Premier League legend blocked from Hall of Fame

January 31, 2026 Oliver Obel

When the Premier League unveiled its Hall of Fame in 2021, the choice of inaugural inductees Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry appeared straightforward. Both were defining figures of the modern era, and Henry, inducted that year, is widely regarded as one of the league’s most influential players.

What was not made public at the time was that another name had originally been part of those early plans, before being quietly removed.

Original plans

According to reporting by The Telegraph, Premier League officials initially intended to induct Ryan Giggs alongside Shearer as the first two members of the Hall of Fame, with confirmation expected shortly after the initiative was announced.

Those plans stalled when the official launch event was postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic. By the time the ceremony was reorganised, the league had changed course. Henry replaced Giggs as an inaugural inductee, and the Premier League did not publicly explain the decision.

Legal concerns and reputational risk

The Telegraph reported that Giggs’ removal from consideration was linked to a domestic abuse case involving his former partner, which was ongoing at the time the Hall of Fame launch was delayed.

The former Manchester United winger consistently denied allegations of coercive or controlling behaviour. In July 2023, he was found not guilty after his accuser declined to give evidence at a retrial.

Addressing Manchester Crown Court, Giggs’ lawyer Chris Daw KC said: “The position is that he has always been innocent of these charges and there have been very many lies told about him.”

Although the case concluded without a conviction, material aired during the proceedings was widely viewed as damaging to Giggs’ public image. That reputational shadow appears to have influenced the league’s internal thinking, even as officials declined to comment publicly at the time.

Debate over legacy

Giggs remains the most decorated player in Premier League history and scored in every league season from the competition’s launch until his retirement. Despite those achievements, he has yet to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and there has been no indication from the league as to whether his candidacy could be reconsidered.

His continued absence has fuelled debate among former players and commentators, some of whom argue that the league has applied its standards inconsistently. They point to several inductees who were honoured despite past convictions or disciplinary bans.

Eric Cantona, inducted in 2021, was convicted of assaulting a fan in 1995. Tony Adams, added in 2023, previously served a prison sentence for drink driving. John Terry was inducted in 2024 despite a suspension for racist abuse, while Rio Ferdinand also inducted in 2023 served an eight-month ban for missing a drugs test.

The Premier League has not addressed those comparisons directly, leaving Giggs’ Hall of Fame status unresolved and his omission a lingering point of contention.

Sources: The Telegraph