LAST UPDATE | 18 May 2021
ROY KEANE AND Eric Cantona have become the third and fourth players to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.
The former Manchester United stars follow in the footsteps of Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry, who were announced as the first two inductees on 26 April.
During his 12-and-a-half years under Alex Ferguson, ex-Ireland captain Keane won seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the Champions League as part of their treble in 1999.
Cantona, who began his career in England at Leeds United, scored 70 goals in 156 Premier League appearances and won four titles in five seasons for United.
Commenting on his induction, the talismanic Frenchman said: “I am very happy and very proud, but at the same time I am not surprised. I would’ve been surprised not to be elected!
“I have been lucky to play in this team, with wonderful players, a wonderful manager and wonderful fans. We won and it was the football I dreamed about because Manchester United, it’s a club where they want to win things but in a good way.”
Accomplished and competitive, a fierce leader who defined the role of club captain
— Premier League (@premierleague) May 18, 2021
🔴⚪️⚫️ Roy Keane is inducted to the #PLHallOfFame pic.twitter.com/zp8gkm8VVi
Keane and Cantona are two of the six players from a 23-man shortlist to receive the most combined votes from the public and the Premier League Awards Panel, and the next four inductees will be announced over the next three days.
The Hall of Fame was launched last month to “recognise and celebrate the exceptional skill and talent of players who have graced the League since its inception in 1992”.
A fans’ vote closed on 9 May, while to be eligible, players must have been retired by 1 August, 2020. Only a player’s Premier League career was considered.
2 La Ligas in a decade that sound like the best team of the decade?
To be fair 4 champions leagues in the last 5 years. As horrible a club like Real Madrid are in how their fans repeatedly boo their own players, treat their managers and truly believe they are above normal footballing rules as is standard across the board just because they are Real Madrid they are the best team of the last decade but Pepe is entitled to his opinion…maybe his view is biased with his Barca links as Mick McCarthy maybe be biased in how he views Gary Breen as one of the best Irish players that has ever walked the planet :-)
@Patrick McHugh: we all dream of a team of Gary breens a team of Gary Breens a team of Gary Breens
@Patrick McHugh: Guardiola is trolling of course. Barca have a superior league record recently but Real is also the first team to reach 4500 points in La Liga … the fans do boo players and it’s a shock for some to witness it but it only happens when they reckon the player isn’t giving a 100% effort , or is putting himself above the club . There are no sacred cows . And the results speak for themselves as does the fact that most players dream of playing for them … don’t write them off just yet in CL either . Ajax is the next rival up , a lot of injuries are clearing up and the fitness levels are back to where they should be after Lopeteguis departure .. it’s unlikely they’ll do a comeback in La Liga but the CL is still a strong option and let’s see what happens in Copa del Rey tonight
@Limón Madrugada: Visca Girona!!
@Karlos McGrath: let’s see what happens , won’t be an easy game but Real seem to have found their scoring boots at last . Hala Madrid !
@Limón Madrugada: To be fair to pep, he clearly thinks that winning the league consistently over the last ten years is a bigger feat than the CL.
And in that regard, Barca have dominated.
@Margarita Huanca: he clearly doesn’t because he signed for Bayern to win the CL for them , ultimately they didn’t need him to win their domestic league … similarly he signed for Man City who won leagues without him but are still way off a CL ..
@Limón Madrugada: True lad, but he did specify the domestic league when making this statement.
And to be honest, I think he has a point.
@Limón Madrugada: found this, didn’t think the all time record was that even https://www.goal.com/en/news/real-madrid-barcelona-clasico-record-head-to-head/hxdm74dgfby81w9bsiejduy05
@Dave O Keeffe: who did you expect to be further ahead ??
@Margarita Huanca: no he did not , he said ‘every year they win , the leagues , the cups’ so why do 4 of the last 5 CL not count ?
It’s a league ( of sorts) and a CUP … not to mention Real did the treble two years ago … and have been World club champions meanwhile too .. Guardiola is deliberately omitting Real Madrid , which in the end is a backhanded compliment … he’s a bitter and resentful man sometimes beneath his superficial saintly image
@Limón Madrugada: thought Real would be ahead by a good bit