Prince William has revealed his list of the greatest English football players of all time during a surprise appearance on the New Heights podcast, hosted by NFL stars Jason and Travis Kelce. The Prince of Wales, who recorded the episode just hours before Travis Kelce married pop star Taylor Swift, discussed a range of topics including England's World Cup chances and British drinking culture.
William's Top Four (and More)
When asked to name his four greatest English footballers, William immediately selected David Beckham, then praised Gary Lineker's goal-scoring record, which current England captain Harry Kane is close to surpassing. "Harry Kane could end up being one of the greatest English strikers we've ever seen," William said. He went on to include Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, and Sir Bobby Charlton, exceeding the requested four. "Wayne Rooney's got to be in there too. That generation I was really hopeful for and absolutely love them. But, if you're going, you know, a long way back, it's Bobby Charlton as well, you know, one of the greatest of all time English players. There's a selection there. They're different genres," he added.
Controversial Inclusion of Gary Lineker
The mention of Lineker is notable given his controversial departure from the BBC in May 2025. Lineker left his role as the lead football pundit after significant backlash over a social media post criticizing Zionism that included an illustration of a rat, a symbol used in Nazi propaganda to dehumanize Jewish people. He deleted the post and apologized unreservedly, but the BBC and Lineker mutually agreed to part ways. Lineker had previously faced criticism for sharing political views on immigration, Brexit, and former defence secretary Grant Shapps.
Other Topics Discussed
William also joked about Brits' ability to "handle our beer" and expressed quiet confidence in England's World Cup prospects. The podcast episode was released shortly before Travis Kelce's wedding to Taylor Swift, which William had joked in May that he hoped to attend.
