Middlesbrough have had some truly top talent wear their shirt over the years.
Since its creation in November 1876, Middlesbrough Football Club has been home to some great names.
Former England manager Gareth Southgate is to this day, arguably Boro’s greatest-ever captain.
The centre-back guided Middlesbrough to their first and only trophy, winning the League Cup against Bolton Wanderers in 2004.
Southgate was also captain when the Teessiders reached their only European final two years later, losing 4-0 to Sevilla in the UEFA Cup.
Other Middlesbrough legends include Bernie Slaven, Juninho, Tony Mowbray and Boro’s all-time record goalscorer, George Camsell.
If it was up to fans of the North East outfit, the debate over who is the greatest player to wear the Boro shirt would no doubt be mixed.
In terms of a long-term servant, Juninho and Southgate have to be in the conversation for what they achieved at the club.
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Who is the greatest player to feature for Middlesbrough
If the debate is opened up to any player who perhaps did not have the most prolific Boro career but excelled elsewhere, then several other stars must be included.
After their last promotion to the Premier League in 2016, Boro completed a shock move for Victor Valdes.
Valdes only played 28 games for the Teessiders before retiring in 2017. However, he is currently the best player to wear a Middlesbrough shirt.
The Spaniard won the World Cup, European Championship, three Championship Leagues and a plethora of league titles during his historic playing career.
Morgan Rogers could become the best player to feature for Middlesbrough
Now though, Morgan Rogers could be on track to surpass Valdes as the best player to ever feature for Middlesbrough.
The Reds signed Rogers from Manchester City in the summer of 2023, with Michael Carrick labelling him a ‘huge talent’ late last year, as per Teesside Live.
The 22-year-old scored seven and assisted nine in 33 matches for Middlesbrough before joining Aston Villa in the most recent January transfer window.
Rogers has excelled at Villa Park so far and is already been backed to take another big step in his career.
Sky Sports pundits Jamie Redknapp and Lee Hendrie have debated if the ex-Boro man can become as good as Real Madrid sensation Jude Bellingham, showing just how far he has already come since leaving the Riverside.
Should Rogers indeed go on to sign for a massive European team such as Madrid, he has the potential to surpass Valdes as the greatest player to ever feature for Middlesbrough.
And as he is still only 22 years of age, the England U21 international still has plenty of time to cement himself as an all-time great in European football.