Ian Wright is one of the best and most accomplished strikers in British football history and even though he is best known for his days at Arsenal, the Englishman also played for other big clubs, such as West Ham United and Celtic in many different competitions.
Having had not only an incredibly successful career at the very highest level but also enjoying remarkable longevity, Wright naturally played with and against many top players from several eras of football. Back in 2011, Wright sat down with sportsvibeTV to discuss the very best of the players he had the pleasure of sharing the pitch with during his career, whether they were on his team or on the opposition's team.
To no surprise, Wright named his fellow Arsenal icons Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry as two out of his nine selections in total, however, some of his other picks are less obvious and the Arsenal and Crystal Palace legend also gave flowers to some other forwards who may not have been given as much respect or praise throughout their careers but were still phenomenal talents.
Dennis Bergkamp
Career span: 1986-2006
Bergkamp
While Dennis Bergkamp was thought of more predominantly as an attacking midfield player, Wright named him as one of the best strikers he has ever played with or against, as he did occasionally operate up front. Having played alongside the Dutchman over 80 times, Wright has had first-hand experience seeing just how good he was.
As mentioned, Bergkamp wasn’t a typical striker but had top output in terms of both goals and assists. The Arsenal and Holland legend would use his incredible elegance to weave his way through defences and either slot shots into the back of the net or put chances on a plate for his teammates. Wrifht noted:
"He was an amazing player."
Dennis Bergkamp's Career Statistics
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Teddy Sheringham
Career span: 1983-2008
Teddy Sheringham for Tottenham
From one incredibly intelligent forward to another. England have had many top strikers over the years who carved out fantastic careers and legacies for themselves, however, one player who is not mentioned enough or given the credit he deserves for just how good he was is Teddy Sheringham.
Wright described the Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur legend as a “proper class player” and that couldn’t be more true. The Englishman wasn’t blessed with a lot of pace or athleticism but his intelligence, movement and composure turned him into an elite-level forward and undoubtedly one of the best to ever play in the English top flight.
Teddy Sheringham's Career Statistics
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Robbie Fowler
Career span: 1993-2012
Robbie Fowler
It comes as no surprise that Wright included Robbie Fowler amongst the greatest strikers he has ever played with or against, as both men were on the same pitch when the Liverpool legend scored the second-fastest hat-trick in Premier League history against Arsenal in 1994 in just four minutes and 33 seconds.
Fowler is one of the best and most natural finishers ever. He had a unique ability to be able to put the ball in the back of the net from anywhere, no matter the angle, which made him a nightmare to defend against. Wright said:
“One of the best finishers I’ve ever been on the pitch to witness.”
Robbie Fowler's Career Statistics
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Alan Shearer
Career span: 1988-2006
Alan Shearer celebrates scoring for Newcastle United.
Perhaps the greatest striker in Premier League history, Alan Shearer was the next striker to be given huge praise by Wright. Wright and Shearer may be very good friends off the pitch due to their punditry work, which sometimes may suggest bias, but the Newcastle United legend is undoubtedly one of the best goalscorers ever.
Shearer is, of course, the holder of the most goals in Premier League history, which is impressive, but what makes that achievement even more special is the variety of goals he scored. Whether it was a volley, tap-in or a thunderbolt from 30 yards, he had it all. Wright noted:
“He wasn’t really bothered about fancy goals. He could score some awesome volleys, the headers and stuff like that as well as the tap-ins.”
Alan Shearer's Career Statistics
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Les Ferdinand
Career span: 1984-2006
Les Ferdinand celebrates scoring for Newcastle United.
One of the most underrated and underappreciated strikers in the history of the Premier League, Les Ferdinand, is recognised by Wright as one of the best and rightly so. Ferdinand was a consistent performer in the Premier League for several clubs over many years and is thought of as one of the best players to never win the Premier League.
What makes Ferdinand stand out amongst the rest of the strikers Wright mentioned is his well-roundedness. He could play in multiple systems and excelled at using his pace to run in behind defences as well as using his aerial ability and physicality to also bully players, making him a nightmare to deal with.
Les Ferdinand's Career Statistics
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Dwight Yorke
Career span: 1990-2009
Dwight Yorke celebrates scoring for Manchester United.
While often brought up in conversation when discussing iconic striker partnerships, Dwight Yorke as a standalone talent was phenomenal. The Trinidad and Tobago native is mostly known for his legendary partnership with Andy Cole for Manchester United, however, he was capable of playing just as well up there on his own.
Yorke was so good because he changed his style of play throughout his career to cater to his body and physical attributes. For example, early on in his career, he was gifted with pace and occasionally played out wide, but as he got older, he transitioned into being a more intelligent forward who had good movement and great goalscoring instincts.
Dwight Yorke's Career Statistics
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Andy Cole
Career span: 1989-2008
Andy Cole
From one half of arguably the best striker partnership in Premier League history to the other. While Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke were great together, Cole was the better goalscorer of the two and this shows in his all-time Premier League ranking as he sits in 4th place with a staggering 187 goals.
Like his iconic partner, Cole was also a quick and nippy forward who could play in a variety of systems and styles, which is what made him so good. As well as his abilities in front of goal, Cole also had incredible link-up play and he was an underrated creator, which is why he operated so well in a front two.
Andy Cole's Career Statistics
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Ronaldo Nazario
Career span: 1993-2011
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If you ask around the football world, whether it is fans or former players and managers, many people will credit Ronaldo Nazario as one of the most talented players ever. Wright agreed with that as he placed the Brazilian alongside the other legendary strikers he has played with or against.
Even though his career was plagued by injuries, when in his prime, Ronaldo blessed the footballing world with some of the most breathtaking performances ever. He simply had it all. Flair, efficiency in front of goal and pace were all huge traits which the Brazilian icon possessed and when he was on it, no defender in world football could stop him.
Ronaldo Nazario's Career Statistics
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Thierry Henry
Career span: 1994-2014
Arsenal's Thierry Henry celebrates.
The final name Wright mentioned as one of the best strikers he has played with or against is his fellow Arsenal legend, Thierry Henry. Unfortunately for Premier League fans, Wright and Henry’s Arsenal careers overlapped each other and never got to play with each other, but they played against each other once in the UEFA Cup in 1999, when the Frenchman played for Juventus.
When discussing Henry, Wright didn’t have much to say about his talent, as everyone knows just how good he was, but instead, he spoke about the incredible reviews he got from Arsene Wenger, who described Henry as “the Michael Jordan of football", as noted by Wright:
“Wenger once described him as Michael Jordan. What Michael Jordan was to basketball in America, Thierry Henry could be to football in Europe. He had everything.”
Thierry Henry's Career Statistics
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Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt - correct as of 16-03-25.
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