The biggest stars in soccer history are usually strikers or midfielders. However, many defenders have also shined throughout the sport’s history. Defensive players ran around the pitch at all times and often outshone the offensive-minded players.
This time, just as the title of this article suggests, what we have is a selection of the best soccer defenders of all time. So in the following, we will introduce some 10 best and great defenders in the history of soccer. If you have any alternative selections, objections or arguments for and against, write in the comments section below.
“Emperor Franz” was probably the best soccer defender of all time. This nickname he earned because of his leadership qualities, his fantastic style of play and his enormous empathy. He was awarded the Ballon d’Or twice for being the best footballer in Europe and was player of the year four times in his home country. He is still considered the best German soccer player of all time.
A player who spent twelve seasons with Bayern Munich is regarded as the first modern fullback in the history of soccer and the “inventor of the libero position”. Amazingly, like fellow countrymen Sammer and Matthäus, he began as a midfielder and only later moved to the back row.
He won the German Bundesliga four times with Bayern and later won it again in the Hamburg jersey. He won the European Cup of National Champions three times and the Cup Winners’ Cup once. He has in his collection both the European and the World Cup titles.
After his active career ended, he became a coach and again collected one success after another. With Marseille, he won the French league, FC Bayern the Bundesliga and the UEFA Cup, and in 1990 he won the World Cup with the German national team. Alongside Brazilians Mario Zagallo and Didier Deschamps, he is the only person in the world to have achieved this as a player and coach.
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