Football is no longer confined to ninety minutes on the pitch. It’s become an all-consuming part of daily life. Even when a ball isn’t being kicked, the discourse never stops. In the modern media age, conversations around the game stretch for days - sometimes weeks - before and after key fixtures. From group chats to primetime slots, football is simply everywhere.
And now, the faces on our screens dissecting the action have become stars in their own right. Pundits are idolised, scrutinised, and endlessly debated - loved or loathed depending on who they played for, the clubs they support, or whether their takes align with the fans’ own beliefs.
But instead of diving into the debate ourselves, we’ve asked AI to take the reins. Free from tribal bias and emotional pull, we’ve tasked it with ranking the 10 best pundits in football based solely on the insight, value, and clarity they bring to the sport’s biggest fixtures, flashpoints, and talking points, with Premier League and Champions League voices in high supply.
Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville. Related
10 Highest-Paid British Football Pundits [2025]
From Gary Neville to Alex Scott to Mark Chapman, UK pundits are paid very handsomely for the roles of television and radio.
20 Glenn Hoddle
Current employer: ITV & TNT Sports
Glenn Hoddle as a pundit
What AI said: "Veteran with deep tactical insight, though used less frequently today."
Glenn Hoddle, a former Tottenham and England legend during his salad days, has lived an eclectic life. From lifting two FA Cups and a UEFA Cup with the club he supported as a boy to releasing the pop single "Diamond Lights" alongside best mate Chris Waddle, the 67-year-old has seemingly done it all.
This broad spectrum of experiences shines through in his punditry career. For over 13 years now, Hoddle has shared his deep love and nuanced understanding of the game with audiences. Whether appearing on ITV during England fixtures or providing occasional analysis on TNT Sports’ European coverage, he consistently draws from both his playing and managerial careers. The result is a style of punditry that blends insight, storytelling, and tactical depth, giving viewers a richer perspective on the beautiful game.
19 Lianne Sanderson
Current employer: Sky Sports & BBC
Lianne Sanderson
What AI said: "Passionate and increasingly sharp in her analysis."
As an out LGBTQ+ woman of colour, Lianne Sanderson brings authenticity and openness to her punditry, inspiring others and opening the door wider for underrepresented voices. A former England Lioness with 50 caps to her name, the Sky Sports and BBC mouthpiece doesn’t shy away from tough topics like racism in football or LGBT+ inclusion, using her platform to push for equality and visibility.
Her talkSPORT show, "The Women's Football Show", showcases her passion in abundance, and while a lot of the topics she covers reveal her fearless side, she also engages audiences with a lot of wit, which helps her shine bright on any panel for viewers looking for a diverse outlook on the game.
18 Jamie Redknapp
Current employer: Sky Sports
Jamie Redknapp working for Sky Sports as a pundit
What AI said: "Smooth delivery, though lighter on tactical depth than others."
Jamie Redknapp's punditry style is generally described as smooth, likeable, and easy to understand, with a focus on delivering straightforward, often simplistic, opinions. He is known for his well-packaged, easily digestible commentary, making him a popular figure for television audiences, with him serving as the glue that keeps the other, more outspoken, voices on Sky Sports together.
Injuries may have tarnished Redknapp's playing career and forced him to retire at the relatively young age of 31, but the former Tottenham and Liverpool midfielder has made the most of his career since hanging up his boots. Various other TV commitments, such as being a team captain on 'A League of Their Own', have taken up a lot of his time in recent years, too.
17 Danny Murphy
Current employer: talkSPORT & BBC
Danny Murphy questions Ruben Amorim's Manchester United formation
What AI said: "Experienced and occasionally divisive but reliable in analysis."
Danny Murphy may be known to many for his regular appearances on talkSPORT alongside Jim White and Simon Jordan, where the trio often engage in debates for radio listeners to get involved with, and inevitably end up causing a stir in the end. However, the ex-midfielder also shows up on BBC's Match of the Day programming from time to time.
Also covering FA Cup clashes when called upon, Murphy speaks with conviction and authority. The fact he isn't seen on screen as often as many of the other names on this list is likely to play against Murphy, and his less entertainment-based approach can be less interesting for viewers to remain tuned in as he opts for a results-driven perspective.
16 Alex Scott
Current employer: BBC
BBC presenter Alex Scott
What AI said: "Calm, polished, and developing into a leading voice."
In the face of all adversities, Alex Scott has prevailed as one of the best women in football across both genders and on both the playing and punditry sides of the sport. Her heyday saw her capped 140 times for England, and she's the only entry on this list boasting a quadruple win – yet, even more impressively, is the way she translates her experiences into a succinct account of analysis during the weekend's football lowdown.
On the criticism front, Scott is often the first to defend a poor performance and provide a fresh outlook on heated debates, making her a breath of fresh air from the foolhardy male pundits around her. Her versatility to cover nearly any competition makes her a reliable panel option, too, and, like Sanderson, she is also fearless. While everyone failed to take action against homophobia before, during, and after the 2022 Qatar-hosted World Cup, Scott rejected threats from the government and FA, wearing rainbow laces in defiance.
Again, this mettle has defined key flashpoints in her media journey. Roy Keane, Graeme Souness, and the like try their hand at no-nonsense punditry – but Scott achieves it best, without unnecessary denunciation.
15 Chris Sutton
Current employer: BBC Radio 5 Live & BT Sport
Chris Sutton has challenged Graeme Souness' views
What AI said: "Often provocative, but creates debate and speaks frankly."
Chris Sutton has carved out a formidable media career since hanging up his boots. After spells co-commentating Celtic’s Champions League coverage for TNT Sports, he joined Sky Sports in 2023, offering sharp analysis on Scottish football, while also featuring regularly on BBC Radio 5 Live’s 606 alongside Robbie Savage and as a pundit on BBC Sport. His punditry style is defined by unflinching honesty and a “vinegary” wit. He delivers brutal assessments with one-word verdicts like “abject” or “woeful,” pausing for dramatic effect before unleashing his oft-relentless verdict.
In Barney Ronay’s Guardian article, Sutton was hailed as “the king of football’s cinematic miserablists,” likened to a curmudgeonly games master whose disdain cuts through the fluff - his disdain isn’t an act but a genuine, unfiltered response to the game’s failings. Whether dissecting tactical nuances or excoriating poor performance, Sutton’s authentic, no-nonsense approach has made him one of the most distinctive voices in modern football media.
14 Thierry Henry
Current employer: CBS Sports
thierry henry
What AI said: "Huge football brain, especially compelling in European coverage."
The best thing about Thierry Henry's punditry style is that, when others start talking about the role of a centre-forward and how to get the best out of them, or they begin diving into movement and technique, the Frenchman’s pupils widen, and he looks like he’s going to burst at the opportunity to talk about something he knows best, often with the energy of a kid on Christmas morning.
It’s that genuine love for his job that makes him so revered, and when handed the chance, he can deliver one hell of a masterclass. Henry was once a regular on the Sky Sports panel but, following several forays into coaching, now features on Champions League coverage with CBS Sports. Two other men yet to appear on this list often line up alongside Henry and presenter Kate Abdo to form the most entertaining - and often uncouth - football show on TV.
13 Owen Hargreaves
Current employer: TNT Sports
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**What AI said: "**Particularly good on European football, tactically detailed."
Owen Hargreaves played for three top clubs in the form of Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and Manchester City during his ill-fated playing days, meaning his words often make more sense as the Englishman played under some elite managers such as Sir Alex Ferguson, and Roberto Mancini.
A quieter personality, he often allows others on the panel to take lead on topics, but AI clearly value him highly and see the sheer value he brings, though often in smaller quantities than his colleagues.
12 Karen Carney
Current employer: ITV, Sky Sports, Amazon Prime & BBC
Karen Carney as a pundit
What AI said: "Thoughtful, articulate, increasingly prominent in big matches."
Karen Carney speaks clearly and doesn't just stick to run-of-the-mill takes that others might. The former Lioness is the leading pundit on Sky Sports' coverage of the Women's Super League since 2021, and she offers a lot to this panel due to her experience of playing in the division.
She also covers men's Premier League matches, as well as doing work for Amazon Prime and ITV, where she speaks clearly, articulately, and with the sole purpose of bringing important information to those tuning into her coverage without doing anything overly fancy.
11 Emma Hayes
Current employer: ITV (occasionally)
Emma Hayes
What AI said: "Tactical heavyweight, brings elite-level coaching insight."
When Emma Hayes isn't coaching USWNT, she works for ITV or BBC as an occasional pundit - and there's very few in the role that offer so much depth. For the most part, pundits like to dumb things down for the ordinary spectator. This way, anyone can watch football and quickly get to grips with what's happening. But for those connoisseurs who know the ins and outs of the sport, this style of punditry can become quite repetitive.
The coach-turned-pundit is just as detailed in her journalism as she is in her management. A diary loaded with stats and facts makes for an in-depth and fascinating analysis before and after the ninety minutes are done. While others try to streamline football, Hayes, who previously led Chelsea to five consecutive WSL titles, teaches her viewers about the complexities, catering for those who thought they already knew it all.