Top 10 Tottenham Hotspur Players Of All Time

Tottenham Hotspur have established themselves as one of the Premier League's 'Big 6' sides and their maiden Europa League win last season has done wonders for their international standing.

Historically the club have been near the top of the pile in virtually every season they have played; this season may not be off to a flier but it's clear to see why they have become one of the nation's biggest sides.

With being such a large club, it naturally means you see a variety of top-tier players step onto the pitch throughout the years, but the question I can sense you asking is who are the top 10 of all time? Luckily, this list will answer that question just for you.

10) Gary Lineker

You might know him best nowadays for being the former face of Match of the Day or maybe just for selling crisps but before this he was one of the nation's most prolific strikers seen in our history and subsequently one of Tottenham's best ever players when he played at White Hart Lane.

In his first season for the side after arriving from Spanish giants Barcelona, he managed to wrap up the First Division golden boot and left the club with 80 goals in 138 appearances.

Furthermore, he was hugely influential on the club's FA Cup win in 1991, where he will be fondly remembered by Spurs fans for his semi-final brace against Arsenal.

🗓 On this day in 1989, we signed @GaryLineker from Barcelona! pic.twitter.com/OT52JP7EAG

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) June 21, 2021

9) Heung Min Son

When he arrived from German side, Bayer Leverkusen for £22m back in 2015, not many in England knew what to make of the signing; people could go back and watch his highlights but not many knew what to expect.

Whatever the expectations were, it's safe to say nobody, or at least very few, anticipated he would mark himself as an iconic Spurs player of the Premier League era.

By the end of his time in North London, the Korean international left with 333 Premier League appearances, contributing 127 goals and 71 assists. His goal scoring was prolific enough to win him the Golden Boot in the 20/21 season and he even won a Puskas Award in 2020.

To cap it all off, he captained the side to their first Europa League and ended the club's trophy drought in his final season, a poetic ending to a stellar career.

Heung-min Son’s stunning goal against Burnley wins the Puskas Award! ☀️ (🎥 @FIFAcom) pic.twitter.com/ai8yFv0jsz

— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 17, 2020

8) Paul Gascoigne

If you ask any footballer that played in England during the 90s who the craziest man they'd ever met was, there's at least a 90% chance they all name Paul Gascoigne.

Known for his absolutely insane off-field antics, many often forget just how talented of a player he was and how influential he was for the sides he played for. One such team was Tottenham Hotspur, whom he only played with for 3 years but what special 3 years they were.

Gascoigne was not known as a numbers man or a 'G/A merchant', as we'd tend to call players now, but his exciting style of play and ability to get fans into a stadium just to see what moment of magic he could produce was on a level Tottenham had sparsely seen before.

He established himself as a fan favourite after bagging an absolute peach of a free kick against Arsenal in the semi-finals of Tottenham's 1991 FA Cup-winning run.

Paul Gascoigne's rabona penalty! ✨ pic.twitter.com/iHR80eABL7

— 90s Football (@90sfootball) November 13, 2025

7) Glenn Hoddle

Making your way through a club's academy is a surefire way to establish yourself as a fan favourite from the beginning. Coming through the academy and going on to be one of the most successful and exciting players the club has ever seen is the stuff that makes legends.

That is the brief summation of Glenn Hoddle's career at Tottenham following his first-team debut in 1975. Often cited for his out-of-this-world technical ability and passing range, he was the kind of player that fans would turn up to watch even if he was the only man on the pitch.

Hoddle was a crucial element of Tottenham's success in the 1980s, having played a major role in back-to-back FA Cup wins in 1981 and 1982 and then helping bring home European glory in 1984 with the UEFA Cup.

Happy birthday to Glenn Hoddle.

So many goals, songs and quotes to choose from but this free-kick against Wimbledon in an Fa Cup quarter-final in 1987 is magnificent. pic.twitter.com/pNvffDJH3d

— When Football Was Better (@FootballInT80s) October 27, 2025

6) Dave Mackay

Sticking with the theme of players from far-back eras, we go to the 1950s/60s to find Scottish Spurs legend Dave Mackay. He arrived at Tottenham in 1959 after impressing with the Scottish national teams, signing from Hearts.

Mackay was primarily regarded within the club for his physical attributes and energy levels running around the pitch like a madman on a weekly basis. To just ascribe this as what Mackay was known for would be a disservice, however, as he also had phenomenal technical ability.

To cement his status as a Spurs legend, the Scotsman did a solid job at bringing in trophies, ending his 9 years in the capital with a double in 1961, 3 FA Cups, 1 First Division title and 1 European Cup.

It’s Dave Mackay’s birthday. You remember him.

Here he is telling Billy Bremner to take a wee bit more care and attention with his tackles, whilst a beautifully bronzed Terry Venables looks on.

Art. pic.twitter.com/TyWajJ2BRQ

— A Funny Old Game (@sid_lambert) November 14, 2025

5) Gareth Bale

Arriving in North London from the south coast with Southampton, it wasn't long before it was plain to see that Bale was one of the league's biggest shining stars. Most now will remember him as the tricky and powerful winger but his career at Tottenham began as a full-back.

The conversion to winger is what made the Welshman one of the most formidable players ever in the Premier League, whose physical attributes could not be matched. Being one of the fastest players in the league was not enough for Bale, as he also quickly proved to have an absolute wand of a left boot.

His penchant for scoring absolute screamers week in, week out eventually caught the attention of a fellow club who play for the Spanish giants Real Madrid and Bale eventually moved there for a British record sale of £85m back in 2013.

In 166 appearances for Spurs, he racked up 53 goals and 22 assists; trophies were tougher to come by for the Welshman, only bringing home a Football League Cup in 2008. However, based on the love of the fan base and cementing himself as one of the most talented players Britain has ever produced, he has to go down as one of Tottenham's greatest ever players.

10 years ago today we signed @GarethBale11! Enjoy his top 5️⃣ goals in a Spurs shirt... 🚀 🔥 #COYS pic.twitter.com/bcORWxdNxr

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 25, 2017

4) Ledley King

Centre-back and captain Ledley King has cemented himself as one of the club's greatest and most fondly remembered captains of all time through his leadership, defensive ability and willingness to battle for the badge no matter what.

He captained the side to their last trophy before the Europa League win this summer, the Football League Cup back in 2008 and although this was the only trophy he won for the side, Spurs fans will never care so long as they got to watch their captain.

What makes King stand out is the fact that he was a one-club man, coming through the academy and sticking with the 'Lilywhites' until injury forced his hand into retirement back in 2012.

But ask any Tottenham fan who their greatest captain was in living memory and you'd be hard-pressed to find answers other than King Ledley.

Happy birthday to Ledley King, who turns 44 today. 👑

Imagine how good he would have been if he had a healthy pair of knees. 😔 pic.twitter.com/Rj9lcNQlXe

— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) October 12, 2025

3) Danny Blanchflower

Taking it back to the 1950s/60s, Northern Irish star Danny Blanchflower was one of the earliest examples of an icon of North London. Captain of the famous double-winning side of 1961.

Known by fans as 'Mr Versatile', the man was willing to play wherever his team needed him so long as he could influence positive attacking football for his side, part of what made the Spurs faithful fall in love with him.

To add to captaining his side to the double in 1961, he also won another FA Cup in his Tottenham career and a UEFA Cup Winners Cup. It was all this and his philosophy towards football that helped establish him as one of the first icons in Tottenham Hotspur's history.

Aah Good Old Days Football
Danny Blanchflower Leads Spurs Out pic.twitter.com/Rsk7CyJPhg

— SUPERB FOOTY PICS (@SuperbFootyPics) June 3, 2025

2) Jimmy Greaves

Not only one of Tottenham's greatest ever players but one of English football's, full stop, iconic players, Jimmy Greaves was one of the most prolific goal scorers the nation has ever seen and has been deeply remembered by Spurs fans for this.

In his 321 games for the side, he was able to bag a phenomenal 220 goals. Not only is that just outright impressive but it has stood as the record for English top-flight all-time goals since he set it all the way back in the 1960s/70s, and it is honestly questionable whether it will ever be beaten.

His ice-cold composure in front of the net was what helped him on his way to setting a potentially unbreakable record but also helped him guide his Spurs side to 2 FA Cup wins and a UEFA Cup Winners Cup.

A Spurs legend, forever in our hearts 🤍

Today we remember Jimmy Greaves on the fourth anniversary of his passing. pic.twitter.com/kyIfCwBuy0

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 19, 2025

1) Harry Kane

He may be a boyhood Arsenal fan but Harry Kane has made himself a Tottenham legend for life and will likely remain the face of the club for an absurd amount of time from now.

What influences this so much is simply the fact that he is both England's and Tottenham's highest-ever goal scorer and in the argument for greatest Premier League striker of all time.

Trophies never came during Kane's time in North London but with the goalscoring numbers he produced and how high esteem he is held in, I very much doubt he minds that much anymore. Netting 213 and getting 46 assists in 320 appearances is just downright absurd and that's just in the Premier League and resulted in him getting 3 golden boots.

Kane was irrefutably world-class and nobody could ever even try to deny it in any sense of seriousness; he was maybe the first player in Tottenham history that had genuine Ballon d'Or potential and was in the conversation for greatest player in the world year on year. That is why Harry Kane makes the top spot on this list.

Harry Kane. One of our own. Tottenham legend. pic.twitter.com/e0KjehV6Az

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 12, 2023