Probably the most honoured player in the history of British soccer, centre-back Hansen captained Liverpool to its victorious double in 1986; however, an ongoing knee injury effectively ended his playing career in 1991. Fortunately for Hansen and his dedicated fans, the Beautiful Game’s loss was the BBC’s gain when he became the face of Match of the Day Live.

Hansen is best known for his authoritative and rational analyses of matches, as well as someone who can be relied on to highlight both triumphs and “diabolical” mistakes of defenders! Unlike other ex-professional footballers, Hansen continually refuses to sit with commentators for matches, whether he’s amongst the action at the stadium, where he prefers to be – at least for live matches – or at Television Centre for highlights.