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Love them or hate them, it's difficult to ignore pundits in the world of football. It's difficult not to get pulled in when the experts are talking in depth about how well a team played or are pointing out the mistakes they made.
Some football pundits are really good at their job
Being a pundit might seem like an easy job from where we're sitting. We've also admittedly seen far too much speculation and whataboutery being peddled as punditry. For the discerning fan who is invested in the intricacies of football, a good pundit can be like a messenger from the heavens.
The best pundits in the business not only break things down and throw light on the events in a game, but they also do it in a sufficiently engaging manner. There are a lot of bad eggs who can't keep their prejudices and biases outside the studio. But we're not here to discuss them.
We're here to take a look at five of the best pundits in football right now.
#5 Ian Wright
In addition to being one of the nicest people you'll find on a panel, Ian Wright is also pretty good at punditry. Having scored 174 goals in 305 appearances in his club career, Wright knows a thing or two about scoring goals.
The Arsenal legend never shies away from speaking his mind. Wright has a sense of humour as well and it is not rare to see him get involved in some quality banter with fellow pundits. More than anything, the Englishman loves the beautiful game and lives and breathes it.
Wright is also someone that several of the Premier League's young footballers look up to and look to learn from thanks to his compassion and knowledge of the game. He might not be the sharpest when it comes to producing in-depth analysis, but he is one man every football fan loves seeing in the studio.
#4 Micah Richards
Micah Richards is a former wonderkid who never really scaled the heights that he was widely tipped to hit. But Richards has become a much adored figure among Premier League fans for his punditry. He has an incredible aura about him and is the perfect foil for Roy Keane on Sky Sports' Super Sunday.
Richards is cheerful and his explosive laugh does help lighten the mood, which is particularly important when Roy Keane is in the room. The former Manchester City player is also very unbiased in his analysis.
He brings all of his experience from his time as a player to the fore when he is analyzing games or player performances. Richards doesn't resort to slagging players off or marinating in negativity. He is a jovial presence but is also quite sharp when it comes to actual punditry.
#3 Alex Scott
English Football Hall of Famer Alex Scott has had an illustrious playing career. She has made 140 appearances for the England women's national football team. Scott even won the quadruple with Arsenal in the 2006-07 season. It'd be right to say that she might even be overqualified for a pundit.
Of course, making it to the top in a male dominated profession like punditry is no mean feat, but Scott has done it on the basis of pure merit. Her expert knowledge and thorough analysis makes her a welcome addition on both Sky and the BBC.
When Scott is in the studio, serious football will be discussed. She can pick apart matches accurately, dissect tactical systems and she does it all while being extremely engaging. The 37-year-old is undoubtedly one of the best football pundits right now.
#2 Jamie Carragher
Jamie Carragher is one of the most recognizable faces in the world of punditry right now. Throughout his career, Carragher stood out for his intelligence on the field, which helped him bypass a lot of his shortcomings. He has now carried those brains into the studio and Sky will always be indebted to him for it.
An extremely well-read and articulate ex-professional, Carragher's words are always measured and to the point. He has a great knowledge of the game. Carragher is a vastly experienced football player who won the Champions League and went toe-to-toe with the very best during his heyday.
He has plenty of charisma and has formed a wonderful partnership with Gary Neville. Even though Carragher and Neville lined up for bitter rivals Liverpool and Manchester United back in the day, they make for a great team in the studio.
#1 Gary Neville
Gary Neville is hands down the best football pundit in the world right now. He is one of the most successful English footballers of all time and spent his entire illustrious career at Manchester United. He was coached by the great Sir Alex Ferguson and the man is chock full of knowledge about the game.
Like Carragher, Neville is also extremely articulate. Debates that involve Neville are an absolute treat for any football fan. His incredible in-depth analysis of players, their strengths and weaknesses are all elite and a treat for football fans.
He also has a sense of humour which always helps keep people tethered to the show. Neville is currently the gold standard for football punditry and we're happy he is setting the standards even in his post-retirement life.
