AI Named and Ranked the 20 Best Strikers in Premier League History.
Arguably the greatest domestic league in the world, the Premier League houses some of Europe’s top talent. With the modern stars of today such as Erling Haaland, and those that came before him like Wayne Rooney and Thierry Henry, the English top flight is never short of displaying world-class talent week-in-week-out.
Over the years, there have been World Cup winners and Ballon d’Or contenders playing their football in England, who each have the same goal – to win the coveted Premier League title. But in a digital landscape where Artificial Intelligence is entering the mainstream, who does ChatGPT consider as some of the greatest strikers in Premier League history?
GIVEMESPORT tasked AI to generate a list of the 20 greatest strikers in the domestic competition’s history, and this is what it generated.
20
Erling Haaland
Manchester City
What ChatGPT said: “Haaland’s debut season in the Premier League was nothing short of spectacular, scoring 36 goals, a new Premier League record. His physicality, finishing ability, and consistency make him a future legend of the league.”
It’s crazy to think that the 2024/25 season marks just the third campaign for Erling Haaland in his Premier League career, and AI already has him in the top 20 greatest strikers in English top-flight history. However, he did score a record 36 goals in 35 league appearances, and collected the title with Manchester City, along with both the Golden Boot, Player of the Season, and Young Player of the Season awards in his first year.
In just 86 appearances, he has 93 goal involvements and counting, including 79 goals – seeing him hailed as the best striker in the Premier League this season – and is seeking to pick up his third Golden Boot award in three seasons.
19
Ian Wright
Crystal Palace, Arsenal
Ian Wright in action for Arsenal
What ChatGPT said: “Wright was an iconic figure for Arsenal during the 1990s, playing a central role in their 1997–98 title-winning season and becoming one of the league’s most exciting goal-scorers.”
Ian Wright has been touted as one of Arsenal’s greatest-ever Premier League players. Having played six seasons for the Gunners since the English First Division underwent its rebranding into the Premier League in 1992, he also featured for West Ham United. In total, he made 213 appearances, scoring 113 goals and assisting a further 22, and was part of Arsenal’s league-winning side in 1997/98, in which he scored 10 goals in 24 appearances.
18
Jamie Vardy
Leicester City
Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring against Manchester United.
What ChatGPT said: “Vardy’s remarkable rise from non-league football to Premier League champion is a fairy-tale story. His speed, work rate, and goal-scoring ability helped Leicester City win their historic 2015–16 Premier League title.”
Along with Haaland, Jamie Vardy is the only other player on this list who still plies his trade in the Premier League. Having helped Leicester City get promoted in 2014, his return of 24 goals in 36 appearances in the 2015/16 season helped the Foxes make the impossible, possible.
Scoring in 11 consecutive matches – breaking Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record of 10, which had stood since 2003 – Vardy played an integral role in helping his team beat the odds and win the Premier League title in just their second season in the top flight. Now in his 10th season in the Premier League, he has since made 325 appearances, scoring 142 goals and 47 assists.
17
Didier Drogba
Chelsea
Didier Drogba
What ChatGPT said: “Drogba was key to Chelsea’s Premier League triumphs, especially in 2009–10, when he finished as the league’s top scorer and played a central role in their success.”
Didier Drogba is Chelsea’s second-greatest-ever goalscorer, having mustered 104 goals in 254 league appearances, and was named the recipient of the Golden Boot award in the 2006/07 and 2009/10 seasons. A player who always seemed to come up trumps in the biggest moments when his team needed him the most, in the Ivorian’s nine years with the Blues, he would help them to win four titles, and will forever be considered a club legend.
16
Emile Heskey
Leicester City, Liverpool, Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic, Aston Villa
Emile Heskey celebrates
What ChatGPT said: “Heskey’s ability to bring others into play and his physical presence were crucial to Liverpool’s success in the early 2000s. His work ethic and link-up play helped his teams to win Premier League titles.”
Emile Heskey is a striker who divided opinion during his playing days. The journeyman who played for five clubs in the Premier League in his 18-year career, was at times criticised for his performances – often as a result of fulfilling the responsibilities his manager had instructed to him – which has seen him touted as one of the most disrespected footballers ever.
Nonetheless, he ranks seventh all-time in most games played with 516 appearances to his name, where he scored 110 goals, and provided 53 assists, though he would never win a league title in his career.
15
Darren Bent
Charlton Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland, Aston Villa, Fulham, Ipswich Town
Former Aston Villa striker Darren Bent
What ChatGPT said: “Bent was a reliable goal-scorer for clubs like Tottenham, Sunderland, and Aston Villa, consistently hitting double figures in a number of Premier League seasons.”
Having scored 106 goals in 276 league appearances for six different clubs in his career, it’s safe to say that Darren Bent was a reliable goalscorer. In fact, he did net double-digit figures in four of his 11 seasons in the top flight, and hit nine goals on two occasions. Whilst he didn’t win a title, he did pick up the Player of the Month award in 2005 when playing for Charlton Athletic, and averaged a goal every 0.38 matches across his career.
14
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Manchester United
Ruud van Nistelrooy celebrates scoring for Manchester United.
What ChatGPT said: “Van Nistelrooy was a goal-scoring machine for Manchester United, and his deadly finishing ability earned him a place as one of the league’s top strikers. He was essential in United’s attack during his time at Old Trafford.”
Ruud van Nistelrooy is considered one of the greatest finishers of the 21st century due to his ability to sniff out chances and convert with ease. Whilst his time in the Premier League with Manchester United was brief – five seasons – the impact he made was huge. In just 150 league appearances, the Dutchman recorded 95 goals and 14 assists, winning the Golden Boot and the Player of the Season award in the 2002/03 campaign, the same season in which he won his only league title with the Red Devils.
13
Eric Cantona
Leeds United, Manchester United
Cantona in 1996 for Manchester Utd
What ChatGPT said: “Cantona’s influence on Manchester United’s rise to dominance in the 1990s was immeasurable. His charisma, leadership, and ability to score vital goals made him the heart of United’s attack during their first Premier League-era successes.”
Another Man United legend, Eric Cantona is considered one of the greatest French players of all time, and one of the very best to don the number seven on the back of his shirt. The “King” helped Leeds United win the last ever First Division title before making the switch to Old Trafford, where he would go on to cement himself as a club legend, scoring 70 times in 156 appearances, and creating a further 56 with his assists. He would finish his career in the Premier League having won four titles in five seasons.
12
Jermain Defoe
West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Bournemouth
jermain-defoe-tottenham-hotspur
What ChatGPT said: “Defoe was a consistent scorer for multiple Premier League clubs, particularly Tottenham, Sunderland, and Bournemouth, and was always known for his clinical finishing.”
Jermain Defoe played for a plethora of clubs around the league during his career, but he is perhaps most remembered for his time with Tottenham Hotspur, where he ended his time with the club being seventh on the club’s all-time scoring list.
Falling just shy of 500 league appearances, suiting up 496 times in his two-decades-long career, Defoe scored 162 goals and provided 33 assists, which sees him sit 10th overall in the Premier League’s all-time scoring list.
11
Kevin Phillips
Sunderland, Southampton, Aston Villa, Birmingham City
MixCollage-29-Jul-2024-03-08-PM-1472
What ChatGPT said: “Phillips’ goal-scoring abilities were essential for Sunderland, where he won the Golden Boot. His consistency in mid-table teams was remarkable.”
Kevin Phillips’ stint in the Premier League would last 11 seasons between 1999 and 2014, where he enjoyed spells with five different clubs. However, by far his most productive output was when he was with Sunderland, and in his maiden season in the top flight, he would score a career-high 30 league goals, which saw him earn that season’s Golden Boot and Player of the Season awards.
In fact, just under one-third of his entire league goals output would come in that one season, with him recording just 92 goals and 24 assists in 263 league appearances.
10
Harry Kane
Tottenham Hotspur
MixCollage-13-Sep-2024-08-15-PM-2690
What ChatGPT said: “Kane was one of the Premier League’s finest finishers and has been Tottenham’s talisman for several years. His ability to score goals consistently has made him one of the top strikers in the world.”
Harry Kane will arguably go down as one of the greatest Premier League players to never lift the trophy. The England captain developed into one of the best strikers in world football when plying his trade with Spurs. During his time in North London he became a goal machine, averaging a goal every 0.67 matches, and shooting with 44 percent accuracy.
In 320 total league appearances, he scored 213 goals, which led to 175 wins, while also assisting 46 more. A three-time Golden Boot winner, and seven-time Player of the Month winner, before departing for German juggernauts Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023, Kane made sure to climb up to second on the league’s all-time scorers list, sitting behind only that of Alan Shearer.
9
Michael Owen
Liverpool, Newcastle United, Manchester United, Stoke City
Liverpool’s Michael Owen
What ChatGPT said: “Owen was a clinical goal-scorer for Liverpool, winning multiple Golden Boots and playing a key role in their successes in the late 1990s and early 2000s.”
The debate over whether Michael Owen can be considered a Liverpool legend is still highly contested, having also suited up for rivals Newcastle United and Man United, the latter of whom he would win his lone league title with.
Nonetheless, he still enjoyed a stellar Premier League career, where he showcased how clinical he was in front of goal by scoring 150 times in 326 appearances. He also won the Golden Boot award in back-to-back seasons between 1997-99 for the Reds, tallying 18 goals on both occasions.
8
Luis Suarez
Liverpool
Luis Suarez celebrates scoring for Liverpool.
What ChatGPT said: “Despite his relatively short time in the Premier League, Suarez’s brilliance was undeniable. His 2013–14 season nearly led Liverpool to the title, showcasing his world-class ability.”
A controversial figure during his time on Merseyside, Luis Suarez’s talent – and composure – in front of goal during his brief four-year stay is indisputable. Scoring 69 goals from his 224 shots on target in 110 appearances, the Uruguayan was deadly in front of goal. He would improve his scoring each year he spent in the league, winning the Golden Boot in his final season after he amassed 31 goals in 33 appearances.
However, his goalscoring prowess was perhaps overshadowed by him taking his wind-up antics a step too far, such as biting an opponent, and earning multiple lengthy bans from football as a result.
7
Dwight Yorke
Aston Villa, Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, Sunderland
Dwight Yorke celebrates scoring for Manchester United.
What ChatGPT said: “Yorke’s partnership with Andy Cole was one of the best in Premier League history, contributing significantly to Manchester United’s treble-winning 1998–99 season.”
Dwight Yorke spent 16 seasons in the Premier League era from 1992-2009, starting out with Aston Villa, where he became one of the Villans’ greatest-ever number nines, scoring 60 league goals before making the switch to Sir Alex Ferguson’s Man United, with whom he is most predominantly associated with.
It was at Old Trafford where he saw success in the form of trophies, winning all three of his league titles with the club. Having also enjoyed shorter stints with Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland, and Birmingham City, Yorke ended his career in the English top flight with 123 goals and 50 assists in 375 total appearances.
6
Robbie Fowler
Liverpool, Leeds United, Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers
Robbie Fowler
What ChatGPT said: “Fowler was known for his lethal finishing and was one of Liverpool’s standout players in the 1990s. Though he didn’t win major silverware, his goal-scoring record speaks for itself.”
Robbie Fowler enjoyed 16 years playing in the Premier League, and, like Yorke, did so from 1992-2009, though the majority of his time was spent with Liverpool, where he enjoyed two spells with the club. He also had stints with Man City, Leeds United and Blackburn Rovers.
In 379 league appearances, Fowler netted 163 times, and added 39 more assists, but his four-minute 33-second hat-trick as a 19-year-old teenager, which stunned Arsenal at Anfield, is one of his more memorable moments, and will go down as one of the greatest individual performances in Premier League history.
5
Andy Cole
Newcastle United, Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Fulham, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Sunderland
Andy Cole celebrates scoring for Manchester United.
What ChatGPT said: “Cole was essential to Manchester United’s rise to dominance in the 1990s. His exceptional partnership with Dwight Yorke and prolific goalscoring helped United to multiple titles.”
A five-time Premier League champion with Man United, Andy Cole was integral to the Red Devils’ success under Ferguson in the early years of the rebranded Premier League, where he established himself as one of the club’s greatest-ever strikers.
Scoring 187 times in 414 appearances for seven different Premier League clubs, and providing an additional 73 assists, Cole is hailed as one of the Premier League’s most underrated players, achieving goalscoring success virtually everywhere he went. He even sits second on the list of most Premier League goals scored in a single season with 34 when playing for the Magpies. But due to his journeyman nature, he didn’t really receive the recognition he perhaps deserved.
4
Sergio Aguero
Manchester City
Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero celebrates
What ChatGPT said: “Agüero’s goal-scoring ability and his crucial goals in key moments, especially his iconic 2012 title-winning strike, make him one of the Premier League’s most important and prolific players.”
The iconic scream of Martin Tyler’s “Agggguerrroooo” when Sergio Aguero’s goal against QPR wrapped up the title for Man City on the final day of the 2011/12 season will long live in the memory of Premier League fans everywhere. The Argentine forward’s strike on that day would kickstart a decade of dominance for Man City, with him finishing his career having won five league titles in 10 seasons.
Aguero had a prolific strike rate in which he scored 184 goals in 275 appearances – an average of 0.67 goals per match – and added 47 assists, winning the Golden Boot in the 2014/15 season after scoring 26 goals in 33 appearances on the pitch. As such, he is considered the greatest-ever foreign goalscorer in Premier League history.
3
Thierry Henry
Arsenal
Thierry Henry celebrates scoring for Arsenal.
What ChatGPT said: “One of the Premier League’s most electrifying strikers, Henry’s skill, pace, and finishing ability were key to Arsenal’s Invincibles season, cementing his place as a Premier League legend.”
Thierry Henry is arguably one of the greatest finishers in football history, and during his time in the Premier League with Arsenal, he would showcase just that on a weekly basis. Joining the Gunners in 1999, the Frenchman would spend eight seasons in North London before departing for Barcelona in 2007, though he did briefly return on loan in the 2011/12 season, where he scored the final of his 175 league goals in 258 appearances.
The hugely skilful forward finished his glistening Premier League career having won two titles, including being a part of the ‘Invincibles’ in the 2003/04 campaign, where he also won the the second of his four Golden Boot titles, scoring 30 goals in 37 outings in a season where they failed to record a single loss. A simply breathtaking talent.
2
Wayne Rooney
Everton, Manchester United
MixCollage-21-Aug-2024-09-41-PM-820
What ChatGPT said: “Rooney was a key player for Manchester United for over a decade, playing a pivotal role in their domestic and European successes with his versatility, goals, and leadership.”
Wayne Rooney is one of the most complete players to have ever graced the Premier League, spending most of his career performing on the biggest stage in England, bursting onto the scene as a teenager at Everton before making the switch to Man United.
Starting out as a striker, as he matured, Rooney eventually moved backwards into a more creative midfield role, and his 103 assists is the fourth-most in league history. However, he still finished his Premier League career having notched 208 goals in 491 appearances, winning Player of the Season in 2009/10, and also went on to win five league titles with the Red Devils.
1
Alan Shearer
Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United
Alan Shearer | Newcastle United
What ChatGPT said: “The Premier League’s all-time top scorer. Shearer’s consistency, leadership, and goalscoring ability make him a legend, especially at Newcastle.”
Of course, the greatest ever goalscorer in Premier League history tops his list, with nobody having yet been able to surpass Alan Shearer’s tally of 260 goals in 441 appearances set in 2006. The Newcastle man would win back-to-back-to-back Golden Boots from 1994-97, when with Blackburn, scoring over 25 goals in four straight seasons, and seven overall from his 14 seasons spent in the English top flight.
Due to having scored 31 league goals in 35 appearances in the 1995/96 campaign, the one-time Premier League winner was even named a contender for the Ballon d’Or that year, though he would wind up finishing in third place behind Ronaldo Nazario. Nonetheless, this podium placing is a testament to just how good he was throughout the 1990s and through to his retirement from the beautiful game in 2006.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and FBRef – accurate as of 08/01/2025.
