One of the best British gamers of the 80s

January 13, 2025

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The 80s noticed England and Scotland each qualify for 2 World Cups, whereas English sides dominated the European recreation.

Unsurprisingly, then, it was a interval teeming with prime expertise from the house nations, from heroic goalkeepers to prolific strikers.

Right here, we run by means of the easiest British gamers of the 80s…

Steve Archibald

Steve Archibald playing for Tottenham against West Ham in 1983

Steve Archibald taking part in for Tottenham in opposition to West Ham in 1983 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Prime scorer within the 1980/81 First Division with 20 targets for Tottenham, Scottish striker Steve Archibald discovered the online freely for a lot of the primary half of the 80s.

A part of his nation’s 1982 and 1986 World Cup squads, he joined Barcelona for £1.15m in 1984 and helped them to their first LaLiga title in 11 years, notching 15 occasions in his debut season within the Spanish prime flight.

Ray Wilkins

Ray Wilkins playing for England in 1982

Ray Wilkins taking part in for England in 1982 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

A swish and metronomic deep-lying midfielder, Ray Wilkins was one in every of England’s key gamers on the 1982 and 1986 World Cups, serving to them to the quarter-finals of the latter.

At membership stage, he starred in Manchester United’s 1982/83 FA Cup triumph and gained the 1988/89 Scottish title with Rangers, following spells overseas at Milan and PSG.

Davie Cooper

Davie Cooper playing for Scotland against England in 1983

Davie Cooper taking part in for Scotland in opposition to England in 1983 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

“God gave Davie Cooper a expertise. He wouldn’t be dissatisfied with the way it was used.”

These had been the phrases of legendary Rangers and Scotland supervisor Walter Smith – and he wasn’t mistaken: Cooper was one of the vital supremely gifted Scottish gamers of all time.

A devastating winger whose left foot was so good that it was stated he didn’t want a proper, he spent one of the best years of his profession with Rangers, profitable three league titles, and featured for Scotland on the 1986 World Cup.

Peter Shilton

Peter Shilton playing for Southampton in 1985

Peter Shilton taking part in for Southampton in 1985 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

England’s primary all through the 80s, Peter Shilton ended his epic worldwide profession with a Three Lions-record 125 caps.

He started the last decade by starring for Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest as they retained the European Cup, when he additionally made his third of 9 consecutive PFA First Division Groups of the Yr – being named within the final two whereas taking part in for Southampton.

Gordon Strachan

Gordon Strachan during his time at Manchester United, 1985

Gordon Strachan at Manchester United in 1985 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

A skilful and aggressive right-sided midfielder, Gordon Strachan established himself as one in every of Scotland’s best gamers throughout a trophy-laden first half of the 80s.

Among the many fundamental males in Alex Ferguson’s 1982/83 Cup Winners’ Cup-winning Aberdeen facet, Strachan went on to elevate the 1984/85 FA Cup with Manchester United.

He performed on the 1982 and 1986 World Cup, scoring in opposition to West Germany on the latter.

Kevin Keegan

Kevin Keegan playing for England against the Republic of Ireland in 1980

Kevin Keegan taking part in for England in opposition to the Republic of Eire in 1980 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Ballon d’Or winner two years working on the finish of the 70s, Kevin Keegan remained a prime participant into the early 80s, incomes the final of his 63 England caps in 1982.

Having returned to his homeland from Hamburg in 1980, the Liverpool legend scooped the 1981/82 PFA Participant of the Yr award due to a prolific 26-goal top-flight marketing campaign for Southampton.

Bryan Robson

Bryan Robson playing for England in 1988

Bryan Robson taking part in for England in 1988 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Manchester United and England legend Bryan Robson led by instance for membership and nation, captaining each the Purple Devils and Three Lions.

Scorer of one of many quickest-ever World Cup targets after 27 seconds in opposition to France in 1982, the box-to-box midfield maestro was named in 5 successive PFA First Division Groups of the Yr between 1982 and 1986, profitable his first of three FA Cups with United in 1983.

Graeme Souness

Graeme Souness playing for Liverpool against Ipswich Town in 1980

Graeme Souness taking part in for Liverpool in opposition to Ipswich in 1980 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Way more than only a hardman, Graeme Souness was a vitally essential midfield cog for Liverpool, Sampdoria, Rangers and Scotland throughout the 80s.

Skipper for each the Reds and his nation, main the Reds to a number of main honours – together with the 1983/84 European Cup, his third with the membership – sporting the armband on the 1986 World Cup, Souness proved his attacking credentials by ending as joint prime scorer with six targets within the 1980/81 European Cup.

Gary Lineker

Gary Lineker playing for Everton in the 1986 FA Cup final against Liverpool

Gary Lineker taking part in for Everton within the 1986 FA Cup remaining in opposition to Liverpool (Picture credit score: Alamy)

England’s first World Cup Golden Boot winner, gathering the accolade after serving to his nation to the quarter-finals of Mexico ’86, Gary Lineker was one of the vital instinctive strikers of his period.

First Division prime scorer with 24 targets for hometown membership Leicester in 1984/85 and 30 for Everton the next season – when he additionally gained each PFA Gamers’ Participant of the Yr and FWA Footballer of the Yr – Lineker accomplished a £2.8m transfer to Barcelona in 1986 and went on to internet 52 occasions, lifting the Copa del Rey and Cup Winners’ Cup.

Alan Hansen

Alan Hansen playing for Liverpool in 1986

Alan Hansen taking part in for Liverpool in 1986 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

A defensive Rolls-Royce thought to be one of many recreation’s all-time nice centre-backs, Alan Hansen carried out with distinction for Liverpool all through the 80s, profitable six First Division titles, two FA Cups, 4 League Cups and two European Cups.

Later recognized for his scathing assessments of “diabolical” defending as a pundit on Match of the Day, Hansen featured for Scotland on the 1982 World Cup.

Chris Waddle

Chris Waddle playing for England against Albania in 1989

Chris Waddle taking part in for England in opposition to Albania in 1989 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Named within the PFA First Division Group of the Yr in his remaining seasons at each Newcastle and Tottenham, Chris Waddle was amongst Europe’s best attacking midfielders of the 80s.

A sensationally tough dribbler who delighted followers on the membership and worldwide levels, he gained his first of 62 England caps in 1985 and ended the last decade with French giants Marseille, changing into one of the vital costly gamers ever when he arrived for £4.5m from Spurs.

John Barnes

John Barnes playing for Liverpool in 1987

John Barnes taking part in for Liverpool in 1987 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Making a reputation for himself at Watford, John Barnes had firmly established himself as one of many English recreation’s most fun stars by the latter half of the 80s, incomes an enormous transfer to Liverpool in 1987.

A 1987/88 First Division champion with the Reds, scoring 15 targets and doing the double of PFA Gamers’ Participant of the Yr and FWA Footballer of the Yr, Barnes would possibly simply be the best left-footed English participant of all time, as he exhibited in gorgeous style together with his iconic solo aim in opposition to Brazil on the Maracana in 1984.

Glenn Hoddle

Glenn Hoddle playing for England against Paraguay at the 1986 World Cup

Glenn Hoddle taking part in for England in opposition to Paraguay on the 1986 World Cup (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Up there among the many most naturally gifted English footballers of all time, Glenn Hoddle dazzled together with his silky midfield play.

An distinctive passer of the ball with very good long-range capturing potential, Hoddle was on the coronary heart of Tottenham’s back-to-back FA Cup triumphs and UEFA Cup victory throughout the early 80s, making 5 PFA First Division Groups of the Yr earlier than leaving for Monaco – the place he performed an integral function in profitable the 1987/88 French title.

Neville Southall

Neville Southall playing for Everton in 1984

Neville Southall taking part in for Everton in 1984 (Picture credit score: Alamy)

In his 80s prime, Welsh icon Neville Southall was arguably one of the best goalkeeper on the planet, particularly excelling together with his fast reactions and talent in one-on-one conditions.

A studious participant who always strived to higher himself, studying up on golf and boxing to enhance his steadiness and spring, the 1985 FWA Footballer of the Yr loved nice success with Howard Kendall’s Everton, profitable two First Division titles, two FA Cups and the Cup Winners’ Cup.

Ian Rush

Ian Rush celebrates after scoring for Liverpool against Everton in the 1986 FA Cup final

Ian Rush celebrates after scoring for Liverpool in opposition to Everton within the 1986 FA Cup remaining (Picture credit score: Alamy)

One other of Wales’ finest-ever gamers, Ian Rush loved one of the best years of his profession at Liverpool, banging the targets in for enjoyable as one of the vital formidable centre-forwards of the 80s.

Rush hit the 30-goal mark within the First Division twice throughout the decade, scooping the 1984 European Golden Shoe and doing the double of PFA Gamers’ Participant of the Yr and FWA Footballer of the Yr.

A winner of 12 main trophies with the Reds between 1981 and 1989, he additionally netted seven occasions in his one season at Juventus, 1987/88.

Kenny Dalglish

Kenny Dalglish playing for Scotland at the 1982 World Cup

Kenny Dalglish taking part in for Scotland on the 1982 World Cup (Picture credit score: Alamy)

Undoubtedly top-of-the-line British footballers of all time, by no means thoughts the 80s, Kenny Dalglish indelibly etched his identify into Liverpool historical past throughout a goal- and trophy-laden decade.

PFA Gamers’ Participant of the Yr, FWA Footballer of the Yr and Ballon d’Or runner-up in 1983, Scotland’s greatest-ever participant had a profound affect on quite a few main successes for the Reds – amongst them the 1980/81 and 1983/84 European Cups – whose followers christened him ‘King Kenny’.

Capped a report 102 occasions by his nation, Dalglish’s 30 worldwide targets included one in opposition to New Zealand on the 1982 World Cup.

One of the best British gamers of the 80s

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