Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry have become the first players to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.
Former Newcastle and Blackburn Rovers striker Shearer is the league’s all-time top scorer having netted 260 goals between 1992 and 2006, while he lifted the title with Rovers in 1995.
Henry was a four-time winner of the Golden Boot award and netted a club-record 175 Premier League goals in 258 matches for Arsenal. The Frenchman also won two league titles having become a key member of the ‘Invincibles’ team that went unbeaten through the 2003-04 campaign.
The Hall of Fame is the highest individual honour awarded to players by the League and celebrates the talent and achievements of standout professionals who have featured in the division since its creation in 1992. To be eligible, players must have been retired as of August 1, 2020.
Shearer said on premierleague.com: “When you look at some of the unbelievable players to have graced the Premier League, I feel very honoured to join the Hall of Fame. I have to thank all of my team-mates, as well as the managers and coaches that I’ve worked with.
“All I ever wanted to be was a professional footballer. It was my dream to do that, my dream to win trophies and my dream to score at St James’ Park, to wear the number nine black-and-white shirt and it was fantastic. I enjoyed every minute of it.”
Henry added: “To be inducted alongside Alan Shearer as the two first inductees into the Premier League Hall of Fame is more than special. When I was young, I was just trying to make sure I could get a pair of boots, and now we’re talking about the Hall of Fame.”
Shearer and Henry will feature in a special programme, which will be broadcast at 6pm tonight on the Sky Sports Premier League channel.
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Kelly Cates will interview the two icons as they look back on their Premier League careers, with other guests also making an appearance on the show.
A shortlist of 23 additional nominees eligible to join the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2021 will be announced during the show, with fans invited to cast their vote from 7pm and help select the remaining six inductees to the 2021 Premier League Hall of Fame.
Voting will be open until May 2 as the icons from the Premier League era are honoured with a new individual honour.
