CHELSEA legend Frank Lampard became the third player to be voted into the Premier League Hall of Fame by fans.
And he was also joined by a fourth in Arsenal icon Dennis Bergkamp later in the day on Wednesday.
The pair join Roy Keane and Eric Cantona in being picked by supporters after inaugural inductees Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry were included at launch.
Lampard, 42, and Bergkamp, 52, were picked from a 23-man shortlist including David Beckham, Ashley Cole and Steven Gerrard.
In order to be eligible this time around, players must have retired by August 1, 2020.
Lampard scored 177 goals in 609 Premier League appearances for West Ham, Chelsea and Manchester City.
And he won the Prem three times during 13-years at Stamford Bridge.
Box-to-box star Lampard was named the club’s Player of the Year after winning the title in 2004-05.
Lampard said: “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. I am very proud and thankful for the recognition.”
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23-man Hall of Fame shortlist
Frank Lampard and Dennis Bergkamp were inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame and they were picked from this 23-man shortlist…
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Vieira, Ian Wright.
Iconic Dutchman Bergkamp scored 87 goals in 315 Premier League games for Arsenal after they signed him from Inter Milan in 1995.
He also provided a club record 94 assists and scored one of the greatest Prem goals ever with his pirouette finish at Newcastle in 2003.
Bergkamp said: “I’m extremely proud if people say I was one of the first foreign players who added something to the English game.
“The Premier League most definitely made me a better player. From the moment I arrived in England, I embraced the English mentality and passion for football, it suited me and my style of play.
“Playing every game against good and tough opponents meant I improved all the time. I enjoyed every minute of it.”
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West Ham launched Lampard’s career and he burst into the first team under the tutelage of his uncle Harry Redknapp and dad Frank Sr in 1996.
And after impressing in East London, Chelsea came knocking in 2001 and signed him for £11million.
After an illustrious career with the Blues – where many called him Chelsea’s best ever player – 106 cap Lampard moved to Manchester City for a season in the summer of 2014.
He retired at the end of the 2015-16 campaign he spent with New York City FC.
Lampard – who was sacked as manager by Chelsea in January – is said to be in talks about taking over from retiring Roy Hodgson at Crystal Palace.
On Tuesday, Manchester United legends Cantona and Keane became the first fan picks to be inducted.
Cantona, 54, and Keane, 49, won the Premier League title 11 times between them.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
