Ally McCoist claims Arsenal legend was the ‘most intelligent footballer’ he’s ever seen

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Arsenal have had numerous exceptional footballers on their books over the years.

Thierry Henry is widely regarded as the best Arsenal player ever, with his pace, dribbling and finishing ability making him a frightening proposition for opposition defenders to deal with.

The likes of Tony Adams, Patrick Vieira and Robert Pires are also up there in the pantheon of all-time Gunners greats, all boasting different elite attributes to Henry.

However, one player stands out for one specific quality that he possessed, with Ally McCoist believing that the Arsenal legend in question was the greatest footballer ever in this area of the game.

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Ally McCoist believes Dennis Bergkamp was the ‘most intelligent’ footballer of all-time

Dennis Bergkamp scored one of the most iconic goals English football has ever seen against Newcastle in 2002, and this goal encapsulated the player’s quality and intelligence.

In fact, McCoist believes that the Dutchman is up there as the most intelligent footballer he’s ever seen.

Speaking on TNT Sports, McCoist identified Bergkamp as leading this category from a group of Premier League legends.

“Do you know something, Bergkamp might be the most intelligent footballer up there, and there are some brilliant footballers,” McCoist said.

“But in terms of football brain, I think Bergkamp might be one of the best I’ve ever seen.”

Bergkamp scored 120 goals in 423 appearances for Arsenal, winning three Premier League titles and three FA Cups in the process.

Renowned for his technical quality, McCoist’s claims about the playmaker certainly weren’t audacious, with the player’s ability to find space and spot a pass that few others could see among the very best to ever grace a football pitch.

How good was Dennis Bergkamp for Arsenal?

Playing in behind Ian Wright and then Henry at Highbury, Bergkamp was arguably similar to a peak Kevin De Bruyne, although he operated slightly more like a striker than the Belgian.

His goal against Newcastle demonstrates his quality in a nutshell, with his initial touch to take it around the Magpies defender one of the most exquisite pieces of skill the Premier League has witnessed.

Lauren insists that that Bergkamp goal was intentional, which highlights the former Netherlands’ international’s razor-sharp football brain.

Managing double figures for goals in each of his first four seasons in N5, Bergkamp managed to combine elite creative output with an ability to score goals consistently.

Creating almost 100 Premier League goals for his teammates, only five players in the competition’s history have managed more assists.

He was very, very good for the Gunners.