Throughout the history of the Premier League, there have been players whose looks were instantly recognisable, often even before their shirt numbers came into focus. From Eric Cantona's iconic flipped-up collar to Edgar Davids' distinctive protective glasses, certain elements of attire and appearance have evolved into signature trademarks for these footballing legends.
Planet Football has compiled a list of ten of the most iconic player looks to grace the Premier League.
1. Eric Cantona — Flipped-up collar. Cantona's collar became inseparable from the image of the French legend at Manchester United.
Roy Keane once described Cantona's entrance onto the pitch:
“With his collar up, back straight, and chest out — he walked onto that pitch as if it belonged to him.”
Cantona himself claimed there was no elaborate plan behind the look:
“I didn’t plan it. It was cold one day and my collar just stayed up. We won that game, so it became a habit.”
2. Thierry Henry — Long socks. High socks and black gloves became synonymous with one of Arsenal’s greatest forwards. Coupled with Henry's long strides and trademark bursts of pace, it was a look that was unmistakably his.
3. Juan Pablo Angel — The headband. The Colombian striker made his mark not just with goals but also with a headband keeping his long hair in check. This look was later adopted by players like Hernan Crespo and Edinson Cavani in the Premier League.
4. Dwight Yorke — The golden chain. During his time at Aston Villa and Manchester United, Yorke often sported a gold chain while playing. Nowadays, such jewellery on the pitch seems unthinkable, but it became a defining part of his forward image.
5. Robbie Fowler — The nose strip. The Liverpool striker frequently used Breathe Right nasal strips, which claimed to aid breathing by dilating the nostrils, although evidence of performance improvement was questionable.
6. Cristiano Ronaldo — White tape on his ankles. During his first stint at Manchester United, one of his trademarks was the white tape wrapped around his ankles. Initially practical for securing protective gear, it soon became part of his look, emulated by young footballers.”
7. Joe Ledley — The beard. The former Crystal Palace midfielder and Welsh international was hard to miss thanks to his bushy beard, which became so well-known it gained a social media following of its own.
8. Fabrizio Ravanelli — Silver hair. When Ravanelli joined Middlesbrough in 1996 at just 27, his prematurely silver hair made him look significantly older. This became a hallmark of his style, along with his iconic goal celebration, pulling his shirt over his head.
9. Petr Cech — The protective helmet. In 2006, the Chelsea goalkeeper suffered a skull fracture after a collision with Stephen Hunt during a match against Reading. The injury was life-threatening, yet just three months later, he was back on the pitch.
Post-recovery, Cech donned a specialist helmet that became a part of his kit for the remainder of his career.
10. Edgar Davids — The protective glasses. One of the most unique and recognisable looks in football history. Davids began sporting protective glasses after being diagnosed with glaucoma during his time at Juventus. When he moved to Tottenham in 2005, the combination of glasses and dreadlocks became part of his iconic look, a hallmark of the midfielder nicknamed 'The Pitbull.'
