Wayne Rooney and Patrick Vieira inducted into Premier League Hall of Fame after amazing careers with Man Utd and Arsenal
WAYNE ROONEY and Patrick Vieira have become the latest two former players to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.
Last year, Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry were the first two inductees into the prestigious Prem club.
And now Man Utd legend Rooney and Arsenal icon Vieira have become the newest two members.
Speaking about being inducted, Rooney, who won the Premier League five times, said: “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.
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“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.”
While Vieira, a three-time English champion, added: “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.
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“It’s not bad company to join. I was lucky to play at the same time as some of them, of course including Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp. So to share the stage with them makes me realise I had a really good career.
“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.”
On Wednesday, a shortlist of 25 additional nominees will be announced and football fans will be able to vote on who they believe deserves to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
After voting closes on April 3, six more players will join Rooney and Vieira in being inducted at a Premier League Hall of Fame event next month.
The eight players will all receive an engraved medallion, with a £10,000 donation made by the Premier League to a charity of their choice.
Prem chief executive Richard Masters said: “When it launched last season, the Premier League Hall of Fame captured the imagination of fans around the world as they voted for their favourite players to be inducted.
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“Wayne Rooney and Patrick Vieira are two of the finest players to have played in their respective positions and are worthy additions to the eight players who entered the Hall of Fame last year.
“I think everybody who is old enough to remember Wayne bursting on to the scene for his hometown club Everton as a teenager will agree it is a defining moment of the Premier League era.
“At Manchester United, he went on to become one of the greatest forwards this country has produced, capable of scoring every kind of goal.
“During more than a decade with Arsenal, Patrick was a tower of strength in midfield and very few players have matched his combination of power and finesse.
“He was an integral part of the team and a leader on the pitch, captaining the only side to have gone unbeaten through an entire Premier League season.”