The British network "BT Sports" revealed the best lineup in the history of the league since its inception nearly 30 years ago, which ignited a controversy due to the absence of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo. The voting results announced by the British channel, which broadcasts the English Premier League, were based on a poll involving around 200,000 fans.
The lineup featured only three current players, notably Egyptian Mohamed Salah, who is among the top 20 scorers in the league's history, along with Dutch player Virgil van Dijk and Belgian Kevin De Bruyne, who won the Player of the Year award from the association last season.
However, many prominent stars from the league's history were notably absent, including Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo. The lineup is as follows:
- Goalkeeper: Peter Schmeichel.
- Defenders: Ashley Cole – Virgil van Dijk – Rio Ferdinand – Gary Neville.
- Midfielders: Steven Gerrard – Kevin De Bruyne – Patrick Vieira.
- Forwards: Mohamed Salah – Alan Shearer – Thierry Henry.
Despite the voting being based on fan input, many fans expressed their anger regarding these selections on social media. Most criticism was directed at the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as Englishman John Terry, Chelsea's historic defender, former teammate Czech goalkeeper Petr Čech, and Argentine forward Sergio Agüero, a former Manchester City player.
In the second round of the Premier League, Mohamed Salah is set to participate in Liverpool's match against Crystal Palace on Monday.
