10 Most Skilful English Players in Football History [Ranked]

Key Takeaways

• England has produced some skillful footballers down the years.
• Recent players include Jadon Sancho, who’s tricks and flair earn him a spot in the top 10.
• Paul Gascoigne and John Barnes feature highly after glittering careers.

England may not be the first country that springs to mind when you think of skilful footballers but among the tough tacklers and target men up top, you will find some of the silkiest players to have played the beautiful game.

The English game has seen some wonderfully adept tricksters down the years, capturing the hearts and minds of those that follow the Three Lions. From the wizardry of the likes of Glenn Hoddle to the skill and talent of Paul Gasgoine, England’s brightest stars are often the most skilful. With that in mind, here are the 10 most skilfil players to pull on the famous England jersey.

Ranking factors

• Impact on the game
• Reputation
• Longevity
• Statistical date/eye-witness accounts

10 Jadon Sancho

Clubs: Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United, Chelsea

Whilst a transfer to Manchester United may not have spelled out great fortune for Jadon Sancho, there is little denying that he is one of the more well-known players for tricks and flair to have come from England. The South-London born winger made his name at the Watford and Manchester City academies, before being picked up in 2017 by Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund.

Sancho turned out over 100 times for the German side, and quickly outed himself as one of the trickiest, most eye-catching wingers in the world. Though his performances for Manchester United and bad luck in the Premier League hold him down in this list, he is more than deserving of a spot upon it regardless.

9 Michael Owen

Clubs: Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United, Stoke City

Though known today for his questionable punditry takes, Michael Owen‘s ridiculous ability at the peak of his powers should never be forgotten.

Known for his clinical goalscoring and intense pace, Owen’s small stature and quick feet had him outed as one of the most technically gifted and trickiest forwards in English history, with his exploits seeing him join up with Los Blancos in 2004 for a year. It’s little surprise, then, that the Chester-born forward received the coveted Ballon d’Or in 2001; the last Englishman to win the award to date.

8 Steve McManaman

Clubs: Liverpool, Real Madrid, Manchester City

One of the earliest ‘Galactico’ signings, Steve McManaman was a fiercely talented operator. A two-time Champion’s League winner with Real Madrid, McManaman’s dazzling footwork and deep box of tricks carved him out as one of the finer wingers in Europe, with the ability to glide past defenders with ease, coupled with a keen eye for a pass.

After a glittering 566-appearance career for three top clubs, McManaman brought the curtain down on his playing days in 2005.

7 Stanley Matthews

Clubs: Stoke City, Blackpool, Toronto FC

The first ever winner of the Ballon d’Or, Stanley Matthews possessed an air of grace, poise and skill that far belied the generation in which he played in.

Franz Beckenbauer once stated that Matthews possessed such speed and skill that “almost no-one in the game could stop him”. Johnny Giles claimed that he had everything – good close control, great dribbling ability. He was lightning quick. He was also an intelligent player, who knew how to pass the ball”. Those who witnessed him and his revolutionary training methods and style of play all remarked Matthews as one of the silkiest of all time. A hero of yesteryear, whose mark on the English game stands forever more.

6 David Beckham

Clubs: Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan, PSG

One of the most stylish and world-known footballers to have ever graced the sport, David Beckham was one of the most technically gifted footballers to have partaken in the sport.

Whilst many know him for his world-famous set-piece and crossing abilities, brandished by the term “Bend it like Beckham”, his ability with the ball at his feet is something that should not slip down in terms of how it is recognised. As a counter-point to his explosive Manchester United winger partner Ryan Giggs, Beckham’s strength lay in his passing and movement to beat his opponents, with a wide-range of sharp skills that allowed him to perform to his creative best.

5 Chris Waddle

Clubs: Newcastle United, Tottenham, Marseille, Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland

Nicknamed ‘Magic Chris’, the former Spurs and Marseille talisman was widely regarded as one of the finest, silkiest attacking midfielders in all of Europe.

With 62 caps for England, and at one point being made the third-most valuable player of all time following his French switch from Tottenham, Waddle was gifted from the off with his outstanding skillset and creative abilities. Born through a deep-bred love for the game, Waddle took to every game with a unique flair and air of confidence, seen even in his 50’s when turning out for non-league Hallam FC in 2023.

4 Matt Le Tissier

Clubs: Southampton

Widely regarded as one of the best players to have not played a great deal of games for his national team, Matt Le Tissier‘s highlight reel could stretch on for hours and hours.

One of the Premier League’s earliest stars, his deep affinity and 16-year love affair for Southampton between 1986 and 2002 have him coined as one of The Saint’s most legendary players, as well as remaining, to this day, the club’s all-time top scorer.

His knack for a finish and eye for goal was of a world class standard, but so too was his creative ability, sliding away from crestfallen defenders with ease, and forever hoisting the quality to find a finish or a teammate. A ferociously gifted player, with an unbelievable set of skills to his name in the early years of the Premier League.

3 Glenn Hoddle

Clubs: Tottenham, AS Monaco, Swindon Town, Chelsea

Deemed as one of the most creative and gifted footballers of his generation, Glenn Hoddle was equipped with a revolutionary set of skills through his exploits with Tottenham, Monaco, Swindon Town and Chelsea.

The 53-time capped England attacking midfielder was inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame in 2007, which cited him as one of the most talented and creative English players of his era, displaying “sublime balance and close control, unrivalled passing and vision and extraordinary shooting ability, both from open play and set pieces”.

The attacking talisman turned out over 350 times in the English top flight with Tottenham, before making his way to Monaco in 1987. He spent four impressive years there, before making his way into player-management with Swindon and Chelsea to wind down his career.

2 John Barnes

Clubs: Watford, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Charlton Athletic

Voted by The Times readers in 2016 as England’s greatest-ever left-footed player, John Barnes was a wing wizard in his career exploits. Noted immediately for his outstanding pace and mind-boggling creative abilities, Barnes was one of the most instrumental players in Liverpool‘s squad in his 10-year spell, after already having six hugely successful years at Watford.

He made his Three Lions debut in 1983, aged 20, and turned out on 79 occasions for the national team, with a long lineage of fullback-spinning displays left in his wake. As the years rolled by the pace departed him somewhat, Barnes turned into a more central operator in his later career, where his fancy skills and precise playmaking allowed him to make a huge mark for years longer.

1 Paul Gascoigne

Clubs: Newcastle United, Tottenham, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton

A ridiculous talent on the field, and an infectious personality off of it, “Gazza” was a simple selection to crown the very top spot of this list. Widely regarded as the most talented England player of all time, Gascoigne had moment after moment stretching behind him through his proud career.

Known for his boisterous personality and off-field antics too, Gascoigne appeared as a player living the childhood dreams of every football fan growing up. Playing full of confidence, creating multiple marvelous moments, and doing it all with a huge grin on his face.

His talent took him around England and across Europe, and everywhere he stepped, defenders fell in his wake, with his crowning goal perhaps being his wonder-skill-shot against Scotland at Euro ’96, flicking the ball nonchalantly over the head of Colin Hendry before smashing a fine volley home. A goal that defined a terrific player, Paul Gascoigne is a certain shout for the most skilful English player to have ever graced football.

Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 05.09.24.