Barclays Global Fans' survey: Most Popular Player

w00t! Yeah, baby, yeah! Va-va-voom! Hail King Henry for being voted the most popular player ever to grace the EPL. And, which EPL club did he play for? Come on, do be shy. Say it: A-R-S-E-N-A-L, Arsenal, Arsenal, Arsenal! :D

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry all-time fans' favourite Premier League footballer

By Charlie Caroe, Telegraph.co.uk
Last Updated: 10:25AM GMT 11 Dec 2008

Barcelona and France forward Thierry Henry has been voted the most popular ever player to appear in the English Premier League, a new survey has revealed.

Henry, 31, who spent eight seasons in the Premier League playing under compatriot Arsene Wenger at Arsenal won 34 per cent of the popular vote, ahead of Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and former Leeds and Manchester United midfielder Eric Cantona, who topped a previous survey.

The Barclays Global Fans' survey – in which 32,000 supporters from 185 countries around the world participated – is the world' biggest ever football fan survey, and Henry, who left Arsenal last summer as the club's all-time leading goalscorer with 174 goals, is clearly not forgotten despite his move to Barcelona in Spain.

The Frenchman, who won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups while in London, was also voted as preferred strike partner to Liverpool's Fernando Torres, the world' favourite current Premier League player.

Henry's team-mate in Spain, Lionel Messi, is the person fans would most like to see ply his trade in the Premier League: over 50 per cent of respondents selected the Argentine player, while Guus Hiddink – current coach of Russia's national team – is the coach most supporters would like to see work in England's top division.

Only 14 per cent were keen to see England manager Fabio Capello manage in the Premier League, just ahead of former Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard.


Till later, live long & prosper.