Stephen Hendry has named his top 16 snooker players of the last 50 years, a list that is sure to ignite debate among fans and pundits alike. The seven-time world champion compiled his rankings for the Crucible era, which began with the 1976/77 season, and his selections feature several notable omissions, including multiple former world champions.
Hendry's Criteria and Omissions
Hendry leaned heavily towards modern players, leaving out legends such as Ray Reardon, Cliff Thorburn, and John Spencer. Other former world champions like Ken Doherty and John Parrott were also considered but ultimately cut. Explaining his reasoning, Hendry said on World Snooker Tour’s Snooker Club podcast: 'Obviously what they’ve won has got to come into it, how successful [they’ve been]. I think players I enjoy watching will have to come into it. John Spencer and Ray Reardon I didn’t play against and didn’t really watch a lot of them actually playing, so I probably won’t include them for the simple reason I didn’t watch them play a lot.'
The Top 16 List
Hendry placed himself second, behind Ronnie O'Sullivan, who tops the list with seven World Championships, 23 Triple Crown titles, and 41 ranking titles. Hendry joked: 'I’m tempted purely for argumentative purposes to put myself above Ronnie because the backlash would be huge. He’s got to be above me for the fact that he’s won eight Masters and eight UK Championships. 17 maximums, 1,400 century breaks.'
The full list is as follows:
- 15= Kyren Wilson – 1 World Championship, 2 Triple Crowns, 10 ranking titles
- 15= Mark Allen – 0 World Championships, 2 Triple Crowns, 12 ranking titles
- 14. Alex Higgins – 2 World Championships (1 in Crucible era), 5 Triple Crowns, 1 ranking title
- 13. Paul Hunter – 0 World Championships, 3 Triple Crowns, 3 ranking titles
- 12. Neil Robertson – 1 World Championship, 6 Triple Crowns, 26 ranking titles
- 11. Ding Junhui – 0 World Championships, 4 Triple Crowns, 15 ranking titles
- 10. Shaun Murphy – 1 World Championship, 4 Triple Crowns, 13 ranking titles
- 9. Zhao Xintong – 1 World Championship, 2 Triple Crowns, 6 ranking titles
- 8. Jimmy White – 0 World Championships, 2 Triple Crowns, 10 ranking titles
- 7. Steve Davis – 6 World Championships, 15 Triple Crowns, 28 ranking titles
- 6. Judd Trump – 1 World Championship, 5 Triple Crowns, 31 ranking titles
- 5. Mark Selby – 4 World Championships, 10 Triple Crowns, 25 ranking titles
- 3= Mark Williams – 3 World Championships, 7 Triple Crowns, 27 ranking titles
- 3= John Higgins – 4 World Championships, 9 Triple Crowns, 33 ranking titles
- 2. Stephen Hendry – 7 World Championships, 18 Triple Crowns, 36 ranking titles
- 1. Ronnie O’Sullivan – 7 World Championships, 23 Triple Crowns, 41 ranking titles
Impact and Reaction
The list has already sparked discussion, particularly the inclusion of three players who have never won the World Championship at the Crucible: Mark Allen, Paul Hunter, and Jimmy White. Meanwhile, former champions like Ray Reardon (six world titles) and Cliff Thorburn (one world title) were omitted. Hendry's emphasis on personal enjoyment and modern achievements reflects a subjective approach that prioritises players he watched and admired during his career.
