Cole Palmer is, currently, Chelsea’s go-to man after swapping Manchester City for life in west London in the summer of 2023 but, perhaps surprisingly, the English hotshot named just one Stamford Bridge legend when naming his four greatest players in Premier League history.
Since the year 1992, when the English top flight became the Premier League, the Blues have enjoyed plenty of success – and that includes an impressive tally of five domestic titles (2004/05, 20005/06, 2009/10, 2014/15 and 2016/17).
John Terry and Frank Lampard were both all-important to Chelsea’s success over the years, but spoiler alert: neither was named by Palmer when he was tasked with picking out his ‘Mount Rushmore’ of the Premier League era – but who did make the cut?
Palmer Names Four Greatest Players of Premier League Era
Terry, Lampard, Rooney and Salah were all snubbed by Chelsea man
From watching the Manchester City graduate in action, it should come as little to no surprise that he, widely regarded as one of the best players in world football, opted for a quartet of forward-thinking players, thus snubbing Lampard and Terry in the process.
Instead, it left the door open for a certified shoo-in: Cristiano Ronaldo. His second stint aside, the 40-year-old Portuguese talisman – who has won the Ballon d’Or on five occasions – was a terror between 2003 and 2009 before being picked up by Real Madrid.
And, well, the rest is history as he became one of the most decorated players in football history thanks to his illustrious stint in the Spanish capital with Los Blancos, winning silverware season-upon-season with relative ease. Palmer also picked Thierry Henry.
Commonly regarded as one of the greatest strikers in football history (and for good reason, too), the Frenchman carried a sense of inevitability when stationed in front of goal – and his 377-game, 228-goal stint for Arsenal is etched in Premier League mythology.
“And I need two defenders, don’t I?” Palmer then said as he realised his picks were very forward-focused before being told that his selections could be based around any position on the pitch.
Kevin De Bruyne, therefore, also got the nod. A bonafide Manchester City legend, the attacking midfielder has been one of the Premier League’s biggest threats in recent seasons and his ability to thread a ball through the eye of a needle is second to none.
Greatest Attacking Midfielders in Football History Related
10 Greatest Attacking Midfielders in Football History [Ranked]
From Premier League legend Kevin de Bruyne to the legendary Diego Maradona, here are the greatest attacking midfielders in football history.
The only Chelsea man to make the grade was Eden Hazard. The former Lille man, who played 245 times in England's primary division between 2012 and 2019, danced through defences with ease and, at times, was an unstoppable force on the left wing for the Blues.
Often compared to Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian may trump him in terms of goals and assists – but from the perspective of sheer talent, it’s hard to bypass the trickery and enviable poise of the Belgian, who hung up his boots in October 2023 after a drastic decrease in influence.
Watch Palmer's full selection process below: