1. Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is not yet retired but with him now playing in MLS with Inter Miami, it looks like we will never see the Argentine grace the Premier League.
Messi was linked with a move to Manchester City in 2021 when his time at Barcelona came to an end. However, he ended up at Paris Saint-Germain instead.
It is a shame that Messi never got to play in the best league in the World. This is one argument that Cristiano Ronaldo is better than him as the Portuguese forward performed superbly for Manchester United. However, we did get to see Messi face Premier League sides in European soccer.
His record against English teams in the Champions League is excellent, with 27 goals in 35 appearances. Many fans would wonder if Messi could do it on 'a cold rainy night in stoke' but his record against the top Premier League sides proves that he could.
2. Zinedine Zidane
The closest Zinedine Zidane got to signing for a Premier League club was remarkably Blackburn Rovers back in 1995. Blackburn had just won the title and they were linked with the Frenchman.
However, the club's owner Jack Walker reportedly said, "Why do you want to sign Zidane when we have Tim Sherwood?" This is a quote that has not aged well as Zidane went on to star for Juventus and Real Madrid.
As for Sherwood, he had a solid Premier League career with Blackburn, Tottenham Hotspur and Portsmouth.
Zidane won Serie A twice with Juventus, along with LaLiga and the Champions League with Real Madrid. The Frenchman's skill and eye for spectacular goals would have made him a hit in the Premier League.
3. Ronaldinho
There are many great Brazilian players who have made this list. Unfortunately, we could not include Pele as he retired in 1977 and the Premier League did not begin until 1992. However, one player from Brazil who would have lit up the division is Ronaldinho.
Ronaldinho played for some top clubs in Europe including Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and AC Milan. His skills were what made him such an entertainer. This may not have suited the English game but it would have been fantastic to see him try it.
He is known to England fans for his goal against them at the 2002 World Cup. It is still disputed as to whether or not he intended his free-kick that went over David Seaman's head.
4. Ronaldo
We got to see Cristiano Ronaldo star for Manchester United in the Premier League. However, we never were graced by his namesake the Brazilian Ronaldo in the division.
Ronaldo was many supporters' favorite player for his performances in Brazil's 2002 World Cup victory. He played in Europe for PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and AC Milan.
He scored 118 goals in LaLiga and 58 in Serie A. It would have been interesting to see how many he could have got in the Premier League.
5. Neymar
Neymar is a player that divides opinion. He is still not yet retired but as he is now plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Hilal, it is unlikely that we will see him in the Premier League.
Some just see Neymar as a 'YouTube' player, one with skills for show but not much substance. However, he has still won the Champions League and LaLiga twice with Barcelona. Neymar also won Ligue 1 five times with Paris Saint-Germain.
Neymar is also Brazil's all-time record goalscorer. Spanish and French soccer may have suited him better but we will probably never know how he could have got on in the Premier League.
6. Diego Maradona
As Diego Maradona did not retire until 1997, he could still have played in the Premier League era. Unfortunately, he would have been well past his prime, which is why he is so low down on this list.
Maradona is still one of the greatest players ever. He would not have been popular in England due to his handball against the Three Lions at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. However, if he could play like he did for Napoli in the Premier League, then he would have been a hit.
The Argentine did line up in a Tottenham Hotspur XI for Ossie Ardiles' testimonial against Inter Milan in 1986. This was the closest he ever got to playing club soccer in England.
7. Robert Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski is also still not yet retired but he is now 35, so we will unlikely see him play in the Premier League.
This is a shame as the Poland international has been one of the best strikers in World soccer in recent years. He starred for Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and he is still scoring goals for Barcelona in LaLiga.
He came close to joining Blackburn Rovers in 2010. However, he was unable to travel due to volcanic ash clouds suspending flights to England. He instead joined Borussia Dortmund but it would have been fantastic to see him playing for Sam Allardyce at Blackburn.
If you are a Blackburn fan then you would be ruing the missed opportunites of signing Zinedine Zidane and Lewandowski.
8. Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema is now playing for Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League. He is 35, so we will probably not see him grace the Premier League.
He was a great piece for Real Madrid where he scored over 200 goals and won the Champions League five times. He also won the Ballon d'Or as recently as 2022.
One regret of his career — apart from never playing in the Premier League — would be that he never won a major trophy with France. He was unfortunately involved in a scandal that led to him not being included in their 2018 side that won the World Cup in Russia.
9. Fabio Cannavaro
There are often not enough defenders on lists like these. However, Fabio Cannavaro is one who we would have definitely liked to have seen in the Premier League.
Cannavaro won the World Cup with Italy in 2006 and the Ballon d'Or the same year. His club soccer was spent in Europe at Napoli, Parma, Inter Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid.
He is now a manager, having recently been with the Italian side Benevento Calcio, so we could one day see him coach in the Premier League.
10. Kaka
Kaka is another great Brazilian who we never got to see in the Premier League. His club career in Europe was spent at AC Milan and Real Madrid.
He won the Ballon d'Or in 2007, the Champions League with Milan the same year and the World Cup in 2002.
Kaka did not live up to epectations at Real Madrid, so there would be questions as to whether he would have been able to cut it in the Premier League.
11. Andrea Pirlo
Andrea Pirlo is very respected in England for his quarterback-esque passing. His performance against England at the 2012 European Championship was impressive and his style was summed up with his panenka-chipped penalty over Joe Hart.
Unfortunately, his club career never took him to the Premier League. His playing time in Europe was notably spent with Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus.
He is now a manager and is currently with the Italian side Sampdoria. So there is hope that he could one day grace the Premier League in the dugout.
12. Gianluigi Buffon
We have had some fantastic goalkeepers in the Premier League, for example, Peter Schmeichel and Petr Cech. However, one great who never played club soccer in England is Gianluigi Buffon.
Buffon's club career was spent with Parma, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain. He won everything there is except the Champions League, where he was runner-up three times.
In his autobiography, he mentioned that he would have liked to have played for West Ham United. The goalkeeper also got a great reception when his Juventus side played the Hammers in the opening game at the London Stadium.
13. Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos is another player who we will likely never see in the Premier League. He is still representing Sevilla but he is now 37.
Ramos has enjoyed an illustrious club career, most notably at Real Madrid where he won the Champions League four times.
His aggression would have suited the Premier League. This was epitomised when he injured Mohamed Salah in the 2018 final of the Champions League, which Real went on to win.
14. Xavi
Xavi was one of Barcelona's star players and his passing ability helped them to claim four Champions League titles.
One concern is whether he could have coped with the physicality of the Premier League as he is only 5-foot-7. However, he could still perform against English sides in the Champions League. Notably in the 2011 final which his Barca side won against Manchester United.
Xavi is now a manager and is with Barcelona, so we could one day see him coaching in the Premier League.
15. Rivaldo
The Brazilian Rivaldo was a player with flair who would have entertained a Premier League crowd.
His club career in Europe was spent notably with Barcelona where he won LaLiga three times. He also won the Champions League with AC Milan.
Rivaldo won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002 but is also remembered for his dive in the competition that got Turkey's Hakan Unsal sent off. This moment would not have gone down well had he done it in the Premier League, as English fans despise any form of cheating.
