Six iconic players from the Premier League, including Matt Le Tissier and Patrice Evra, have been removed from this year’s Hall of Fame nominees shortlist, despite being included in last year’s list.
The Premier League announced a group of 15 legends eligible for induction into its exclusive Hall of Fame club. However, a number of prominent names from the previous year’s list were absent from this year’s smaller line-up.
Le Tissier, Evra, Teddy Sheringham, Edwin van der Sar, Robin van Persie, and Ruud van Nistelrooy were all removed from the shortlist, having previously been nominated in 2022.
The exclusion of these six players is surprising, given that every player from the 2021 shortlist was included in the 2022 edition, which featured 25 nominees.
Southampton legend Le Tissier has faced criticism for his controversial views and promotion of conspiracy theories. The former Sky Sports pundit, who was dismissed by the broadcaster in 2020, has consistently espoused theories about Covid and vaccines, labeling PCR tests as ‘the biggest fraud ever perpetuated on mankind’.
In addition, he questioned the authenticity of images depicting destruction in Ukraine and shared a Tweet alleging that the media had ‘lied’ about various stories.
Another notable absence is former Manchester United player Patrice Evra, who was convicted by a Paris court for making homophobic statements in 2019 when he referred to PSG as ‘queers’. He has since apologized and acknowledged that he has ‘so much to learn’.
The absence of the Dutch trio – Van der Sar, Van Nistelrooy, and Van Persie – is particularly surprising, considering their significant success in the Premier League, particularly with Manchester United. Former goalkeeper Van der Sar appeared in 186 top-flight games and won the title four times, while Van Nistelrooy scored 95 goals in 150 league appearances.
Van Persie scored 144 goals during his tenures with Arsenal and United, and secured the title in his debut season with the Red Devils in 2012-13.
Among this year’s nominees for the first time are Jermain Defoe, Yaya Toure, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, and Michael Carrick, along with several others, forming a group of 15 players recognized for their exceptional record of success.
A total of 16 English top-flight icons have been inducted into the Premier League’s Hall of Fame since its establishment in 2021, including renowned figures such as Thierry Henry, Alan Shearer, and David Beckham.