In the rich history of English football, the PFA Player of the Year award has long been seen as one of the most prestigious individual honours. It awards the standout performer in each season and is voted on by PFA members from the 92 Premier League and Football League teams. However, some footballing icons have never received the honour of winning this award.
Michael Owen
- Premier League Clubs Played For: Liverpool, Newcastle United, Manchester United
- Premier League Appearances: 326
- Position: Striker
Michael Owen was certainly one of the most exciting players of his time. For the longest time, he was the only player to have won the Ballon d’Or during the Premier League era. He had just turned 22 years old when he picked up this prestigious award in 2001. Despite winning the Ballon d’Or based on his 2000/01 season, Owen couldn’t even get a nomination from the PFA.
Paul Scholes
- Premier League Clubs Played For: Manchester United
- Premier League Appearances: 499
- Position: Central Midfielder
Paul Scholes is arguably the best midfielder the Premier League has ever seen. In a decorated career of 11 Premier League titles, Paul Scholes never won any noteworthy individual accolade. The English midfielder’s career was one of sustained excellence, but he never enjoyed a standout campaign as such.
Sergio Aguero
- Premier League Clubs Played For: Manchester City
- Premier League Appearances: 275
- Position: Striker
Manchester City’s dominance since the 2010s has moved hand in hand with Sergio Aguero’s dominance in the Premier League. Renowned for his infamous stoppage time-winning goal against QPR, which sealed Manchester City’s first ever Premier League title. Aguero also picked up the golden boot in 2014/15 but was outshone by Eden Hazard’s title-winning campaign with Chelsea.
Frank Lampard
- Premier League Clubs Played For: Chelsea, Manchester City, West Ham United
- Premier League Appearances: 611
- Position: Central Midfielder, Attacking Midfielder
It is a massive surprise that Frank Lampard was never crowned PFA Player of the Year. The English midfielder not only had the league titles and stellar performances lined up for him, but he also had outstanding goalscoring numbers for a midfielder. In the 2009/10 season, Lampard picked up the league title as well as scoring 22 goals from midfield. The Chelsea talisman still fell short of England’s greatest talent, Wayne Rooney.
Harry Kane
- Premier League Clubs Played For: Tottenham Hotspur
- Premier League Appearances: 320
- Position: Striker
Harry Kane’s inability to lift a Premier League title does not do justice to his Premier League career. The England captain scored a whopping 213 goals and won three Premier League Golden Boots. It’s amusing that Kane, who was more influential for Tottenham Hotspur as compared to Gareth Bale, never picked up the award, whereas the Welshman is a two-time winner.
Conclusion
While these accolades certainly crown a player for their stellar campaigns, they do not always capture the full scope of a player’s influence on the game. The legends mentioned on this list, despite never winning the PFA Player of the Year award, have left a great impression on English Football.
Written by: Thillai Ritvik
