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Winning the Premier League is the dream of every footballer who takes part in the elite competition. Many of the league's top players have been able to lay their hands on the coveted trophy more than once.
Unfortunately, some other great players in the history of the league failed to receive the winner's medal that they so richly deserved even once.
Premier League is not an easy competition
Some of these players turned out in more than 500 Premier League matches but failed to win the title. Their illustrious careers had almost everything but a league winner's medal. Here's a look at five of them.
#5 Steven Gerrard (504)
There is no denying that Steven Gerrard is one of the finest midfielders to play in England's top division. He is no less than a Liverpool legend, having played for them for 17 seasons.
Having risen through the ranks at the club, the English midfielder took time to impress at the top. But once he did manage to do so, there was no looking back. Gerrard, with his fabulous passing range, fine reading and superb work-rate, was the best player on the field for the Reds for almost all throughout his career.
Despite winning almost every other trophy, the former Liverpool captain failed to win the Premier League even once. In his 504 league appearances, Steven Gerrard scored 120 goals and registered 92 assists. Had it not been for that infamous slip against Chelsea in the 2013-14 season, the Englishman would not have been on this list.
#4 Jamie Carragher (508)
Throughout his club career, Jamie Carragher was a one-club man. With 737 appearances for Liverpool, the Englishman is the club's second-longest ever serving player. Ian Callaghan with 857 appearances ranks first.
In his early days, Carragher used to play as a full-back. Rafael Benitez made him a center-back after taking over the reins at Liverpool in 2004.
Like Steven Gerrard, Carragher won everything but the League. During his time at Liverpool, he came closest to the trophy in the 2008-09 season when the Reds finished second, just four points behind champions Manchester United. He played 508 league matches and is now a very well renowned pundit for Sky Sports.
#3 Emile Heskey (516)
The Premier League had seen some amazing strikers ply their trade in the league and Emile Heskey was one of them. The tall forward has played for a number of English clubs in his career.
Emile Heskey came through the ranks at Leicester City and played for five seasons with the Foxes. He then moved to Liverpool in 2000 and had the most productive phase of his career with them. He won the FA Cup, UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup with them.
The English striker scored 39 goals in 150 league appearances for the Reds. Heskey then went on to play for Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic and Aston Villa, making a total of 516 Premier League appearances. His best chance of winning it came in the 2001-02 season when he finished second with Liverpool.
#2 Gary Speed (535)
The great Welshman is no longer with us but his contributions to the Premier League will remain etched in the memory forever. Speed graduated from Leeds United's academy and spent four seasons with their senior side.
The left-attacking midfielder was a delight to watch and was an inspirational figure on the pitch. Gary Speed joined Everton for two seasons after leaving Leeds United. Following that, he played for Newcastle United for seven impressive seasons.
His final stint in the Premier League came with Bolton Wanderers and lasted four seasons. Though he played 535 matches in the league, it is unfortunate that a player of Gary Speed's caliber didn't get his hands on the league trophy.
#1 David James (572)
David James was a very regular figure in the Premier League ever since his introduction at Watford in 1988. He spent a big chunk of his club career with Liverpool, making 214 league appearances for them.
The English goalkeeper won the Football League Cup in the 1994-95 season. After leaving the Reds in 1999, David James spent two seasons at Aston Villa. He then went on to play for West Ham United, Manchester City and Portsmouth.
As proven by his frequent change of clubs, David James struggled to find success in the league and did not come close to winning it. The English goalkeeper played 572 Premier League matches and held the record for most clean sheets with 169 before he was overtaken by Petr Cech.
