The Premier League Hall of Fame commenced last year and is regarded the highest individual honour bestowed on any player in the League.
Two players are announced by the Panel, and then an online fan vote is conducted where six other players will be inducted alongside.
As part of the inaugural class of 2021, Alan Shearer & Thierry Henry were inducted. Fans were then allowed to vote six out of a 23-player shortlist to join the inductees:
Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Dennis Bergkamp, Steven Gerrard, and David Beckham were voted for by the fans.
Wayne Rooney and Patrick Vieira were last month announced as the first two inductees for the Year 2022.
Fans were then allowed to vote for six out of a 25-man shortlist:
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Sol Campbell, Andrew "Andy" Cole, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Sergio Aguero, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, Pete Cech, Patrice Evra, Teddy Sheringham, Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure, Edwin Van der Sar, Gary Neville, Robin Van Piersie, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Ian Wright, John Terry, Matthew Le Tissier, Ashley Cole.
Sergio Aguero, Didier Drogba, Vincent Kompany, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes and Ian Wright have been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.
You have to remember that for the majority of my football journey, I never thought I'd become a professional footballer. So to do that, enjoy the times I had with the fans and my teammates and now to receive this accolade, is a true honour. I feel really humbled.
“Growing up in South London, football was my escape. We played for pure enjoyment and that's something that never left me when I played the game. I always felt like I was running out of time and this recognition is a special reminder to appreciate the journey, the hard work and getting over the doubts I had.
“I also have to thank so many incredible teammates, backroom staff and managers, most notably Steve Coppell who gave me the chance and shaped the player I became.
Congratulations to Ian Wright on being inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame!
Our legendary striker follows Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira in being honoured for his incredible performances in the top flight.
Some footballers are great goalscorers. Others are scorers of great goals. Wrighty was both.
Our legendary No.8 always found a way to find the net, whether it required a sumptuous 30-yard chip or a toe-poke from two yards. His repertoire of goals made him one of the finest - and most explosive - strikers to grace the English game. And, of course, he was a showman.
Wrighty joined us from Crystal Palace in September 1991 for a club-record £2.5 million, and instantly became a fans’ favourite, thanks to his unerring eye for goal and passion and pride for the club.
He was our top scorer six seasons in a row and, on September 13, 1997, eclipsed Cliff Bastin as our all-time record scorer - a feat only bettered by Henry.
Wrighty needed two goals against Bolton Wanderers on the day to set a new mark of 179. He netted a low drive after 20 minutes and, carried away in the moment, ripped off his shirt to reveal a T-shirt sporting the message '179 - Just Done It!'.
In fact, he had only equalled Bastin's mark of 178 but, in typical Wrighty fashion, only had to wait five minutes before giving the T-shirt a more appropriate airing. A two-yard tap-in in front of an empty net was all it took to break the record.
Wrighty ended his final season at the club by winning the Premier League title, before joining West Ham United for a season. He netted a total of 113 Premier League goals in 213 appearances for the two clubs (104 in 191 for the Gunners).
On his induction into the Hall of Fame, Wrighty said: “It’s a real privilege to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame recognises and celebrates the exceptional skill and talent of individuals who have graced the Premier League since its inception in 1992.
Wrighty was selected by the public, through an online vote, and the Premier League Awards Panel, and will be formally honoured at an event in London on Thursday evening.
To be eligible for the Premier League Hall of Fame, players had to be retired by January 1, 2022, and only a player’s Premier League career was considered in their candidacy, not their performances in other competitions during the Premier League era.
All inducted players receive a medallion engraved with their name and the year of their induction, with a £10,000 donation made by the Premier League to a charity of their choice.
Legendary Manchester United duo Peter Schmeichel and Paul Scholes are the latest former Reds to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.
Launched last year, the Hall of Fame recognises and honours retired players who have significantly contributed to the league since its inception in 1992 and have experienced great success on the pitch. It is the highest individual honour awarded to players by the Premier League.
Schmeichel and Scholes join fellow legendary Reds Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, David Beckham and Wayne Rooney in the Hall of Fame.
The pair played together in the team that dominated the Premier League during the 1990s, a spell of success which reached its zenith with the Treble-winning campaign of 1998-99.
Scholes, a Class of '92 graduate, made exactly 500 top-flight appearances for United between 1993 and 2013, having risen through the youth ranks at the club along with fellow United legends Beckham, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt.
The 66-time England international announced his retirement in 2011, after 10 Premier League title wins with the Reds, but came out of retirement six months later and added a further triumph prior to hanging up his boots for good in 2013.
Seen as a complete midfielder and one of the best United players of all-time, Scholes began his career as a goalscorer and is one of only 32 players to notch a century of strikes in the top-flight since 1992.
Paul moved into more of a holding position as he advanced in years and was the passing fulcrum in Sir Alex's last great United side, which reached three out of four Champions League finals between 2008 and 2011.
Scholes and Schmeichel featured on a 25-man shortlist alongside 10 other Reds legends - including Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Edwin van der Sar - and the duo have been inducted following an online public vote and judgment from the Premier League Awards Panel.
Since I was nine or 10, I wanted to play in the #PL; the best league in the world, fast and beautiful football, incredible atmosphere. Entering the Hall of Fame makes me happy for me and my family. My son can say it’s something his father achieved.
I just loved playing football here with #ManCity and the memories of winning the #PL five times, including the most important goal of my career to win that first one. I miss my team-mates and the fans a lot still now.
• 184 goals • 275 games • 5x PL winner - 1x PL Golden Boot
The highest-scoring overseas player in Premier League history
Kompany reacts
I feel that I found a home at #ManCity and in the #PL so I am delighted to be joining the Hall of Fame. I came to love the club and I think the biggest achievement of my career was to be a part of such an incredible journey where we progressed from a side without high expectations to become a dominant force and #PL champions four times.”
Didier Drogba is the second former Chelsea great to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.
The Ivorian was selected by supporters, who voted in an online poll, and the Premier League Awards Panel. Drogba has been recognised for a stellar career representing the Blues for nine seasons between 2004 and 2015, earning a reputation as one of the league’s most dangerous strikers capable of destroying any defence on his day. He amassed 104 goals in 254 league appearances for us.
Drogba said: ‘It is a real honour for me to have been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame. My years with Chelsea were so special to me, and I’m incredibly proud of everything we won as a team.
‘I played with fantastic players for some amazing managers and against brilliant opponents. I’m so happy to say that I won the Premier League four times – and now I’m in the Hall of Fame with some of those great players I played alongside and against, which makes me very proud.’
Drogba, who follows Frank Lampard into the Hall of Fame, made his Chelsea debut in August 2004. As the Blues romped to back-to-back league titles in 2005 and 2006, breaking all manner of records along the way, he became an essential component in Jose Mourinho's well-oiled machine.
The arrival of Andriy Shevchenko in 2006 might have led to the Ivorian falling down the pecking order, but instead it brought out the best in him. He netted 33 times that season, with his 20 Premier League goals ensuring he finished as the division’s top goalscorer for the first time. He would repeat the trick in 2009/10, bagging a remarkable 29 Premier League goals as we won the Double for the first time in our history.
Strikers come in all shapes and sizes; from players who rely on their predatory instincts, to target men who hold the ball up and bring team-mates into the game. The beauty of Drogba during his years at Chelsea was he ticked all the boxes.
He was especially prolific against Arsenal as we wrestled control over our north London rivals during Drogba’s time at the club. He simply loved the best occasion, born out by his record in cup finals but also seismic Premier League clashes. He was an archetypal big-game player.
When he returned to Chelsea in 2014/15, Drogba helped us win the title again with crucial strikes against Manchester United, Tottenham and Leicester. It was his fourth Premier League crown in all and provided a fitting finale to his illustrious and trophy-laden Chelsea career.
A real honour to be inducted in to the @premierleague Hall of Fame. Thank you so much to everyone that voted and to @chelseafc, the managers, coaches, players and fans that made my time in the PL such an incredible experience.
