There’s something very mysterious about Tottenham Hotspur as a club, right?
Although they are constantly ridiculed for their lack of success, Spurs are arguably one of the big football clubs in England. They have won every trophy in the country, had some European success, reached the Champions League final in 2019, and had some fantastic players wearing the iconic white shirt.
Plus, they currently have one of the best stadiums in the Premier League – the 62,850 arena Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Just as we said, Spurs fans enjoyed seeing some incredible players playing for their club. This article will look at some of the greatest Tottenham players of all time.
Founded in 1882, this London club has a rich history filled with exciting moments. They also had some major disappointments, but that’s only normal – no team on Earth is constantly winning. The fans still dream of winning their first league title since 1961, while reaching the Champions League final in 2019 under Mauricio Pochettino was an unforgettable experience.
So, who are the Top 10 Tottenham players of all time? Let’s take a look:
Jimmy Greaves
Member of the English Football Hall of Fame, Jimmy Greaves is considered one of the greatest English players of all time. And a massive legend for Tottenham Hotspur – the club he played for between 1961 and 1970.
Scoring 44 goals in 57 games for England, Greaves still holds the record for most goals scored in the English top-flight – 357. While playing for Tottenham, he won the FA Cup twice and triumphed with the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1963. Greaves was also a part of England’s squad that won the World Cup in 1966. It’s interesting that he played for Italian giants AC Milan as well, although for just one season. He won the Serie A in 1962.
Jimmy Greaves is still the only player ever to score six hat tricks for England. At the same time, the biggest disappointment of his career was being benched by manager Alf Ramsey in the 1966 World Cup final. Ramsey chose to pick Geoff Hurst instead.
The legendary striker finished his top-flight career when he was just 31 years old as he lost motivation to continue playing on the highest level. Between 1975 and 1980, he played for some low-tier teams in England, enjoying some time on the pitch. Now Jimmy Greaves is considered one of the greatest Tottenham players ever.
Glenn Hoddle
Playing 490 games for Tottenham Hotspur between 1975 and 1987, scoring 110 goals, Glenn Hoddle is one of the best Tottenham players ever. Praised for his technique, creativity, and vision, Hoddle was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007. When this happened, he was cited as one of his generation’s most gifted English players.
Glenn Hoddle helped Spurs win the FA Cup twice while he also won the French Ligue 1 while playing for AS Monaco under Arsene Wenger. He finished his career as a player-manager at Chelsea, and in 1998, he coached England during the World Cup.
Today many pundits say that Glenn Hoddle was ahead of his time while playing in England. He was an incredibly gifted player who played in a league still behind this type of creativity. That’s why he was described as a “luxury player” by people who struggled to understand his ability completely. Maybe today, Hoddle would have been the superstar he always deserved to be, but it was different a few decades ago. Still, he’s one of the finest Tottenham midfielders of all time.
Harry Kane
Harry Kane is not just one of the best Tottenham players right now – he’s one of Tottenham’s best players ever. Don’t forget that we are talking about Spurs’ best goalscorer of all time. That’s right – from starting his career in North London until 2023, Kane scored 280 goals in all competitions for the club. He didn’t win a trophy but he won a special place in the fans’ hearts.
Just to add, Harry Kane is not only Spurs’ all-time highest goalscorer, but he also holds this record for the national team.
Many things make the Tottenham number 9 so good. The most impressive one is how all-round he is. He’s a prolific striker with an eye for the goal, but he is also incredibly talented in ball distribution and even providing assists for his teammates. In other words, Harry Kane is not just a world-class striker – he’s also an excellent overall player.
Interestingly, Kane was part of the Academy of Arsenal – Tottenham’s greatest rival. Funny enough, according to the Academy’s boss Liam Brady, he was quickly released for being “chubby” and “not athletic enough.” It gets even funnier because Harry also had trials at Tottenham’s Academy after this. Still, they chose not to sign him for not being good enough. Spurs fixed their mistake in 2004 when Kane officially became part of the club’s youth ranks.
In conclusion, we can say that when you watch Harry Kane, soccer just seems easy. In the summer of 2023, he decided to join Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich who spent considerable money to acquire him. Kane signed a four-year deal with the German club.
Paul Gascoigne
Few players in the history of English football caused more controversy than Paul Gascoigne. One of the most unique personalities in the game’s history, Gascoigne was also described as one of the most naturally gifted players England ever had.
Gascoigne was so popular while playing for Tottenham that we saw the emergence of the so-called “Gazzamania” – a highly increased public interest regarding his persona. Although Gazza never tried to hide his love for alcohol and having fun, he was an immensely creative midfielder with some extraordinary technical abilities. He won his only trophy with Tottenham in 1991 when he helped the club triumph in the FA Cup.
One of the best former Tottenham players, Paul Gascoigne could have been even better if he was as professional as his teammates. He spent some time playing in the Italian Serie A as well, while his incredible strike against Scotland during the Euro 96 remains one of England’s best goals of all time. Gazza tried to start a managerial career, too. Still, in 2005 he was sacked from conference club Kettering Town after just 39 days on the job. Kettering’s owner Imraan Ladak announced that Gascoigne used alcohol almost daily while working with the team. You just can’t change Gazza! Despite his flaws, and he has many, Gascoigne is now considered one of the Top 10 Spurs players of all time.
Pat Jennings
Undoubtedly, former captain Hugo Lloris is one of the most skilled goalkeepers Tottenham has ever had. Still, the legendary Pat Jennings deserves a mention, too. Having played 119 games for his country Northern Ireland, Jennings wore the Spurs’ shirt between 1964 and 1977.
One of the best players on Tottenham since the club’s founding, Pat Jennings managed to wear the team’s shirt on 591 different occasions. And here’s what makes him different from Lloris – he actually won some trophies for the club. Domestically Jennings helped Spurs win the FA Cup and the League Cup, while in 1972, he also won the UEFA Cup. Pat Jennings was inducted into the English Hall of Fame in 2003, while in 1976, he won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award.
And do you know what’s the most interesting thing about Pat Jennings? After leaving Tottenham in 1977, he moved to Arsenal and spent 8 years playing for Spurs’ biggest rival.
After putting an end to his carer, Pat came back to Tottenham and worked for the club as a goalkeeping coach. He’s now one of the players of Tottenham that are respected by the fans.
Chris Waddle
Like the aforementioned Glenn Hoddle, Chris Waddle was a player of pure individual brilliance. Playing as a winger or an attacking midfielder, Waddle defended Spurs’ colors between 1985 and 1989 before moving to French giants Olympique Marseille.
Although many football fans of younger age probably don’t know who Chris Waddle is, during his time, he was called “Magic Chris” because of his incredible ability on the pitch. When Tottenham sold him to Marseille for 4.5 million pounds, Waddle became the third most expensive football player in history.
He didn’t win any trophies while playing in England but helped Olympique Marseille win the Ligue 1 three consecutive times. Waddle also reached the European Cup final in 1991.
If you need more proof about Chris Waddle’s talents, let us tell you this – in 1998, Olympique Marseille’s fans voted him as the club’s second-best player ever, only behind iconic striker Jean Pierre Papin.
Gareth Bale
Regarding pure ability, Gareth Bale is arguably one of the best Tottenham players of the 2000s. Starting his career as a left-back before moving to an attacking position, Bale was an unstoppable player during his peak years at Spurs and Real Madrid. During his best season at Tottenham in 2012/13, Bale scored 21 goals in 33 Premier League games.
Helping Spurs win the League Cup in 2008, Gareth Bale was an unstoppable winger with a brutal pace. The manager, Harry Redknapp, should be thanked for Bale’s emergence as he saw his potential as a winger during the 2009/10 season. Switching to a new position, Gareth Bale won numerous individual awards in the Premier League before moving to European powerhouse Real Madrid in 2013. He’s no doubt one of the best players to leave Tottenham.
In 2020 the Welshman returned to North London for a second stint, and the club’s fans will never forget how good he was during his peak years. When Bale was at the top of his game, no defender on Earth would have liked to play against him.
Cliff Jones
Like Gareth Bale, Cliff Jones came from Wales to become one of Tottenham’s best players ever. Having played a whole decade for the club, Jones was an integral part of the legendary Spurs team that won the double in 1961 under manager Bill Nicholson.
A skilled winger with an eye for the goal, Cliff Jones played 318 league games for Spurs and found the net 135 times. In 1963 he helped the team win a European trophy when Tottenham beat Atletico Madrid in the Cup Winners’ Cup final.
Far from surprising, Cliff Jones was inducted into Tottenham’s Hall of Fame while the team’s fans still praise him for his fantastic contribution.
Danny Blanchflower
Speaking of the legendary Tottenham double-winning team of 1961, Danny Blanchflower was the guy who captained it. Playing as a midfielder, dictating the game, and inspiring the other players with his leadership, Danny Blanchflower was voted by The Times as Spurs’ greatest player ever in 2008.
After spending 10 years at the club, including two loan spells at Toronto City and Boksburg, Blanchflower made 382 appearances for Tottenham. He was voted FWA Footballer of the Year on two occasions – in 1958 and 1961.
With six trophies on his name, Danny Blanchflower is one of Spurs’ most decorated players. Sadly, he died of pneumonia in 1993 when he was 67. When it happened, he already suffered from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Dave Mackay
We finish our list with another legendary player from Tottenham’s double-winning team from 1961 – Dave Mackay. As a left-half and sweeper, Mackay was inducted into England and Scotland’s football Hall of Fame.
A loyal servant and a hard-working player on the pitch, Dave Mackay wore the Spurs’ shirt between 1959 and 1968. He made 268 league appearances for the team, winning some essential trophies in England and Europe.
One of the biggest compliments to Mackay came from the legendary manager Brian Clough. In 1993, Clough stated in an interview that Dave Mackay was Tottenham’s best player of all time.
Honorable mention: Teddy Sheringham
A striker well-known for his ability to operate in the box, Teddy Sheringham played twice for Tottenham in two different decades.
During his first stint at the club between 1992 and 1997, Sheringham won himself the reputation of one of the best strikers in the league. That’s why Sir Alex Ferguson signed him to Manchester United, where he won the Champions League in 1999. You probably know what happened in the final against Bayern Munich, right? Sheringham scored the late equalizer at Camp Nou and assisted Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s dramatic winner.
Teddy Sheringham didn’t win any trophies with Spurs, but he scored more than 100 goals for the club. He was also capped 51 times for England and participated in two World Cups.
FAQ:
Who’s the player with the most games for Tottenham?
Steve Perryman still holds the record for most matches played in a Spurs shirt. He made 854 appearances for the club between 1969 and 1986.
Who’s the most expensive player in Tottenham’s history?
Tottenham broke their transfer record in 2022 when they paid 60 million pounds to Everton for Brazilian striker Richarlison.
Which player scored the most goals for Tottenham Hotspur?
Harry Kane holds the record for the most goals scored by a Tottenham player. He scored 280 goals for the club since his debut.