April 26 (Reuters) – Former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer and former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry have become the first two players to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame, the league announced on Monday with.
Shearer is the Premier League’s all-time leading scorer, scoring 260 goals in 14 Premier League seasons for Newcastle and Blackburn Rovers.
The former England international, who won the Premier League title with Blackburn in 1994/95, is the only player to have scored 100 goals for two different clubs in the competition.
“When you look at some of the incredible players who have graced the Premier League… I am very honored to be inducted into the Hall of Fame,” Shearer said in a statement.
“All I ever wanted was to be a professional footballer. It was my dream to do that, to win trophies and score at St James’ Park, to wear number nine. I enjoyed every minute of it.”
Former France international Henry scored a club-record 175 Premier League goals in 258 games for Arsenal.
He won the league title twice and was a key member of the Invincibles team that went unbeaten in the 2003/04 season. He also provided a combined record 20 assists in the 2002/2003 season.
“To be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame as the first two inductees alongside Alan Shearer is more than special,” said Henry.
“When I was young, I was just trying to make sure I got a pair of boots, and now let’s talk Hall of Fame.”
The league said the Hall of Fame celebrates “the talent and achievements” of those who have played in the division since its inception in 1992, and players must be retired by August 1, 2020 to be eligible .
Reporting by Arvind Sriram in Bengaluru; Edited by Peter Rutherford
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