Alan Shearer was the archetypal English centre-forward: powerful, brave and lethal, with a thunderous shot and a peerless instinct inside the penalty area. He remains the all-time leading scorer in the Premier League, a record that speaks to a career of remorseless consistency at the highest level.
After breaking through at Southampton, he inspired Blackburn Rovers to a stunning league title, forming a devastating partnership up front. He then returned home to Newcastle United, becoming the club’s totem and record marksman while turning down wealthier suitors to lead the team he had supported as a boy.
A powerful and dependable captain of England, Shearer led the line with authority and led the scoring charts at a major finals. His arm-aloft celebration became one of the enduring images of the era.