A captain’s role in the beautiful game is often underrated. Although captaincy might not be as important in football as it is in a sport like cricket, the fact remains that often, the person who wears the captain’s armband, is the deciding factor between a loss and a victory.
The Premier League era has seen some brilliant players take the leader’s role, from the likes of Eric Cantona to Sami Hyypia, all leading their team in the face of adversity and towards glory.
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Here, we look at five of the best captains in the Premier League era, and see where some of the all-time greats of English football rank on this elite list.
#5 Patrick Vieira, Arsenal
Following the retirement of the legendary Tony Adams, Vieira took up the role of being the Gunners’ new captain, six years after he joined the club.
Manager Arsene Wenger had full faith in Vieira's ability to lead a team and the midfielder did not disappoint. As a captain, the former French international led his club to two FA Cup victories, and two Community Shields.
More importantly, though, he was the leader of the famous Arsenal ‘Invincibles’ who went a full league season unbeaten and won the only Golden Premier League trophy to date. Vieira played 29 games that incredible season and scored three goals as his team achieved the impossible.
Although Arsenal had several leaders on the pitch in the form of Thierry Henry and the tough Sol Campbell (amongst a few others), Vieira’s influence in the middle of the pitch was immense and his presence as a no-nonsense physical midfielder meant that his squad looked up to him and more often than not, he delivered.
One of the best midfielders AND players in the Premier League era, Vieira’s inclusion on this list is unquestionable.
#4 Steven Gerrard, Liverpool
In terms of sole on-field presence and inspirational performances, perhaps there has been no better leader in the modern era than Steven Gerrard. However, due to his failure to win a Premier League, the legendary Liverpool captain ranks a little lower on this list.
The former English captain took the captain’s armband from Sami Hyypia in 2003 after then-manager Gerard Houllier spotted something special in him. A local lad and a Liverpool fan through and through, letting Gerrard lead the team was a masterstroke and in the next three seasons, he single-handedly led his club to an FA Cup victory as well as their fifth Champions League trophy.
Stevie G won the PFA Players’ Player of The Year in 2006 and scored over 20 goals that season.
Overall (as a captain), Gerrard has won four trophies in his 12 years as Liverpool’s leader and has scored more important goals than perhaps any other midfielder in Premier League history.
The Man of the Match in both the Champions League final (2005) and the FA Cup final (2006), his failure to win the Premier League trophy does not diminish his status as undoubtedly, one of the best players and captains the modern era has seen.
#3 Roy Keane, Manchester United
After the inspirational Eric Cantona retired, the tough-as-boots Roy Keane took over as the captain of Manchester United and under his tenure, the Red Devils became England’s most feared club in the modern era.
Keane’s untimely injury in his first season as the captain led to his team losing the title to Arsenal (an outcome pundits claim would have been different had Keane been fit). After his return, the team won three consecutive league titles and it was under the Irish international’s guidance that Manchester United became the only English team to achieve the historic treble in the 98-99 season.
One of the best players in league history, Keane’s influence in the middle of the park was unparalleled and his rivalry with Arsenal counterpart Vieira is the stuff of legends. In his time as the leader of the Old Trafford outfit, the Irishman won four Premier League titles (the joint most league titles to this day in the PL era), 2 FA Cups, one Champions League trophy and one Intercontinental Cup (the FIFA Club World Cup today).
Both as a player and as a leader, the personality of Keane remains unmatched even to this day and it is in no doubt that without his ideology, Manchester United would not be the club they are today.
#2 Tony Adams, Arsenal
The only one-club man on this list (sorry Stevie), the former English international spent nearly two decades with Arsenal, making his first team debut all the way back in 1983 and hanging up his boots in 2002.
Adams has the distinction of winning the league title in three different decades as a captain (one of them came before the rebranding of the first division to the Premier League). He was made the captain of Arsenal at the age of 21, and he remained the captain for the next fourteen years right up to his retirement, leading the Gunners to glory and fame.
One of the greatest defenders in English football history, Adams had a statue of himself unveiled outside the Emirates in 2011 - that alone tells you how important the player is in the history of the Gunners.
Looking at it from a statistical point of view, Adams has led Arsenal to eleven honours which include three Premier Leagues, and one first division title alongside three FA Cups. The Champions League is the only trophy that eluded this gifted centre-back.
The 50-year-old has been included in the Premier League Team of the Century and has various other accolades to his name. An unquestionable inclusion on this legendary list.
#1 John Terry, Chelsea
Statistically, no one apart from Adams comes close to Terry, when it comes to winning honours, and due to his unmatched success both as a captain and as a player, few can argue against Terry claiming the ultimate position on this list.
A world-class centre back and the Premier League’s leading goalscoring defender, there is nothing left for Terry to achieve in his club career. Although a case can be made for the English international just leading the team in Chelsea’s most successful period in their history, the fact that he was so good for so long under so many different managers speaks volumes about his ability both as a player, and as a captain.
In his prime, Terry was one of the best defenders in the world and was included in the FIFPro World XI five times (a record for an Englishman).
The 36-year-old has won eleven domestic trophies with Chelsea which include four league titles, and a Champions League and a Europa League title sit in his trophy cabinet as well. English football’s most successful captain since World War 2, Terry might even overtake both Keane and Adams as the captain with the most league titles if the Blues win the league this season (which is very likely as things stand).
Honourable mentions
Nemanja Vidic – A highly influential figure in English football for around a decade, Vidic was made the captain of Manchester United in the 2010/11 season and won two league titles with the club before his departure.
Vincent Kompany – Although he remains mostly on the sidelines now, Kompany, under Mancini, was one of the best defenders in the world for a couple of seasons and was an integral part of all five trophies Manchester City won since the Arab takeover.
Gary Neville – Captain of the Red Devils for five seasons, Neville won five honours which included the Champions League. Also a one-club man, Neville is one of the most decorated English players of all time.
