10 greatest defenders of all time
Defenders do not do the most glamorous job on a football pitch. They do the dirty work. Defenders clatter into opponents, jostle them off the ball, overpower them in the air, make tackles and block dangerous shots. When we say defenders, we refer to both centre-backs and full-backs.
The latter is involved a lot more on the attacking side of things, although they are primarily tasked with holding down the fort at the back. Having a solid defensive line is a pre-requisite for any ambitious football team. If a team has dependable defenders, half the job is already done.
A defender's consistency is key to his greatness
The players we'll be looking at today have all achieved plenty of accolades through years of consistency at the highest level. They have been able to maintain high performance levels over an extended period of time and have left an indelible mark on the game.
Without further ado, let's take a look at 10 of the greatest defenders of all time.
#10 Gaetano Scirea
Gaetano Scirea is one of the greatest 'liberos' of all time. A 'libero' is a player who plays right behind the rest of the defensive line. His job is to intervene when the backline is breached. Scirea was the best in the business in the early 1980s.
He has the distinction of having won every continental club trophy recognized by FIFA and UEFA. Scirea played a starring role in Italy's 1982 FIFA World Cup triumph. The Italian spent 14 years at Juventus between 1974 and 1988.
During that spell, he won seven Serie A titles, two Coppa Italias, one European Cup, one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, one UEFA Super Cup and one Intercontinental Cup.
He died at the young age of 36 but will go down in history as one of the GOATS and will always be remembered for his belligerent defending and sportsmanship.
#9 Alessandro Nesta
Alessandro Nesta was the best defender in the world in the early 2000s. He was part of the AC Milan backline that was incredibly difficult to find a way past. Nesta was not just a strong and athletic presence at the back but he was also a technically proficient player.
He showcased excellent control over the ball, could play neat passes and was thus crucial to his teams playing out from the back. Nesta also had great positional awareness and tactical intelligence and this helped him greatly during his latter years after he had lost a yard of pace.
Some severe injury issues stopped Nesta from truly maximizing his potential. But he still achieved more than most footballers dream of. Nesta was named Serie A defender of the year for four years in a row from 2000 to 2003.
He has three Serie A titles, two Champions League titles, one FIFA Club World Cup and three Coppa Italias to his name.
Advent number 13: Alessandro Nesta. The Wall.
Best ever number 13?
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#8 Philipp Lahm
Philipp Lahm is one of those rare 'one-club' players of the modern era. The German international spent his entire club football career at Bayern Munich, save for a loan spell with Vfb Stuttgart. Lahm could play on either flank and was even deployed as a defensive midfielder towards the end of his career.
He captained Bayern Munich to a continental treble in 2013. He was part of the German side that made it to the semi-finals of the 2006 and 2010 World Cup before eventually winning it in 2014.
Lahm won eight Bundesliga titles, six DFB Pokals, one Champions League and one FIFA Club World Cup with the Bavarians. He is one of the most technically adept defenders of all time and is regarded as one of the greatest full-backs in the history of the beautiful game.
@ChampionsLeague Philipp Lahm appreciation post. What a player. 🇩🇪🔥
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