The importance of the defensive line is no less significant than other areas
of the pitch. Although defenders often don’t receive the media attention they
deserve—reflected in the relatively few individual awards they collect—their
importance remains undeniable. Comparisons between defenders among football
fans are just as fierce as those between attackers and midfielders. In this
article, brought to you by Goal Reader Blog, we will introduce you to the top
ten defenders in history, according to the majority of football experts.
Paolo Maldini
The defensive prowess of Italians is best exemplified by the legendary Milan
and Italy defender Paolo Maldini, who remains a role model for many of today’s
defenders.
Paolo Maldini’s Stats with Milan:
Over 25 seasons, starting from 1985 until 2009, Paolo Maldini, considered by
some as the greatest defender of all time, played 902 matches for Milan—the
most in the club’s history to this day. During these matches, Maldini scored
33 goals and has 25 titles with Milan, including seven Serie A titles and five
UEFA Champions League trophies. Maldini is the player with the most
appearances in Champions League finals, tied at eight with Real Madrid legend
Gento.
Carles Puyol
Carles Puyol, or "The Lion heart" as his fans affectionately call him, etched
his name in gold in the defences of both Barcelona and the Spanish national
team.
Carles Puyol's Stats with Barcelona
Puyol played 682 matches for Barcelona, scoring 24 goals. He won 18 titles
with Barcelona, and was named UEFA Defender of the Year and appeared in the
UEFA Team of the Year six times, as well as the FIFA Team of the Year on three
occasions.
Puyol's Stats with Spain
Internationally, Carles Puyol earned 100 caps for Spain, scoring three goals
and winning two major international titles.
Sergio Ramos
It’s impossible to compile a list of the greatest defenders without including
the name of Sergio Ramos, who made his mark in every team he played for, most
notably Real Madrid.
Sergio Ramos' Stats with Real Madrid
Sergio Ramos played 671 for Real Madrid across all competitions, scoring 101
goals—an astounding feat that underscores his status as one of the best
attacking defenders in history, with an additional 40 assists. Ramos won
numerous titles with Real Madrid, including five La Liga titles and four
Champions League titles.
Fabio Cannavaro
Some of today’s football fans might not know much about Fabio Cannavaro, so
let us tell you that he is one of Italy’s greatest defenders, second only to
Paolo Maldini in the eyes of many. Cannavaro had stints with several European
clubs, most notably Real Madrid, Juventus, and Inter Milan.
Fabio Cannavaro's Stats with Clubs
Over his club career, Fabio Cannavaro played 531 matches, scoring 13 goals. He
won two La Liga titles and two Serie A titles.
From our posts: Who are the Greatest Real Madrid Players of All Time?
Fabio Cannavaro's Stats with the Italian National Team
On the international stage with the Italian national team, Cannavaro played
136 matches, scoring two goals. His crowning achievement was winning the 2006
FIFA World Cup, a triumph that also earned him the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA
World Player of the Year awards in 2006.
Franz Beckenbauer
Compared to Italians, few Germans have excelled in defence, but when Germany
does produce defenders, they are among the toughest in the world. Bayern
Munich and Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer is considered one of the greatest
defenders of all time, according to France Football.
Franz Beckenbauer's Stats
Across all competitions with clubs and the German national team, Beckenbauer
played 632 matches, scoring 632 goals. Of those, 103 were for the national
team, where he scored 14 international goals. His most significant
achievements were winning the European Championship in 1972 and the FIFA World
Cup in 1974.
Ronald Koeman
Everyone knows about Ronald Koeman’s managerial career with Barcelona, but did
you know that Koeman is one of the greatest defenders in history and one of
the highest-scoring defenders ever—surpassing even Sergio Ramos? Koeman didn’t
spend his entire career with Barcelona, as his time there was limited to six
years, from 1989 to 1995.
Ronald Koeman's Stats as a Player with Barcelona
"Ronald Koeman played 192 matches for Barcelona, scoring 67 goals these stats that
might seem more fitting for an average forward than a defender. Despite his
attacking prowess, France Football ranked him among the top ten defenders of
all time.
Ronald Koeman's Stats with the Dutch National Team
For the Netherlands, Ronald Koeman made 78 appearances, scoring 22 goals. His
most significant international achievement was winning the 1988 UEFA European
Championship.
Read more: Who are the Best Right Wingers of all Time?
Daniel Passarella
Argentina didn’t just produce Lionel Messi, the best attacker in football
history, but also sent Daniel Passarella to the world stage as one of the best
defenders. Passarella played for four clubs during his career: Sarmiento and
River Plate in Argentina, and Inter Milan and Juventus in Italy.
Daniel Passarella's Stats
Over a 19-year career, Passarella played 447 matches at the club level,
scoring 143 goals, making him the second-highest-scoring defender in history
after Ronald Koeman. Internationally, Passarella earned 70 caps for Argentina,
scoring 22 goals, making him the ninth-highest scorer in Argentina’s history.
His greatest achievement was winning the 1978 FIFA World Cup with Argentina.
Alessandro Nesta
At the start, we mentioned that Paolo Maldini is considered the greatest
defender in football history by some, so let’s now talk about his partner,
Alessandro Nesta. The Maldini-Nesta duo at Milan is regarded by many as the
strongest defensive partnership in football history.
Alessandro Nesta's Stats with Milan
While Nesta's career wasn't limited to Milan, his time with the club was the
most notable, during which the Italian defensive general played 326 matches,
scoring ten goals and assisting two. His collective achievements with Milan
include winning ten titles.
Dani Alves
Alongside Sergio Ramos, Barcelona and Brazil legend Dani Alves is one of the
most recent defenders who can be ranked among the top ten defenders of all
time.
Dani Alves' Stats
Across all the teams Dani Alves played for—such as Barcelona and Juventus—and
with the Brazilian national team, he made 947 appearances, scoring 80 goals
and providing 191 assists, with his primary role as a full-back.
Franco Baresi
We began this list of the top ten defenders with Paolo Maldini, and we will
end it with his fellow Italian, Franco Baresi, one of Milan’s legendary
defenders.
Franco Baresi's Stats with Milan
Franco Baresi spent his entire career with Milan, where he played for 20
years, from 1977 to 1997. During this time, Baresi made 714 appearances for
the club, scoring 31 goals. His most significant achievements with Milan
include winning the UEFA Champions League three times and the Serie A six
times.