Ranking Every Premier League Captain from Worst to Best
One of the greatest honours in football is being named captain of a football team. Now imagine you are named a Premier League captain. There is a lot of pressure with this role, and many players crumble underneath it, but others, they completely shine.
Just think of Harry Maguire; there is no doubt he is a quality defender, but during the period he was named Manchester United captain, his form dramatically dropped. When Bruno Fernandes was handed the armband, Maguire suddenly came back to the form that he was bought for.
There are many ways to become the leader of your team. You can lead by example on the pitch, or you can lead by pushing your teammates to be their very best. And the greatest captains are able to combine both.
There are 20 teams in the Premier League, which means 20 captains. So let’s rank all of them.
Ranking the Current Premier League Captain of Every Club
20. Kyle Walker – Manchester City
Ranking Kyle Walker last might feel like a cop-out answer, but he is the current Manchester City captain, and he is also not wanted by the club.
Walker has been a solid servant for Manchester City, winning numerous titles, but when you think of City captains, he is one of the last to spring to mind. This list will be promptly updated once Walker has secured a move away and the Citizens officially announce the next captain of the club.
For now, he is the worst Premier League captain.
19. Tom Cairney – Fulham
Similar to Kyle Walker, Tom Cairney is set to leave Fulham, and with no new captain announced, he makes his way onto the list, at least in the short term.
If the Scotsman wasn’t leaving the club, he would likely be ranked a lot higher. He gave 10 years to the club and was a major part of their successes. This included promotions, staying in the Premier League, and picking up some iconic wins. His leadership was excellent and it will be tough for the next act to follow.
18. Ethan Ampadu – Leeds United
Ethan Ampadu was named captain at the beginning of the 2024/2025 season and helped guide his team to Premier League promotion. While he has shown his leadership qualities, he has yet to actually be a Premier League captain.
Time will tell if the 24-year-old is able to transfer the leadership he has shown in the Championship to England’s top flight. But for now, the jury is still out.
17. Reece James – Chelsea
It wouldn’t feel right to include a Premier League captain high up the list who rarely plays for his club. Reece James’ injury history has been well documented for quite some time, but Enzo Fernandez has been named captain more than him at this stage.
The fullback might epitomise the ethos of Chelsea’s academy and the greatness Cobham can create, but if the leader of the team is not out on the pitch, then really what is the point?
16. Martin Ødegaard – Arsenal
Martin Ødegaard is a great player, but it does seem like the captaincy has dwarfed his abilities. The last season was not great from his perspective, and even when you look at him, he doesn’t seem like a natural leader.
There are many other players in that Arsenal squad that you would think would be better suited to the role, e.g., Gabriel or Declan Rice. And perhaps being lifted of the responsibility would provide the Norwegian with the platform to be the creative player we all know he can be.
15. Heung-min Son – Tottenham Hotspur
Heung-min Son has this persona of being a “nice guy” and while that could be true, it doesn’t scream out captaincy qualities to most. The South Korean, however, has been at Tottenham for 10 years, and that longevity means that members of the squad will look up to him and respect him.
Unfortunately, Son spent the majority of the last season on the bench, so his captaincy contributions on the pitch were limited.
14. Josh Brownhill – Burnley
Josh Brownhill was named Burnley captain at the beginning of the 2024/2025 season, after having previous experience wearing the armband at Turf Moor. The Englishman has been described as a leader, and manager Scott Parker hinted at how the others in the team look to him when he was asked about the choice: “It was a decision where I probably see Josh and his stature within the squad.”
He did also lead by example, scoring 18 goals as the Clarets got promoted. We will have to wait and see how he commands presence when the tides turn as Burnley faces a likely relegation battle.
13. Nelson Semedo – Wolves
Upon writing this list, Nelson Semedo springing up as Wolves captain was a bit of a shock. Although considering Wolves have lost their captains in 2022, 2023, and 2024, as well as having Lemina stripped of that honour in the last season, probably explains it.
In no way is Nelson Semdo a bad captain, but compared to others on this list, he hasn’t had the job for long. However, it is worth noting that according to The Athletic, his leadership was hailed as a crucial reason behind Wolves’ turnaround in form during 2024/2025.
Who knows? If he keeps this up, he could crack the top 10 Premier League captains in no time.
12. Jarrod Bowen – West Ham
Jarrod Bowen is probably the epitome of “leading by example”. When the Irons are down, the team looks towards Bowen to make something special happen.
Not only does the team do that, but so do the fans. His Conference League final winner has only enamoured himself to the London Stadium crowd. Through his own admission, he isn’t the stereotypical captain, but his work on the pitch is a sign of what a West Ham player should be.
“I keep myself to myself and let the more experienced players speak. In terms of a group discussion, if there’s something I want to say, I will say it.”
11. Christian Nørgaard – Brentford
Christian Nørgaard thrives on being a leader, and it is something he truly relishes. The Bees captain believes being a good leader first is more important than being a good player, as the latter will always follow if you achieve the first.
Former Brentford manager called the Dane “the glue”, and no better phrase could be used to describe him as a Premier League captain.
“I’m much harder on my leadership than I am on my performance on the pitch from a technical perspective. It’s more important for me to be a good leader than a good player, but often they go hand in hand. The better leader I am, the more vocal I am, the better my performance.”
– Christian Nørgaard
10. Ryan Yates – Nottingham Forest
Yates is a proper old-school captain. He isn’t afraid to get stuck in and always works hard for the team. There have been periods when Forest struggled for leadership, and while the current squad has no shortage of strong characters, Yates is the one who genuinely thrives on the responsibility of leading the team out of the tunnel.
9. Marc Guehi – Crystal Palace
Marc Guehi has long shown the qualities of a leader, and he is now doing that at Crystal Palace. The defender may only be 24, but he has previous experience as captain of the England under-21s. Captaining your country is no easy task, and it likely prepared him for this moment.
He will also go down as the first captain of the club to lift a trophy.
8. Lewis Dunk – Brighton
Tall, English centre-back Lewis Dunk is what you would think of when creating the idea of a captain. According to The Athletic, he is such a leader that people at the club call him more of a statesman than a captain. This just goes to show what a big influence he has at the Seagulls.
If you don’t believe, read what teammate van Hecke had to say: “He supports everyone when he’s not playing. He has a big role in our team. I’ve been playing for three years with him and looking at him – the way he does it, passes the ball, and blocks. Looking at other players, you can see how good they are and you pick up things yourself.”
7. Adam Smith – Bournemouth
Adam Smith is essentially your run-of-the-mill captain. He isn’t a flashy player; he isn’t a big name, but he demands big things from his teammates. And that is sometimes all you need in a Premier League captain.
While he may not be the “sexiest” name, his leadership abilities can’t be questioned. Bournemouth have tried many times to pick up more technical and athletic right-backs, but Smith keeps finding himself in the starting XI. A true testament to his work rate.
6. Bruno Guimarães – Newcastle United
Bruno Guimarães was an amazing coup by Newcastle United, and his performances in black and white were rewarded by being named captain. It was an emotional moment, but when the man who wears the armband cares that much, it is only ever a good thing.
The Brazilian’s stint as skipper has been hugely successful so far, helping guide and lead his side to their first major trophy in over 60 years, as well as getting them back into the Champions League.
“Being the captain of this team is everything I’ve always dreamed of but never imagined!”
5. John McGinn – Aston Villa
John McGinn is always relentless on the pitch. He is always running and always trying to win the ball back, and that is qualities you need in your captain. The Scotsman has proven himself as a leader ever since he was given the skipper duties in 2022, and there is no doubt he has been a huge part of Villa’s recent successes.
There is a reason that the chant calls him ‘super’.
4. Luke O’Nien – Sunderland
On this list, Luke O’Nien might be the hardest working. The Englishman is extremely passionate, always committed, and willing to play wherever he is needed.
Whether he is playing at centre-back or anchoring the midfield, you always know you will get the very best out of the 30-year-old. O’Nien leads with heart and purpose every time he steps on the pitch.
3. Seamus Coleman – Everton
Seamus Coleman has been an extremely loyal servant to Everton over the last 16 years. When it comes to the man with the armband, nobody should have more respect amongst their peers than the Irishman.
He knows Everton; he knows what it means to play for the club, and he knows what it means for the fans. While he may not be as athletic as he once was, he is without a doubt still one of the best Premier League captains.
2. Bruno Fernandes – Manchester United
Despite Manchester United’s poor seasons as of late, the one thing that always sticks out is the work rate of Bruno Fernandes. Even in the dark times, the man who always seems to try to drag some positivity into the club is the Portuguese midfielder.
He is not everyone’s cup of tea, *ahem, Roy Keane* but you can’t deny that he is always the one. who never gives up. Any joy the Red Devils have got over the last few years has stemmed from this man. He leads by example, probably more than most on this list. And he is probably irreplaceable.
1. Virgil van Dijk – Liverpool
When it comes to this list, there is no one more tenacious or ferocious than Virgil van Dijk. He has been a leader all his career, where he was also named captain of Southampton back in 2017. The Dutchman commands the backline with such a presence that you can’t help but feel like all the players look to him in tough moments.
Whether it is a last-minute tackle, a goal to win the game, or shouting instructions at his teammates, van Dijk not only leads by example, but he also garners respect from his squad.
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