Premier League's most beautiful players to watch 30-21: Gareth Bale, Xabi Alonso and Teddy Sheringham are in... but who else makes our countdown?

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It was Pele who first described football as 'the beautiful game', coining a phrase which would go on to become the sport's unofficial tagline.

The Brazil legend certainly played it, scoring over 1,000 goals in a remarkable career. But what makes a player beautiful to watch?

Alan Shearer is the Premier League's record goalscorer, Roy Keane was one of the division's finest midfielders and few defenders can rival the career of John Terry, but you won't find any of them on this countdown.

We're listing the players who lit up grounds around the country, whose skill, comfort in possession and penchant for the spectacular won them the hearts of fans and minutes on Match of the Day.

They're the players you buy a ticket to see. The defenders who play like they've got all the time in the world. The midfielders who spot a pass nobody else can see. The strikers who create a goal out of absolutely nothing.

This week we're counting down the top 50 most beautiful players to watch in Premier League history. Here are the men who made it into 30-21.

30. Robert Pires (Arsenal 2000-06, Aston Villa 2010-11)

A key member of Arsenal's Invincibles side of the 2003-04 season, Pires developed into both a classy finisher and an inventive playmaker after a difficult start to life in north London.

Voted the Gunners' sixth greatest player back in 2008, the Frenchman made sure fans quickly got over the departure of Marc Overmars to Barcelona with his devastating displays down the left and link-up play with compatriot Thierry Henry.

Magic moment: Arsenal were leading Aston Villa 1-0 in March 2002 when Pires ran on to a bouncing pass out to the left, flicked the ball past George Boateng with his first touch and lobbed Peter Schmeichel with his second.

Robert Pires (right) glides past Leicester's Andy Impey as Arsenal romped to the title in 2002

29. Luka Modric (Tottenham 2008-12)

You'd have never have known it by the time Modric left Tottenham for Real Madrid in a £30million deal in 2012, but the gifted Croat initially found it tough to adapt to the Premier League.

However, a shift in position allowed him to reach his potential and he was soon orchestrating games and scoring goals as Spurs played some of their most attractive football in years.

Magic moment: Modric had four Everton players within six yards of him when he sauntered into the box in February 2010, but he needed only a couple of touches before sending a swerving, dipping shot over the head of Tim Howard and into the back of the net.

Luka Modric gave Spurs guile and craft in the middle of midfield and now gives Real Madrid the same

28. Xabi Alonso (Liverpool 2004-09)

A gorgeous passer of the ball, Alonso is still revered on the red half of Merseyside after developing into a world-class player under the guidance of the man who signed him, Rafa Benitez.

The stylish Spaniard couldn't resist a move to Real Madrid after five years at Anfield, but perhaps his biggest compliment was Pep Guardiola's decision to bring him to Bayern Munich at the age of 31.

Magic moment: Alonso scored from inside his own half for the second time in his Liverpool career in September 2006 when Newcastle were the visitors to Anfield. The Spaniard won the ball back, spotted Steve Harper off his line and made the Magpies goalkeeper look a fool.

Xabi Alonso (right) celebrates his long-ranger against Newcastle with Fabio Aurelio

27. Harry Kewell (Leeds 1996-03, Liverpool 2003-08)

Although Kewell's time at Liverpool was largely a disappointment, the talented Australian matured into one of the Premier League's most exciting players during his seven years at Elland Road.

Pacy, skilful and with a hammer of a left foot, Kewell was at the heart of the Leeds team challenging at the top end of the division at the turn of the century.

Magic moment: It was just five minutes into Leeds' trip to Arsenal in May 2003 when Kewell sprinted on to a long ball from Jason Wilcox and got between Martin Keown and Oleg Luzhny. After a deft touch with his head, the Aussie unleashed a left-footed shot which arrowed beyond the despairing dive of David Seaman and into the far corner.

Harry Kewell (right) and fellow team-mate and Champions League winner Steven Gerrard in 2000

26. Teddy Sheringham (Nottingham Forest 1991-92, Tottenham 1992-97 and 2001-03, Man United 1997-01, Portsmouth 2003-04, West Ham 2004-07)

What Sheringham lacked in pace and power, he more than made up for with his speed of thought and clever movement during a glittering - and lengthy - career in the Premier League.

A fine finisher capable of scoring all sorts of goals, the ex-England striker kept playing until he was 42 - a testament to his natural ability and reliance on technique over fitness.

Magic moment: His goal in the 1999 Champions League final was slightly more important, but Sheringham's thunderous strike for Manchester United against Bradford in October 2000 was a little easier on the eyes as he let a long ball from Mikael Silvestre bounce a twice before lashing it high into the net.

Teddy Sheringham went to Old Trafford and he won the lot, so the famous ditty goes

25. Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal 2006 – present)

'If you love football, you love Tomas Rosicky,' Arsene Wenger said about his midfield maestro following a particularly memorable performance against Brighton in January this year.

It's hard to argue with the Frenchman, who has benefited from having 'little Mozart' compose his midfield for almost a decade. If only he could stay fit.

Magic moment: Arsenal's clash with Tottenham in March 2014 was less than two minutes old when Rosicky burst down the right, played a slightly awkward one-two with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and fired an unstoppable shot past Hugo Lloris. One-nil to the Arsenal.

Tomas Rosicky lashes home a sweetly struck volley against Brighton to earn his manager's praise

24. Gus Poyet (Chelsea 1997-01, Tottenham 2001-04)

One of Chelsea's exotic foreign imports in the nineties, Poyet was an attacking midfielder whose height and leggy gait didn't prevent him becoming one of the most elegant players in the top flight.

The talented Uruguayan was a fine striker of the ball, while his knack of popping up in the right place at the right moment meant he finished his time in England with an impressive tally of 54 league goals from 145 starts.

Magic moment: It was August 1999 when Gianfranco Zola controlled a long pass forward against Sunderland, moved into space and looped the ball into the path of Poyet. It was an awkward height but he leapt into the air to volley it home in style. A classic Premier League goal.

Gus Poyet celebrates his magical strike against Sunderland as Stamford Bridge is sent into delirium

23. Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle 2010-15, Hull 2014-15 loan)

If Ben Arfa's attitude and application had been as good as he was with the ball at his feet, Newcastle may well have had one of Europe's best young players on their hands.

He still showed plenty of glimpses of his talent on Tyneside, mesmerising defenders with flicks and tricks and scoring some truly special goals, but he could have done so much more.

Magic moment: Ben Arfa scored one of the most memorable solo goals in Premier League history when he picked up the ball against Bolton in April 2012, flicked it past one opponent, burst past another and weaved his way straight through the visitors' defence before finishing.

Hatem Ben Arfa finishes off a dazzling dribble by firing past Adam Bogdan to score a beauty

22. Gareth Bale (Tottenham 2007-13)

From bench-warmer to the world's most expensive player, Bale's meteoric rise at Tottenham was both unexpected and a joy to witness as he lit up the Premier League with some of the most explosive individual performances in the division's history.

The Welshman possesses a ferocious strike and a deadly delivery from set-pieces, but it was the slick manner in which he carries the ball forward at pace which earns him a place in the top half of our countdown.

Magic moment: Bale showed plenty of pace and power to deny Norwich all three points in January 2013 as he broke from inside his own half, avoided a challenge and drove into the area before smashing the ball past Mark Bunn to make it 1-1.

Gareth Bale lashes home against Norwich in another memorable outing in a Spurs shirt

21. Juninho (Middlesbrough 1995-97, 1999-2000 loan, 2002-04)

Juninho spent five years at Middlesbrough across three separate spells, bringing Brazilian flair, a wonderful touch and an uncanny ability to wriggle away from bigger, stronger opponents to the North East. He remains a hero on Teesside to this day.

Described by Bryan Robson as his best ever signing for Boro, the pint-sized attacking midfielder played with a smile and brought plenty more to the faces of fans at the Riverside.

Magic moment: It's quite rare for a player two score twice against Manchester United at Old Trafford in one game, especially so when both goals are headers and you're only 5ft 5in. But that's exactly what Juninho did in February 2004 to help seal a famous 3-2 win. 

Juninho gives Middlesbrough the lead at Old Trafford during his debut season with the Teesside club