England have possessed some of the finest dribblers in the game over the years. Modern greats Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka make the cut for their exceptional technique. The likes of John Barnes and Sir Stanley Matthews boasted superb dribbling skills and rank highly along with Michael Owen.
Football has seen several genres of star players rise to the top with varied skillsets, including formidable defensive minds, intricate passing geniuses and goalscorers carrying shear power and prowess. Among the most entertaining are the unstoppable dribblers , who can follow a serpentine path weaving through even the most imperious of defenses. While the playmakers of the team craft line-breaking passes to progress the ball, these dribbling maestros are the line-breaking pass capable of splitting the opposition structure almost single-handedly.
England has seen many game-changing talents gifted with the ability to create such magic. From the likes of Michael Owen with lightning speed carrying the ball at his feet, to Steve McManaman with his effortless grace and balletic movement on the pitch, these players have captivated fans and confounded opponents with their extraordinary ability to turn a moment of pressure into one of brilliance. With everything taken into account, here are 11 such players who have established themselves as the greatest dribblers in the Three Lions' history, with the following ranking factors: Dribbling ability (statistics, accounts from observers etc.
) Quality of opposition Longevity Greatest English Dribblers of All Time Rank Player England Career Span 1. Sir Stanley Matthews 1937–1957 2. John Barnes 1983–1995 3.
Steve McManaman 1994–2001 4. Paul Gascoigne 1988–1998 5. Michael Owen 1998–2008 6.
Kevin Keegan 1972–1982 7. Raheem Sterling 2012–Present 8. Peter Beardsley 1986–1996 9.
Bukayo Saka 2020–Present 10. Chris Waddle 1985–1991 11. Glenn Hoddle 1979–1988 The greatest players that England has produced down the years - ranked in order.
11 Glenn Hoddle So often underrated for his sublime technical qualities, Glenn Hoddle may well be among the most talented Englishmen to play the sport. What made the Hayes-born forward even more threatening was his ambidexterity - both feet were nearly as lethal as each other, leaving helpless defenders guessing which way he might weave next. Perhaps more notably, Hoddle arrived at the unconventional decision to venture into singing for a short while, alongside fellow compatriot, Chris Waddle.
Reaching 12th in the UK singles charts is no mean feat, let it be said, but sticking to what he knew best was the logical decision in the end, and the former Tottenham star enjoyed a glittering career in football. Glenn Hoddle's International Career Caps 53 Goals 8 Assists 3 With a mix of playmakers and forwards, several stars have shone in the number 10 shirt at Tottenham. 10 Chris Waddle Chris Waddle's show-stopping brilliance allowed him to thrive in more ways than one during his career.
Apart from his unexpected foray into pop stardom with Glenn Hoddle, Waddle's style of play was distinctly different from that of the typical English footballer. While the nation was generally known for its ruthless goalscorers and fearless defenders, Waddle stood out with his captivating skill on the ball, more reminiscent of the tidy technicians native to continental Europe. The Spurs legend spent a significant part of his career excelling in England, but many of his best years were devoted to Marseille .
After becoming the world's third most expensive signing at the time, following his transfer to the French outfit, Waddle eventually repaid his value and was subsequently dubbed 'Magic Chris' by his loving fans. Chris Waddle's International Career Caps 62 Goals 6 Assists 1 If England knows anything about football, it's how to make a good midfielder. 9 Bukayo Saka Talent does not deceive, which is why, despite his tender age, Bukayo Saka still deserves a place on this list.
Since emerging from the Arsenal youth academy, the London-born man has continuously been shifted around the pitch. If not on his preferred right attacking flank, he might appear on the left-wing, or perhaps even a shoo-in at left-back and midfield. Yet, despite his positional variations, Saka has never failed to take his opportunity to impress.
With his relentless work rate in tandem with an outstandingly consistent technique, he is quite often impossible to contain. A stalwart in England's new-gen national team, there is optimism that Saka could eventually bring major cup glory to England's name. Bukayo Saka's International Career Caps 40 Goals 12 Assists 7 "He deserves more respect" 8 Peter Beardsley Synonymous with Newcastle's alternating black and white jersey, Beardsley exploded into something of a super-talent immediately after his arrival at St.
James' Park, displaying an unstoppable beauty with his technique. So much so, his world-beating teammate, Kevin Keegan, could not speak higher of the Hexham-born man. Bewildered by what he saw, Keegan wrote in his biography: “By the time I started playing for Newcastle, I had played against Cruyff, Maradona and Pele, and yet I have never had my mind blown as I did on the first day I saw Peter Beardsley.
” Many who were familiar with Beardsley's exploits would not scoff at such a statement, but the fact it comes from one of the legends of the era speaks to the player's quality. Moreover, the former Liverpool icon wasn't the only one to shower plaudits - England's striker mainstay, Gary Lineker , honored Beardsley as "the best partner [he] could ever have" during their time together for the national team. Peter Beardsley's International Career Caps 59 Goals 9 Assists 6 From Wayne Rooney to Michael Owen, the greatest English players of the 2000s have been revealed.
7 Raheem Sterling His spell with Chelsea will have left a sour touch on Raheem Sterling's career, but his contributions to football, both at club level and national level, must not be forgotten. A plethora of silverware to his name, the Manchester City icon is among the most decorated of his generation, but his lethal dribbling abilities also rank him as one of the most gifted too, an aspect of his game that is sometimes overlooked. It will always be difficult to forget the manner in which Sterling dragged his nation to its most momentous stage since 1966 - the Euros 2020 final.
Ultimately, despite withstanding constant and unwarranted criticism for all his actions, the former Golden Boy winner has shown no signs of slowing down, and his rise to the top has been nothing short of inspirational. Raheem Sterling's International Career Caps 82 Goals 20 Assists 27 The pair have been rumoured to be involved in a swap deal between Chelsea and Manchester United. 6 Kevin Keegan Goals were part and parcel of Kevin Keegan's unstoppable attacking expertise, but his electrifying dribbling skills are what platformed his clinical nature.
"King Kev," as he was dubbed, boasted explosive pace coupled with impeccable technique, allowing him to burst through helpless defenders and into lethal scoring positions close to goal. An international debut in 1972 meant the Liverpool legend was just a handful of years short of making the iconic World Cup winning squad of 1966. But as winner of two consecutive Ballon d'Ors and countless further achievements, there's little more Keegan could have done to ensure he solidified his status as a great of his era.
Kevin Keegan's International Career Caps 63 Goals 21 Assists 2 World Cup winners, history makers, and one club heroes - this list details England's finest defensive minds. 5 Michael Owen That solo effort against Argentina in 1998 announced Michael Owen to the world - a wonder strike nestled inch-perfect into the top corner was preceded by a powerful dribble which personified what the Chester-born forward was all about. His outstanding surge of speed had left the Argentine defenders rustling in his wake, just like numerous other such opposition players who had been pitted against the force of nature in Owen.
To clock in at blistering pace with the ball simultaneously glued to his feet is nothing short of extraordinary, and this is precisely how Owen established himself as a genius of the dribble. Undoubtedly, a talent of this level deserved a shred of international glory on top of his countless club achievements and esteemed individual awards, though it wasn't to be. Michael Owen's International Career Caps 89 Goals 40 Assists 12 Four active players make the list of England's finest-ever crossers.
4 Paul Gascoigne "Gazza" , as he was affectionately termed, is widely regarded as one of the most naturally gifted footballers to have ever been produced in the country. It was as though time slowed to still with the ball at Paul Gascoigne's feet, and with subtle touches and feints, he could effortlessly toy with even the best of opposition defenders. Some may have attempted to thwart his movements with shear physicality, but to no avail as Gascoigne had the strength to match as well.
That was Gascoigne at the peak of his powers, truly an unplayable talent. Despite England's several major tournament heartbreaks during the 1990s, he remained a beam of energy, constantly entertaining spectators with his on-pitch exploits. Paul Gascoigne's International Career Caps 57 Goals 10 Assists 9 The best player to have ever been born in each English county has been named, including prominent players such as Wayne Rooney and Bobby Moore.
3 Steve McManaman A special culmination of speed, technique, and energy gave birth to Steve McManaman - one of the most dangerous dribblers to have graced English football. His achievements have earned him a legendary status with both Liverpool and Real Madrid , but it was his mazing runs from deep that especially dazzled crowds and stunned opposition defenses. Three Lions' fans only caught a glimpse of McManaman's quality on the international stage before an argument with former manager Sven-Goran Eriksson marred his England career.
It has been widely regarded as one of the more unfortunate wastes of talent in the nation's history , but regardless, the Bootle-born man has still stamped his name into folklore with his quality. Steve McManaman's International Career Caps 37 Goals 3 Assists 2 2 John Barnes It had reached the half-time mark in a friendly tie between international giants, England and Brazil , in 1984. The deadlock was yet to be broken, as John Barnes, with the ball at his feet, set his head down and began driving at the sea of yellow in front of him.
He glided effortlessly, following an intricate path even spectators would have struggled to map out through the compact Brazil defense, before slotting it past a helpless Roberto Costa. Conversely, a humble John Barnes proposed a more modest account of these events : I don't remember much of the goal, and in fact, even when I do see it on television again, it's like having an out-of-body experience, because I cannot remember doing that. Truth be told, this is what he was capable of, and the Premier League legend could boast countless similar solo dribbles in his catalog.
John Barnes' International Career Caps 79 Goals 11 Assists 5 The 1990s were flush with talented England stars including Alan Shearer and Paul Gascoigne. 1 Sir Stanley Matthews Winner of the inaugural Ballon d'Or , Stanley Matthews earned his recognition, not through goals or assists, as others in the awards' history have done, but instead through his pure brilliance with the ball at his feet. Dubbed "The Wizard of the Dribble", the Hanley-born forward's weaving heroics earned him recognition from viewers and fellow footballing legends alike.
Franz Beckenbauer, one of the greatest defenders in history, once claimed that "almost no one in the game could stop him", and Brazilian icon, Pele , hailed Matthews as "the man who taught us how football should be played". The Second World War had snatched what could have been a prosperous international career for Matthews, but nonetheless, he is regarded highly as arguably the best entertainer the country has ever produced. Stanley Matthews' International Career Caps 54 Goals 11 Assists 5 Several English players might be in contention to win the Ballon d'Or in the coming years.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt - Correct as of 27/08/2024.
