Tottenham have had many great players represent them in the Premier League era but who makes it to the best XI?
Since the inception of the Premier League in 1992-93, Tottenham Hotspur have had their fair share of ups and downs. Similarly, we have had some very fine players donning the club’s colours, while there have been quite a few duds along the way as well.
Without beating around the bush, let’s take a look at the best playing XI for Tottenham during the Premier League era.
Best Tottenham XI in the Premier League era
GK – Hugo Lloris
If this were not the best Premier League XI, Pat Jennings would have gotten the nod. But, in the Premier League era, the obvious pick in goal is Hugo Lloris. The current Tottenham captain has been with the club since 2012 and has been one of the best goalkeepers in the league during that time. There have been signs of decline this season, but the 33-year-old is deserving of the spot in this line-up.
RB – Stephen Carr
This one was a toss-up between Kyle Walker and Stephen Carr, with the latter getting the nod because of his impact during difficult times at the club. Carr spent 11 years with our first-team, making close to 250 appearances. An outlet going forward, he was also dependable at the back. His worldie against Manchester United in 1999 remains etched in the fans’ minds till date.
CB – Ledley King
There was only one choice for this spot. Ledley King might have had an injury-riddled career but his commitment to the cause, his leadership made him an absolute fan favourite at Tottenham. When fit, the former England international was often unplayable. Having made over 300 appearances for Spurs, the defender also captained us to our last trophy in 2008.
CB – Jan Vertonghen
Vertonghen’s time at Tottenham might be drawing to a close, but there is no denying what an absolute top-class performer he has been for us since joining the club in 2012. 311 appearances for the club, captaining the side on several occasions, twice getting picked in the PFA Team of the Year, the Belgian international edges out Michael Dawson.
LB – Danny Rose
Things may have soured between the Englishman and Tottenham somewhat but Danny Rose is an easy pick at left-back for our best Premier League XI ahead of Benoit Assou-Ekotto. The 29-year-old, along with Kyle Walker, developed into one of the best full-backs in England during his time with the club, getting picked in the PFA Team of the Year in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons.
RW – David Ginola
The Frenchman may have spent only three years at Tottenham but those three seasons were extremely memorable. Ginola brought a sense of flair and extravagance to the Tottenham unit, which was lacking that spark during that time. During his time with our club, Ginola scored many famous goals, helping us to a League Cup triumph and was even honoured with the PFA Player of the Year award in 1999.
CM – Christian Eriksen
The Dane might have left the club earlier this year, but he departed leaving many special memories behind. During his time with us, Eriksen made 305 appearances, scoring 69 goals and assisting 89 more. The 28-year-old was the creator-in-chief for Tottenham during his time at the club and came up with special goals regularly. Special mention for Rafael van der Vaart, who made quite an impact in his short time at Tottenham.
CM – Luka Modric
One of the best modern-day central midfielders, Luka Modric is one of the easiest picks for the Best Premier League XI for Tottenham. The Croatian international had a difficult initiation period at the White Hart Lane but with time, he grew into one of the key components of the team, helping us push for top-four places. He may have moved on for bigger and better things at Real Madrid, but Modric is remembered fondly among the Tottenham faithful.
LW – Gareth Bale
The Welsh wizard is another player who left us for Real Madrid. But during his stint with the club, Bale gave us many memorable moments. He made 203 appearances for Tottenham in which he scored 56 and assisted 58. Terrorizing defenders with his pace and guile, Bale is easily one of the best players to don our club’s jersey in the past decade.
ST – Harry Kane
One of our own, Harry Kane has grown into one of the most lethal marksmen in Europe over the past five years. The 26-year-old has already scored 181 goals for the club, helping us transform into a regular top-four club in England. With his best years still ahead, Kane has what it takes to become our all-time leading goalscorer.
ST – Jermain Defoe
Teddy Sheringham, Jurgen Klinsmann, Robbie Keane – Tottenham have been blessed with a number of top-quality centre-forwards over the years. But, it is Jermain Defoe that makes the cut to our Best Premier League XI owing to his superior goal tally of 143 in 361 matches with us – fifth-highest in the list of our all-time top scorers.
