Highlights
Despite not winning a trophy since 2008, Tottenham have had several world-class stars play for them in the Premier League era.
Ledley King is fondly remembered despite suffering through an endless run of injuries.
Gareth Bale and Harry Kane were superstars in N17, producing some of the greatest individual seasons of all time.
Tottenham Hotspur are one of the most famous and successful clubs in the United Kingdom. They were the first side in the 20th century to achieve the League and FA Cup double, whilst in 1963, they became the first British club to win a UEFA competition – the European Cup Winners' Cup.
Despite this, since the competition started in 1992, Spurs have helped nurture some of the greatest players of all time. A raft of stars from all positions across the pitch have written themselves into history and cemented their status on the club's wall of legends. Here's a closer look at the greatest Tottenham players in Premier League history — most of whom have featured post-2010, epitomising the consistent rise of the club.
Ranking Factors
Importance - If they were seen as a key player for the team, they have been ranked higher.
Longevity - Spurs had several players who failed to make the list as other stars shone for a longer period of time.
Statistics - Goals and assists for those operating in the final third - as well as clean sheets for more defensively-minded individuals - can provide a strong indicator of a player's importance.
Hugo Lloris personified the idea of 'loyalty' throughout his spell at Tottenham. At his best, he was one of the best goalkeepers in the world, yet he always opted to stay in N17. Even looking back now, the World Cup-winning Frenchman produced countless iconic memories for Spurs.
From his penalty saves against Sergio Aguero and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to his reflex stop away to Bayer Leverkusen, which no one could truly believe, he was world-class, creating a formidable bond with the fanbase. There's no doubt his spell ended in disappointment as age caught up, but it did not take the shine away from his previous golden years.
What could have been? Acting as one of the best teenagers in the world when he first burst onto the scene at Spurs, Dele Alli was Paul Gascoigne reincarnated. With his flair, energy, skill and cockiness which made him rattle the opposition, the young star shone in the final third during the greatest years under manager Mauricio Pochettino.
His tricks and flicks got the White Hart Lane faithful off their feet, but eventually, Alli started to veer off the side of the road. With a complicated attitude and severe injury problems, he peaked when he was just 21. His lost love for the sport was heartbreaking to watch — and everyone only hopes he can eventually regain it.
"Oh, Ledley, Ledley, he's only got one knee, he's better than John Terry, Oh Ledley, Ledley," the Tottenham faithful used to sing in the 2000s — and nothing could epitomise King's career more than that singular chant. When he was fit, he was one of the best centre-backs in the world.
Arsenal icon Thierry Henry said he was one of the toughest defenders to go head-to-head with, as the injury-riddled centre-back acted like an aggressive and determined 'bully'. King even helped Spurs win the Carling Cup in 2008, their most recent trophy, so he had to naturally feature on this list. Just like Alli, it's another case of 'what if', though.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: From the start of the 2006/07 season until the end of the 2010/2011 campaign, Ledley King missed 105 matches through injury — 55 of which through knee problems.
Stunning passes. Delicate through-balls. Precise crosses. If you needed a star to produce a sumptuous assist, Christian Eriksen was your man. During his near-seven-year spell in N17, the Danish star was one of the best midfielders in the world. He shone alongside his teammates, acting as the reliable playmaker who everyone looked to get the ball to and from. Most notably, he started off as the king of free-kicks, whilst his stunning assist in the 2017 FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea when he somehow found Dele Alli in the final third is arguably one of the greatest in Tottenham's modern history.
When you ask anyone associated with Tottenham during the Pochettino era who the best player was, they invariably say Mousa Dembele. This was a spell when some of the greatest Premier League players of all time were plying their trade at White Hart Lane, yet the former Fulham midfielder stood above them all.
With his aggression, quick feet - despite his bulky build - and agility, the Belgian dictated matches in the middle of the park. Dembele was the opposition's worst nightmare, as he bulldozed his way through the most physical top flight in Europe with ease. It's no coincidence that Spurs drastically declined as soon as he left.
Luka Modric is the only Ballon d'Or winner on this list — and although he did not win the famous individual competition whilst at Spurs, he more than warranted some lofty recognition. During a four-year spell in north London, Modric broke onto this scene as a tireless, agile and determined box-to-box midfielder.
With an ability to pick teammates out from anywhere on the pitch, the Croatian remains one of the most naturally gifted players in Spurs history, forcing the travelling faithful to always get off their seats and respect a superstar. He moved to Real Madrid in 2010, where his career really took off, but that should not overshadow his triumphant time at Tottenham.
Gareth Bale's performances in the 2012/13 campaign led to claims that it was one of the greatest individual seasons of all time. It's easy to see why, though, as he scored 21 goals in just 33 matches, acting as a 'one-man' team on the right wing. By cutting in, firing his shots into the top left corner and running away with his iconic heart celebration, the Welshman was a role model to people of every age in north London. When he eventually left for a world-record fee, he was sorely missed, but his loan spell in the 2020/21 campaign stood out during the bleak COVID-19 years as a trip down memory lane. A defender's worst nightmare, but Spurs' dream come true.
Son Heung-min is the only present Spurs player to feature on this list. After joining in 2015 from Bayer Leverkusen, Son took time to adapt, and he even thought about leaving in 2016, but his decision to stay eventually turned out to be the best of his career. Since then, the South Korean has performed like one of the best players in Premier League history.
His partnership with Harry Kane was statistically the greatest in the competition's history, whilst his ability to play as a left-winger or striker provided the Lilywhites with much-needed versatility. It's part of South Korean culture to be loyal; Son has had several chances to leave like Kane, yet he truly loves the club.
Despite leaving in the summer of 2023 for Bayern Munich, Harry Kane has to be considered the greatest Premier League player in Tottenham's history — and the best striker in the club's history to go with it. As their record goalscorer with 280 strikes, Kane was, and still is, one of the best finishers in the world.
The England international's ability to drop deep or act as an out-and-out forward proved incredibly useful to Pochettino, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte whilst they were at Hotspur Way. Technically, Kane was never club captain, but his leadership stood out like a sore thumb; through the good times and the bad, the England star was always there, inspiring the next generation in the process.