Topic: Top 100 Defensive Players

[PoetryInMotion]

I've compiled a list of the Top 100 Defensive Players, including players who primarily played in the positions - Goalkeeper, Central Defender, Lateral Defender, and Defensive Midfielder. Comments and Discussions are welcome.

Franz Beckenbauer (FC Bayern Munich, West Germany)
Paolo Maldini (A.C. Milan, Italy)
Frank Rijkaard (AFC Ajax, Netherlands)
Lev Yashin (FC Dynamo Moscow, Soviet Union)
Franco Baresi (A.C. Milan, Italy)
Daniel Passarella (Club Atlético River Plate, Argentina)
Giacinto Facchetti (Inter Milan, Italy)
Luis Monti (Juventus F.C., Argentina)
Gaetano Scirea (Juventus F.C., Italy)
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus F.C., Italy)
Berti Vogts (Borussia Mönchengladbach, West Germany)
Bobby Moore (West Ham United F.C., England)
Manuel Neuer (FC Bayern Munich, Germany)
Elías Figueroa (Sport Club Internacional, Chile)
Ruud Krol (AFC Ajax, Netherlands)
Marco Tardelli (Juventus F.C., Italy)
Nílton Santos (Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas, Brazil)
Alessandro Nesta (A.C. Milan, Italy)
Fernando Redondo (Real Madrid CF, Argentina)
Héctor Chumpitaz (Club Universitario de Deportes, Peru)
Paul Breitner (FC Bayern Munich, West Germany)
Ronald Koeman (FC Barcelona, Netherlands)
Danny Blanchflower (Tottenham Hotspur F.C., Northern Ireland)
Dino Zoff (Juventus F.C., Italy)
José Leandro Andrade (Club Nacional de Football, Uruguay)
José Nasazzi (C.A. Bella Vista, Uruguay)
Lilian Thuram (Parma Calcio 1913, France)
Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid CF, Spain)
Obdulio Varela (Peñarol, Uruguay)
Gordon Banks (Leicester City F.C., England)
Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid CF, Brazil)
Matthias Sammer (Borussia Dortmund, Germany)
Igor Netto (FC Spartak Moscow, Soviet Union)
Léo Júnior (Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, Brazil)
Patrick Vieira (Arsenal F.C., France)
Domingos da Guia (Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, Brazil)
Oliver Kahn (FC Bayern Munich, Germany)
Jürgen Kohler (Borussia Dortmund, Germany)
Antonio Cabrini (Juventus F.C., Italy)
Giuseppe Bergomi (Inter Milan, Italy)
Karl-Heinz Schnellinger (A.C. Milan, West Germany)
Billy Bremner (Leeds United F.C., Scotland)
Ricardo Zamora (Real Madrid CF, Spain)
Carlos Alberto Torres (Santos FC, Brazil)
Fabio Cannavaro (Parma Calcio 1913, Italy)
Dani Alves (FC Barcelona, Brazil)
Peter Schmeichel (Manchester United F.C., Denmark)
José Santamaría (Real Madrid CF, Uruguay)
Andreas Brehme (1. FC Kaiserslautern, Germany)
Sergio Busquets (FC Barcelona, Spain)
Djalma Santos (Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, Brazil)
Fernando Hierro (Real Madrid CF, Spain)
Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan, Argentina)
Néstor Rossi (Club Atlético River Plate, Argentina)
Peter Shilton (Leicester City F.C., England)
Cafu (A.S. Roma, Brazil)
Karlheinz Förster (VfB Stuttgart, West Germany)
Karel Pešek (AC Sparta Prague, Czechoslovakia)
Billy Wright (Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C., England)
Claudio Gentile (Juventus F.C., Italy)
Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid CF, Spain)
Alan Hansen (Liverpool F.C., Scotland)
Hans-Peter Briegel (1. FC Kaiserslautern, West Germany)
Ubaldo Fillol (Club Atlético River Plate, Argentina)
Marcel Desailly (Chelsea F.C., France)
Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern Munich, Germany)
Roy Keane (Manchester United F.C., Republic of Ireland)
Carles Puyol (FC Barcelona, Spain)
Danilo Alvim (CR Vasco da Gama, Brazil)
Manuel Amoros (AS Monaco FC, France)
Rinat Dasayev (FC Spartak Moscow, Soviet Union)
Toninho Cerezo (U.C. Sampdoria, Brazil)
Víctor Rodríguez Andrade (Peñarol, Uruguay)
Silvio Marzolini (Boca Juniors, Argentina)
Ciro Ferrara (Juventus F.C., Italy)
Paul Janes (Fortuna Düsseldorf, Germany)
Sepp Maier (FC Bayern Munich, West Germany)
Graeme Souness (Liverpool F.C., Scotland)
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool F.C., Netherlands)
Manfred Kaltz (Hamburger SV, West Germany)
Laurent Blanc (AS Saint-Étienne, France)
Josef Smistik (SK Rapid Wien, Austria)
Albert Shesternyov (PFC CSKA Moscow, Soviet Union)
Edwin van der Sar (AFC Ajax, Netherlands)
Velibor Vasović (AFC Ajax, Yugoslavia)
Juan Evaristo (Sportivo Palermo, Argentina)
N'Golo Kanté (Chelsea F.C., France)
Diego Godín (Atlético Madrid, Uruguay)
Dave Mackay (Tottenham Hotspur F.C., Scotland)
Branko Zebec (FK Partizan, Yugoslavia)
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid CF, Belgium)
Alessandro Costacurta (A.C. Milan, Italy)
Fritz Tarp (Boldklubben af 1893, Denmark)
Zito (Santos FC, Brazil)
Willi Schulz (Hamburger SV, West Germany)
José Antonio Camacho (Real Madrid CF, Spain)
Ladislao Mazurkiewicz (Peñarol, Uruguay)
Pietro Vierchowod (U.C. Sampdoria, Italy)
Valery Voronin (FC Torpedo Moscow, Soviet Union)
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid CF, Spain)

[CowboyKangaroo]

A few minor observations:
- unless I have miscounted surely that is 101?
- it is remarkably unbiased, or perhaps even goes too far in that direction. There are a few Liverpool players who perhaps ought to be included
- in that vein, surely Alisson, having been the world's best keeper for a number of years, merits inclusion?

[Red-Soldier]

No players from the Dutch 74 or 78 teams...

[Nitramdorf]

No players from the Dutch 74 or 78 teams...

Krol is in there.

[PoetryInMotion]

A few minor observations:
- unless I have miscounted surely that is 101?
- it is remarkably unbiased, or perhaps even goes too far in that direction. There are a few Liverpool players who perhaps ought to be included
- in that vein, surely Alisson, having been the world's best keeper for a number of years, merits inclusion?

Yes, it is 101. Making the change.

The motive of this is to be unbiased. Currently, there are Alonso, Hansen, Souness, and Van Dijk as Liverpool players. Clemence, Hyypia, Hughes, Raisbeck, Robertson, and Neal are on their respective positional lists, but can't make the overall Top 100 Defensive Players. Trent will be under the next generation and I'm not considering him on the 'so far' list.

Alisson is in the Top 50 Goalkeepers list, but can't make this as of now. But I'm sure he will in a few more years.

[Kopenhagen]

Nice list. As stated above, Alisson needs mention and, being unbiased, probably De Gea (?).

[DelTrotter]

being unbiased, probably De Gea (?).

  What?! No.

[Kopenhagen]

What?! No.

Few years there he was the only thing stopping them from being solidly midtable. Obviously had weaknesses but in terms of shotstopping he was freakish.

[Flaccido Dongingo]

wHeRe ArE hInChClIfFe AnD wAtSoN?, typical RS list always make it about themselves!

[PoetryInMotion]

wHeRe ArE hInChClIfFe AnD wAtSoN?, typical RS list always make it about themselves!

 

[PoetryInMotion]

Nice list. As stated above, Alisson needs mention and, being unbiased, probably De Gea (?).

Alisson will be in, in a couple of years, mate. De Gea? No. They've got Schmeichel and Van der Sar.

[DelTrotter]

Few years there he was the only thing stopping them from being solidly midtable. Obviously had weaknesses but in terms of shotstopping he was freakish.

Yeah he did have one mental season where he seemed to save everything but he shouldn't be anywhere near these lists, even in his prime he was shocking for Spain and dropped many times and throwing Utd out of europe. No one wanting him at 32 is pretty telling.

[Terry de Niro]

No Pickford?   

[darragh85]

Lucio should be there imo

[darragh85]

I can't see puyol either


Paul McGrath

[PoetryInMotion]

I can't see puyol either


Paul McGrath

Puyol is there, mate.

McGrath is in my Top 100 Central Defenders list, but not Top 100 Defensive players, overall.

[PoetryInMotion]

Lucio should be there imo

Lucio was pretty close..

[Red-Soldier]

Krol is in there.

Only 1.

[PoetryInMotion]

Only 1.

Neeskens, van Hanegem and Cruyff are in the attacking players list. Wim Suurbier is on my Lateral Defenders list, but not in here.