Sometimes, the difference between glory and heartbreak is just a whisper — a ball kissing the post and the crowd’s breath caught in their throats. In Premier League football, the woodwork isn’t just part of the frame; it’s a storyteller, whispering tales of players' near-misses, of what could have been.
These players, some still crafting their legacies and others etched in memory, know that sound—the cruel thunk of almost. Let’s take a walk through the ranks of those haunted by the frame.
Here Are The 10 Premier League Players Ranked By Most Woodwork Hits
10. Mo Salah - 25
Clubs: Chelsea, Liverpool
You’d think a man with a smile as wide as the Nile wouldn’t know misfortune. Yet there he stands—Mo Salah, the Egyptian King, who dances past defenders only for the cruel kiss of the post to deny him glory.
His story winds through Stamford Bridge’s cold embrace to Anfield’s roaring love. 25 times he’s heard the hollow clang of woodwork instead of the crowd’s roar, but that’s just part of the legend in the making.
9. Luis Suarez - 26
Club: Liverpool
Some men leave echoes; Luis Suarez left a symphony, albeit unfinished. While at Anfield, he played like a man possessed. With a heart that beat to the rhythm of goals, 26 cruel collisions with the post remind us of near-perfection.
His runs—feral, unpredictable—made keepers shiver. But oh, how often the ball betrayed him, brushing wood instead of net. Liverpool sang for him, but the crossbar sometimes hummed back.
8. Steven Gerrard - 26
Club: Liverpool
The boy from Merseyside, whose right foot spoke poetry. Steven Gerrard struck from distances where hope dwindled, but sometimes the post had other plans—26 times to be precise.
A leader, a legend, yet no stranger to the sound of ambition rattling against stubborn woodwork. His misses were as spectacular as his hits—thunderous, heartbreaking, unforgettable.
7. Raheem Sterling - 28
Clubs: Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea [Loan-Arsenal]
The journey of Raheem Sterling reads like a restless river: from Liverpool’s docks to Manchester’s shimmering skies, to Chelsea’s looming towers. Fleet-footed, sharp-eyed, yet 28 times the post denied him.
His runs whispered promises; his finishes sometimes faded with the cruel thud of the woodwork. But Sterling keeps running—because rivers don’t stop for rocks.
6. Wayne Rooney - 29
Clubs: Everton, Man United
Wayne Rooney’s fire burned early and long. You could see the fire in his 16-year-old eyes: Rooney didn’t just play; he fought.
But even warriors fall. 29 times, the post interrupted his poetry in motion. His volleys and thunderstrikes, destined for glory, found cold iron instead. Yet he became England’s great son, proving that even misfires can shape legends.
5. Son Heung-Min - 30
Club: Tottenham
Bright as the morning sun, Son Heung-Min lights up Tottenham’s nights. Yet behind the smile, 30 woodwork hits whisper tales of heartbreak, turning certainty into silence. Ambidextrous and unpredictable, but the post has been an unkind friend.
Once, one shot rattled both posts—a moment where luck laughed. But Son smiles still because some men shine despite the shadows.
4. Kevin De Bruyne - 31
Clubs: Chelsea, Manchester City
Kevin De Bruyne orchestrates like few others. Visionary. Genius. Yet even the best-laid plans falter. De Bruyne, with passes dipped in gold, and shots struck with purpose, has seen 31 dreams dashed by the post.
The quiet Belgian, orchestrating symphonies in Manchester blue, knows that near-perfection sometimes comes with near misses. But beauty, even when incomplete, still dazzles.
3. Sergio Aguero - 34
Club: Manchester City
“Aguerooooo” will forever ring loud. They say Sergio Aguero wrote the greatest final act in Premier League history. Yet, 34 times, the post stole the crescendo. Quick-footed, sharp-eyed, a predator.
The ball would dance around keepers, only for fate—cold, unyielding—to intervene. Still, Aguero’s legend echoes in stadiums. Because sometimes, the silence before the roar is part of the magic.
2. Harry Kane - 36
Club: Tottenham
A prince who could have ruled the Premier League’s scoring kingdom, Harry Kane knew the weight of missed fate. 36 rattles of woodwork—each a reminder that even the surest foot can falter. His goals came in torrents, but so did near misses.
Yet, like all true leaders, Kane pressed on because kings are crowned by their triumphs and how they respond to setbacks.
1. Robin Van Persie - 44
Clubs: Arsenal, Manchester United
At last, the throne belongs to Robin Van Persie—the man whose left foot wrote sonnets. Yet, 44 times, the poem ended mid-line, the goalposts cruel editors. His volleys deserved applause but sometimes found cold rejection.
Still, Van Persie reigned supreme: golden boots and unforgettable goals. Because sometimes, the most beautiful stories are the ones almost told.
In the end, the woodwork doesn’t just mark the boundary of goals—it’s where dreams pause, hearts skip, and stories wait for another chance.
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