adminWest Ham’s “unplayable” star is now emulating Di Canio, Rice and Payet
West Ham United: From Legends Past to a Modern Star
While the silverware hasn’t always come their way, West Ham United have been graced by some truly exceptional players over the years.
From the club’s historic greats — Bobby Moore, Billy Bonds, and Geoff Hurst — to more recent icons such as Declan Rice, Dimitri Payet, and the mercurial Paolo Di Canio, the Hammers have never lacked individual brilliance.
Each left an unforgettable mark on East London, and under Nuno Espírito Santo, there may be another player worthy of joining their company.
Di Canio, Payet, and Rice: West Ham’s Modern Icons
Paolo Di Canio arrived in January 1999 amid controversy, having just served an 11-match ban for pushing a referee.
Despite questions over his temperament, then-manager Harry Redknapp justified the move, famously saying the Italian could “do things with the ball that people can only dream of.”
Over the next four and a half years, Di Canio delivered 50 goals and 19 assists in 139 appearances, including his unforgettable scissor-kick against Wimbledon — later named the Premier League’s Goal of the Decade.
Even after his departure to Charlton Athletic following West Ham’s 2003 relegation, Di Canio’s bond with the club and its supporters has remained unbreakable.
A little over a decade later, the East End would fall in love again — this time with Dimitri Payet.
The French playmaker joined from Marseille in 2015 and immediately dazzled, assisting on his debut against Arsenal with a pinpoint free-kick delivery.
By season’s end, he had 12 goals and 15 assists in 38 games, earning a slew of honours: West Ham Player of the Year, London Football Awards Premier League Player of the Year, and a spot on the PFA Players’ Player of the Year shortlist.
However, the fairytale ended abruptly when Payet refused to play midway through the following season, forcing a £25 million return to Marseille.
The third of this trio, and the only academy graduate, Declan Rice, was the embodiment of West Ham’s spirit. Debuting in the 2016/17 campaign, Rice went on to make 245 appearances, captaining the club from 2022.
His crowning moment came the following summer when he lifted the Europa Conference League trophy — the club’s first European title in decades.
Though his £105 million move to Arsenal later that year marked the end of an era, Rice’s legacy at West Ham remains secure.
Together, Di Canio, Payet, and Rice stand among the finest to represent the Hammers in the modern age — but another name is rapidly joining their ranks.
The New Torchbearer: Jarrod Bowen
Despite a mixed start to the current campaign, West Ham still boast several outstanding talents. Yet, when it comes to players capable of following in the footsteps of Di Canio, Payet, and Rice, one name shines brightest — Jarrod Bowen.
Joining from Hull City in January 2020, Bowen’s arrival was met with cautious optimism. His first half-season was solid, if unspectacular — one goal and four assists in 13 games. But the winger’s progression since has been remarkable.
In 2020/21, he registered 14 goal involvements in 40 games. Then came the 2021/22 campaign — his breakout year. In 51 appearances, Bowen recorded 18 goals and 13 assists — a goal contribution every 1.64 games — and earned his first England cap.
Brentford’s Thomas Frank even described him as “unplayable.”
But Bowen’s defining moment came the following season. In the dying minutes of the Conference League final, he latched onto a through ball and coolly slotted home the winner, securing West Ham’s first major European trophy in over 50 years.
Since then, he’s only grown in stature. Now wearing the captain’s armband, Bowen has become not just a fan favourite, but a symbol of everything the club stands for — passion, work ethic, and flair.
He may not yet receive the same acclaim outside East London, but within the Hammers faithful, Jarrod Bowen is already being spoken of alongside the club’s modern legends — and it’s hard to argue he doesn’t deserve it.
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