After the launch of the Premier League Hall of Fame, we are looking at the 23 nominees who you can vote for to join inaugural inductees Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry.
The six players with the most combined votes will enter the Premier League Hall of Fame.
Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira came to the Premier League relatively unknown, but he left having redefined the role of the central midfielder.
The Frenchman provided a rare combination of power and skill at the heart of an Arsenal midfield that won three Premier League titles, while he was named the PL Player of the Season in 2000/01.
His long-range strikes and late runs into the box brought 31 goals, including one that sealed the Gunners' "Invincible" season in 2003/04, with the captain lifting the Premier League Trophy after an unbeaten campaign.
Career in numbers
| Category | Patrick Vieira |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 307 |
| Goals | 31 |
| Assists | 34 |
| PL titles | 3 |
| Season awards | 1 |
What they said
“Not a lot of players in the history of the game compare to Patrick.” – Thierry Henry
"You can only have a lot of respect for what Patrick has achieved. His career is sensational. He was an exceptional player for us." – Arsene Wenger
“I used to look forward to playing him because he made every one of us raise our game. Arsenal had a great side, but I firmly believe without him they would have been 25 per cent weaker.” – Peter Schmeichel
See: Vote for your Hall of Fame players
Did you know?
Vieira was one of only four players to feature for Arsenal in all three title-winning seasons, along with Dennis Bergkamp, Ray Parlour and Martin Keown.
The French midfielder is one of only three players to feature in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year in six consecutive seasons (1998/99 to 2003/04), along with Steven Gerrard (2003/04 to 2008/09) and Henry (2000/01 to 2005/06).
