Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Jamie Carragher and Ryan Babel. What do this quartet have in common?

The first two may seem to have a more likely link than the latter pair on first thought. But the answer?

They are all among a group of players who have had to wait the longest time between Premier League goals.

In 30 years of Premier League history, we have witnessed countless goals and goal scorers. The likes of Alan Shearer and Harry Kane have regularly found the back of the net.

Meanwhile Tony Hibbert famously made 265 appearances without ever scoring. Some individuals experienced the jubilation of scoring in the Premier League only to be made to wait years and years to savour that feeling again.

Betting Experts Spreadex Sports can reveal the Top 10 list of surprise names who had the longest waits between Premier League goals. See the countdown below:

10. Gareth Bale

In tenth and only waiting a brief 2723 days between goals is Premier League icon Gareth Bale. The Welshman made his debut for Spurs in 2007 and following a transition from left-back to a darting forward he began to find the net regularly. In fact, his goal scoring form led to a transfer to Real Madrid in 2013. Leaving a goal in his final appearance vs Sunderland in May 2013 as his last. That is until he returned on loan 7 years later and found the net against Brighton in November 2020.

9. Jamie Carragher

Coming in at ninth is current Sky Sports pundit and Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher. Boasting an impressive 508 Premier League appearances. Carragher is remembered more for scoring own goals, however he did manage to score a few in the right one. But he was forced to wait 2884 days between finding the net against Southampton on the 16th of January 1999 and Fulham on the 9th of December 2006.

8. Ryan Babel

Dutch Winger Ryan Babel is 8th on our list. Babel signed for Liverpool in 2007 but never really cemented a place in the starting eleven. The last of his goals for the Merseyside club came against Aston Villa in December 2010. Following this the winger represented the likes of Hoffenheim, Ajax and Besiktas. Before returning to the Premier League with relegation threatened Fulham. When Babel netted against West Ham on 22nd February 2019, it was exactly 3000 days after his last Prem goal.

7. Stephen Quinn

At 7th and waiting 3033 days between Premier League goals is Stephen Quinn. The Irish midfielder spent last season playing at Macclesfield Town. However back in 2007 playing for Sheffield United he scored versus Portsmouth on 13th January 2007. However, the blades relegation that season meant Quinn didn’t get another Premier League opportunity until he helped Hull City earn promotion where he scored his final Premier League goal versus Arsenal in May 2015.

6. Peter Whittingham

The late Peter Whittingham became a Cardiff City legend during eleven seasons with the club. Before however he made his Premier League breakthrough with Aston Villa, a goal against Portsmouth on 6th October 2004 would be his last until he helped Cardiff gain promotion. The midfielder, who died aged 35 in March 2020, netted against Hull City on the 14th of September 2013 ending a wait of 3234 days for a Premier League goal.

5. Simon Charlton

Simon Charlton places 5th in the list, Charlton predominantly played at full back and joined Southampton in 1993, he went on to score against Manchester United on the 10th of May 1995. A move to Birmingham City was then followed by another transfer to Bolton Wanders where in October 2004 he found the net again versus Portsmouth. Meaning his total wait for a Premier League goal was 3433 days.

4. John Oster

Welsh midfielder John Oster made his name at Grimsby Town earning him a £1.5 million move to Everton in 1997, while his transfer didn’t pan out quite successfully as Oster or Everton would hope, he did score against Barnsley on 20th of September 1997. Following a move to Sunderland and several loan spells, Oster become a part of the Reading squad which earned promotion and a goal against Middlesbrough in February 2007 ended an almost 10-year wait for a Premier League goal.

3. Andy Johnson

At number 3 is another Welsh midfielder; Andy Johnson who represented Norwich City in the inaugural Premier League season. His final day goal on the 8th of May 1993 versus Middlesbrough would be his last in the Premier League until he joined West Brom in 2001 and helped the Baggies win promotion. Johnson finally scored again at last with a goal against Bolton on the 8th February 2003.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo

A familiar face and football legend is 2nd in our list. Five-time Balon D’or winner Cristiano Ronaldo. Cr7 joined Man United as a tricky winger before developing into a world class forward. A move to Real Madrid in 2009 meant that a goal vs Man City in May 2009 seemed like the last Ronaldo would net in the Premier League. But following a trophy laden spell at Real Madrid and then Juventus, Ronaldo made a dream homecoming with a brace against Newcastle on his 2nd debut in September 2021. Ronaldo’s gap of 4507 days is significantly longer than the previous names in our list.

1. Matt Jackson

And number one on our list with a remarkable 4935 day wait for a Premier League goal is defender Matt Jackson. Jackson represented Everton in the inaugural Premier League season and found the net vs Man City on 8th May 1993. However, Jackson’s barren run began and following loan spells and a move to Norwich City, he eventually found himself at Wigan Athletic. Where on the 11th of November 2006 Jackson netted versus Charlton over 13 years after his last Premier League goal.

Spreadex Sport’s Josh Osgood said: “This list throws up some surprises with spells abroad meaning superstars like Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo are alongside defenders and forgotten heroes.

What’s interesting is the number of games each player was involved in between goals. With Ronaldo’s 12-year drought only covering 3 Premier League appearances while Carragher’s 7 year wait included 263 appearances. Overall you can definitely say good things come to those who wait”.

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