10 Best Welsh Football Players of All Time

Today, we have put together a list of the best Wales players of all time. We’ll be looking at players from across all eras – this list isn’t just limited to the Premier League era.

Honourable Mentions

We had to leave out some fantastic players to complete the top ten – as such, we thought we’d give a quick shout-out to some honourable mentions.

John Hartson just missed out on a spot in the list – a durable journeyman striker, Hartson won 51 caps for the Red Dragons. Additionally, he also enjoyed fruitful spells at Arsenal, West Ham United and Celtic.

Billy Meredith was certainly in contention for a spot on the list. Wales’ first-ever superstar, he won 48 caps for his country between the years of 1895 and 1920.

Finally, we have to mention John Charles, who was a goalscoring wizard at Leeds United and Juventus – in particular, he won three Serie A titles during his time in Turin.

10. Dean Saunders

Dean Saunders had a rollercoaster of a career. He won the FA Cup with Liverpool and the League Cup with Aston Villa, as well as being an excellent natural goalscorer – however, he was also involved in no less than eight relegation seasons.

Nevertheless, Saunders was an excellent striker during his prime years – particularly at clubs such as Oxford United, Derby County and Galatasaray.

9. Aaron Ramsey

For us, Aaron Ramsey is the ninth-best Wales player of all time. His nine-year run at Arsenal is the main reason behind this, winning three FA Cups and two Community Shields with the Gunners.

As a midfielder, Ramsey was fantastic on the ball. An excellent passer with an acute eye for goal, his 86 caps for Wales were richly-deserved.

8. Craig Bellamy

A polarising character to say the least, Craig Bellamy’s outspoken antics off the field often lead people to forget how great of a footballer he was during his best years.

Perhaps his best season came in 2005/06, when he scored 13 Premier League goals from the heart of midfield for Blackburn Rovers – he also played for clubs such as Newcastle United, Manchester City and Liverpool.

7. Cliff Jones

Not just one of the best Welsh players of all time, but also one of the best Tottenham Hotspur players in history, Cliff Jones was part of Spurs’ greatest-ever team in the early 1960s.

Jones made a total of 318 appearances for the Lilywhites, scoring 135 goals along the way. He won the First Division title and the FA Cup in 1961 – he also won 59 caps for the Red Dragons.

6. Gary Speed

An industrious midfielder with bags of energy, Gary Speed was an immensely popular figure wherever he went. Both on and off the field, ‘Speedo’ never failed to capitivate audiences with his grit and determination.

Sadly, Speed passed away in 2011 after committing suicide at the age of 42. His tragic death sent shockwaves throughout the footballing landscape – a testament to the impact he had on the Welsh game.

5. Mark Hughes

He might be best known for his many ill-fated managerial stints in the modern era, but older readers will remember Mark Hughes as one of the best strikers of his era.

One of Manchester United’s best players in the early Premier League years, Hughes scored 120 league goals for the Red Devils – he also enjoyed spells with Chelsea, Barcelona and Everton during his illustrious career.

4. Neville Southall

One of the best goalkeepers of all time, Neville Southall led a mammoth playing career that saw him stay active for 29 years and make 710 league appearances. Most of this was spent at Everton, during which he won two First Division titles and two FA Cups.

He made 92 appearances on the international stage for Wales, keeping his spot between the sticks for the Red Dragons for a total of 15 years.

3. Ian Rush

A rapid forward with peerless movement off the ball, Ian Rush is perhaps the greatest Liverpool striker in history – certainly, few other Liverpool players can boast such an expansive trophy cabinet.

Rush won five league titles, three FA Cups and two European Cups during his time at Anfield – this, alone, lands him a spot in the top three. On top of this, he also picked up 73 caps for Wales, scoring 28 goals. Only one player has scored more international goals for the Red Dragons – we’ll get to him soon.

2. Ryan Giggs

Ryan Giggs may not be the most popular figure in football, especially in the modern era, but his ability on the football pitch can never be denied.

A one-club player, Giggs made 672 league appearances for Manchester United, scoring 114 goals along the way. No other player on this list has such an enormous list of honours – Giggs won 13 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, four League Cups and two Champions League trophies.

1. Gareth Bale

Gareth Bale isn’t just the best Welsh footballer ever – he is one of the best footballers of all time. From a physical standpoint, not many players from across history were as naturally-gifted as Bale was.

Bale rose to prominence at Tottenham, but became a superstar at Real Madrid, winning three La Liga titles and five Champions Leagues. He also played a major part in Wales’ magical Euro 2016 campaign, when they reached the semi-finals.