David Ginola

The most flamboyant French footballer to play in the Premier League — David Ginola's combination of electrifying left-footed dribbling, physical presence and theatrical style made him one of the division's most compelling figures throughout the 1990s. FWA Footballer of the Year and PFA Players' Player of the Year simultaneously in 1999 while at Tottenham, beating Beckham and Keane in a vote that surprised many and reflected how thoroughly he had dominated over the course of that season. His Newcastle years under Kevin Keegan produced some of the most exciting Premier League football of the decade, and his left foot remains the measuring stick against which wide players at St James' Park are still compared

Football at the highest level rewards technical mastery, physical conditioning and the mental fortitude to perform consistently across a long and unrelenting career. Career highlights included PFA Player of Year 1999, FWA Player of Year 1999. The true measure of a great football athlete is the ability to perform consistently over an extended period, and David's career record demonstrates precisely that quality of sustained excellence. Across a career marked by sustained excellence, David established a legacy that endures in the record books and in the lasting memory of football fans worldwide. The standard David Ginola set across his career in football reflects the level of preparation, tactical intelligence and competitive focus that consistently separates the truly elite from the rest of the field. The dedication required to perform consistently in football at international level defined every aspect of David Ginola's approach to the sport.

• PFA Player of Year 1999
• FWA Player of Year 1999