In the rich history of the English Premier League, one player stands out for Arsenal legend Paul Merson – Dennis Bergkamp.
Since its inception in 1992, the EPL has witnessed the presence of numerous footballing talents.
Over the past three decades, five Ballon d’Or winners have graced the league, including Ruud Gullit, George Weah, Michael Owen, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Luka Modric.
While players like Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne, and Mohamed Salah have left their mark, Merson believes Bergkamp surpasses them all.
Speaking on his choice, Merson said, “I’ve gone for a player who is the best player I’ve ever played with by a million miles. I didn’t think a professional footballer could be that good. [It’s] Dennis Bergkamp.”
He continued, “He was unbelievable. I had a good brain, I could see things on a football pitch. I had good vision. But I’d never seen anything like him.”
“He had eyes in the back of his head. He was as cool as ice. You ask anyone who played with him… all the forwards wanted to play with him.”
“You talk to Thierry Henry… he’d say Dennis Bergkamp. Ian Wright [would say] Dennis Bergkamp.”
“If you made a run, he would find you. He just had everything,” Merson shared during an interview on the Football’s Greatest podcast.
During his time at Arsenal, Bergkamp scored 120 goals, securing the 10th position on the Club’s all-time goalscorers list.
Despite his brilliance, the former Ajax striker never clinched the Ballon d’Or award. He finished third in 1992 behind Van Basten and Stoichkov, and was the runner-up in 1993, losing to Roberto Baggio.