Ranked! Paolo Maldini, Nesta, Ramos Named Among 10 Greatest Centre-Backs of 21st Century

One of the most delicate positions on the pitch is the centre-back, and players who take up such a responsibility must be talented and very intelligent.

A centre-back defends in the area directly in front of the goal and tries to prevent opposing players, particularly centre-forwards, from scoring.

The 21st century birthed some of the greatest footballers and some monstrous defenders, including Italy’s Fabio Cannavaro, who won the prestigious Ballon d’Or in 2006 ahead of the likes of Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry.

10. Pepe

When you talk about a world-class defender, look no further than Portuguese sensation, Pepe. Kepler Laveran de Lima Ferreira ComM, known as Pepe, is a Brazilian-Portuguese professional footballer who has made the art of defending his own.

Even at 40, he still plays at the top level for FC Porto. An aggressive, physically strong, and tenacious defender, Pepe is known for his hard-tackling style of play.

He has won three Champions League titles with Real Madrid and several domestic titles in Spain and Portugal. He also won the UEFA Nations League with the Selecao.

9. Carles Puyol

Many football fans believe that Puyol is one of the greatest defenders of all time. The Spaniard, who played mainly as a central defender, left indelible footprints in the world of football.

Barcelona's head doctor branded Puyol as "the strongest, who has the quickest reactions, and who has the most explosive strength."

He won three UEFA Champions League titles, six La Liga titles, and several other domestic titles for Spanish giants Barcelona.

8. Nemanja Vidic

At a height of 1.89m, complemented by his physique, Vidic had the stature needed to become an excellent centre-back.

In 2022, fans voted the former Manchester United defender as the best defender in the past 30 years, ahead of John Terry, Virgil van Dijk, and his own partner, Rio Ferdinand, SPORTbible reports.

The Serbian was part of the United squad that won the Champions League during the 2007/2008 season. Vidic also won five Premier League titles and several other domestic titles with the Red Devils.

A no-nonsense defender, Vidic was a tough centre-back who was known for his physical presence.

7. Ricardo Carvalho

When you are talking about the best centre-backs in world football, Ricardo Carvalho’s name must not be missing.

He was an intelligent player who featured for some of the best clubs, including Spanish giants Real Madrid and English club Chelsea.

As a defender, Carvalho stood out in particular for his intelligence, and ability to read the game and time his challenges. He was also famous for his tenacity and hard-tackling style of play.

He helped FC Porto win the Champions League during the 2003/2004 season and won several domestic titles in Portugal, England, and Spain.

6. John Terry

John Terry was the embodiment of a defender. He was a strong, tenacious, and physical defender known for his tough and uncompromising style of play.

He was a leader who carried his entire team along during matches. In 2011, the former England international was voted the world's third-best passer for players with over 1,000 passes, with a 91.6% pass accuracy rate.

With Chelsea, he won the Champions League, Europa League, five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, and several other domestic titles.

5. Thiago Silva

The Brazilian international can be referred to as the most complete defender of all time. Having made his professional debut in 2002, Silva is still going strong after more than two decades.

He currently plays for English club Chelsea, having featured for top clubs like Fluminense, PSG, and AC Milan.

He is fast and can compete for aerial balls. Silva is also excellent at closing down and tackling opposing players in possession of the ball.

The 38-year-old boasts several titles in France, Italy, and England, including the UEFA Champions League.

4. Sergio Ramos

Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos is known for his aggressive play, but many see him as a total defender, PSG said in a statement.

Even though he plays as a centre-back, Ramos has scored over one hundred goals in his professional career. He was named La Liga's best defender five times.

He has been elected to the UEFA Team of the Year nine times, a record for a defender and the third-most of any player.

Ramos won everything possible at Real Madrid, including five Champions League titles as well as five La Liga titles.

He has also won trophies in France since his move to Paris Saint-Germain, including the Ligue 1.

3. Alessandro Nesta

The Italian legend had it all: pace, artistic tackles, elegance on the ball, distribution, and tight marking of opponents.

He played crucial roles in the history of Lazio and AC Milan, winning the Serie A at both clubs.

Nesta had strong and imposing defensive skills and an athletic and physical presence. He was also an extremely agile and elegant player with excellent balance, ball skills, vision, and passing ability for a defender.

2. Fabio Cannavaro

Canavaro is the only defender who has won the Ballon d’Or in the 21st century. He spent most of his career in Italy and captained the country to the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

He won two Serie A titles as well, but both were later revoked due to the Calciopoli scandal.

Canavaro won two La Liga titles with Spanish giants Real Madrid. He is regarded as one of the greatest centre-backs of all time, due to his tactical intelligence, versatility, technical ability, and ball-playing ability.

He also had stamina, a low centre of gravity, and pace, enabling him to start play from the backline after winning possession.

1. Paolo Maldini

Paolo Maldini is regarded as the greatest centre-back of all time. He was renowned for his technical ability, athleticism, sliding tackles, stamina, composure, and fast energetic forward runs as a left-back or wing-back.

Despite being a precise tackler and an imposing defensive presence, he often avoided committing to challenges when he deemed them unnecessary, preferring to restrict the offensive play of his opponents through his positioning and marking.

The AC Milan legend won five European titles, seven Serie A titles, as well as several other domestic Cups in Italy.

Maldini was part of the Italian national team that finished second at the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the squad that finished third at the 1990 edition of the Mundial.

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