Former Arsenal and Chelsea defender Ashley Cole has been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.
The former England international, widely regarded as the best left-back in Premier League history, won three titles across a 15-year career in the top-flight.
Cole, the 22nd inductee into the Hall of Fame, was part of Arsenal's famous Invincibles that won the title in 2003/04, still the only side in league history to go unbeaten for a whole season.
Having come through Arsenal's academy, Cole signed for Chelsea in 2006 and won his third Premier League title in 2009/10 as Carlo Ancelotti's side scored a then-record 103 goals.
"I'm honoured to join the Premier League Hall of Fame. It's humbling and fulfilling to be rewarded at the end of your career," said Cole.
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"I went through my career just trying to give my best and be good enough. You take it day by day and game by game. As a young kid, you never dream of any of this and you just do it for the love of the game of football.
"I played for some fantastic clubs with incredible fans. Winning trophies with my boyhood club Arsenal and with Chelsea are amazing memories that will always be with me.
"It's emotional to reflect because a lot of hard work has been put in. To join the Hall of Fame alongside the likes of Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba and Rio Ferdinand, I'm privileged to be in their company."
Cole finished his Premier League career with a win rate of 62 per cent, keeping 147 clean sheets in 385 appearances. The full-back also scored 15 goals and provided 31 assists.
Premier League Hall of Fame inductees
- Alan Shearer (2021)
- Thierry Henry (2021)
- Eric Cantona (2021)
- Roy Keane (2021)
- David Beckham (2021)
- Dennis Bergkamp (2021)
- Frank Lampard (2021)
- Steven Gerrard (2021)
- Patrick Vieira (2022)
- Wayne Rooney (2022)
- Ian Wright (2022)
- Peter Schmeichel (2022)
- Paul Scholes (2022)
- Didier Drogba (2022)
- Vincent Kompany (2022)
- Sergio Aguero (2022)
- Sir Alex Ferguson (2023)
- Arsene Wenger (2023)
- Rio Ferdinand (2023)
- Petr Cech (2023)
- Tony Adams (2023)
- Ashley Cole (2024)
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: "If you ask people for the best full-back in Premier League history, many of them would name Ashley Cole. He excelled for title-winning Arsenal and Chelsea sides and helped to redefine the position thanks to his defensive and attacking qualities.
"After breaking through as a youngster at Arsenal, he will always be remembered as part of the iconic 'Invincibles' team, whose achievements remain unprecedented to this day.
"He continued his winning ways at Chelsea, forming a key part of one of the highest-scoring sides we have ever seen, and we are delighted to welcome him as the latest inductee into the Premier League Hall of Fame."
The stats behind Cole's magnificent PL career
- Ashley Cole made 385 Premier League appearances between 2000 and 2014, winning three Premier League titles - two with Arsenal (2001/02, 2003/04) and one with Chelsea (2009/10).
- He was directly involved in 46 goals from left-back - only two defenders had more goals and assists combined during the same time period, while only Leighton Baines assisted more goals.
- Only three defenders registered more than Cole's 147 clean sheets (John Terry, Jamie Carragher and Rio Ferdinand) between his first and last appearances, while it was the most of any full-back in that time.
- During his time at Chelsea between 2006/07 and 2013/14, Cole ranked in the top-five for chances created, (overall and in open play) tackles and successful passes (overall and in the opposition half) among Premier League defenders.
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FAQs
Ashley Cole inducted into Premier League Hall of Fame
In 2022, Sergio Aguero, Didier Drogba, Vincent Kompany, Wayne Rooney, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, Patrick Vieira and Ian Wright were inducted.
Who are the Premier League Hall of Fame inductees for 2024? ›
Stars from the world of football and beyond gathered in London on Tuesday to honour the three 2024 Premier League Hall of Fame inductees, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole and John Terry. The former players received medallions engraved with their names in front of an audience which included members of their families.
Which Chelsea players are in the Premier League Hall of Fame? ›
Terry is the second former Blue to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame this year alongside Ashley Cole – and they join ex-Chelsea teammates Petr Cech, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.
Did Ashley Cole win the prem with Chelsea? ›
In August 2006, after a protracted transfer saga, Cole completed a move to rival club Chelsea, with whom he won further honours, including the Premier League in the 2009–10 season, four FA Cups, one Football League Cup and one UEFA Champions League.
How many players have been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame? ›
20 players and two managers – Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger – have been inducted into the PL Hall of Fame. The Premier League have drawn up a shortlist of 15 nominees, two of whom will join Cole as 2024's inductees.
Why is Ryan Giggs not in the Premier League Hall of Fame? ›
The Premier League Hall of Fame was launched in 2021 with Giggs not considered in any of the first three induction cycles due to the ongoing legal proceedings.
When was the Premier League Hall of Fame made? ›
The Hall of Fame recognises and celebrates individuals who have an exceptional record of success and have shown significant contribution in the Premier League since its inception in 1992. It is the highest honour awarded to individuals by the League.
How many Hall of Famers are selected each year? ›
There is no set number of new enshrinees, but the Committee's current ground rules do stipulate that between four and eight new members will be selected each year. Every candidate is thoroughly reviewed and must receive approval from at least 80% of the full Committee to be elected.
Where is the Premier League Hall of Fame? ›
The English Football Hall of Fame is housed at the National Football Museum in Manchester, England.
Who is the famous player in Chelsea? ›
Despite Chelsea's roller-coaster history, an array of notable players have performed with the club. Top stars from the 1960s onward have included Bobby Tambling, Jimmy Greaves, Terry Venables, John Hollins, Ray Wilkins, Gianfranco Zola, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, and Michael Ballack.
Sergio Agüero, Marek Hamšík, Abby Wambach, Ashley Young, Edin Džeko, Mohamed Salah, Wissam Ben Yedder, Maren Mjelde, Jill Scott, Caitlin Foord, Ria Percival, Fabio Quagliarella, Nilla Fischer, Edinson Cavani, Theo Walcott, ...
Who is the most famous Chelsea football player? ›
Ranking factors
| The 10 greatest Chelsea players of all time |
|---|
| John Terry | 1998 - 2017 | 717 |
| Gianfranco Zola | 1996 - 2003 | 312 |
| Didier Drogba | 2004 - 2012 & 2014 - 2015 | 381 |
| Petr Cech | 2004 - 2015 | 494 |
7 more rowsMar 10, 2024
Cole, 43, won the league title three times - twice with Arsenal and once with Chelsea - during an illustrious career in England's top flight.
Has Ashley Cole ever won a Champions League? ›
The English left-back won a UEFA Champions League and Europa League title each while he was a Chelsea player. He bagged two Premier League titles with Arsenal and one title with Chelsea.
How many leagues did Ashley Cole win? ›
During his time at Stamford Bridge the left-back won the Champions League, Premier League, Europa League, four FA Cups and the League Cup, making 338 appearances along the way.
Who went into Football Hall of Fame? ›
Inductees
| Inductee | Class | Years |
|---|
| Bobby Bell ^ | 1983 | 1963–1974 |
| Raymond Berry** | 1973 | 1955–1967 |
| Elvin Bethea ^ | 2003 | 1968–1983 |
| Jerome Bettis | 2015 | 1993–1995 |
114 more rowsThe Pro Football Hall of Fame's charter class of 17 members was enshrined on September 7, 1963. With the enshrinement of the Class of 2023, there are 371 members in the Hall of Fame.
Who has the most football players in the Hall of Fame? ›
The Chicago Bears have the most Pro Football Hall of Famers with 37 enshrinees, or 30 if we exclude players who only played briefly for the team.
Who is the best player in the Premier League history? ›
The best Premier League players ever
- Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) ...
- Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle) ...
- Wayne Rooney (Everton, Manchester United) ...
- Ryan Giggs (Manchester United) ...
- Eric Cantona (Leeds, Manchester United) ...
- Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) ...
