled with a plethora of injuries since his time at Fulham, Cairney has gone on to feature 337 times in all competitions, scoring 46 goals and assisting 36 more.
1992 - Jack Wilshere
Notable clubs - Arsenal, AFC Bournemouth, West Ham United
Jack Wilshere of Arsenal looks on
Jack Wilshere is one of the biggest 'what ifs' on this list, with his career mired by a plethora of injuries which ultimately ended his career prematurely.
Showcasing an abundance of potential very early on, Wilshere was supposed to be the next big thing for English football, tearing apart the likes of Xavi, Andrés Iniesta and Barcelona when they met Arsenal at the Emirates stadium in 2011.
Despite scoring some glorious goals, including completing the famous team move against Norwich in the 2013/14 season, the midfielder missed 1,470 days through injury, and hung up his boots for good in 2022, aged just 30. In total, he made 288 club appearances, scoring 18 goals and assisting 33 more.
1993 - Harry Kane
Notable clubs - Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich
Harry KAne
Harry Kane was unable to find any success in the form of silverware while at Tottenham, and needed to leave the club to find it. However, before departing for Bayern Munich in 2023, he ensured he became Spurs' all-time leading goalscorer, notching 280 goals in all competitions for the north London outfit. His 213 league goals scored is also the second-most in Premier League history.
In Germany, he has continued to display that he is a world-class centre-forward, recording 85 goal involvements in 64 total appearances so far, and winning the Bundesliga golden boot in his debut season. On the international stage, the England captain is the Three Lions' all-time leading scorer, having scored 69 goals in 103 appearances for his country.
1994 - Andrew Robertson
Notable clubs - Hull City, Liverpool
Andrew Robertson
Andrew Robertson was a little-known adventurous full-back when Liverpool snapped him up from a relegated Hull City side in the summer of 2017. But almost eight years later, the Scotland international is well established as one of the greatest left-backs in Premier League history.
A combination of energy and attacking quality made him an instrumental part of Jurgen Klopp's tactical setup at Liverpool, with both Robertson and his right-sided counter-part Trent Alexander-Arnold regularly bombing down the flank to become the Reds' furthest-forward player, or alternatively whipping world-class crosses into the box from deep positions.
Robertson has also captained the Scottish national team since 2018, guiding them through qualification for Euro 2024 and serving as skipper throughout their three group games.
1995 - Jack Grealish
Notable clubs - Aston Villa, Manchester City
Manchester City winger Jack Grealish in action
There was one stage when it didn't look as though Jack Grealish would ever leave his boyhood club, Aston Villa.
But after making 213 senior appearances for the Birmingham outfit, scoring 32 goals and creating 41 assists, he made a £100 million switch to Man City in 2021. This was the most-expensive transfer fee in Premier League history at the time.
Since his arrival at City, though, Grealish has struggled for regular starts. But he has made 140 total appearances, scoring 14 goals and assisting 20, and was part of the squad that won the treble in 2023.
1996 - Scott McTominay
Notable clubs - Manchester United, Napoli
Scott McTominay at Napoli
Measuring in at 6 foot 4 and yet seemingly at his best when he's sniffing out goalscoring opportunities on the edge of the opposition box, Scott McTominay is something of an unorthodox player. His physique has been both a blessing and a curse at times, with previous managers asking him to fulfill more defensive roles that don't necessarily get the best out of him.
McTominay was a bit of an unsung hero at Manchester United - often lamented for lacking truly elite quality, and yet often coming up clutch in big moments, including ten goals in his final season, without ever questioning the responsibilities that were asked of him. McTominay moved to Napoli last summer and is finding himself far more appreciated under Antonio Conte, with the Italian media giving him the nickname 'Jolly'.
But it's for the Scottish national team where McTominay has truly thrived. Now deployed just off the centre-forward, he's scored 11 goals in 58 appearances for the Tartan Army. Incredible to think that as recently as 2022, Scotland were using him as a centre-half.
1997 - Marcus Rashford
Notable club - Manchester United
Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford's senior career got off to an emphatic start, scoring back-to-back braces in his first two appearances for Man United in all competitions as a teenager in 2015.
Since then, he has dipped in and out of form, being highly regarded as a huge 'confidence player', with his best season coming in the 2022/23 campaign, where he tallied 41 goal contributions in 56 games from wide.
Having spent his entire career so far with the Red Devils, Rashford has gone on to score 138 goals and assist an additional 66 in 425 appearances across all competitions, winning six trophies, including the Europa League.
1998 - Trent Alexander-Arnold
Notable club - Liverpool
Trent Alexander-Arnold
At 26-years-old, Trent Alexander-Arnold has already cemented himself as one of the best crossers in football history, and is in the conversation with the likes of David Beckham and Luis Figo. He is also considered one of the best passers in the Premier League, and the fact that he does it from the right-back position makes it even more extraordinary.
Since breaking into the Liverpool first team in 2016, Alexander-Arnold has gone on to make history by being the first defender in the Premier League to record 60 assists, and has totalled 85 across all competitions. This has seen clubs across Europe, including Madrid, take note, with his contract due to expire in the summer.
1999 - Declan Rice
Notable clubs - West Ham, Arsenal
Declan Rice celebrates scoring for Arsenal vs Bournemouth
Declan Rice went down in West Ham folklore when he captained the east London outfit to the UEFA Conference League title in his final game for the club before making the switch across London to join the Gunners in 2023.
He has since become one of the best English midfielders who are currently plying their trade, and has been instrumental in Arsenal's title challenge over the past few seasons, so much so that he was even rewarded with a Ballon d'Or nomination last year. Hugely important for club and country, Rice has registered a combined 28 goals and 29 assists in 376 appearances.
2000 - Phil Foden
Notable club - Manchester City
MixCollage-21-Jun-2024-11-28-AM-7586
Having come up through the youth ranks at Man City, Phil Foden is one of football's brightest stars, fully living up to his 'wonderkid' title.
In his relatively short career, Foden has already accumulated 17 trophies, including six league titles and a Champions League. He has also achieved individual success, winning the 2023/24 PFA Player of the Year award after a campaign in which he netted 27 goals and provided 12 assists in 53 appearances across all competitions.
Hugely impressive under Pep Guardiola, the Stockport-born winger has established himself as a top-10 winger in world football, and is nearing the 100-goal club, having tallied 90 in 287 City appearances, along with 55 assists.
2001 - Bukayo Saka
Notable club - Arsenal
Arsenal's Bukayo Saka celebrates scoring their third goal vs Southampton.
Much like Foden, Bukayo Saka came up through the academy of his club, Arsenal, and has developed into one of the world's very best wingers. Having performed very consistently throughout his young career, the 23-year-old has already made 246 appearances for the north London side, in which he has scored 65 goals and added another 61 assists.
Having initially been utilised at full-back, Saka was moved further up the field to plug gaps in Arsenal's front-line, but has firmly made that position his own. As such, he has become one of the best number sevens in world football, trailing only Los Blancos' Vinicius Junior. He has also been hugely pivotal to England's success, having featured 43 times, and his goal at Euro 2024 gave his country the chance to progress to the semi-finals.
2002 - Cole Palmer
Notable clubs - Manchester City, Chelsea
Cole Palmer
Cole Palmer's move from Man City to Chelsea in the summer of 2023 was met with criticism from around the Premier League after he chose to leave off the back of winning the treble with the Sky Blues.
However, his move has arguably transformed his career, carrying the Blues solely on his back for the majority of last season, and has helped turn them into surprise title contenders this year. In his debut season with the club, he scored 27 goals and provided 15 assists in 48 total appearances, securing European football for this season.
Ice cold in the biggest of moments, such as the screamer he scored in the Euro 2024 final for England, and his hat-trick in Chelsea's 4-3 win over Man United at Old Trafford last season, Palmer has also become virtually unstoppable on penalties, and is very much in the conversation for being one of the best left-footed players in the world.
2003 - Jude Bellingham
Notable clubs - Birmingham City, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid
MixCollage-01-Dec-2024-03-56-PM-9165
Jude Bellingham is only 21-years-old, and he is already considered one of the best footballers in the world. The midfield maestro came inches away from helping Borussia Dortmund claim the Bundesliga title over Bayern in the 2022/23 season, though they ultimately missed out on goal difference, before he departed for Real Madrid that summer.
His first season at the Santiago Bernabeu couldn't have gone better, scoring 23 goals and providing 13 assists from central midfield in 42 appearances, guiding Madrid to the La Liga title, the Supercopa de Espana, and a Champions League title over his former side at Wembley Stadium. He carried his form over from club level into the Euros for England, netting two important goals as they reached the final.
2004 - Rico Lewis
Notable club - Manchester City
Manchester City full-back Rico Lewis in action
The fact that Rico Lewis has convinced Guardiola that he is worthy of being a regular starter in a Man City lineup that has been so successful in recent history says a lot about the talent that he possesses.
The 20-year-old has already made 72 first-team appearances for the Cityzens, in which he has been deployed on both flanks at the back, while he has, of late, been moved up the midfield, showcasing his versatility.
His good performances for the reigning Premier League champions saw him handed his first senior England call-up at the back end of 2023, where he has since made five appearances, with many more surely to come as he claws his way up the ranks of being one of England's best right-backs.