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The Premier League has developed a reputation for being the most physically challenging of Europe's top five leagues. Aerial prowess is a huge part of the English game and the league has had a number of players who have made their names through their proficiency in the air.
Players like Peter Crouch and Didier Drogba were famous for the way they dominated defenders in the air. Although it is rare to see a team use a striker of that mold as their main target-man nowadays, there are still a few exceptions.
In this list, we take a look at the five Premier League players with the best aerial prowess.
5 Premier League players with the best aerial ability:
#5 Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea)
Romelu Lukaku has been one of the most dominant strikers in the world over the past few years. The Belgian has scored goals for whichever club he has played for over his career, with a good chunk of them coming due to his aerial prowess.
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Lukaku's physical stature makes him a nightmare for defenders to deal with. The striker uses his strength to outmuscle defenders and win the ball in the air. The Belgian has the sixth-most headed goals in the history of the Premier League with 23 and ranks amongst the top 30 for aerial battles won.
Still only 28, expect the Belgian to climb up those lists during his tenure at Chelsea.
#4 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
Harry Kane has made his name as one of the Premier League's greatest goalscorers over the years. He is also widely regarded as one of the league's best strikers in the air.
The Englishman has the knack of getting in front of defenders and using his strength and incredible heading ability to score. Kane ranks fourth on the list of most headed goals in Premier League history with 26.
The striker's aerial prowess has also helped him contribute to the build-up play for Tottenham, often knocking down headers for his teammates to run onto.
#3 Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace)
Christian Benteke has forged a career for himself in the Premier League primarily on his aerial prowess. The Belgian is not only good at winning headers, but also scoring spectacular acrobatic goals.
The Belgian currently has the highest number of headed goals by an active Premier League player with 32. He ranks second on the all-time list behind Peter Crouch. Benteke is also second on the list of aerial duels won with 1851, trailing only Crouch.
The Belgian is built in the same mold as his compatriot Romelu Lukaku. However, Benteke relies more on his aerial ability than the Chelsea striker does.
#2 Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
A great blend of height, strength, intelligence and leaping ability is what ranks Virgil van Dijk so high on the list. The Dutchman is virtually unbeatable in the air, a characteristic that has made him one of the best defenders in the world.
Standing at 6'4", there are not many players who are taller than Van Dijk in the Premier League. However, it is not just his height that allows him to be so good in the air. The Dutchman's brilliant positioning and ability to read the game helps him beat his opposition and win headers at both ends of the pitch.
Despite only playing in the Premier League since 2015, Van Dijk is already 12th on the list of aerial battles won with 810. The Dutchman is also in the top 50 for headed goals scored, even though he is a center-back.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Cristiano Ronaldo's leaping ability is the stuff of legend, helping him score an astonishing 109 headed goals during his storied career.
Ronaldo owes much of his leaping ability to his incredible fitness levels. The forward has put in a lot of time and hard work into building himself into an absolute machine.
Even though he isn't the tallest or strongest player, Ronaldo's leaping ability gives him an edge over most defenders he comes up against. Even at 36, the forward competes for headers with the Premier League's tallest defenders and, more often than not, comes out on top.
