Welcome back for another article.
The Premier League has a rich history, but did you know Fantasy Premier League does too? The year is 2002 and FPL has just been launched online for the very first time. Only 76,000 managers signed up that year. Easy Top 100K finish!
So which one player got the most points each season? Have we forgotten just how good some players were? At the end, we'll review the list and look at which players have the most total career points; there are some names that might surprise you, so make sure you read all the way through.
⚽ 2002/03
In the inaugural FPL season, Thierry Henry set an extraordinary standard. He took the league by storm, netting 24 goals and providing 23 FPL assists. Amazingly, his assists record that season still stands to this day. He was a nightmare for defenders, a dream for FPL managers, as he finished FPL's debut season with 271 points, making him essential.
🏆 2003/04
The next season FPL was still finding its feet with pricing; some players were as cheap as 3 million, but then you had John Arne Riise as an 8.5m defender. Henry continued his dominance during Arsenal's 'Invincibles' season, where the team went unbeaten in the league the entire season. Henry tallied an impressive 30 goals and 6 assists, securing the Premier League Golden Boot. He finished once again as the top scorer with 242 points. Henry would go on to become the first ever 14m player the next season.
🔵 2004/05
Presumably Henry again the next year? Nope - in the 2004/05 season, Frank Lampard was central to Chelsea's success under José Mourinho as Chelsea won the league. He contributed 13 goals and 18 assists, showcasing his knack for arriving late in the box and his proficiency in set-pieces. Lampard's reliability and goal involvement made him a favourite among FPL managers, as he consistently delivered points from midfield. A finishing total of 269 points.
👑 2005/06
Chelsea won the league again, but for the last time ever, Henry finished as top scorer, reclaiming the top spot with another stellar season, scoring 27 goals and providing 8 assists. Having quickly cemented himself as one of the all-time greats already, it turned the attention of Barcelona, who picked him up in January the following season. 239 points.
🔴 2006/07
2006 ushered in the Ronaldo era, emerging as a fantasy powerhouse, recording 17 goals and 14 assists. His flair, combined with an increasing end product, made him a must-have asset at times. Ronaldo's ability to produce moments of magic and his involvement in Manchester United's attacking play translated into 244 points, marking the beginning of his rise to stardom. Man Utd go on to win the league.
✨ 2007/08
2007/08 saw Ronaldo elevate his game further and finish as top scorer again, amassing a ridiculous 31 goals and 6 assists. This outstanding tally not only secured him the Golden Boot but also the Ballon d'Or, kickstarting a 10-year dominance of the award between him and Lionel Messi. Ronaldo still to this day has a place in the all-time FPL dream team after a score of 283 points that season. Ronaldo would become the second ever 14m player the next season.
🥈 2008/09
4 years since he last finished top scorer, Lampard reclaimed the top spot in 2008/09, a lower-scoring season all round with just the 12 goals and 10 assists for 226 points. That's the second-lowest score ever in fact for a top scorer in a season. His role as Chelsea's midfield lynchpin, plus set pieces and even penalty duties still made him the most popular player in the game.
🔥 2009/10
The next year Lampard delivered his best FPL season, scoring 22 goals and providing 14 assists, which is absolutely astonishing when you think about it from a central role. We've seen occasional wingers classified as midfielders in FPL score 22 goals, but from a central midfield role that was absolutely wild. His involvement in Chelsea's double-winning campaign made him indispensable. 284 points, and still in the all-time FPL dream team to this day.
📉 2010/11
We're into the 2010s now.
You may have seen my video on the worst FPL season of all-time, which was 2010/11. The only season in history where not a single player managed to score over 200 points, and it was Nani who finished top having contributed 9 goals and 14 assists. A tricky dribbler, silky on the ball and good vision. 198 points all out.
🎯 2011/12
An Arsenal player finally #1 again in 2011/12 as Robin van Persie finished on 269 points. He had a stellar season, netting 30 goals and adding 13 assists. Clinical finishing and leadership propelled Arsenal to a top-four finish. Van Persie became the third 14m player ever after that total, though a hugely controversial one.
🚀 2012/13
Because the next season Van Persie left Arsenal and joined Man Utd, with the ambitions of silverware. After the switch to Man Utd he hit the ground running with 26 goals and 9 assists in the league. Van Persie's seamless integration into the squad and his knack for finding the net made him a valuable asset for FPL managers. One of the greatest premier league goals of all-time on the volley from a Rooney long ball. 262 points.
🌟 2013/14
If we're talking greatest individual season of all time, 2013/14 just might be the winner. It will forever be the "what if" season. Luis Suárez was suspended for the first 5 games of the season, and yet in the 33 games that followed he scored 31 times and had 25 FPL assists. Lots of those were FPL assists, and this is the kicker - Steven Gerrard was on penalties, not Suárez. Gerrard scored 10 penalties that season. So the "what if" will always be, what if he wasn't suspended for the first 5? What if Suárez was on pens? The streets won't forget how much he tormented Norwich, 4 goals and 1 assist in one game. Always battered them. 295 points.
💎 2014/15
5 years since the last Chelsea player, Eden Hazard quickly found his feet at Chelsea. Creativity, elite dribbling and goal threat were on full display as he recorded 14 goals and 10 assists for 233 points. Chelsea would go on to win the league with Hazard pivotal to their success.
🦊 2015/16
Next season's champion one of the most extraordinary stories in sport, let alone football. Leicester City defied all expectations having barely escaped relegation the year before. Riyad Mahrez was instrumental in Leicester City's fairy-tale Premier League title win. Starting the season as a budget-friendly midfielder, Mahrez quickly became an essential asset for FPL managers. One of my favourite seasons ever, he had a fairly good pre-season, I knew nothing about him but picked him up for 5.5m as a punt and the rest is history. 17 goals and 11 assists, 240 points. Jamie Vardy and Mahrez formed a sensational partnership.
💥 2016/17
In 2016 Alexis Sánchez was into his third year at Arsenal and was about to reach the pinnacle of FPL success, delivering 264 points. 24 goals and 11 assists, such an exciting player to watch, unplayable at times. He was really versatile as well, Arsène Wenger deploying him as a left winger, out-of-position striker and CAM. Explosive performances often led to substantial point hauls, rewarding managers who captained him during peak fixtures. That season saw the biggest score in FPL history achieved, which might never be broken: 226 points on a Bench Boost with who else but Sánchez captain.
🇪🇬 2017/18
2017 was a sliding door moment in the history of FPL, and Liverpool. Mohamed Salah arrives at Liverpool and his debut season was nothing short of extraordinary, setting a new benchmark in FPL with a record-breaking 303 points. The Egyptian King shattered expectations by scoring 32 goals and providing 12 assists. He started that season at 9 million and very few picked him up from GW1.
🤝 2018/19
Salah goes on to claim the top spot again the following year, albeit just the 259 points. Still an incredible score all things considered though, let's be honest. 22 goals, 12 assists and Liverpool going strength to strength under Jürgen Klopp with exciting attacking football. Man City and Liverpool were absolutely miles ahead of anyone else. Man City win the league with 98 points; extraordinarily Liverpool finish on 97 and come runner up. 97 points enough to win the league basically any other season ever.
⚙️ 2019/20
Salah again presumably? Nope - in 2019/20 Kevin De Bruyne claimed top scorer. Showcasing his playmaking mastery with 251 points. The Belgian equaled the Premier League record for most assists in a single season with 20, that same tally Henry had set 17 years prior. Also fondly remembered as the John Lundstram season, the 4m Sheffield Utd defender who played as a box-to-box mid and ended up with 5 goals and 4 assists as a 4m defender.
🇵🇹 2020/21
In January that season came one of the greatest January signings in history, Bruno Fernandes joins Man Utd and tears it up in that second half of the season. The next season he continues his profound impact, 244 points with 18 goals and 14 assists.
🔁 2021/22
Reaffirming his status as an FPL titan, it was Salah again in 2021/22. Securing the golden boot by netting 23 goals and also bagged 14 assists. He started the season at 12.5m and finished 13.1m. 265 points.
🤖 2022/23
2022 was the Erling Haaland season. The Norwegian striker shattered records, scoring 36 goals and providing 9 assists, setting a new benchmark for goals in a single Premier League season. The biggest performance coming in GW9 home to Man Utd of all teams with a hat-trick and 2 assists for a 23-pointer. The Premier League used to have 42 games in a season, but even then Andy Cole and Alan Shearer had the record with 34 goals which Haaland beat in a 38-game season, even more remarkably in just 33 starts. Haaland would go on to be the fourth 14m player ever after Henry, Ronaldo and Van Persie. 272 points.
💙 2023/24
So 2022 was the Haaland season, it's safe to say 2023/24 was the Cole Palmer season. The most underpriced player in FPL history. Priced at 5 million as a Man City midfielder, even dropping to 4.9m, Chelsea take a chance on him and in 29 starts he scores 22 goals and 13 assists for a ridiculous 244 points. One of the highlights was Everton home in GW33 where he scored 4 times for a 26-pointer.
🐐 2024/25
Which brings us to 2024/25 - the single greatest season in FPL history and it's hard to imagine this being beaten. Salah absolutely obliterates the all-time points record which let's not forget he set himself in his debut season with 303 points. Liverpool win the league, Salah scores 29 goals and 18 assists for 344 points. To put it in perspective, as extraordinary as that Palmer season was, Salah outscored it by exactly 100 points.
📊 Multiple Top Scorers & FPL Legends
So who has finished as the top scorer the most times? Only 5 players have done it more than once.
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Ronaldo and Van Persie have come out on top twice.
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Lampard and Henry have been top 3 times.
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Salah has done it 4 times, more than anyone ever.
The average top scorer finishes on 261 points.
We'd be doing a disservice to some FPL and Premier League legends by not taking a quick look at career points. Some players never finished as the #1 in a particular season, but have amassed an astonishing career total points.
Here's a look at some all-time career standings:
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Wayne Rooney has the record for the biggest score in a Gameweek with 32 points, and he has the record for the most career points with 2,338 between Man Utd and Everton.
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The overall top career point scorers are: Rooney, Lampard, Salah, Gerrard, Cech, Terry, Milner, Kane, Sterling, Son, and Barry.
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Steven Gerrard has 2,044 points over his 17-year senior career at Liverpool.
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Honourable mention to Petr Čech who is the only goalkeeper on the list, with 1,908 points over his career. Čech has the record for clean sheets in a season with 24 in 2004/05, and 207 total clean sheets.
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