The Premier League Hall of Fame has added its ninth and 10th members to the group.
Manchester United great Wayne Rooney and former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira were inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
The pair became the ninth and 10th players to join the group after David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Dennis Bergkamp, Frank Lampard, Roy Keane, Eric Cantona, Thierry Henry, and Alan Shearer.
Rooney, who now coaches Derby County in the Championship, is the league’s second-highest scorer of all time. He scored 208 goals in 491 appearances for United and Everton. 103 assists also came his way – as did five league titles, one Player of the Season prize, and six Player of the Month awards.
“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,” said the 36-year-old former forward.
“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.
“I have so many brilliant memories from my years playing for Everton and Manchester United and I’m really proud of what we achieved.”
A prodigy who became a legend 💫
Wayne Rooney mesmerised Evertonians from the age of 16 and went on to score 208 Premier League goals, winning 5 #PL titles at @ManUtd
The first 2022 Inductee to the #PLHallOfFame is @WayneRooney pic.twitter.com/l7BxzT3EGo
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 23, 2022
‘It makes me proud and realise how good I was’
Vieira, on the other hand, captained the Arsenal “Invincibles” team to unbeaten Premier League glory in 2003/04. He won the competition three times overall, supplying 31 goals and 34 assists in 307 appearances.
The Crystal Palace manager, who finished his career at Manchester City in 2011, said: “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. To be there with the best players in the Premier League, the best league in the world, is bigger than what I was ever thinking about.
“To have my name around those players makes me proud and makes me realise how good I was.”
One of the greatest central midfielders in Premier League history ✨
Patrick Vieira was pivotal in @Arsenal's three #PL title wins and led the club to an unbeaten season in 2003/04 with his combative elegance @OfficialVieira is the second 2022 Inductee to the #PLHallOfFame pic.twitter.com/8XjxkUC0ic
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 23, 2022
Rooney and Vieira are the first two inductees of 2022. A public vote will open up on Wednesday so fans can help decide another six legends to join a shortlist of 23 former players.
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