-
-The best Premier League debuts have been memorable both in individual performance and impact on the match
-
Some of the league’s greatest ever players have taken time to show their talents, but many have been immediate sensations
-
We’ve collected the 10 greatest debuts in Premier League history
A career isn’t defined a debut. It can set a tone for a stint in player’s career, though, and that has been the case for many of the best Premier League debuts.
For others, the debut has been a high point which is hard to match, but for many, including some who sat at the top of Premier League top scorer odds, it was just a taster of things to come.
There are PFA Player of the Year winners and multiple league champions in our list of the best Premier League debuts of all-time.
There’s a mix of lethal scorers getting off to a flyer and generational talents showing what they can do. Only one defender makes the top 10, and it was impossible to leave him out.
Fabrizio Ravanelli
Fabrizio Ravanelli was a real coup for Middlesbrough in 1996. Arriving for £7 million, The White Feather’s signing had whipped up a frenzy in the northeast, and he didn’t disappoint on his debut.
Liverpool took the lead on three occasions on the day Ravanelli debuted. He answered each goal himself, compiling a hat-trick through a penalty, a close-range finish and a strike on the spin from inside the area.
Despite netting 31 goals in all competitions, Boro were relegated at the end of the campaign and Ravanelli took his talents to Marseille.
Marcus Rashford
Coming off a brace in his Europa League debut just days prior, Marcus Rashford showed up in a big way in his Premier League debut against Arsenal in 2016.
He isn’t quite the youngest goal scorer in the Premier League for Manchester United, but Rashford was only 18 when he scored two and assisted one in a 3-2 win over the Gunners.
Clinically punishing a poor clearance to open his Premier League account, Rashford nodded home a Jesse Lingard cross just moments later before setting up Ander Herrera for the Red Devils’ third.
While Rashford has been the subject of criticism over the last 18 months, he proved himself to be more than a debut sensation. At the time of writing, he’s got 46 England caps and has scored 93 goals for Manchester United.
Sergio Aguero
We knew Sergio Aguero was special when Manchester City splashed almost £40 million on him. What followed was one of the greatest Premier League careers, and it all started with a special debut.
City were leading Swansea 1-0 when Aguero was introduced at the hour-mark. The Argentine soon scored a second at the back post.
He put it on the plate for David Silva with a flick moments later and put the cherry on top with a 30-yard screamer past a helpless Michel Vorm.
Eden Hazard
Following an almighty transfer saga, which ended with Eden Hazard announcing he was joining the champions of Europe on Twitter, there was pressure on the young Belgian to deliver.
Wigan’s DW Stadium witnessed Hazard’s masterful Premier League debut. It started off with a sublime touch and turn on the halfway line, and Hazard immediately fed the ball through to Branislav Ivanovic for the opener.
Only three minutes later, Hazard received the ball on the right, danced past Maynor Figueroa and won a penalty after clumsy foul from Ivan Ramis.
Just five minutes into his debut, the Belgian’s twinkle toes had tormented Wigan and sealed a win for Chelsea.
Danny Rose
Already with loan experience and a handful of cup appearances, Danny Rose wasn’t a complete novice when he was drafted into the Tottenham first XI for a north London derby in 2010.
Spurs were chasing a top four berth, and while Rose was highly regarded, his selection was the result of an availability crisis. Any concerns about Rose coping with the pressure soon disappeared.
Just 10 minutes into the game, Manuel Almunia punched a corner clear, and the ball looped to Rose around 30 yards from goal.
Dropping perfectly, Rose ran onto it and made a sublime connection, sending the ball flying past Almunia into the goal. Spurs beat Arsenal for the first time in a decade and ultimately qualified for the Champions League.
Cristiano Ronaldo
You’ve done something right if George Best says ‘It was undoubtedly the most exciting debut performance I’ve ever seen.’
Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal scoring exploits have seen him accumulate records and individual honours. On his debut against Bolton in 2003, though, Ronaldo mesmerised without scoring himself.
He won a penalty, was involved in setting up another goal, and had the Old Trafford faithful singing ‘there’s only one Ronaldo’. It was a sign of things to come for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Alan Smith
Coming off the bench at 18 years old with Leeds trailing at Anfield, Alan Smith levelled the match after just three minutes on the pitch with a calm finish past David James.
Smith didn’t become a star of European football tips like so many expected. He was Leeds’ hero at Anfield in 1998, however, with David O’Leary’s team coming from behind to win 3-1.
Although breaking through as a forward, Smith was transitioned to midfield after a controversial move to Old Trafford. He was out of the Premier League by 2011-12.
Paulo Wanchope
Signed for £600,000 from Herediano, Paulo Wanchope had a debut to remember with Derby County in 1997.
The Costa Rican picked the ball up in his own half, beating four players before finishing past Peter Schmeichel. The Rams won 3-2 on the day and Wanchope went on to score 28 times across 83 appearances.
At Derby’s 125th anniversary, the club’s fans voted it the Rams’ greatest goal of all-time.
Odsonne Edouard
Crystal Palace were looking to rebuild their squad under Patrick Vieira, drafting in a lot of young talent. One such signing was Odsonne Edouard from Celtic, who had been prolific north of the border.
Debuting off the bench, Edouard scored twice in 10 minutes against 10-man Tottenham as Palace notched a 3-0 win. There’s no better way for a striker to introduce himself to his new fans.
Mario Stanic
While not competing for league titles around the millennium, Chelsea were a strong Premier League predictions side.
It was a very watchable team at Stamford Bridge at that point, and Mario Stanic got into the spirit from the off. Stanic scored twice against West Ham on debut.
The brace included arguably the greatest debut goal in Premier League history, with Stanic receiving the ball 40 yards from goal, juggling it on his right instep, thigh and foot before firing a 35-yard volley into the top corner.
