Premier League's iconic player of the decade - how you voted

A split image of Sergio Aguero, Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane
Sergio Aguero, Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane have the most goal involvements in the Premier League since 2010

He was the most-picked player in your Premier League team of the decade and was responsible for one of the top two moments of the 2010s.

So it is little surprise that Sergio Aguero has been voted by BBC Sport readers as the iconic player of the past decade. He was the runaway winner, with 26% of the vote.

Perhaps the more unlikely result is the identity of the runner-up, with Liverpool midfielder James Milner being chosen by 12% of readers. Jamie Vardy came third with 11%.

With the help of some of BBC Sport's most experienced football journalists we came up with a high-class 15-name list - so strong that the likes of Kevin de Bruyne and Luis Suarez did not make the final cut.

We only considered players who played in the Premier League for at least four seasons in this decade - and anything that happened before January 2010 did not count.

Here are the results - and below is a reminder of each player's achievements.

If you are viewing this page on the BBC News app please click here to vote.

All stats are from 1 January, 2010 onward in the Premier League.

1. Sergio Aguero

(251 appearances; 173 goals; 45 assists)

Manchester City's Sergio Aguero taps in the back post against Swansea
Sergio Aguero scored twice in a 30-minute cameo on his Manchester City debut against Swansea

The best finisher in Premier League history? He's certainly up there.

Sergio Aguero sits sixth in the all-time Premier League top goalscorers list with 173 goals. The Argentina forward has scored 20 or more goals in the past five seasons and has comfortably become Manchester City's record scorer.

Oh, and he has also given us one of the most memorable moments in top-flight history with his title-winning goal against QPR in 2012. Aguerooooooo!

2. James Milner

(305 appearances; 35 goals; 52 goals; 63 clean sheets)

Manchester City's James Milner celebrates after scoring
James Milner won five trophies during his five-year stay at Manchester City

The ever present.

James Milner may have developed a reputation for being boring but on the pitch he is a dependable player who has amassed over 300 appearances this decade for Aston Villa, Manchester City and Liverpool.

He has won five major honours, including two Premier League titles and a Champions League, over the 10 years and has been admired by fans at all of his clubs.

3. Jamie Vardy

(193 appearances; 96 goals; 27 assists)

Leicester City's Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring a goal
Jamie Vardy scored 24 Premier League goals as Leicester won the 2015-16 title

The unlikely hero.

In 2012, Jamie Vardy was still playing non-league football for Fleetwood Town, before he got his £1m move to then Championship side Leicester City.

He only scored five goals in his first campaign in the Premier League - but then netted 24 times as the Foxes won the title the following season.

Thirteen, 20, 18 and 16 in 17 games so far this season have followed and Vardy has established himself as one of the best strikers in the league.

4. Wayne Rooney

(248 appearances; 114 goals; 54 assists)

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney celebrates scoring
Wayne Rooney is second on the all-time Premier League goalscorers list behind Alan Shearer

The Premier League's second-highest goalscorer of all time. Wayne Rooney requires little introduction.

Seven of Rooney's 13 seasons at Manchester United came in the 2010s, as well as two of his five Premier League winners' medals.

He bowed out with one final season at boyhood club Everton in 2017-18, before leaving the English top flight for Major League Soccer in the United States after 208 goals and 103 assists in 491 appearances.

5. Vincent Kompany

(223 appearances; 83 clean sheets)

Manchester City's Vincent Kompany heads past Manchester United's David de Gea
Vincent Kompany won 12 trophies with Manchester City

The leader. And that Leicester goal.

In August 2008, Vincent Kompany joined a Manchester City side who had finished ninth in the Premier League the previous season.

The Belgian departed 11 years later with four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups to his name.

Among his many highlights was a decisive 25-yard thunderbolt against Leicester in his and City's penultimate league game last season, which helped Pep Guardiola's side to become the first side since 2009 to successfully defend their league title.

6. Frank Lampard

(158 appearances; 64 goals; 18 assists)

Chelsea's Frank Lampard celebrates scoring
Frank Lampard is the highest-scoring midfielder in Premier League history (177 goals)

Super Frankie Lampard.

Third on the Premier League's all-time appearances list and a midfielder who has scored more than all but three players to have played in the competition.

Lampard is a Chelsea legend - despite a switch to Premier League rivals Manchester City at the end of his Stamford Bridge career.

7. Harry Kane

(197 appearances; 134 goals; 20 assists)

Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane celebrates scoring
Harry Kane is 13th on the all-time Premier League top goalscorers list

One hundred and thirty four goals in 197 Premier League games and firmly on course to become England's record goalscorer.

The 2010s witnessed Harry Kane's arrival as one of the world's most prolific strikers.

The Tottenham forward produced at least 20 Premier League goals in four successive seasons before an injury-hit 2018-19 campaign and earned himself the 2015-16 Golden Boot in the process as Spurs established themselves as a top-four side.

8. David Silva

(297 appearances; 57 goals; 89 assists)

Manchester City's David Silva celebrates
David Silva has created more chances than any other player in the Premier League this decade

The magician.

Renowned for his close ball control and ability to cut open defences, David Silva is one of the greatest midfielders the Premier League has seen.

The Spaniard, signed for just £24m, has won 13 trophies during his time at Manchester City, including four league titles.

The diminutive playmaker has 89 assists in the top flight - the most this decade - 27 more than Christian Eriksen, who has the second most.

9. Eden Hazard

(245 appearances; 85 goals ; 54 assists)

Chelsea's Eden Hazard celebrates scoring a goal
Eden Hazard has the fifth most goal involvements in the Premier League during this decade

Signed from Lille for a reported £32m, Eden Hazard was one of the outstanding players in the Premier League this decade.

His excellent dribbling skills gave defenders nightmares during his seven-season stay at Chelsea.

Winner of two Premier League crowns and two Europa Leagues, the Belgium forward also won the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Player of the Year award in the 2014-15 season.

Hazard produced a decent goal return too, scoring 12 or more in five seasons.

10. David de Gea

(292 appearances; 102 clean sheets)

Manchester United's David de Gea makes a save against Real Madrid
Davia de Gea has been included in the Professional Footballers' Association team of the year five times this decade

The shotstopper.

David de Gea looked like a fish out of water initially at Manchester United, but he has grown into one of the best - if not the best - goalkeepers in the world.

Known for pulling off outrageous saves, often using his feet, the Spaniard has played a crucial role in the successes United have enjoyed this decade.

11. N'Golo Kante

(152 appearances; 10 goals; 10 assists)

Leroy Fer of Swansea City and N'Golo Kante of Leicester City stretch for the ball during a Premier League match
N'Golo Kante (right) made the most tackles and interceptions in the Premier League during Leicester City's title-winning campaign in 2016

One of the bargains of the decade.

Signed for a reported £5.6m from Caen in August 2015, N'Golo Kante settled into Premier League football immediately.

He was a central figure in Leicester City's remarkable title-winning campaign that season, which earned him a move to Chelsea.

The Frenchman won the league in his first season at Stamford Bridge and won the PFA Player of the Year award too.

12. Robin van Persie

(154 appearances; 98 goals; 30 assists)

Arsenal's Robin van Persie celebrates scoring
Robin van Persie won the Golden Boot in 2011-12 and 2012-13

When Robin van Persie hit his peak he was largely unplayable.

The Dutch striker won the PFA Player of the Year award in 2011-12 after scoring 30 goals for Arsenal.

However, another trophyless campaign with the Gunners led to him moving to Manchester United, where he scored 26 goals to help the Red Devils win the league in Sir Alex Ferguson's final season.

The best left foot this decade? Quite possibly.

13. John Terry

(200 appearances; 73 clean sheets)

Chelsea's John Terry tussles with James McArthur of Crystal Palace
John Terry (right) has scored the second most goals by a defender (23) in this decade. Only Leighton Baines (27) has more.

The leader.

John Terry captained Chelsea to eight major trophies, including three Premier League titles and a Champions League, this decade.

The centre-back will also be remembered for changing into full kit, despite not playing, to lift the Champions League in 2012 and Europa League in 2013.

Terry has become the face of many a meme since.

14. Yaya Toure

(230 appearances; 62 goals; 32 assists)

Manchester City's Yaya Toure celebrates scoring
Yaya Toure won seven trophies during his eight-year stay at Manchester City

The powerhouse.

Yaya Toure arrived at Manchester City as a holding midfielder but turned into one of the best box-to-box players in the world during his eight-year stay.

The Ivorian, who won three Premier Leagues titles, scored 20 goals, including a crucial double in City's penultimate game at Newcastle, as City became champions in 2013-14.

There were also plenty of infamous off-field incidents, including the birthday cake spat, which turned Toure into a Premier League legend.

15. Raheem Sterling

(242 appearances; 75 goals; 44 assists)

Manchester City's Raheem Sterling lifts the FA Cup
Raheem Sterling has won six trophies during his Manchester City career

Winning trophies on the pitch, taking a stand off it.

Raheem Sterling spent three seasons at Liverpool before joining Manchester City in a £49m deal in 2015. Now in his fifth season at Etihad Stadium, Sterling has lifted six trophies while establishing himself as a key figure for England.

The 25-year-old has emerged as a role model too. After he was allegedly racially abused by Chelsea fans in December 2018, Sterling was commended for speaking out against the way newspapers portray young black footballers.

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