Legendary left-back Ashley Cole has been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.
Cole won three Premier League titles during a 15-season career at Arsenal and Chelsea, combining attacking prowess with formidable defensive qualities to become one of the greatest defenders the competition has ever seen.
Part of the record-breaking "Invincibles" Arsenal team who went unbeaten through the 2003/04 season, Cole made 385 Premier League appearances in total, contributed to 147 clean sheets, scored 15 goals and made 31 assists.
The moment Ashley Cole received his #PLHallOfFame medallion 🏅
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 25, 2024
✨ @TheRealAC3
“I’m honoured to join the Premier League Hall of Fame," said Cole. "It’s humbling and fulfilling to be rewarded at the end of your career.
“I went through my career just trying to give my best and be good enough. You take it day by day and game by game. As a young kid, you never dream of any of this and you just do it for the love of the game of football.
“I played for some fantastic clubs with incredible fans. Winning trophies with my boyhood club Arsenal and with Chelsea are amazing memories that will always be with me.
“It’s emotional to reflect because a lot of hard work has been put in. To join the Hall of Fame alongside the likes of Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba and Rio Ferdinand, I’m privileged to be in their company.”
Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said: “If you ask people for the best full-back in Premier League history, many of them would name Ashley Cole. He excelled for title-winning Arsenal and Chelsea sides and helped to redefine the position thanks to his defensive and attacking qualities.
"After breaking through as a youngster at Arsenal, he will always be remembered as part of the iconic ‘Invincibles’ team, whose achievements remain unprecedented to this day.
“He continued his winning ways at Chelsea, forming a key part of one of the highest-scoring sides we have ever seen, and we are delighted to welcome him as the latest inductee into the Premier League Hall of Fame.”
Cole's career in numbers
| Category | Ashley Cole |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 385 |
| Goals | 15 |
| Assists | 31 |
| Clean sheets | 147 |
| PL titles | 3 |
Vote for who to join Cole
Cole is the first of three 2024 inductees to the Hall of Fame. Who will join him in the home of the greats is down to you.
A shortlist of 15 nominees has been revealed, with fans from across the world invited to vote for two further inductees.
Voting will take place at premierleague.com/halloffame and on the official Premier League app, closing at 12:00 BST on Monday 8 April. The two inductees chosen will be announced on Monday 22 April.
What is the Hall of Fame?
The Hall of Fame recognises and celebrates individuals who have an exceptional record of success and have made a significant contribution to the Premier League since its inception in 1992. It is the highest individual honour awarded by the League.
The Hall of Fame launched in 2021, with inaugural inductees David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Eric Cantona, Thierry Henry, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Alan Shearer.
In 2022, Sergio Aguero, Didier Drogba, Vincent Kompany, Wayne Rooney, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, Patrick Vieira and Ian Wright were inducted.
Last year, Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger were named as the first managerial inductees, with Tony Adams, Petr Cech and Rio Ferdinand also voted in.
All inductees receive a medallion engraved with their name and the year of their induction, along with a £10,000 donation made by the Premier League to a charity of their choice.
To be eligible for this season’s Premier League Hall of Fame, individuals must have been retired as of 1 January 2024, and only an individual’s career achievements in the Premier League are considered in their candidacy.