@johnnylee4820 I hear you Johnny. He played his best football after he left United though. Sure each to their own. There's no more foreign a player to the English League than Roy Keane. Would be on a lot of lists but probably they're not counting British or Irish players. I have Carvahlo, Vieira, Alonso, Fabregas, Aguero and others too further down. Defenders count too!
As an Arsenal fan I would put Bergakmp ahead of Henry.. not cos he was a better player.. but the impact Bergamp had on Arsenal..changed everything he impacted the culture (in terms of professionalism) and the playing style... Arsenal won titles with Wright, Anelka and with Henry...what is the common thread??... Bergkamp (also have to mention Viera)
I think it was Wenger who changed the culture at arsenal not a striker that refused to travel 😂 fgs! You arsenal never fail to surprise, probably the second most influential manager in prem history behind Ferguson and you give the credit to Bergkamp
@dondamon4669 I hate myself for even getting involved in this debate, it feels disrespectful to the two absolute LEGENDS. But I'd go as far as saying King Henry will forever Arsenal's best player, and no one will ever take away that title from him❤️🤍
I was a mascot for england against italy in 97 i used to spend alot of time watching chelsea train at harlington and gianfranco zola recognised me and came over and gave me a hug and a we had a little chat everyone was amazed such a nice guy hopefully i will bump into him again at some point
You seriously think that zola was a better player than cantona? Seriously? What did zola actually do at chelsea? Fuck all compared to cantona. Cantona carried utd.
@patricksterling927 if zola was better than cantona then chelsea would have atleast won one PL and would have made at least one CL final. Cantona was far superior to zola.
5. Schmeichel - probably the best goalkeeper we've seen in the PL. 4. Stam - after Paul McGrath Stam is the 2nd best defender in PL history 3. Zola - A total natural who was as consistent as anyone. 2. Henry :- Not the best finisher but he was one of the best all round strikers in that he had more to his game than just scoring 1. Cantona. :- He changed history and made the Premier League the success it is today all around the world. Without his ban he would have won the PL 6 years out of 6. ps. This is assuming that Irish players don't count as foreign. If they count as foreign, then McGrath and Keane would absolutely be in the top 5 with Schmeichel and Stam dropping out.
Paul Merson talking is as entertaining as his playing career! Of Thierry Henry playing against Dietmar Hamann and Jamie Carragher "he twisted their blood up!" He's right to select Dennis Bergkamp as his number one player because Bergkamp not only scored exquisite goals but made the players around him much better. For example, Wright, Anelka, Henry, Ljungberg etc. Bergkamp was the conductor of Arsene Wenger's orchestra!!
Created so much of Arsenal's attacks Bergkamp, complete attacking midfielder with unbelievable technique and vision. But one thing I rarely see people mention about him was how ludicrously good he was at chipping keepers.
Im an arsenal fan for over 30 years, and agree bergkamp is our best ever play. Henry, quality, pure class. But bergkamp was mesmermising. That goal he scored against newcastle was out of this world. The genius, skill, guile, grace, all in about 4 seconds of football, its art when bergkamp scores.
I’m glad Kdb is getting the recognition he deserves, I think he was more intelligent than Bergkamp what he does with the ball is unbelievable He should be number one with Henry
Bergkamp is a worthy winner, so would Henry have been. Those two and De Bruyne are my own top 3, with Cantona (who won every league season he finished) just missing out. Mo Salah is probably fifth. There have been so many good imports though and it really makes you appreciate the quality of the league. :)
People always say Ronaldo didn’t do enough in England to get picked in lists like these. Those last 3 years at United he did more than bergkamp did in his entire career
As an Arsenal fan I would go for Henry all day long over Berkamp. It was the way Henry scored the goals and a lot of people forget his assist record as a striker - 20 assists in the 2003 season and it took KDB to beat that
Yeah it's a tough one. I remember he got injured one season for about 6 weeks and Arsenal were falling apart. He comes back from injury and first game; boom he bags a brace and Arsenal just kick back into gear.
Merse was a god at fratton. He only had one foot but no one has played better on one leg. Absolute legend at Fratton and I thank him for the memories where he got us all believing
Paul Merson is a great bloke but I think his choice was clouded by his Arsenal career. No way could you leave Cristiano Ronaldo out of the top 5 Premier League foreign imports.
1) Bergkamp 2) Henry 3) Cantona First three are interchangeable Huge influences on the Premier League 4) Aguero Turned City into a title winning machine 5) Zola A pure icon of the Premier League. I'd argue extremely underrated
Imagine the players from the 90s and 00s had the fitness and food science etc as the players today. Todays players are athletes first and footballers second. They all play the same now and have the same technique and hard to tell them apart,compared to the individuals we had before.
Henry? 2 premier league wins from 8 seasons Bergkamp? 3 premier league wins from 11 seasons CANTONA - 4 premier league wins from 5 seasons, banned for 9 mths in the other season
KDB is not the 5th best import , he has to be above that , I’m talking top 2. He’s won it all , he’s been the main man at city for years , he’s had multiple serious injuries and still achieved what he has. Scary to think what more he could of done without the injuries.
I am so relieved he chose bergkamp as no.1. I actually thought he was going to say Ronaldo as 1, but cristiano should’ve been in the top 5. Bergkamp is god.
Bergkamp was cool as ice but Kanu was doing mentally laid back stuff 👌 I think they learn from him… can’t believe being a Chelsea fan he didn’t put drogba in there
I prefer this to Neville’s because I don’t like listening to people talk while eating, my kids no that’s bad manners. Lineker and shearer with Richard’s is the best pod.
@@chrishaddow5644 would be top 10 for me. If he was more consistent and possessed stronger mentality he would be even greater. IMO, David Silva's legacy was greater, but on his day Hazard was better.
Getting Merson to name the PL's top imports is akin to asking Jonathan Ross to pronounce all the words beginning with the letter R..."a weally wedundant exewcise."
Arsenal fan here, its hard to choose between Henry and Bergkamp but id have to give it to Henry. Never saw anything like that and havent since. On a side note, you cant put a top 5 PL imports together without inlcuding CR7.
Henry would still have been a top player even with average pace. He could score all kinds of goals. Even with his back to goal he could find a way to score like the backheel against Charlton and the flick up volley against Man U
@JO-wk6ms You're strangely not the first person I've heard saying that when it's not true he couldn't score all types of goals he scored very few headers he wasn't strong at all in the air especially for a striker. Astronomical amount of midfielders and obviously defenders before, during & after him were better in the air, let alone strikers who are expected to be useful in the air. I mean he took corners when Arsenal had plenty of other players perfectly capable of taking corners who were shorter height as well which would've made more sense so that says it all.
Minus all these great imports, let's not forget Paul Merse have all the flair and brains on the pitch. Scorer of spectacular goals, never a dull moment seeing him play! And he and the gang drank beers before games in those days. Romantic.
Thought it was all about the big game goals, pretty sure Henry went missing in their biggest games?? No doubting he was and is a legend but come on Merse
I saw zola lose his temper once it was on a golf course when someone in my four ball hit a drive from the tee on a 370 yard par four and he absolutely nailed it and it was bone dry and his drive literally ran over Zoila’s foot whilst he was on the putting green after the game the guy tried to apologise and zola just blanked him
1. Bergkamp changed the way Arsenal played. 2. Vieira made Arsenal winners. 3. Henry was the better player. 4. Sanchez, Auba and RVP carried Arsenal when they struggled.
Early : Cantona - Vieira - Keane - Bergkamp - Henry - Zola Mid : Ronaldo - Drogba Late : Aguero - David Silva - Hazard - De Bruyne - Salah - VVD - Haaland
Cantona, Cantona, Cantona. No matter who you support, Cantona turned Man United around. There's just no debate. NOBODY had the same influence on a team than Cantona at Man Utd. NOBODY. Won the league every season he was at the club, came second the season he was banned. EVERY FUCKING SEASON.
Who would make up your Top 5? ⚽👑
1. Henry
2. Bergkamp
3. Salah
4. Drogba
5. Cantona
1. Bergkamp
2. Henry
3. KDB
4. Salah
5. Drogba
Bergkamp
Schmeichel
David Silva
Salah
De Bruyne
@@YewrMan no cr7 is fucking crazy
@johnnylee4820 I hear you Johnny. He played his best football after he left United though. Sure each to their own. There's no more foreign a player to the English League than Roy Keane. Would be on a lot of lists but probably they're not counting British or Irish players. I have Carvahlo, Vieira, Alonso, Fabregas, Aguero and others too further down. Defenders count too!
As an Arsenal fan I would put Bergakmp ahead of Henry.. not cos he was a better player.. but the impact Bergamp had on Arsenal..changed everything he impacted the culture (in terms of professionalism) and the playing style... Arsenal won titles with Wright, Anelka and with Henry...what is the common thread??... Bergkamp (also have to mention Viera)
I think it was Wenger who changed the culture at arsenal not a striker that refused to travel 😂 fgs! You arsenal never fail to surprise, probably the second most influential manager in prem history behind Ferguson and you give the credit to Bergkamp
@@dondamon4669Fans tend to support their teams, that's what fans do.
Only won Arsenal's player of the season award ONCE... 😰
@dondamon4669 I hate myself for even getting involved in this debate, it feels disrespectful to the two absolute LEGENDS. But I'd go as far as saying King Henry will forever Arsenal's best player, and no one will ever take away that title from him❤️🤍
Liverpool fan and I just have to say that's a great football comment I read in a long time
Bergkamp assist against juv in champs league for freddie still my fave every
I was a mascot for england against italy in 97 i used to spend alot of time watching chelsea train at harlington and gianfranco zola recognised me and came over and gave me a hug and a we had a little chat everyone was amazed such a nice guy hopefully i will bump into him again at some point
😊🤗🥲
Zola said that goal scored against Walker was the highlight of his career.
Dennis Bergkamp has always been my favorite player ever! His first touch, technique and his vision were INSANE!
Love this show gents! Please do more with Paul.Merson he is such a quality guest 🎉 and top bloke ⚽️
We love Merse
@@footballsgreatestpod 🫡💙
I agree with Merse's choices and the order. All incredible players, Bergkamp will always be my number 1.
Special talent 🇳🇱
You seriously think that zola was a better player than cantona? Seriously?
What did zola actually do at chelsea? Fuck all compared to cantona. Cantona carried utd.
@@bigwengz914Seriously
@@bigwengz914Zola was a better player than Cantona, but as said he transformed Utd.
@patricksterling927 if zola was better than cantona then chelsea would have atleast won one PL and would have made at least one CL final.
Cantona was far superior to zola.
This is the 2nd best football pod around at the minute, behind Gary Neville’s.
Great content and you’ve gotta love Merse!
As a EVERTON FAN AND WITHOUT PREJUSTICE, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH PAULS TOP 2 CHOICES, Arsenal need to say thank you to Bruce Rioch for signing Berkamp
It was more david dein signed bergkamp for wenger. Rioch was brought in to steady the ship before Wenger came.
No way Bergkamp was more important or influential than Roy Keane
Merse is a wiki of football. Could listen to him talk about football for ages. Hope he keeps coming on.
What's a 'wiki'? If it's some kind of racist hate, football is not the place for it, you've picked the wrong crowd
@@dondamon4669 wiki is short for Wikipedia 😂😂
Love that phrase 😅 We love Merse ❤️
@@dondamon4669use google before you comment next time dude
@@HandsomeFlackoJodye
Lmao 😂😂
5. Schmeichel - probably the best goalkeeper we've seen in the PL. 4. Stam - after Paul McGrath Stam is the 2nd best defender in PL history 3. Zola - A total natural who was as consistent as anyone. 2. Henry :- Not the best finisher but he was one of the best all round strikers in that he had more to his game than just scoring 1. Cantona. :- He changed history and made the Premier League the success it is today all around the world. Without his ban he would have won the PL 6 years out of 6.
ps. This is assuming that Irish players don't count as foreign. If they count as foreign, then McGrath and Keane would absolutely be in the top 5 with Schmeichel and Stam dropping out.
Paul Merson talking is as entertaining as his playing career! Of Thierry Henry playing against Dietmar Hamann and Jamie Carragher "he twisted their blood up!" He's right to select Dennis Bergkamp as his number one player because Bergkamp not only scored exquisite goals but made the players around him much better. For example, Wright, Anelka, Henry, Ljungberg etc. Bergkamp was the conductor of Arsene Wenger's orchestra!!
Created so much of Arsenal's attacks Bergkamp, complete attacking midfielder with unbelievable technique and vision. But one thing I rarely see people mention about him was how ludicrously good he was at chipping keepers.
Im an arsenal fan for over 30 years, and agree bergkamp is our best ever play. Henry, quality, pure class. But bergkamp was mesmermising. That goal he scored against newcastle was out of this world. The genius, skill, guile, grace, all in about 4 seconds of football, its art when bergkamp scores.
Watching from Australia. This host seems like the nicest man
I’m glad Kdb is getting the recognition he deserves, I think he was more intelligent than Bergkamp what he does with the ball is unbelievable
He should be number one with Henry
Like most players, he'll be missed when he's gone. He'll get a lot more recognition then.
Love listening to merse ,keep these coming Jeff .
I'd probably put Pat Viera ahead of Yaya Toure but great selection.
I understand the Bergkamp v Henry point. It's hard to make a preference.
Bergkamp is a worthy winner, so would Henry have been. Those two and De Bruyne are my own top 3, with Cantona (who won every league season he finished) just missing out. Mo Salah is probably fifth. There have been so many good imports though and it really makes you appreciate the quality of the league. :)
Thierry is on record saying the same thing about Bergkamp, and he played with Messi so that should tell you everything about how good Bergkamp was
Phenomenal player 👏
People always say Ronaldo didn’t do enough in England to get picked in lists like these. Those last 3 years at United he did more than bergkamp did in his entire career
But he wasn’t a better player..that’s what the list is about mate
@@chrisr5095 Exactly
@@LS-mx1gebest goal scorer that’s ever lived…but ball at foot..not even in top 20..
what's your criteria for best player then. Ball at foot means every football freestyler is better than ronaldo@@chrisr5095
@@chrisr5095In his last years he was comfortably better than Bergkamp
As an Arsenal fan I would go for Henry all day long over Berkamp.
It was the way Henry scored the goals and a lot of people forget his assist record as a striker - 20 assists in the 2003 season and it took KDB to beat that
Yeah it's a tough one. I remember he got injured one season for about 6 weeks and Arsenal were falling apart. He comes back from injury and first game; boom he bags a brace and Arsenal just kick back into gear.
You can't argue with his list. Amazing players.
Who are you picking in 6th, Pilch? 🐼
Didier Drogba@@footballsgreatestpod
As a spurs fan I can honestly say Dennis bergkamp is one of my favourite players. Great player
Zola was phenomenonal and playing in an average team but Thierry Henry was on a different level all together, sublime!! YNWA!! ✌
Merse was a god at fratton. He only had one foot but no one has played better on one leg.
Absolute legend at Fratton and I thank him for the memories where he got us all believing
Cantona Ronaldo Henry Bergkamp Stam for me
Hi Jeff, any more of these after the Euros? Will Charlie Nicholas have the full interview?
Brilliant list by Paul. A few I’d have close to the top 5, Klinsman, Aguero and for the goals alone Yeboah 😃
What ?? You stop watching football 20 years ago
Paul Merson is a great bloke but I think his choice was clouded by his Arsenal career. No way could you leave Cristiano Ronaldo out of the top 5 Premier League foreign imports.
1) Bergkamp
2) Henry
3) Cantona
First three are interchangeable
Huge influences on the Premier League
4) Aguero
Turned City into a title winning machine
5) Zola
A pure icon of the Premier League. I'd argue extremely underrated
Concur 👍
Cantona not top 5
1) Cantona
2) Schmeichel
3) Ronaldo
4)Henry
5)Bergkamp
I can listen to these 2 all-day ❤
This the same guy that said KDB wasnt worth 51 million, now hes in the conversation of the best pl midfielder, for me he is
Lost all his credibility when he said that
he apologize for his mistake
Bergkamp technically most talented ever in prem
Imagine the players from the 90s and 00s had the fitness and food science etc as the players today. Todays players are athletes first and footballers second. They all play the same now and have the same technique and hard to tell them apart,compared to the individuals we had before.
Well said, the players nowadays are majority Academy players who are taught to play the same way.
Kinkladze was class in the 90s
My fave city player
@@Funnyhilarioustube brilliant he was I’m an Arsenal fan and Bergkamp is my hero always will be Kinkladze was class the 90s premier league 👌👍🏻
მადლობა მეგობარო
Andrei Kanchelskis is one of my favourites
Love Merson as a bloke and a player, but he's about as bright as a basement during a power cut. Agree with some choices too tbf.
David Silva honorable mention as well. Aguero just on the fringes as well.
Schmeichel changed goalkeeping, an absolute legend
Try Southall.!!!
Great shout buddy but I don't think Wales is included as a foreign country 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
Henry? 2 premier league wins from 8 seasons
Bergkamp? 3 premier league wins from 11 seasons
CANTONA - 4 premier league wins from 5 seasons, banned for 9 mths in the other season
It’s not who played for the most dominant team…
@@malligrubCantona helped turn united into that Dominant team
@@malligrub wouldn't be dominant if it wasn't for him
Bergkamp won first, second and third goal of the month award 😅
History 💯
Suarez
Suarez was more skilful than any of the others
Good list,cesc is also up there and so is aguero
dennis bergkamp was just different gravy 😘
Va Va Boom, had so many keepers scared shitless, emphasis on boom. That was the keepers POV.
If he wasn't scared of flying and went to Madrid instead people would be talking about him as one of the goats
Bergkamp at Madrid would've been frightening 😰
@gerryrr93
He can get to Madrid without flying via Channel tunnel
KDB is not the 5th best import , he has to be above that , I’m talking top 2. He’s won it all , he’s been the main man at city for years , he’s had multiple serious injuries and still achieved what he has. Scary to think what more he could of done without the injuries.
Still got time to prove it. Praying he avoids anymore big injuries for a while 👏
Nope. Not top 5, none of the citeh players make a top 5 regarding top imports
Bergkamp my favourite player of all of time!
Cantona - Bergkamp - Henry - Ronaldo - Salah
Suarez better than salah
I am so relieved he chose bergkamp as no.1. I actually thought he was going to say Ronaldo as 1, but cristiano should’ve been in the top 5. Bergkamp is god.
Bergkamp was cool as ice but Kanu was doing mentally laid back stuff 👌 I think they learn from him… can’t believe being a Chelsea fan he didn’t put drogba in there
I prefer this to Neville’s because I don’t like listening to people talk while eating, my kids no that’s bad manners. Lineker and shearer with Richard’s is the best pod.
Gone off that one, it insists upon itself, & has become too repetitive. Jeff's is the best followed by Gary's.
Cantona won the league every full season he had in England, with 2 teams. 2 of those leagues also had an FA Cup
Zola. First game, left touchline, went pass the defender. Absolutely no idea how. The mid air flick from a corner. How?
One of a kind dribbler 🔵
Someone said Zola was the only player Sir Alex ever had man-marked. (In the Prem. He asked Park to man-mark Pirlo and Messi.)
90s - 05: Henry, Cantona, Bergkamp, Vieira, Schmeichel
2006-current: Salah, Ronaldo, Aguero, De Bruyne, David Silva
no hazard
@@chrishaddow5644 would be top 10 for me. If he was more consistent and possessed stronger mentality he would be even greater. IMO, David Silva's legacy was greater, but on his day Hazard was better.
Hello Jeff
Getting Merson to name the PL's top imports is akin to asking Jonathan Ross to pronounce all the words beginning with the letter R..."a weally wedundant exewcise."
Why?
Good list by Merse and can't really argue with it.....other than if Arsenal get drawn in Greece and then it's Sanogo! 😂 24:10
Agüero David Silva Ronaldo Pires Salah Yaya Xabi Hazard Fernandinho Viera Yorke Robben ljungberg also ❤ god there's so many missing still
Drogba deserves a mention! Great podcast though. Keep up the good work on sobriety Merse.
What about an episode on footballs greatest gamblers and match fixers ?
Cantona may not be the 'greatest' foreign player(and that alone is up for debate), but he is, for sure, the most important.
Cantona!!! Legend and the king 🤴
A 90's football icon... No doubt about it ⚽️👑
20:36 spot on
Arsenal fan here, its hard to choose between Henry and Bergkamp but id have to give it to Henry. Never saw anything like that and havent since. On a side note, you cant put a top 5 PL imports together without inlcuding CR7.
Henry would still have been a top player even with average pace. He could score all kinds of goals. Even with his back to goal he could find a way to score like the backheel against Charlton and the flick up volley against Man U
@JO-wk6ms
You're strangely not the first person I've heard saying that when it's not true he couldn't score all types of goals he scored very few headers he wasn't strong at all in the air especially for a striker. Astronomical amount of midfielders and obviously defenders before, during & after him were better in the air, let alone strikers who are expected to be useful in the air. I mean he took corners when Arsenal had plenty of other players perfectly capable of taking corners who were shorter height as well which would've made more sense so that says it all.
Cantona scored big goals in big games and often at big moments!
BIG
Minus all these great imports, let's not forget Paul Merse have all the flair and brains on the pitch. Scorer of spectacular goals, never a dull moment seeing him play! And he and the gang drank beers before games in those days. Romantic.
De Bruyne is number 2 after Henry period
What are you ten
Cantona is the best foreign player, 5 leagues in 6 seasons and always scored them big Goals and was a massive impact on the whole team
1. HENRY
2. BERGKAMP
3. VIERA
4. CANTONA
5. RONALDO
Thought it was all about the big game goals, pretty sure Henry went missing in their biggest games?? No doubting he was and is a legend but come on Merse
😂😂😂
You don't know what you're talking about at all
Paul Merson proper good lad
I saw zola lose his temper once it was on a golf course when someone in my four ball hit a drive from the tee on a 370 yard par four and he absolutely nailed it and it was bone dry and his drive literally ran over Zoila’s foot whilst he was on the putting green after the game the guy tried to apologise and zola just blanked him
Oh dear 😅
Suarez, nailed on for me.
What? He done nothing and he was desperate to leave Liverpool
What about David Ginola.
1.Best
2.Keane
3.Cantona
4.Irwin
5.Ronaldo
But Best and Keane definitely the best
Man utd fan by any chance? 😂
1. Bergkamp changed the way Arsenal played.
2. Vieira made Arsenal winners.
3. Henry was the better player.
4. Sanchez, Auba and RVP carried Arsenal when they struggled.
Ian Wright doesn't count.
@@r4h4al That is unfair, Wrighty was superb.
Sami Hyypia for 2.7M - was a bargain
Early :
Cantona - Vieira - Keane - Bergkamp - Henry - Zola
Mid :
Ronaldo - Drogba
Late :
Aguero - David Silva - Hazard - De Bruyne - Salah - VVD - Haaland
Haaland? Did you start watching football last year?
@@MrDrezzy007 can’t u read
Zola ,molby,anelka,karembou,uboah,saurez,roy keane
Cantona, Cantona, Cantona. No matter who you support, Cantona turned Man United around. There's just no debate. NOBODY had the same influence on a team than Cantona at Man Utd. NOBODY. Won the league every season he was at the club, came second the season he was banned.
EVERY FUCKING SEASON.
Henry, Ronaldo, Salah, De Bryune and Cantona in no order for me
Bergkamp HAS to be in there, and I'm a spurs fan
Keane, Vieira, Henry, Ronaldo and Suarez.
Ronaldo not even top 5 ? 😂😂😂😂😂😂 prime Ronaldo in the Premier league is the best to ever do it
Not his era, think that’s what the point was
Pegging Henry down for pace is like pegging down Bergkamp for ability.
Also negating cr7 is mad
No Salah, Suarez, bit of a European bias here for Merse with his selections. Surely you would take Salah over Zola?
David silva if it was a top 6 list, or Modric
Aguero????
Instead of who ?
Great player though
1. Cantona
2. Roy Keane
3. Henry
4. Bergkamp
5. Aguero
That kung fu kick was done to kick out racism
Le tissier is my fave, but not an import lol
What about Steven gerrard
24:50
Bergkamp is the right choice
Bergkamp is the best and is responsible for Wrighty and TT being the goalscorers they were!
Ya yah Toure destroyed teams, yet never gets credit.
Totally agree with the pace comment. Henry wouldn't have been the player he was without his pace. Bergkamp was phenomenal
Well he had pace and vision and skills and shooting and stamina. Everything
1. Keane
2. Henry
3. Bergkamp
4. Cantona
5. Schmeichel