Best defender(s) in the world?

[Stuttgart88]

My son just asked me who the best defender in the world is. I was stumped.

There is no Baresi / Costacurta / Maldini figure I can think of in modern football, or even a Paul McGrath. I instinctively thought maybe Chiellini and Bonucci, but really only because they are current Italian internationals!

I don't think any of the current best international teams or CL teams have properly great defenders. Good all round players or attacking full backs maybe (e.g., Lamm), but all slightly vulnerable as defenders. I like Diego Godin at Atletico, but is he that good?

[McNasara]

Kompany and Hummels for me.

[DeLorean]

A strange thing to say about somebody so decorated maybe but I think Sergio Ramos is underrated amongst the masses, if not the hierarchy that put together the various individual awards at the end of each season. I think he's pure class, brilliant on the ball, reads the game, aggressive, versatile, strong, brave and a total leader. I know the discipline thing is often thrown at him but I think he generally holds it together very well when the stakes are highest. He's the best around for me.

Chiellini is outstanding too and Godin would be the next obvious player I would think of. The only thing I'd wonder with Godin is how good he would be if he wasn't playing for a team that have such a brilliant work ethic and collective defensive mindset. Ramos, by comparison, has held things together for fairly gung-ho type Real Madrid teams. I like Thiago Silva too, not easy carrying David Luiz everywhere he goes. Kompany would have been in the conversation about three or four years ago but living off his reputation for a long time now, even when he does stay fit for a while. Varane has serious potential with that pace.

[CraftyToePoke]

Funnily enough, Ray Houghton has just had a bit of a rant on Newstalk about this very subject, on how the game isn't presently producing the type of defender your OP focuses on. Coaching is top loaded with being in possession rather than what to do when you are without the ball, according to him, and it's missed. He doesn't seem to get the fuss about John Stones either, basically give ol' Ray an old fashioned head it / kick it CB any day because defenders are losing the art of defending.

I wouldn't go as far as that myself, because Baresi, McGrath, Costacurta, Maldini, and Pietro Vierchowod was another favourite of mine from that period, could all really play too. It's the guys who combined both the ugly art of prevention while also being comfortable on the ball, I suppose there is presently a lack of, in good numbers anyway.

[nigel-harps1954]

The day of the top class centre half has gone. It only exists in smaller leagues now. It's sad really.

[TheBoss]

I have discussed this with people I know a few times over the last few months and I tend to argue that there is no real top central defender in the world game at the moment if we are to compare them to those best from the 60s-00s eras.

The best 5 at the moment for me would be:
1. Chiellini
2. Thiago Silva
3. Kompany
4. Sergio Ramos
5. Pique

The best 5 I have seen in my time in football.
1. Maldini
2. Cannavaro
3. Nesta
4. Montero
5. Sammer

[osarusan]

Thiago Silva at PSG always looks brilliant when I see him play (which is only CL football).

Him or Paudie O'connor for me.

[DeLorean]

Sergio Ramos at it again, some man to pull something out of the bag on the big occasion.

[DeLorean]

Rinse and repeat. What a man. I know I'm kind of talking to myself but he's a player for the ages.

[OwlsFan]

Interesting topic with Pep Guardiola stating that he isn't "a coach for tackles". http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4026514/Pep-Guardiola-wrong-tackles-win-titles-defending-greats-hit-rant-Manchester-City-manager.html Perhaps that's why there is a struggle to name a few good defenders.



The best 5 I have seen in my time in football.
1. Maldini
2. Cannavaro
3. Nesta
4. Montero
5. Sammer

Without seeing things too much through green eyes, Paul McGrath in his prime would be a match for most of those.

[irishultra]

How good was McGrath actually? Like he's Irish so we are gonna rate him but like I hardly hear him mentioned in England when they talk about past greats. Sure he played great against Italy and was a good defender but so was Traianos Dellas who put on equally good performances in Euro 2004, doesn't mean he's one of the all time greats.

[CraftyToePoke]

Go and repent.

[DannyInvincible]

How good was McGrath actually? Like he's Irish so we are gonna rate him but like I hardly hear him mentioned in England when they talk about past greats. Sure he played great against Italy and was a good defender but so was Traianos Dellas who put on equally good performances in Euro 2004, doesn't mean he's one of the all time greats.

McGrath won the PFAI Players' Player of the Year (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PFAI_Players%27_Player_of_the_Year) in 1982, the Football League First Division PFA Team of the Year (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PFA_Team_of_the_Year) in 1986, the FAI Senior International Player of the Year (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FAI_International_Football_Awards) award in both 1990 and 1991 and both the Premier League PFA Team of the Year (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PFA_Team_of_the_Year) and the PFA Players' Player of the Year (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PFA_Players%27_Player_of_the_Year) in 1993. He was inducted into the Football League 100 Legends (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_League_100_Legends) in 1998 and the English Football Hall of Fame (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Football_Hall_of_Fame) in 2015.

Comparing McGrath to Traianos Dellas... Y'serious? :confused:

[CraftyToePoke]

I hardly hear him mentioned in England when they talk about past greats.

Visited Villa Park last year for the first time, founder members of the English football league and winners of its top division seven times, just the seven FA Cups with that and several other trophies and also European ones including taking out Bayern Munich for Europe's top prize in 1982. Basically a club not short of idols, heroes & legends. I went up the famous steps outside the ground and soon as I got inside there was a mural the size of the gable end of most peoples houses of Paul McGrath and written above it was : GOD.

[bennocelt]

Comparing McGrath to Traianos Dellas... Y'serious? :confused:

Exactly, tsk:rolleyes:

McGrath, after Baresi, was the best I ever saw........also considering he was sloshed half the time as well. The english dont go on about him because he is a black Irish man, simples.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Maldini, Cannavaro, Ramos spring to mind. Kompany would probably be in a top 5 for me but for his constant injury problems. I remember thinking Desailly and Blanc were brilliant for a short period. Vidic and Ferdinand together were an incredible unit between 2006 and 2011 without ever being true "Best of the best" individually, they, Evra and Van Der Sar had that crazy 15 match run without conceding a goal in 09.

Oh, and if talking on the basis of 90 minutes, Richard Dunne of course.:p

[DeLorean]

Vidic and Ferdinand together were an incredible unit between 2006 and 2011 without ever being true "Best of the best" individually, they, Evra and Van Der Sar had that crazy 15 match run without conceding a goal in 09

I think Vidic was well up there with the best of the best at that time. Actually, I think Jonny Evans played a lot of games instead of the injured Ferdinand during that run without conceding, if memory serves.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Had a look at the line-ups there, worked out at 8 games for Vidic/Ferdinand, and 6 for Vidic/Evans, so yeah, fair to say Evans had a big hand in it too. The defence for United in that period generally was top notch: Evans played his best football in that time, as did O'Shea, Wes Brown and Gary Neville were still kicking, the da Silva twins were decent. It fell apart quite quickly once Fergie was gone.

[DeLorean]

Possibly an underrated side, three Champions League finals in four years looks well beyond any Premier League team now. Don't think they get quite the same plaudits as the treble winning team do but were similarly successful and well balanced.

[BonnieShels]

Exactly, tsk:rolleyes:

McGrath, after Baresi, was the best I ever saw........also considering he was sloshed half the time as well. The english dont go on about him because he is a black Irish man, simples.

He also had no knees.