The Premier League has announced their Hall of Fame has nearly doubled with several new additions, including Paul Scholes and Didier Drogba - but none from Liverpool.
The English Premier League has announced six new inductees into their Hall of Fame, including Sergio Aguero, Didier Drogba and Paul Scholes - but none from Liverpool. In March, Patrick Vieira and Wayne Rooney were revealed as the ninth and tenth inductees and are now joined by six other legends.
Former Manchester United midfielder Scholes and ex-Chelsea striker Drogba are the headline new faces, making it a total of 16 players to have been recognised in this way since 2021. Also inducted are Scholes' erstwhile teammate, the Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, Manchester City pair Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany, plus iconic former Arsenal striker Ian Wright.
Upon receiving this honour, Scholes said, "It's a special feeling to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame along with so many fantastic players who have already been voted in and with the players who are being named today. I played for the best manager for 20 years at Manchester United, the biggest club in the world with the greatest fans. I feel lucky and privileged I was part of a team that won so many trophies and to have won the Premier League 11 times." The 47-year-old midfielder scored 107 times in 499 outings between 1993 and 2013 and won 11 titles.
Meanwhile, Chelsea great Drogba said, "It is a real honour for me to have been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame. My years with Chelsea were so special to me, and I'm incredibly proud of everything we won as a team. I played with fantastic players for some amazing managers and against brilliant opponents. I'm so happy to say that I won the Premier League four times – and now I'm in the Hall of Fame with some of those great players I played alongside and against, which makes me very proud." The striker managed 104 top-flight goals in 254 outings across two spells at Stamford Bridge, winning the title on four occasions.
Schmeichel is the first goalkeeper to be added to the Hall of Fame, selected by the public and the Premier League awards panel. The 58-year-old Dane won five titles with the Red Devils between 1991 and 1999 and went on to play for Aston Villa and Manchester City, finishing his career with 310 top-flight appearances, 128 clean sheets and one goal.
"I am very honoured to be inducted into the Hall of Fame," said Schmeichel. "I understood straight away that your career is only for a very short period of time. You have to make the best of that opportunity and make sure you're someone who is remembered because you did something. When I was a kid in Denmark, I used to fall asleep to this dream of playing for Manchester United. The team I was part of was so good that winning the Premier League once was special, but we felt we had to retain it to prove ourselves, and it was a dream come true for me to win five titles," the legendary goalkeeper added.
Meanwhile, Ian Wright tweeted, "Hall of Raasclart Fame you know. You have to remember that for the majority of my football journey, I never thought I'd become a professional footballer. So to do that, enjoy the times I had with the fans and my teammates and now to receive this accolade is a true honour. I feel really humbled and grateful." Striker Wright won the Premier League with Arsenal in 1998 and scored 113 goals across 213 outings in the competition, including a short spell with West Ham.
Former Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero made it to the Hall of Fame inductees. The Argentine, who retired in December 2021 on health grounds after moving to Barcelona, has netted 184 goals in 275 appearances between 2011 and 2021. He lifted the title five times during his stay at the Etihad Stadium.
"Entering the Hall of Fame makes me happy for myself and for my family," Aguero said. "I just loved playing football here with Manchester City and the memories of winning the Premier League five times, including the most important goal of my career to win that first one. Since I was nine or 10 years old, I wanted to play in the Premier League. I think it is the best league in the world, where the football is fast and beautiful and the atmosphere is always incredible. I miss my teammates and the fans a lot still now," the iconic striker added.
Vincent Kompany spent 11 seasons at Manchester City. He played a vital role in transforming the club into a title-winning force, lifting the Premier League four times during his spell at the Etihad. "I feel that I found a home at Manchester City and in the Premier League, so I am delighted to be joining the Hall of Fame. I came to love the club. I think the biggest achievement of my career was to be part of such an incredible journey, where we progressed from a side without high expectations to become a dominant force and champions four times," the Belgian said.
The prestigious award recipients will all be officially honoured at an event in London on Thursday evening. All Hall of Fame inductees will receive a medallion engraved with their name and the year of their induction, with a 10,000-pound donation made by the Premier League to a charity of their choice. Eight inductees were named part of the inaugural group when the gong was launched in 2021. Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Dennis Bergkamp and David Beckham made up the octet.