Top 9 Premier League Legends Who Never Featured in the PFA Team of the Year

Some of the Premier League’s most iconic players, including former Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United greats, never managed to secure a place in the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Team of the Year. While Steven Gerrard holds the record with eight inclusions, a host of high-profile names were overlooked despite consistently outstanding performances, Sport360NG reports.

These are the list of 9 notable absentees, featuring some surprising omissions from the prestigious lineup.

1. Mesut Özil
   The German playmaker, famous for his vision and creativity, never earned a spot in the PFA XI. Even during his standout 2015-16 campaign, when he registered 19 assists, the midfield selections went to N’Golo Kanté, Dele Alli, and Dimitri Payet.
   In total, Özil produced 90 goal contributions in 184 league games for Arsenal, but recognition from his peers eluded him.
2. Steve Bruce
   A key figure in Manchester United’s early Premier League dominance, Bruce lifted the title three times but was never included in the team of the year. His defensive partner Gary Pallister made the lineup five times, often overshadowing Bruce’s impact.
   Beyond his defensive work, Bruce was also a threat in front of goal, scoring 52 times in 417 United appearances.
3. Ricardo Carvalho
   While John Terry regularly featured in the PFA team, his Chelsea partner Carvalho was consistently snubbed.
   The Portuguese defender helped Chelsea win three league titles and was central to the side that conceded just 22 goals in 2005-06, yet Terry and Jamie Carragher were chosen that year instead.
4. Freddie Ljungberg
   Even in Arsenal’s 2003-04 “Invincibles” campaign, Ljungberg was not selected. His best individual year arguably came in 2001-02, but Robert Pires and Ryan Giggs were preferred by fellow professionals.

   

5. Claude Makélélé
   Widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive midfielders of his era, Makélélé set the standard for his position in English football.

   
   However, unlike his successor N’Golo Kanté, who featured twice, the Frenchman was never picked in the PFA XI.

6. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
   The Dutch striker won the Premier League Golden Boot twice but never translated that into PFA recognition.
   During his peak scoring seasons, the forward spots went to the likes of Dwight Yorke, Nicolas Anelka, Teddy Sheringham, and Thierry Henry. Despite that, Hasselbaink still netted 127 goals in 288 league games for Leeds and Chelsea, ranking among the competition’s most prolific imports.
7. Xabi Alonso
   Although Alonso never won the Premier League, his quality at Liverpool was never in doubt. The Spanish midfielder was among the most technically gifted players of the 2000s.

   
   He formed a formidable partnership with Gerrard, who himself praised Alonso as the perfect midfield partner. Yet, while Gerrard made eight PFA XIs, Alonso never featured once.

8. Gianfranco Zola
   One of the league’s most entertaining talents, Zola lit up Stamford Bridge during his seven years at Chelsea.

   
   The Italian magician was named Football Writers’ Player of the Year in 1997, but that season’s PFA Team of the Year instead included Ian Wright and Alan Shearer up front. His absence from the award does little to diminish his legacy as one of the Premier League’s most gifted players.

9. Luka Modrić
   Now a Ballon d’Or winner and Real Madrid legend, Modrić was already a world-class performer during his Tottenham days.

   
   However, even in his finest Premier League season in 2011-12, the Croatian was overlooked, with Spurs teammate Scott Parker surprisingly taking the midfield berth. While his lack of recognition in England raised eyebrows, his later success more than made up for it.