Football NewsGiveMeSportUnverified source· 19 Aug 2026
Shearer and Richards Rank Premier League's Hardest Ever
Two Premier League legends list the game's toughest men – and Roy Keane makes the cut.
W. Keane
player
Ranked by
Alan Shearer & Micah Richards
Included
Roy Keane, Vinnie Jones, Duncan Ferguson, Patrick Vieira, Jaap Stam, Stuart Pearce
What happened. Alan Shearer and Micah Richards ranked the 10 hardest players in Premier League history, with Roy Keane at No. 5 and Vinnie Jones at No. 8.
- Jaap Stam ranked 9th by Shearer.
- Stuart Pearce ranked 7th by Richards.
- Duncan Ferguson and Patrick Vieira also featured.
The ranking sparks debate among fans about the toughest era of Premier League football.
In this story
A. Jones
L. Ferguson
R. VieiraMore to read
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