Rooney and Vieira enter into Premier League Hall of Fame

The Premier League Hall of Fame has new members. The English league made official this Wednesday the inclusions of both Wayne Rooney and Patrick Vieira. 

"The Hall of Fame recognises and celebrates the exceptional skill and talent of individuals who have graced the Premier League since its inception in 1992. It is the highest individual honour awarded to players by the League," the Premier League explains. 

Wayne Rooney joins this select group as the second highest goalscorer in the history of the Premier League with 208 goals in 491 matches. He also has 103 assists. 

"It's a huge honour for me to be named in the Premier League Hall of Fame, alongside an incredible group of players who have already been inducted. Growing up, I watched the Premier League as far back as I can remember. My dream was always to become a professional footballer, score goals and win trophies, and I was lucky enough to win the Premier League five times," Rooney said. 

"I have so many brilliant memories from my years playing for Everton and Manchester United, and I'm really proud of what we achieved. To enter the Hall of Fame is very special for me personally and I'm grateful to be recognised," Rooney continued. 

Patrick Vieira dominated the midfield in the Premier League, especially during his brilliant time at Arsenal, where he scored 31 goals and gave 34 assists between 1996 and 2005. He was also a key part of Arsenal's Invincibles.

"Being inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame is a fantastic achievement. When I received the news, I thought about being a young boy playing in Senegal, or in a suburb of Paris," Vieira commented. 

"What really makes me happy and proud is when your name is mentioned by new, up-and-coming holding midfielders as an example of how they would like to play," he concluded.

 

March 23, 2022