Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard were honoured with the PFA merit award on Sunday evening, and their place in England’s pantheon of greats is assured.
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But where do they stand among the finest Three Lions central midfielders of all time?
While Gerrard and Lampard had to share the award, here are six England greats who would surely have won it outright!
This list contains World Cup winners, inspirational captains and world-class playmakers—all of whom we believe could be considered better than the soon-to-be MLS pair.
Comment below and let us know whether you agree or disagree with our selection.
Bobby Charlton
Arguably the greatest England player of all time, Bobby Charlton remains the Three Lions’ top scorer.
He has scored 49 goals—two more than Wayne Rooney—having played three more matches.
Although, while the Manchester United forward will surely break Charlton’s record, it’s important to remember that the ’66 World Cup winner was a midfielder—not a striker!
Charlton was a survivor of the Munich air disaster and went on to lift the European Cup with United nine years after that tragedy.
Bryan Robson
Durham-born Robson remains the longest-serving captain in the history of Manchester United. This service, along with his inspirational service as skipper of England, earned him the nickname Captain Marvel.
He captained England 65 times, while his goalscoring tally of 26 is only three fewer than Lampard, despite playing fewer matches for the national side.
Injuries affected his contribution—and it’s tantalising to imagine what might have been had Robson avoided such fitness problems.
Paul Scholes
While people were arguing about whether Gerrard or Lampard was better, Scholes just got on with the business of winning more trophies than either man.
The one-club man picked up 11 Premier League crowns, three FA Cups and two Champions Leagues in his career—amidst a whole host of other honours with Manchester United.
Despite being considered one of the finest central midfielders of his generation, it was Scholes who was shunted out to the left flank as Sven-Goran Eriksson looked to accommodate Gerrard and Lampard in the heart of midfield.
Paul Gascoigne
Gascoigne remains arguably the most naturally gifted player England have ever produced.
Admittedly, he had his (well-documented) personal demons, and injury derailed his career after 1991, but when he was at his peak he was unplayable.
The Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur man was England’s outstanding performer at the 1990 World Cup when he guided the Three Lions to a semi-final—their best showing since ’66.
Alan Ball
Ball, like Charlton, was a member of England’s glorious World Cup-winning generation of 1966. He was a key member of the side—and the youngest—and operated on the right of Sir Alf Ramsey’s ‘wingless wonders’ formation.
Ball—then 21—was one of the outstanding players in England’s 4-2 final victory over West Germany, and was influential in two of England’s four goals.
While Ball’s international career never again reached the heights of ’66—he played for distinction in central midfield for Everton, Southampton and Arsenal among others, winning the league in 1970 as a Toffee.
Duncan Edwards
In truth, we may never know how good Duncan Edwards would have become.
The central midfielder died at the age of 21 following the Munich air disaster, but despite being cut down before his prime, the Manchester United legend’s legacy lives on.
Charlton noted that Edwards was the only player who made him feel ‘inferior’, while United manager Tommy Docherty once claimed: “there is no doubt in my mind that Duncan would have become the greatest player ever. Not just in British football, with United and England, but the best in the world. George Best was something special, as was Pele and Maradona, but in my mind Duncan was much better in terms of all-round ability and skill.”