List of football personalities with British honours
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Trevor Brooking was the most recent former professional footballer to be knighted, an honour he received in 2004.
This is a list of football personalities who have received Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom. Entries are listed alphabetically under the highest award attained. Previous awards, if gained, are listed in the relevant notes section. All players from the winning team in the 1966 World Cup Final were awarded medals the MBE, additionally Jack Charlton, Bobby Moore and Gordon Banks were made OBE.
List of recipients

Geoff Hurst was knighted in 1998. As of 2016, he is the only man to have scored three goals in the final of the FIFA World Cup.

Pelé received an honorary knighthood in 1997. As a Brazilian citizen, he was not eligible to receive an actual knighthood.

Gary Mabbutt received an MBE in 1994.
Name | Year of award |
Award | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Trevor Brooking | Jun-2004 | Knighthood | For services to sport; also received CBE in 1999 and MBE in 1981 | [1] |
Matt Busby | Jun-1969 | Knighthood | After guiding Manchester United to the European Cup title. | [2] |
Bobby Charlton | Jun-1994 | Knighthood | For services to football; regarded as second footballer to be knighted; also received CBE in 1974 and OBE in 1969. |
[3] |
John Charles Clegg | 1927 | Knighthood | Thought by some to be the first man knighted for services to football, although the citation did not mention football. |
|
Alex Ferguson | Jun-1999 | Knighthood | Only the eighth football manager or player to receive a knighthood; was also awarded an OBE in 1984 and a CBE in 1995. |
[4] |
Tom Finney | Jan-1998 | Knighthood | For services to football; regarded as third footballer to be knighted; also received CBE in 1992 and OBE in 1961. |
[4] |
Geoff Hurst | Jun-1998 | Knighthood | For services to football; regarded as fourth footballer to be knighted; also received MBE in 1975. |
[5] |
Stanley Matthews | Jan-1965 | Knighthood | For services to football; regarded as first footballer to be knighted; also received CBE in 1957 (the only footballer knighted whilst still playing). |
[6] |
Bert Millichip | 1991 | Knighthood | ||
Alf Ramsey | Jan-1967 | Knighthood | For services to football (following England's 1966 World Cup triumph). | [6] |
David Gerald Richards | Jun-2006 | Knighthood | Chairman of the FA Premier League and Football Foundation. For services to Sport. | |
Bobby Robson | Jun-2002 | Knighthood | For services to football; also received CBE in 1990. | [4] |
Stanley Rous | 1949 | Knighthood | He was knighted in 1949 for his contribution to the London Olympics the previous year and to sport in general. |
[7] |
Walter Winterbottom | 1978 | Knighthood | For services to sport; also received CBE in 1972 and OBE in 1963 (first England manager). |
[6] |
Édson Arantes do Nascimento (Pelé) | 1997 | KBE (honorary) | ||
Craig Brown | Jun-1999 | CBE | ||
Paul Elliott | Jun-2012 | CBE | For service to equality and diversity in football | [8][9] |
Ron Greenwood | Jan-1981 | CBE | [5] | |
Jock Stein | Jan-1970 | CBE | [10] | |
Billy Wright | Jun-1959 | CBE | [11] | |
Gordon Banks | Jun-1970 | OBE | [12] | |
Brendon Batson | 2015 | OBE | Also received MBE in 2000. | [13] [14] |
David Beckham | Jun-2003 | OBE | [6] | |
Brian Clough | Jun-1991 | OBE | [15] | |
Garth Crooks | Jun-1999 | OBE | For services to the Institute of Professional Sport. | [16] |
Jack Charlton | Jun-1974 | OBE | [17] | |
George Eastham | 1975 | OBE | [6] | |
Ryan Giggs | Jun-2007 | OBE | [18] | |
Jimmy Hill | OBE | [19] | ||
Gérard Houllier | 2003 | OBE (honorary) | [20] | |
Emlyn Hughes | 1980 | OBE | [6] | |
Mark Hughes | Jun-2004 | OBE | ||
Kevin Keegan | Jun-1982 | OBE | [21] | |
Gary Lineker | Jan-1992 | OBE | [6] | |
Cliff Lloyd | OBE | |||
Nat Lofthouse | 1994 | OBE | [22] | |
Des Lynam | 2008 | OBE | [23] | |
Joe Mercer | 1976 | OBE | [6] | |
Bobby Moore | Jan-1967 | OBE | [5] | |
John Motson | 2001 | OBE | [24] | |
Bill Nicholson | OBE | |||
Martin O'Neill | 2004 | OBE | ||
Bob Paisley | OBE | |||
Don Revie | 1970 | OBE | [6] | |
Bryan Robson | Jan-1990 | OBE | [6] | |
Bill Shankly | 1974 | OBE | ||
Alan Shearer | Jun-2001 | OBE | [6] | |
Peter Shilton | 1991 | OBE | Also received MBE in 1986. | [6] |
Walter Smith | OBE | |||
Gordon Strachan | OBE | |||
Gordon Taylor | OBE | |||
Jack Taylor | OBE | |||
Geoff Thompson | Jun-2007 | OBE | ||
Tommy Walker | OBE | [25] | ||
Arsène Wenger | 2003 | OBE (honorary) | ||
Bob Wilson | OBE | |||
Gianfranco Zola | 2004 | OBE (honorary) | ||
Tony Adams | Jun-1999 | MBE | [6] | |
Viv Anderson | Jan-2000 | MBE | [6] | |
Alan Ball | Jan-2000 | MBE | [26] | |
Debbie Bampton | Jun-1998 | MBE | [27] | |
Noel Bailie | Jun-2013 | MBE | [28] | |
John Barnes | Jun-1998 | MBE | [6] | |
Ted Bates | MBE | [29] | ||
Peter Beardsley | 2005 | MBE | [30] | |
Colin Bell | Jan-2005 | MBE | For services to the community. | [6] |
Clyde Best | Jan-2006 | MBE | [31][32] | |
Billy Bingham | MBE | |||
Billy Bonds | Jan-1988 | MBE | [5] | |
Steve Bull | Jan-2000 | MBE | [6] | |
Tony Carr | 2010 | MBE | [33] | |
Ray Clemence | Jan-2000 | MBE | [6] | |
George Cohen | Jan-2000 | MBE | [6] | |
Norman Creek | 1943 | MBE | Also awarded the Military Cross | [6] |
Barry Davies | MBE | |||
Kenny Dalglish | Jan-1985 | MBE | [34] | |
Robbie Earle | MBE | |||
Barry Ferguson | MBE | |||
Tony Ford | MBE | |||
Steven Gerrard | Jan-2007 | MBE | [6] | |
Shaun Goater | MBE | [35] | ||
Dario Gradi | MBE | |||
George Harkus | 1949 | MBE | For "keeping up morale in the forces whilst stationed in the Middle East" | |
David Healy | 2008 | MBE | For "services to football and the community" | |
Roger Hunt | Jan-2000 | MBE | [6] | |
Gordon Jago | 2006 | MBE | ||
David James | 2012 | MBE | [36] | |
Alan Knight | 2000 | MBE | [37] | |
Henrik Larsson | 2006 | MBE (honorary) | For "services to football" | [38] |
Jim Leighton | 1999 | MBE | For "services to football" | [39] |
Gary Mabbutt | Jan-1994 | MBE | [6] | |
Ally McCoist | 1994 | MBE | [40] | |
Lawrie McMenemy | Jan-2006 | MBE | [32] | |
Willie Miller | 1991 | MBE | [41] | |
David Narey | 1992 | MBE | [42] | |
Terry Paine | 1977 | MBE | [43] | |
Stuart Pearce | 1999 | MBE | [44] | |
Martin Peters | Jun-1978 | MBE | [5] | |
Ivor Powell | Jan-2008 | MBE | [45] | |
Niall Quinn | 2003 | MBE (honorary) | For "outstanding services to international football and his contributions to charities" | [46] |
Pat Rice | Jan-2013 | MBE | [47][48] | |
Peter Schmeichel | 2001 | MBE (honorary) | [49] | |
Teddy Sheringham | Jun-2007 | MBE | [50] | |
Tommy Smith | 1978 | MBE | For services to football | [51] |
Neville Southall | 1995 | MBE | For services to football | [52] |
Nobby Stiles | Jan-2000 | MBE | [6] | |
Howard Webb | Jan-2011 | MBE | [53] | |
Ray Wilson | Jan-2000 | MBE | [6] | |
Ian Wright | 2000 | MBE | [54][55] | |
Rachel Yankey | Jan-2006 | MBE | [32] |
See also
- List of sporting knights and dames
- United Kingdom order of precedence
- List of honorary British Knights
- Post-nominal letters
References
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External links
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