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| The top 10 defenders in the history of football |
Who is the best defender in the history of football?
The top 10 defenders in the history of all time When talking about the greatest players in the history of football, defenders are usually placed lower on the list, and this is natural since only 3 defenders have won the Ballon d'Or award, In contrast, there is a long and thriving list of midfielders and forwards.
There is a famous saying repeated often by analysts: 'Attack wins you games, but defense wins you championships,' This is a truth that cannot be ignored, as there is no successful team in the history of the game that did not have a solid defense - the top ten greatest defenders of all time.
The top 10 defenders in history
Football is characterized by its collective nature, relying on teamwork where each position has its designated role during the match, One of these crucial positions is the defensive line, often referred to as the castle's wall, forming the foundation of the team, This defensive wall can be built around a single player, showcasing the significance of defenders, In light of this importance, we will present to you the top 10 defenders in the history of football.
top ten greatest defenders of all time - While players in other positions tend to rely on statistics, defenders stand out through their impact and leadership role on the entire team, Based on this, here is our list of the top 10 defenders in history.
Today, Italy reigns as the queen of this list, and it's also the queen and educator of defenders around the world, All the skills developed today are nothing more than enhancements of the tactics and abilities that Italian defenders employed during the golden era of Italian football.
top 10 best defenders in the world
- Franco Baresi (Italy)
- Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)
- Paolo Maldini (Italy)
- Giacinto Facchetti (Italy)
- Bobby Moore (England)
- Alessandro Nesta (Italy)
- Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)
- Elias Figueroa (Chile)
- Jürgen Kohler (Germany)
- Carles Puyol (Spain)
1. Franco Baresi (Italy)
The talented defender played a pivotal role in Milan's astronomical rise, and he stood strong in defense even during the club's toughest times, For the fans of the team, Baresi embodied the true essence of a captain, He injected life into his teammates and the supporters alike every time he regained possession in his distinctive manner, which became a trademark associated with his name.
The eternal legend of Milan and the beloved favorite of their fans, even before Paolo Maldini, He is considered the best to ever play in the sweeper position by the consensus of many critics, despite not being the first to play in it, However, he managed to surpass all who came before him, Baresi won every possible title with the Rossoneri and also secured the World Cup with Italy in 1982, He is widely regarded as the greatest defender in history by the testimony of most critics and analysts.
2. Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)
The famous German Kaiser and a pioneer of the sweeper position, added a lot to this defensive role – he could be considered the inventor of it, Beckenbauer played the majority of his career at Bayern Munich, leading them to European dominance by securing three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles, in addition to their absolute domestic dominance, The name 'The Bavarian Giant' is truly synonymous with the reality of his legacy.
On the international stage, 'The Sweeper' secured the World Cup with Germany in 1974, Beckenbauer carried himself both on and off the field with the aura of a leader, He was one of the most versatile defenders in the history of football, adept at winning the ball when it reached opponents and orchestrating a cohesive attack when his team gained possession.
3. Paolo Maldini (Italy)
At first, we weren't going to include Maldini in this list since the majority of his football career was played as a left-back, He even topped a list we previously prepared for the best 10 left-backs in history, However, Maldini is the legend of defensive lines as a whole, Just mentioning his name automatically brings to mind the phrase 'defensive legend'.
His excellence in the center-back position for a few years exceeded that of many who spent their entire careers in that role, This is why he deserves to be one of the top 10 defenders in history, Over a span of 25 years with AC Milan, Maldini managed to etch his name in golden letters in the annals of world football.
4. Giacinto Facchetti (Italy)
With the abundance of Italian defenders on this list, not many would object to these listed names. Italian football is indeed renowned for its defensive school, and many of the greatest defenders in history have donned the Azzurri jersey, Gaetano Scirea is one of them – a defender is known for his exceptional sportsmanship, He never received a red card in his career despite his remarkable defensive prowess, His ability to intercept the ball from attackers, his exceptional vision, and his passing skills added a lot to the role of a defender.
Scirea played over 500 matches for Juventus, winning the Serie A title 7 times along with the UEFA Champions League in 1983/1984, Italy's national team benefited greatly from his peak as a footballer, as it coincided with the 1982 World Cup finals, which they won.
5. Bobby Moore (England)
Comparisons between players across generations tend to be generally unfair, given the various variables each footballer in their era deals with, However, Bobby Moore is one of the few exceptions to this rule, When you pass by the renowned Wembley Stadium, you'll see the statue of this English legend standing tall, It's no surprise considering he was the captain of the most famous generation in English football history, He led them to win the country's only World Cup trophy to date in 1966.
Moore was a captain at the highest level and a master of orchestrating the defense, He is a legend of West Ham United, with whom he won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1965.
6. Alessandro Nesta (Italy)
Snatching the ball from Lionel Messi early in his career is no small feat, but doing so with a remarkable tackle at the age of 36 showcases the value of Alessandro Nesta, the stylish Italian defender renowned for his impeccable sliding tackles, He played for both Lazio and Milan, becoming a legend at both clubs, particularly with the Rossoneri, where he achieved every possible accolade.
Nesta was awarded the Best Defender of the Year in Italy four times, a remarkable achievement considering the presence of numerous other prominent names in his generation, He was a crucial part of the Azzurri squad that won the World Cup in 2006, and he also reached the final of the UEFA European Championship in 2000, where they were defeated by France.
7. Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)
Gathering praise from eager fans is impressive, but receiving accolades from the legend Diego Maradona is an entirely different matter, This is how one of the prominent defenders of the current century was praised, He won the Ballon d'Or award for the best football player in the world in 2006, following an incredible performance in the 2006 World Cup held in Germany, As the captain of the Italian national team, he led the Azzurri to their fourth World Cup title, and he was dubbed the 'Berlin Wall' for his steadfast defense that thwarted any attacker approaching the Italian goal.
Cannavaro's successes were significant with the historic Parma club as well, He had a successful stint with Juventus before concluding his European career with Real Madrid, where he won two La Liga titles.
8. Elias Figueroa (Chile)
The player of the century in Chile and one of the standout defenders during the 1970s, Figueroa participated in the FIFA World Cup finals for his country three times, in 1966, 1974, and 1982, scoring two goals during the global competition.
It's true that Figueroa didn't play professionally in Europe, yet his reputation extended worldwide, His fame was such that FIFA named him the Player of the Year in 1976, His successes were primarily associated with the Uruguayan club Peñarol and the Brazilian club Internacional, Notably, he was included by the legend Pelé in the list of the FIFA 125 greatest living players in 2004, which featured numerous football legends.
9. Jürgen Kohler (Germany)
The towering German defender and one of the legends who possesses a remarkable football journey, Jürgen Kohler, began his professional football career at the age of eighteen, After just three years, he was included in the Mannschaft squad by the legendary coach Franz Beckenbauer, Kohler became one of the main pillars of the team that won the 1990 World Cup.
Kohler is considered one of the finest defenders of his generation, known for his well-rounded physicality, He excelled in defensive awareness and had a knack for anticipating the movements of attackers, His prowess in aerial duels was remarkable as well, These qualities allowed him to thrive at top European clubs, including Juventus, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund, With Dortmund, he secured a victory in the 1996-1997 UEFA Champions League.
10. Carles Puyol (Spain)
The Lionheart, Carles Puyol, is one of the most famous defenders of the last decade for his leadership in guiding the historic Barcelona club, He led the team to victory in all domestic and European competitions during an era of unprecedented success, To be fair, the Catalan club has not seen a defender of his caliber since then, His tenacity on the ball and dedication to the Blaugrana emblem is enough to make Barcelona fans tremble at the thought that their legend almost left for Malaga at the start of his career.
Puyol's successes continued with his national team, Spain, which also witnessed a historic generation, Who can forget his stunning header in the semifinals of the 2010 World Cup against Germany? This led La Roja to the final and subsequently to winning the ultimate championship.
