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Football Personalities Honours List
List of Football Personalities who have received Orders, Decorations and Medals of the United Kingdom.
Entries are listed alphabetically under the highest award attained. Previous awards, if gained, are listed in the relevant notes section.
All players from 1966 were awarded medals the MBE, additionally Jack Charlton, Bobby Moore and Gordon Banks were made OBE.
| Name | Date | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor Brooking | Jun-2004 | Knighthood | For services to sport; also received CBE in 1999 and MBE in 1981 |
| Matt Busby | Jun-1969 | Knighthood | After guiding Manchester United to the European Cup title. |
| Bobby Charlton | Jun-1994 | Knighthood | For services to football; regarded as second footballer to be knighted; |
| also received CBE in 1974 and OBE in 1969. | |||
| John Charles Clegg | 1927 | Knighthood | Thought by some to be the first man knighted for services to football, |
| although the citation did not mention football. | |||
| Kenny Dalglish | 2018 | Knighthood | For services to Football, to Charity and to the City of Liverpool; |
| Services of Charity and Liverpool regarded as support to victims of 1989 Hillsborough disaster. | |||
| Alex Ferguson | Jun-1999 | Knighthood | Only the eighth football manager or player to receive a knighthood; |
| was also awarded an OBE in 1984 and a CBE in 1995. | |||
| Tom Finney | Jan-1998 | Knighthood | For services to football; regarded as third footballer to be knighted; |
| also received CBE in 1992 and OBE in 1961. | |||
| Geoff Hurst | Jun-1998 | Knighthood | For services to football; regarded as fourth footballer to be knighted; |
| also received MBE in 1979. | |||
| Stanley Matthews | Jan-1965 | Knighthood | For services to football; regarded as first footballer to be knighted; |
| also received CBE in 1957 (the only footballer knighted whilst still playing). | |||
| Bert Millichip | 1991 | Knighthood | |
| Alf Ramsey | Jan-1967 | Knighthood | For services to football (following England's 1966 World Cup triumph). |
| David Gerald Richards | Jun-2006 | Knighthood | Chairman of the FA Premier League and Football Foundation. For services to Sport. |
| Bobby Robson | Jun-2002 | Knighthood | For services to football; also received CBE in 1990. |
| Stanley Rous | 1949 | Knighthood | He was knighted in 1949 for his contribution to the London Olympics the previous |
| year and to sport in general. | |||
| Walter Winterbottom | 1978 | Knighthood | For services to sport; also received CBE in 1972 and OBE in 1963 (first England manager). |
| Édson Arantes do Nascimento (Pelé) | 1997 | KBE (honorary) | As a Brazilian citizen, he was not eligible to receive an actual knighthood. |
| Jimmy Armfield | 2010 | CBE | Also appointed an OBE in 2000-Jun. |
| Craig Brown | Jun-1999 | CBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Paul Elliott | 2012 | CBE | For services to Equality and Diversity in Football; also appointed an MBE in 2003-Jun. |
| Ron Greenwood | Jan-1981 | CBE | Manager, England Association Football Team. |
| Denis Law | 2016 | CBE | For services to Football and charity. |
| Hope Powell | 2010 | CBE | Also appointed an OBE in 2002-Jun. |
| Alan Shearer | 2016 | CBE | Also appointed an OBE in 2001-Jun. |
| Jock Stein | Jan-1970 | CBE | For services to Scottish Football. |
| Billy Wright | Jun-1959 | CBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Gordon Banks | 1970 | OBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Brendon Batson | 2015 | OBE | Also appointed an MBE in 2001-Jan. |
| David Beckham | Jun-2003 | OBE | For services to Football. |
| Brian Clough | Jun-1991 | OBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Chris Coleman | 2017 | OBE | For services to Football. |
| Garth Crooks | Jun-1999 | OBE | For services to the Institute of Professional Sport. |
| Jack Charlton | 1974 | OBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Jermain Defoe | 2018 | OBE | For services to the Jermain Defoe Foundation. |
| George Eastham | 1975 | OBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Ryan Giggs | Jun-2007 | OBE | For services to Sport. |
| Jimmy Hill | 1995 | OBE | For services to Association Football and to Broadcasting. |
| Gérard Houllier | 2003 | OBE | |
| Emlyn Hughes | 1980 | OBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Mark Hughes | Jun-2004 | OBE | Also appointed an MBE in 1998-Jan. |
| Frank Lampard | 2015 | OBE | For services to Football. |
| Gary Lineker | Jan-1992 | OBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Cliff Lloyd | 1975 | OBE | Secretary/Treasurer, Professional Footballers' Association. |
| Nat Lofthouse | 1994 | OBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Des Lynam | 2008 | OBE | For services to Sport. |
| Joe Mercer | 1976 | OBE | For services to Association Football in England. |
| John Motson | 2001 | OBE | For services to Sports Broadcasting. |
| Bill Nicholson | 1975 | OBE | Manager, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. |
| Martin O'Neill | 2004 | OBE | For services to Football. |
| Bob Paisley | 1977 | OBE | Manager of Liverpool Football |
| Gary Pallister | 2009 | OBE | For Contributions to Sport. |
| Bryan Robson | Jan-1990 | OBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Bill Shankly | 1974 | OBE | Manager, Liverpool Football Club. |
| Alan Shearer | Jun-2001 | OBE | |
| Peter Shilton | 1991 | OBE | Also received MBE in 1986. |
| Walter Smith | 1997 | OBE | Manager, England Football Team. For services to Football. |
| Gareth Southgate | 2019 | OBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Gordon Strachan | 1993 | OBE | For services to Sport. |
| Gordon Taylor | 2008 | OBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Jack Taylor | 1975 | OBE | Football Referee |
| Geoff Thompson | Jun-2007 | OBE | For services to Sport. |
| Arsène Wenger | 2003 | OBE | Honorary (French citizen) |
| Bob Wilson | 2008 | OBE | For charitable services through the Willow Foundation. |
| Dean Windass | 2000 | OBE | |
| Rachel Yankey | 2014 | OBE | Also appointed an MBE in 2006-Jan. |
| Gianfranco Zola | 2004 | OBE | Honorary (Italian citizen) |
| Tony Adams | Jun-1999 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| John Barnes | 1998 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Ted Bates | 2001 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Noel Bailie | 2013 | MBE | For services to Football in Northern Ireland. |
| Peter Beardsley | 1995 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Colin Bell | Jan-2005 | MBE | For services to the community. |
| Billy Bingham | 1981 | MBE | Manager, Northern Ireland Association Football Team. |
| Billy Bonds | 1988 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Tom Boyd | 2002 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Steve Bull | 2000 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Karen Carney | 2017 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Tony Carr | 2010 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Ray Clemence | 1987 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| George Cohen | 2000 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Norman Creek | 1943 | MBE | Military Division; also awarded the Military Cross in 1918. |
| Barry Davies | 2005 | MBE | For services to Sports Broadcasting. |
| Steven Davis | 2017 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Robbie Earle | 1999 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Barry Ferguson | 2006 | MBE | For services to Sport. |
| Tony Ford | 2000 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Steven Gerrard | 2007 | MBE | For services to Sport. |
| Shaun Goater | 2003 | MBE | For services to Sport and young people, Bermuda. |
| Dario Gradi | 1998 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| John Greig | 1977 | MBE | Captain, Glasgow Rangers Football Club. |
| George Harkus | 1949 | MBE | For “keeping up morale in the forces whilst stationed in the Middle East” |
| Eric Harrison | 2018 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| David Healy | 2008 | MBE | For “services to football and the community” |
| Steph Houghton | 2016 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Roger Hunt | 2000 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Gordon Jago | 2006 | MBE | |
| David James | 2012 | MBE | |
| Harry Kane | 2019 | MBE | Captain, England Football Team. For services to Association Football. |
| Shelley Kerr | 2019 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Alan Knight | 2001 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Henrik Larsson | 2006 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Jim Leighton | 1998 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Gary Mabbutt | Jan-1994 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Sian Massey-Ellis | 2017 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Gary McAllister | 2002 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Gareth McAuley | 2019 | MBE | For services to Football in Northern Ireland. |
| Ally McCoist | 1994 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Lawrie McMenemy | 2006 | MBE | For services to Sport and to Charity. |
| Willie Miller | 1974 | MBE | For services to Sport and to Charity. |
| David Narey | 1992 | MBE | For services to Association Football in Scotland. |
| Michael O'Neill | 2017 | MBE | For services to Football and the community in Northern Ireland. |
| Terry Paine | 1977 | MBE | Player Coach, Hereford United Football Club. |
| Stuart Pearce | 1999 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Ivor Powell | 2008 | MBE | For services to Sport. |
| Niall Quinn | 2003 | MBE | Honorary (Irish) ; “outstanding services to international football & contributions to charities” |
| Cyrille Regis | 2008 | MBE | For services to the Voluntary Sector and to Football. |
| Pat Rice | 2013 | MBE | For services to Sport. |
| Peter Schmeichel | 2001 | MBE | Honorary (Danish citizen) |
| Alex Scott | 2017 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Teddy Sheringham | 2007 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Kelly Smith | 2008 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Neville Southall | 1995 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Tommy Smith | 1977 | MBE | Footballer, Liverpool Football Club. |
| Neville Southall | 1996 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Gary Speed | 2010 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Nobby Stiles | 2000 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Casey Stoney | 2015 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| John Toshack | 1982 | MBE | Manager, Swansea City Association Football Club. |
| Howard Webb | 2011 | MBE | For services to Football. |
| Ray Wilkins | 1993 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Fara Williams | 2016 | MBE | For services to Women’s Football and charity. |
| Ray Wilson | 2000 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
| Ian Wright | 2000 | MBE | For services to Association Football. |
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