The trophies haven’t always followed, but West Ham United have had some truly sensational players represent them over the years.
You’ve got the historical greats, like Bobby Moore, Billy Bonds, and Geoff Hurst, as well as some more modern ones.
Declan Rice, for example, or Dimitri Payet before him, and going back a little further, the livewire that was Paolo Di Canio.
All three made an enormous impact on the club during their time in East London, and Nuno Espírito Santo has someone in his squad today who should be spoken about in the same way.
Di Canio, Payet and Rice's West Ham careers
Starting in chronological order then, Di Canio joined West Ham in January 1999, and while there were some questions over the move for his rash behaviour, and the fact he had just been banned for 11 games for pushing a referee, Harry Redknaap justified the move by simply stating that the Italian could “do things with the ball that people can only dream of.”
Over the next four and a half years, the Roma-born icon would rack up an impressive tally of 50 goals and 19 assists in 139 games for the club, with his strike against Wimbledon in March 2000 later being named the league’s goal of the decade.
While he left to join Charlton Athletic following the Irons’ relegation in 2003, Di Canio made a lasting impression in East London and continues to call the fan base his second family.
Another maverick star who the East End fell head over heels for during his time in the capital was Payet.
The French magician joined the club from Marseille in the summer of 2015, and it didn’t take long for him to announce himself, providing the assist for Cheikhou Kouyaté from a well-taken free kick on his debut against Arsenal.
He ended that season with an outrageous tally of 12 goals and 15 assists in 38 games, which was enough for him to be named the Premier League Player of the Year at the 2016 London Football Awards, shortlisted for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and named West Ham United Player of the Year.
However, things would sour the following season, when, in the new year, he refused to play after making it clear that he wanted to return to Marseille, which he eventually did for around £25m.
Finally, the only academy product of the three, Rice was well and truly one of West Ham’s own.
He made his senior debut for the club in a Premier League game against Burnley in the 16/17 season, and over the next six years would go on to amass 244 more for the club, as well as becoming the captain in the summer of 2022.
His crowning achievement in claret and blue came the following summer, when he led the club to their first European title, beating Fiorentina in the Conference League final.
Unfortunately, he then left to join Arsenal a couple of months later, but he did at least bring in around £105m in the process.
In all, it’s impossible to deny that Di Canio, Payet and Rice are three of the very best players to have represented West Ham in the modern era, although another name might have to be added to that list.
The West Ham star emulating Di Canio, Payet and Rice
Now, while neither the results nor performances have been all that great this season, West Ham still have several incredibly talented players in their squad.
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However, when it comes down to someone who could emulate and be looked at in the same way as the three icons mentioned above, only one player comes to mind: Jarrod Bowen.
The 28-year-old joined the Hammers from Hull City in January 2020, and while there was some excitement around his transfer, it didn’t feel like it would be such a seismic one at the time.
After all, while his first six months at the club certainly weren’t bad, they also weren’t anything special, as in 13 appearances, he scored a single goal and provided four assists.
Things improved slightly the following year, as he recorded 14 goal involvements in 40 appearances, but it was the season after that, the 2021/22 campaign, when it became clear just how special a player he is.
Appearances
245
Starts
220
Minutes
19521′
Goals
77
Assists
52
Goal Involvements per Match
0.52
Minutes per Goal Involvement
151.32′
Points per Game
1.46
For example, in 51 appearances, the “unplayable” winger, as dubbed by Thomas Frank, scored 18 goals and provided 13 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.64 games, which was also enough to see him earn his first senior England cap.
However, it was the year after that in which his defining moment as a West Ham player came, as in the 90th minute of the Conference League final, he made a perfectly timed run, and under all the pressure in the world, scored the winning goal to send East London into delirium.
Since then, the firm fan favourite has continued to improve, and since being given the captain’s armband last year, it’s hard to think og what else he needs to do to cement himself as a West Ham legend.
Ultimately, while he might not get the same recognition outside the fan base, it would be fair to say that Bowen is well on his way to becoming one of the Hammers’ greatest ever – if he isn’t there already.
