Rangers legends: Top 10 all-time greats for the Teddy Bears

Rangers legends: Top 10 all-time greats for the Teddy Bears

Helix Odhiambo
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:10 PM

Rangers are considered the best football club in Scotland and among the most successful globally. Behind the remarkable success lies an extraordinary crop of legends who guided their club to landmark victories. This article digs deep into famous Rangers legends who had remarkable achievements with the club.

Rangers legends
Many top stars have played for the Teddy Bears, but who is the best legend of all time? Photo: Ben Radford, PA, Professional Sport, Bob Thomas, Ben Radford (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

The Teddy Bears have enjoyed a rich history, racking up 116 major trophies since it was formed. They have 55 Scottish League titles, seven domestic trebles on seven occasions, 33 Scottish Cups, 27 Scottish League Cups, and 1 European Cup Winner's Cup.

The best Ranger legend of all time

The well-known Teddy Bear legends include Ally McCoist, Andy Goram, Ian Durrant, and Davie Cooper. According to stats, the top 10 Rangers who are considered legends are listed below.

10. John Greig (1961-1978)

Rangers legends players
John Greig of the Teddy Bears in action during a past match in October 1976. He is among the legendary players to play for the club. Photo: Peter Robinson
Source: Getty Images

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Greig's leadership skills and fighting spirit earned him a place among the legendary Rangers footballers. The retired defender captained his club in their 1972 European Cup WInners' Cup triumph, beating Dynamo Moscow 3-2 in the final. He made 755 appearances for the G-ers and scored 120 goals.

9. Davie Cooper (1977-1989)

Biggest Rangers legends
Davie Coope of the Rangers holds the League Cup after defeating Celtic in the Skol Cup final on 26 October 1986. Photo: Bob Thomas
Source: Getty Images

Davie Cooper was an outstanding left-winger blessed with a quick pace that left fans stunned by his abilities. Cooper played 377 games for the Scottish side in 12 years. His goal against Celtic in the 1979 Dryburgh Cup final is arguably the greatest goal of all time.

8. Jim Baxter (1960-1965, 1969-1970)

Teddy Bear legends
Jim Baxter of the Rangers posing for a photo in April 1964. Photo: PA
Source: Getty Images

Winning 10 trophies in five years is a dream of many footballers. Baxter was one of the stars in the 60s who brought success after success to the club. Unfortunately, he ruined his career through drinking and betting, forcing him to retire at 31. He remains one of the Rangers' football legends in history.

7. Brian Laudrup (1994-1998)

After enjoying four successful years with the club, the Danish attacking midfielder ranks among the best Rangers legends. Laudrup played over 100 matches for the Teddy Bears and scored 33 goals. Many will remember his masterful performance in the 1996 Scottish Cup final, where he scored two goals and set up three.

6. Richard Gough (1987-1998)

Richard Gough was a solid defender and probably the best among the Rangers' legendary defenders. As a captain, he guided the club to nine consecutive league titles. Gough made 427 appearances for the Scottish giants and won 18 trophies. Besides, he was the first Scottish player to be signed for over £1 million (about $1.2 million).

5. Barry Ferguson (1997-2003, 2005-2009)

Rangers' legends list
Glasgow Rangers captain Barry Ferguson was dejected after losing the UEFA Cup final to Zenit St Petersburg at the City of Manchester Stadium on 14 May 2008 in England. Photo: Professional Sport
Source: Getty Images

Barry had two spells at the club and proved to the world his immense qualities. He was named captain at a very young age (22) and won five Scottish Premier League titles, five Scottish Cups and five Scottish League Cups. Ferguson also won a treble in 2003.

4. Ian Durrant (1985-1998)

Rangers legends FIFA 22
Ian Durrant of Glasgow Rangers in action during their game against Aberdeen in their Scottish Premier League match at Ibrox, Glasgow. Photo: Allsport UK
Source: Getty Images

The Scottish midfielder spent 14 years in Glasgow and made nearly 250 appearances for Rangers. He helped the club reach the Champions League semi-final in the 1992-93 seasons. However, Durrant left the club in 1998 but returned in 2005 as first-team coach.

Rangers legends players - Top 3

Ally McCoist, Andy Goram, and Jorg Albertz are also mentioned as the biggest Rangers legends of all time. Their unwavering commitment to pure football earned them much praise from supporters and experts.

3. Jorg Albertz (1996-2001)

Rangers' legendary defenders
Jorg Albertz celebrates scoring for the Teddy Bears during their Scottish Premier League match against Celtic at Ibrox, in Glasgow, Scotland. Rangers won the match 5-1. Photo: Michael Cooper
Source: Getty Images

Albertz's free-kick skills and his magical left foot made him a fan favourite during his time at the club. The German midfielder is regarded as the best foreign player to ever play for Rangers. He bagged 82 goals for the Teddy Bears in 182 appearances.

2. Andy Goram (1991-1998)

Who is the greatest Rangers player of all time?
Rangers' legendary goalkeeper Andy Goram during their Scottish Premier Division match on 10 August 1991. Photo: Bob Thomas
Source: Getty Images

Despite playing for several clubs like Manchester United, Andy Goram's best moments came during his time at Rangers in the '90s. He was a fantastic goalkeeper who wowed fans and gave the team confidence with his magnificent saves.

The Scottish played 185 times for the Teddy Bears. He was also voted the team's greatest goalkeeper, beating his successor Stefan Klos.

Who is the greatest Rangers player of all time?

No Rangers player has ever matched Ally McCoist's achievements at the club. The legendary striker scored 355 goals in 581 games to become the club's greatest-ever goalscorer to date. He is also the player with the third most appearances for the team.

1. Ally McCoist (1983-1998)

McCoist won nine league titles and nine league cups during his 15-year-spell at the club. He is also the first Scot to win two golden boots (1992 and 1993). Beyond his playing career, McCoist also managed the Teddy Bears between 2011 and 2014. He was also inaugurated into the Scotland Football Hall of Fame after gaining 61 international caps.

Rangers legends FIFA 22

Below is a list of the club's FIFA 22 rating of past and present players coached by Steven Gerard:

  • Allan McGregor (GK) - 81
  • Connor Goldson - 77
  • Leon Balogun - 74
  • James Tavernier - 86
  • Borna Barišić - 81
  • Gennaro Gattuso - 90
  • Ianis Hagi - 86
  • Jermain Defoe - 68
  • Fashion Sakala - 79
  • Joe Aribo - 73
  • Ryan Kent - 88

Rangers legends game

Rangers legends vs world legends
Rangers' Paul Gascoigne celebrates scoring their side's second goal during the 150th Anniversary match at the Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, on 26 March 2022. Photo: Neil Hanna
Source: Getty Images

On 26 March 2022, the Teddy Bears organized a friendly game between their legends and the rest of the world to celebrate their 150th anniversary. The Rangers legends vs world legends match featured famous football icons battling for glory at the Ibrox Stadium.

The World IX won 3-2 courtesy of goals from Carlos Marchena, Nuno Gomes and Ricardo Quaresma. Arveladze and Paul Gascoigne scored for the Rangers. Here is a list of the squad:

World Legends squad

David James, Jens Lehmann, Éric Abidal, Arveladze, José Bosingwa, Luís Figo, Nuno Gomes, Gheorghe Hagi, Kaka, Christian Karembeu, Roy MaKaay, Claude Makélélé, Florent Malouda, Carlos Marchena, Predrag Mijatović, Robert Pires, Ricardo Quaresma, Míchel Salgado, Ricardo Costa

Rangers Legends squad

Neil Alexander, Ronald Wattereus, Jörg Albertz, Marvin Andrews, Arveladze, Kris Boyd, Ronald De Boer, Barry Ferguson, Paul Gascoigne, Alan Hutton, Nikica Jelavić, Pedro Mendes, Michael Mols, Nacho Novo, Saša Papac, Alex Rae, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Gregory Vignal, Rod Wallace, Craig Moore

Although the Teddy Bears have produced brilliant talents, only two among the top 10 Rangers legends are foreigners. Brian Laudrup and Jorg Albertz are the only non-Scottish players to rank among the club's elite stars.

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Authors
Helix Odhiambo photo
Helix Odhiambo
Helix Odhiambo is an award-winning Kenyan journalist and content creator with over 6 years of experience. In 2016, he won the Goal Blaze Correspondent Award for young writers.