Micah Richards and Alan Shearer ranked the Premier League’s greatest ‘Rest of the World’ players (2025)

Alan Shearer and Micah Richards ranked the Premier League’s greatest ever ‘Rest of the World’ players for an episode of Match of the Day’s Top 10 podcast in 2022. The former footballers-turned-pundits took a closer look at the players from outside Europe, Africa and South America who have made the biggest impact in England’s top division since 1992.

Shearer and Richards were tasked with ranking the following 10 players: Park Ji-sung, Christian Pulisic, Shinji Okazaki, Dwight Yorke, Tim Cahill, Shinji Kagawa, Brad Friedel, Mark Viduka, Clint Dempsey, and Son Heung-min. There were some debates over who should place where, and before the discussion began, three players—Harry Kewell, Mark Schwarzer, and Tim Howard—received honorable mentions.

Micah Richards’ Top 10 'Rest of the World' Premier League Players

Tim Cahill ranks third, while Christian Pulisic came ninth

Early on in his career, Shinji Kagawa had all the makings of an all-time great - potentially, even, of the greatest Asian player ever. By 23 years old, he had already lifted two Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund, but injuries that ensued in his time at Manchester United left him sidelined for much of his Old Trafford tenure, despite still becoming the first man from Japan to win the Premier League.

For that reason, both Shearer and Richards ranked him last, with the latter stating: “He was class at Dortmund, but sometimes it doesn’t work out.” However, one difference in opinion between the two came in the form of former Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic, who Richards was hesitant to rank any higher than ninth.

Asked if Pulisic could eventually end up top of this list, Richards said: “I think so, yeah. Maybe Son’s got more natural ability, but Pulisic has already won the Champions League and Club World Cup.” However, now that the American international plies his trade away from the Premier League with AC Milan, his ability to move up is restricted for now, as he ranks just behind compatriot Brad Friedel in eighth.

Mark Viduka, the former Leeds United marksman, was put in seventh by Richards, behind Clint Dempsey, who occupied sixth. Shinji Okazaki, meanwhile, was given the first position inside the top five, which was one higher than where Shearer placed him. An integral part of the Leicester City team that shocked the football world by winning the 2016 Premier League title and the season after, reaching the Champions League quarter-finals, Okazaki was a fully-fledged Japanese international during his time in the topflight.

Park Ji-sung, who Sir Alex Ferguson named as one of the most underrated players he coached during his 27-year tenure as Manchester United boss, is ranked fourth, which could be considered a little low. On Park, Richards commented: “Dependable. He never let [Sir Alex Ferguson] down. I think he had more quality than people give him credit for, he could play.” Breaking into the top three instead of him was Tim Cahill.

Shearer and Richards did agree on one thing: Son Heung-min and Dwight Yorke deserved the second and first spots, respectively. However, a prediction Richards made about Son didn’t quite pan out as expected. He predicted: “If Son and Harry Kane stay together, they will win a trophy under Antonio Conte within the next five years.”

It's safe to say that scenario unravelled, with Kane departing for Bayern Munich in 2023 and Conte parting ways with the club after clashing with management. Only Son remains at Tottenham.

Alan Shearer’s Top 10 'Rest of the World' Premier League Players

Clint Dempsey ninth, with Brad Friedel fourth

Kagawa was ranked at 10th by both pundits, as Shearer gave his 38 appearances as the primary factor behind his 10th-placed position. However, while Richards ranked Dempsey highly, the former Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers striker wasn't so convinced as he slotted him in ninth.

This came somewhat as a surprise to listeners at the time, as the USA icon remains Fulham's top Premier League goalscorer, having found the back of the net 50 times in the top flight, with his nearest rival for the throne being compatriot Brian McBride with 32. After picking Viduka in eighth, however, one player Shearer ranked higher than his partner was Pulisic, who placed seventh.

Okazaki pulled rank in sixth, while Cahill, who was third in Richards' ranking and highly regarded as one of the true Australian greats, only just managed to secure a place in fifth. “£1.5 million from Millwall - what a bargain! He was great in the air," he remarked, as the Australian icon scored 68 goals and provided 28 assists in 278 appearances for Everton.

Shearer was a big fan of Friedel, as shown by his position in fourth, in direct contrast to Richards' decision to name him all the way down in eighth. The legendary Stars and Stripes' goalkeeper made 450 appearances in the Premier League across stints with Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa, Liverpool, and Tottenham.

“Seven years at Man United, he must have had [quality]," Shearer said as he picked Park Ji-sung as his third-best Premier League player to hail from a nation in the 'rest of the world'. And after agreeing with Richards on his picks at number one and two, he had no doubt in his mind about Dwight Yorke's place at the top. He concluded:

All statistics via Premier League and Transfermarkt (correct as of 09/12/24).