(Reuters) – Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and ex Arsenal striker Ian Wright are among six ex-players who have been inducted into the Premier League’s Hall of Fame, the league said on Thursday.
Schmeichel and Wright join former Manchester City players Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany, as well as Chelsea’s Didier Drogba and United’s Paul Scholes.
Danish goalkeeper Schmeichel, who left United in 1999 after eight years at Old Trafford during which they won five Premier League titles, said he had tried his best to leave a lasting legacy.
“You have to make the best of that opportunity and make sure you’re someone who is remembered because you did something,” Schmeichel said in a statement.
Arsenal great Wright, who scored 185 goals for the London club and won a league and FA Cup double in 1998, said the recognition was made more special by the late start to his professional career at the age of 21.
“You have to remember that for the majority of my football journey, I never thought I’d become a professional footballer,” Wright said in a statement.
“So to do that, enjoy the times I had with the fans and my team mates and now to receive this accolade, is a true honour.”
The six inductees join Wayne Rooney and Patrick Vieira, who were inducted into the Hall of Fame last month.
The league said the Hall of Fame “celebrates the talent and achievements” of those who have featured in the division since its inception in 1992 and that players must have been retired as of Jan. 1, 2022 to be eligible.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
