Football enthusiasts across Britain have spoken, revealing their blueprint for the ultimate Premier League player in a comprehensive new study. The research commissioned by OLBG surveyed 2,000 dedicated fans to determine which attributes from legendary players would combine to create footballing perfection.
The Ultimate Football Frankenstein
The findings reveal a super-player boasting Mohamed Salah's left foot alongside N'Golo Kanté's relentless work rate and Kevin De Bruyne's exceptional football intelligence. The research didn't stop there, with fans selecting Cristiano Ronaldo's right foot, blistering pace and clinical finishing ability to complete the attacking threat.
Former Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo emerged as the standout figure in the study, with supporters choosing him for multiple attributes beyond his obvious goal-scoring prowess. The Portuguese legend, now playing for Al Nassr, topped the polls for dribbling skills, trickery, ball control and heading ability.
Jake Ashton from OLBG commented: "This would be some player. Putting together these legends of the Premier League into one skin is such an interesting debate, as the options are endless. The fans have spoken, but there were so many other combinations and great candidates on the table."
Personality Meets Ability
The research looked beyond pure footballing skills, delving into the character traits that complete the perfect player. Surprisingly, 16% of fans would gift the ultimate footballer with former Stoke and Liverpool striker Peter Crouch's sense of humour, while Roy Keane's leadership qualities from his Premier League prime were also selected.
When it came to set-piece specialization, recently knighted Sir David Beckham received the nod from nearly a third (30%) of supporters for his legendary free-kick taking ability. Didier Drogba muscled his way into contention too, with more than one in ten fans wanting to see his physical strength incorporated into the concept player.
Kevin De Bruyne's name appeared repeatedly in the polling, with the Belgian playmaker chosen not only for his game intelligence but also topping the list for passing ability. N'Golo Kanté also received a second selection thanks to his superior tackling skills.
What Makes The Perfect Player?
The study identified the ten most important attributes football fans would give their perfect player:
- Finishing ability (56%)
- Passing ability (49%)
- Ball control (47%)
- Pace (43%)
- Football IQ (43%)
- Work rate
- Strength
- Leadership qualities
- Tackling ability
- Dribbling ability
With so many exceptional characteristics included in the perfect player blueprint, it's little surprise that one in five supporters placed Ronaldo at the top of their list of best all-round Premier League players of all time. This sentiment was reinforced by a third of those polled, who selected the 2000s - the period Ronaldo played for Manchester United - as the decade featuring the best players.
Modern Football's Missing Ingredients
The research also explored what qualities fans believe are missing in today's top Premier League players compared to legends of past eras. Loyalty to one club emerged as the most significant absence, identified by 44% of respondents.
Humility and a grounded attitude, along with consistent work ethic (both 35%), completed the top three missing attributes according to the OnePoll.com data. A third of fans felt that passion for the badge isn't as prevalent in contemporary players compared to their counterparts from previous generations.
Jake Ashton from OLBG added: "Seeing Cristiano Ronaldo at the forefront of fans' minds when it comes to characteristics which make the perfect player shows just how good he has been. Especially as he played in the same era as greats like Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes and Henry."
The research suggests that while new talents continue to emerge in the Premier League each year, the legends of the 2000s still dominate supporters' imaginations when conceptualizing footballing perfection.
