While the pressure of winning football matches tends to dominate headlines at the highest level, there’s nothing quite like seeing players showboat and enjoying themselves out on the pitch.
Throughout the years, fans have been wowed by some sublime skills from Premier League stars, players unafraid to express themselves and try something out of the ordinary.
Whether it’s an innovative and unique piece of trickery or a staple of the game executed in fine style, fans often delight in the art of the showboat and players bringing pizazz to the Premier League.
We’ve decided to pay tribute to some of the most notorious crowd-pleasers in the division’s history, a collection of players who prided themselves on humiliating opponents with fancy footwork.
Here are five of the Premier League’s most great entertaining players:
Jay-Jay Okocha
‘So good they named him twice’ was the phrase often heard when referencing Jay-Jay Okocha, the sublimely skilled Nigerian who enjoyed a fine Indian summer in the unlikely location of Bolton.
This was a player whose career had been spent dazzling at clubs such as Frankfurt and Fenerbahce, before becoming the poster boy of a cult Paris Saint-Germain side, his twinkle toes the inspiration of a team containing Nicolas Anelka, Mikel Arteta and a young Ronaldinho.
Once the most expensive African footballer of all time, Okocha moved to the Premier League on a free transfer as PSG looked to cut their wage bill, becoming one of several shock signings to join Sam Allardyce at Bolton.
Big Sam has developed a deserved reputation for overseeing some turgid football in his career, but his Bolton side were a mix of eclectic talents and Okocha was the leading light.
Okocha cared little for reputation, if he faced you up there was only going to be one outcome.
Drag backs, step-overs and one notorious rainbow flick over a bewildered Ray Parlour, Okocha helped transform Bolton from relegation candidates to European qualifiers, inspiring those on the pitch alongside him and astonishing those off it.
The game could do with more players of Okocha’s care-free quality.
Midfield Magicians: The Greatest Showman, Jay-Jay Okocha
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo’s evolution has seen him transform from a fleet-footed prospect into one of the finest footballers of all time, the greatest goalscorer in football history and a five-time winner of the Ballon d’Or.
Whilst the forward’s insatiable drive to score goals and become the best is well-publicised, the early version of Ronaldo that lit up the Premier League holds a special place in the hearts of fans.
Arriving at Manchester United as an 18-year-old, the winger was a whirlwind mix of step-overs, chops and flashy footwork, his desire to entertain the crowd often coming at the cost of irking his teammates.
Ronaldo was electric in possession and often left opposition full-backs contorted and confused, his dancing feet leaving no shortage of defenders with twisted ankles and bruised egos.
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Adel Taarabt
If ever there was a player who delighted and frustrated in equal measure, it was Adel Taarabt.
The Moroccan’s magic had seen him compared in style to a certain Zinedine Zidane as a young player, though his story is one of a flawed genius who would never reach his true potential.
He did, however, leave a lasting impression on English football with a scintillating period at Queens Park Rangers, inspiring the club to promotion to the Premier League before bringing his box of tricks to the highest level.
Adel Taarabt, all on his own… #GoalOfTheDay @QPRFC pic.twitter.com/aJt8FOFl9p
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 10, 2017
Taarabt was a street footballer in every sense of the world, the type of player who would nutmeg opponents without a second thought and laugh at their expense as he collected the ball on the opposite side.
His work ethic was often questioned, but running wasn’t his gig.
Taarabt was genius and not graft, a piss-taker of epic proportions, a player who brought the fun factor and made a mockery of those who tried to stop him in his tracks.
Allan Saint-Maximim
Newcastle were known as The Entertainers during the nineties, as Kevin Keegan’s free-scoring side threatened to win the Premier League title. The following two decades for the Magpies were rather less exciting, with the Mike Ashley era coinciding with a slump and two relegations.
In the midst of a rather mediocre period, however, was the fancy footwork of Allan Saint-Maximim. The Frenchman, if nothing else, liked to put on a show for his fans and delighted those on Tyneside with some fabulous feet.
Flawless close control, balance and a burst of pace, the Newcastle fans even forgave ‘Maxi’ for his often erratic end product. That he often chose to taunt opponents for the fun of it, while wearing a Gucci headband, only added to his cult figure status.
Salsa? Rumba? Samba? ????
Newcastle United’s Allan Saint-Maximin has clearly been taking some DANCING lessons ????⚽pic.twitter.com/BKef879Wg3
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) April 21, 2022
Yannick Bolasie
You get the impression that Yannick Bolasie would swap a perfectly executed showboat over three points, such was the winger’s desire to embarrass opponents when at full flight.
Beginning his career in the humble settings of non-league and Malta, Bolasie’s imaginative style soon won admirers with his best years coming in the colours of Crystal Palace.
Pure filth from Yannich Bolasie. ????
???? @CPFCpic.twitter.com/tgteqVZWQ3
— Football Tekkers (@BallTekkers) May 8, 2022
Such was his unorthodox and innovative style of dribbling, it was entirely probable Bolasie did not know what trick was next to be pulled out of his magic hat, leaving opposition full-backs helpless.
Bolasie’s bamboozling of Christian Eriksen during a game against Tottenham saw his outrageous turn christened the ‘Bolasie 360 flick’, the ultimate salute to a stylish showboater.
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