‘It has to be’ – Sol Campbell Picked 62-Cap England Man as his Most Underrated Teammate

‘It has to be’ – Sol Campbell Picked 62-Cap England Man as his Most Underrated Teammate. Sol Campbell played alongside many unsung Arsenal and England heroes during his career, but he feels that one of his former teammates’ efforts went way under the radar. The iconic defender was a stalwart at the back for club and country, and he more than earned his plaudits.

There have been many risky moves made in the Premier League, but perhaps none more so than Campbell’s switch from Tottenham Hotspur’s White Hart Lane to Highbury in 2001. He risked the wrath of Spurs fans by joining their North London rivals but this just showed the ambition he possessed as he desired major trophies.

Arsene Wenger put it best when describing the 73-cap England international in April 2010 (via The Independent): “If you can convince Sol of a target, he will go for it without any weakness. Sol is a guy who wants to live with challenges.”

Two Premier League titles made their way into Campbell’s trophy cabinet, including an Invincible winners’ medal in 2004. He was also part of the Three Lions’ golden generation, a squad that should have achieved trophy success, but it wasn’t without the efforts of many Englishmen.

Campbell On ‘Underrated’ Ex-England Frontman “His hold-up play is second to none”

The Premier League has been the home of several target men who can hold the ball up well and put a strike partner through on goal. A traditional 4-4-2 formation consisting of two differing profiles up top had been a staple until the likes of Wenger, Campbell’s former manager, revolutionised the English game.

There have been a number of formidable frontmen who have flourished in the English top-flight, and the Arsenal legend feels that one of them deserves more recognition.

Speaking exclusively to GIVEMESPORT via BetSelect, Campbell responded to the question of who was the most underrated teammate he played with:

“I think if you’re looking at somebody upfront, it has to be Emile Heskey – the quality he brought to England. I played against him a few times at Leicester and Liverpool. He’s definitely underrated for the quality he brought to England. His hold-up play is second to none. He scored some important goals and was always in the mix for country and club. ”

Emile Heskey was a dominant frontman whose hard work made him a manager’s dream, but his lack of prolific scoring numbers led fans and the media to downplay his contributions. This was particularly true when the former Liverpool striker was named in an England XI at a major international competition.

The six-foot-two-inch marksman started his career with hometown club Leicester City, where he climbed the club’s youth ranks before becoming a main man at Filbert Street. He was part of Martin O’Neill’s Foxes’ side that won the League Cup in 1997 and 2000.

It wasn’t long before Liverpool came calling, paying a then-club-record £11m for Heskey in March 2000 to bring him to Anfield. This propelled him into superstardom, forming a little-and-large partnership with Michael Owen that reaped its rewards with the Reds, winning the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup in 2001.

“When Emile is at his best he is one of the best strikers in Europe. He is quick and powerful, can use both feet and when he turns and runs at the defender he can be unstoppable at times” – Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier (via BBC Sport)

Heskey also had spells at Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic and Aston Villa before jetting off to Australia to close the book on a storied career at Newcastle Jets. He was regarded as one of the most selfless forwards whose playing style allowed star strikers such as Owen to reach their world-class potential.

Heskey: I Knew My Worth The England hero responded to critics after retiring

Most of the criticism aimed at Heskey during his career stemmed from his modest goal-scoring numbers and his consistent run in the England squad. While fans questioned his inclusion for the Three Lions, he continued to have the faith of managers Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Emile Heskey appeared at three major international tournaments (2002 World Cup, 2010 World Cup, and Euro 2004).

Heskey also became somewhat of a meme with many questioning his abilities, but he didn’t let that faze him, as he explained (via Off The Ball):

“I wouldn’t allow it because I knew my worth and I knew what I was bringing to the table. As well I actually distanced myself from it. Now it’s difficult because you have social media and it’s always in your pocket and it’s always there. But back then it was newspapers. So you could take yourself away from that.”

Emile Heskey’s Career For Club and Country

Team:

England

Liverpool

Leicester

Aston Villa

Wigan

Birmingham

Bolton

Newcastle United Jets

Appearances:

223

168

110

Goals:

Assists:

Yellow Cards:

Red Cards:

Trophies or Best Accomplishment:

2002 World Cup Quarter-finals

UEFA Super Cup, UEFA Cup, FA Cup, League Cup 2x

League Cup 2x

2010 League Cup Runner-Up

League Cup Round of 16

League Cup Quarter-Finals

FA Cup Fourth Round

Club Top Scorer 2012-13

Heskey was an easy target for critics because he also wasn’t a loud character, and his quiet demeanour meant he didn’t respond to sceptics. He demonstrated mental toughness in fighting through this and leaving his mark at the international level, with several memorable moments, including scoring England’s fifth goal in their famous 5-1 win over West Germany in 2001.

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt – correct as of 23.07.2025

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