Pundits are some of the most important people in football for fans as their thoughts and opinions can shape how audiences view the game. Personality has become a huge factor in the industry in recent years, with a host of ex-players consistently delivering entertainment every week. Insightful comments and strong analysis are still an important part of the job, but with the growth of social media, it's become more difficult to retain the attention of viewers.
The likes of Jamie Carragher, , and Micah Richards have all brought a new style to the game with their professional views being put across in a way that keeps everyone engaged with plenty of laughs and banter. BoyleSport, who offer the latest , have carried out a survey involving 1,000 British football fans, in which they had to vote for their favourite pundit - and the results are very interesting. Everyone has different taste and the top two are popular names, but there was little to choose between the pair.
So, without further ado, view the results below. Football Pundits Ranked 1 Gary Neville Manchester United Sky Sports, ITV 13.42% 2 Roy Keane Cobh Ramblers, Nottingham Forest, Manchester United, Celtic Sky Sports, ITV 13.
31% 3 Alan Shearer Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United BBC 12.65% 4 Ally McCoist St Johnstone, Sunderland, Rangers, Kilmarnock TNT Sports, Amazon Prime 9.35% 5 Thierry Henry Monaco, Juventus, Arsenal, Barcelona, New York Red Bulls CBS Sports 7.
15% 6 Micah Richards Manchester City, Fiorentine, Aston Villa Sky Sports, CBS Sports, BBC 6.49% 7 Jamie Carragher Liverpool Sky Sports 5.72% 8 Jamie Redknapp Bournemouth, Liverpool, Tottenham, Southampton Sky Sports 5.
39% 9 Peter Crouch Tottenham, QPR, Aston Villa, Southampton, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Stoke City, Burnley TNT Sports 5.39% 10 Rio Ferdinand West Ham United, Leeds United, Manchester United, QPR TNT Sports, BBC 4.73% 11 Graeme Souness Tottenham, Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Sampdoria, Rangers Retired 4.
18% 12 Alex Scott Arsenal, Birmingham City, Boston Breakers BBC 3.41% 13 Danny Murphy Crewe Alexandra, Liverpool, Charlton Athletic, Tottenham, Fulham, Blackburn Rovers BBC 2.75% 14 Jermaine Jenas Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, Tottenham, Aston Villa, QPR BBC, TNT Sports 1.
98% 15 Emma Hayes N/A BBC 1.65% 16 Owen Hargreaves Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Manchester City TNT Sports 1.32% 17 Karen Carney Birmingham City, Arsenal, Chicago Red Stars, Chelsea Sky Sports, ITV, Amazon Prime 1.
10% According to the fans participating in the vote, Gary Neville is the best pundit in the game. The former captain is never one to shy away from giving his opinions, although his words are sometimes driven by emotion. It's that passion for the sport that makes Neville an interesting man to listen to in most scenarios.
His work for Sky Sports has changed some ways punditry is viewed in Britain, especially as he was a key part of Monday Night Football, in which he would dive deep into the analysis of games that had taken place in the days prior. He can give his views on footballing issues and isn't afraid of voicing his opinion on issues relating to the behind-the-scenes goings on, as seen by his criticism of the Glazers' ownership of Man United. There were always going to be disagreements between the pair, but the biggest argument was surrounding the greatest player of all time.
Not far behind Neville in second place is another Manchester United legend, Roy Keane. The Irishman doesn't hold back when he feels a player is underperforming or a team lacks ambition and fight. There are many occasions in which Keane has called out a lack of effort by players, and his dead-pan delivery can provide gold at times.
The legendary has taken his no-nonsense approach from his playing days into his media work as the ex-Sunderland and Ipswich manager will never hold back in his views. Fans love to watch Keane's relationship with Neville on screen as the latter still shows signs of looking up to his former captain. There's rarely a dull moment when Keane is on screen.
Alan Shearer has been a staple of Match of the Day for over 15 years, and the certainly provides plenty of value in his role as the BBC's lead pundit. When analysing the movement and finishing of forward players, there's a reason people sit up and listen to Shearer, who certainly knows a thing or two about finding the net in the top flight. Along with Gary Lineker, the Newcastle icon is heavily involved in all of the BBC's broadcasting of English football.
The pair are often seen on TV for international tournaments - such as the upcoming Euro 2024 competition - and some massive FA Cup ties. Since his last stint in football, as manager of Newcastle in 2009, Shearer has evolved his punditry to be able to comment on all aspects of the game rather than just the attacking part. The former England striker goes viral for his superb commentary after Trent Alexander-Arnold's winning spot-kick.
Ally McCoist is the perfect example of personality being an important part of being a top-class pundit. His love and passion for the game shines through the screen to enhance the experience for all viewers and listeners. McCoist delves into both punditry and commentary and has excelled in both fields, although he does really come into his own in the commentary box.
This could be a reason for his fourth-placed finish because the Rangers hero is loved by many who watch. Amazon Prime doesn't show many Premier League matches throughout the season, but when they do, you can guarantee McCoist will be there, bringing joy to all. He isn't all passion either, as his knowledge of the game is up there with anyone on this list.
Thierry Henry was once a regular on the Sky Sports panel but, with a number of forays into coaching, the Frenchman now appears on Champions League coverage on CBS Sports. Two other men yet to appear on this list often line up alongside Henry and presenter Kate Abdo to create the most entertaining football show on TV. Football fans look up to , and his fellow pundits also hang off every word Henry says in regard to attacking play in particular.
His ventures into management and coaching have given Henry a larger understanding of the wider game and the authority with which he speaks gives extra value to his words. The 46-year-old has an extraordinary confidence that makes it hard to question his analysis and reading of the game. One of the men to appear next to Henry on the aforementioned CBS Sports panel is ex-Manchester City right-back, Micah Richards.
His football career may have come to an end under a cloud due to his spell at Aston Villa disappointing on several levels. However, the perception of Richards has changed significantly since his work in the media industry began. His infectious laugh has been known to bring a smile to even Roy Keane's face, and 6.
49% of voters believed he is the best pundit in the game. Richards is a popular person among broadcasters as well as fans, as he pops up on Sky Sports and BBC programming as well as the CBS panel. The former England international brings entertainment to even the bleakest of football matches with his upbeat persona.
, like Neville, is a divisive figure when it comes to his views on football. He is now the main man on Monday Night Football and appears on many other Sky Sports panels. His analysis is second to none and it's evident to viewers that Carragher lives and breathes football.
As a player, he was an extremely passionate individual, and nothing has changed since. Carragher and Neville form the best punditry duo on British screens - an extremely unlikely match made in heaven. Having played for fierce rivals Liverpool and Manchester United, the duo clash heads on many football issues and fans simply love to see it.
Carragher isn't one to back down and is always quick to wind up fellow pundits when the opportunity arises. Injuries may have tarnised Jamie 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. He is seen less often on Sky Sports coverage of football matches now, but when he is on screen, Redknapp's confidence comes across well.
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, but he still ranks among the top 10 pundits according to the voting supporters. The occasional blunder - such as pointing out what a corner flag is - have given a reason for fans to give Redknapp stick, but at the same time, it's all good entertainment. It may be a surprise to see the beloved figure that is Peter Crouch so low on this list.
His charisma and personality are up there with the very best and make him almost McCoist-like in terms of popularity. Crouch always has a smile on his face and is never afraid to crack a joke when he sees the chance, but this shouldn't take away from the insights he gives. His comfortable presence on screen makes Crouch a strong asset for TNT Sports when the panel interviews players and managers after a game.
He makes players feel at ease and asks interesting questions to keep viewers engaged. The third man on this list to have worn the captain's armband for Manchester United, Rio Ferdinand, finishes with significantly less of the vote than Neville and Keane. BBC and TNT Sports are graced with the thoughts and feelings of Ferdinand, who has also done great work on his 'Between the Lines' show for the latter network.
Cristiano Ronaldo has a burning desire to be the best. Rio Ferdinand summed his elite mentality up in a 2021 chat with Anthony Joshua. Less than five per cent of voters went in favour of Ferdinand, and this may just be down to some of the more controversial opinions he'd had over time.
When in the punditry game for a certain length of time, however, all the names on this list have had their off moments. On the whole, Ferdinand is a safe pair of hands as he clearly knows the beautiful game he played for many years extremely well. Graeme Souness is actually not an active pundit at the moment after he stepped away from his duties at Sky Sports following the conclusion of the 2022/23 season.
He still managed to rake in more than four per cent of the vote as the Scottish hardman was effectively the original Roy Keane. Playing it straight every single time, Souness would routinely pick apart poor performances of teams and specific players with little sympathy. Some may have felt he was a tad too harsh at times, but towards the end of his career on screen, the Liverpool legend mellowed slightly.
The final was in the wake of his former club's 7-0 thrashing of Manchester United in 2023, as he and Carragher wound Neville up for the entirety of the post-match analysis to the joy of many viewers. The first of the female pundits to appear on the list, the job Alex Scott does has to be applauded. While she has only received 3.
41% of the vote on this occasion, the former Arsenal player has had to endure stick from every direction throughout her venture into the media. To continue to smile and do the job she loves is admirable and shouldn't go unnoticed. She may not have the strongest eye for the analytical side of the game, but Scott is always willing to give her opinions on a player's performance.
Her duties on football panels aren't always that of a pundit, either, as Scott excels as a host on the BBC. 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. 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. Jermaine Jenas has been seen less often in the world of football since he took on the role of co-hosting The One Show on BBC, but he does still show up on Match of the Day and FA Cup shows on occasion to give his thoughts.
Jenas is also a TNT Sports pundit for Premier League affairs. His words sometimes get lost in the mix as there isn't too much of a standout attribute he brings to the table. His on-screen presence is likely his biggest selling point, with many believing he is one of the favourites to eventually succeed Gary Lineker on Match of the Day when the host eventually hangs up his microphone.
You probably weren't expecting a current Women's Super League manager to appear on this list of pundits, but Emma Hayes has previously done some work on TV and always spoken very well. The fact she's ahead of two regular pundits on the list suggests she's left an overall positive impression on viewers. Hayes' Chelsea are one of the top teams in England and that is where the majority of her focus lies.
She likely wouldn't take much offence to being three places from the bottom here, as punditry isn't her primary forte. As seen with the way she handles the media very well as a football manager, it's clear the future USA boss could go into a full-time role on TV one day in the future if she wished. He's one of the lesser-seen pundits out of the 17, but Owen Hargreaves is the lowest-voted male to make the cut.
Just over one per cent of the vote shows that many don't regard him as an interesting and entertaining enough voice on TNT Sports' panel to finish any higher up on the list. He played for three top clubs in the form of Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and Manchester City, meaning his words often make sense as Hargreaves played under some elite managers such as Sir Alex Ferguson, and Roberto Mancini, but it's perhaps his delivery that brings him down in fans' estimations. Karen Carney may finish last on this particular list, with only 1.
10% of the vote going in her favour, but the former England Women's international has the disadvantage of the least experience in the field, with the possible exception of Hayes. Carney speaks clearly and doesn't just stick to run-of-the-mill takes that others might. Carney 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. All data in this article provided by.
