Chelsea legend Frank Lampard has become the latest Premier League player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The Englishman is the division's fifth-highest scorer of all-time, hitting 177 goals and contributing more than 100 assists. He enjoyed his best years at Stamford Bridge, where he won three top-flight titles, and became the most prolific midfielder that the country has ever seen.
His legendary status as one of the best players that England has ever produced has seen him recognised with the highest individual honour available: a place in the Premier League's Hall of Fame.
Speaking about his induction into the Hall of Fame, Lampard admitted he was "proud and thankful for the recognition", having idolised fellow inductees Roy Keane, Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry as a youngster at West Ham.
“As a young lad I remember just wanting to make it in to the West Ham team, and looking up to players like Roy Keane, Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry so to be mentioned in the same bracket as them is a real honour," Lampard said.
"I am very proud and thankful for the recognition.”
Lampard was voted as the Premier League's Player of the Season in the 2004/05 campaign, and he looked back at that title success as the most satisfying of his trio with Chelsea. He also considers the brace he scored on the final day of that season as his favourite goals in blue.
“I think that first Premier League title we won in 2004-05 with that win at Bolton will always be very special. Chelsea had not won the league for 50 years and we had a really strong, young and ambitious team. The celebrations with the fans on that day will stay with me forever.
"My favourite goals are the two goals I scored against Bolton when we won the league in 2005. They meant so much to me personally but more importantly it was what they meant to the club and the fans to win the league that year.”
The Blues legend was also quick to accredit his relentless rise to the top of world football to the arrival of some of the game's biggest stars, after owner Roman Abramovich recruited the best in the business to fire Chelsea to glory.
“It certainly pushed me personally when Chelsea started recruiting top talent from around the world. To remain playing consistently well in a team like Chelsea, with the squad we had, was a big challenge and one that I relished.
"We all worked hard and were ambitious, so in a way I think we all pushed each other to be the best we could be. It was the norm for players to stay after training and continue working and that is the mentality you need to become winners.”
But what really made Lampard great? He believes it all comes down to hard work.
“The key for me was practice and hard work. I had a talent for arriving and scoring goals. I had done it in all the teams that I played for but to score consistently over that period in the Premier League was mostly down to my hard work and dedication to constantly improve."
Lampard also thanked Harry Redknapp, Claudio Ranieri and Jose Mourinho for being the biggest influences on his career, but stressed that he "took things" from all the coaches who tutored him over the years.
“There have been a lot of people that have influenced me. I guess really Harry Redknapp’s belief in me at West Ham to give me the first opportunity, Claudio Ranieri for taking me to Chelsea, and Jose Mourinho for the influence he had on me when he first arrived.
"However, I took things from all my managers and am thankful to them all.”
Lampard began his career at West Ham, before moving to Chelsea for £11m in the summer of 2001. He would spend the next 13 years at Stamford Bridge, becoming a club icon and helping them to their first ever Premier League titles.
The former England star ended his top-flight career at Man City, spending the 2014/15 campaign with the Cityzens, before heading to MLS and bringing an end to his 20-year stay in the Premier League.
And his greatest moment in England? Winning trophies, of course.
“My favourite moments are always the Premier League titles because football is about winning as a team and winning a Premier League is so difficult. The feeling when you fight all year and succeed is amazing.”
Source: 90min
