The best English defenders ever
England captain Bobby Moore holds the Jules Rimet trophy after victory in the 1966 World Cup final
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It’s hard to have a good team without a good defence â and it’s hard to have a good team without good defenders.
Gareth Southgate
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32. Gareth Southgate
We kick off our list with the man who would go on to be England manager. Gareth Southgate earned 57 Three Lions Caps during a nine-year international career and was ever-present in his countryâs run to the Euro 96 semi-finals (we wonât mention the P-word).
Gary Stevens
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31. Gary Stevens
Confusingly one of two defenders named Gary Stevens in Englandâs 1986 World Cup squad, this Gary Stevens earned 46 caps for the Three Lions in all, also featuring at Euro 1988 and the 1990 World Cup.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
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30. Trent Alexander-Arnold
A regular for boyhood club Liverpool by the age of 19, Trent Alexander-Arnold soon lived up to his prodigious potential, establishing himself as one of the worldâs best full-backs by his mid-20s.
Jamie Carragher
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29. Jamie Carragher
Jamie Carragher grew up an Everton fan â but he went on to play exclusively for their Mersyside rivals, racking up 737 appearances during a 16-year career at Liverpool.
Kieran Trippier
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28. Kieran Trippier
A mainstay of the England national team under Gareth Southgate, Kieran Trippier notched his first international goal with a free-kick to put the Three Lions ahead against Croatia in the 2018 World Cup semi-final (which they ultimately lost, but letâs not get into that).
Lee Dixon
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27. Lee Dixon
One of English footballâs standout right-backs of the late 80s and the 90s, Lee Dixon won the title four times with Arsenal â twice in the old First Division and twice in the Premier League.
Paul Parker
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26. Paul Parker
Paul Parker the pundit went viral for his fully shrug-of-the-shoulders reaction to an Arsenal goal in 2018 â but Paul Parker the player was no joke.
John Stones
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25. John Stones
Among the most technically gifted English centre-backs of all time, John Stones really came to the fore playing under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
Gary Neville
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24. Gary Neville
One of the most decorated English footballers of all time, Gary Neville won eight Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues with Manchester United, spending his entire career with the club and captaining them for five years.
Ledley King
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23. Ledley King
In the words of his former manager at Tottenham, Harry Redknapp, Ledley King was âan absolute freakâ â such was his astonishing ability to produce elite-level performances in the Premier League despite not training due to a chronic knee issue (he had no cartilage in his left knee, for goodness sake!).
Mick Mills
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22. Mick Mills
Captain of Ipswich Townâs immortal 1980/81 UEFA Cup-winning team, Mick Mills also wore the armband for England at the 1982 World Cup in the absence of the injured Kevin Keegan.
Gary Pallister
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21. Gary Pallister
A Manchester United legend for his trophy-laden nine-year spell at Old Trafford â where he formed an excellent centre-half partnership with Steve Bruce and won four Premier League titles under Alex Ferguson â Gary Pallister received the PFA Playersâ Player of the Year award in the final season of the old First Division.
Dave Watson (left), Trevor Brooking, David Nish and Kevin Hector
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20. Dave Watson
Named in two PFA Teams of the Year in each of the First and Second Divisions, Dave Watson lifted the 1972/73 FA Cup with Sunderland â who were in the second tier at the time â and the 1975/76 League Cup with Manchester City.
Phil Neal
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19. Phil Neal
Among the most decorated players in the history of the European Cup, Liverpool great Phil Neal got his hands on the trophy four times between 1977 and 1984.
Kenny Sansom
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18. Kenny Sansom
One of Englandâs most-capped full-backs of all time, Kenny Sansom wore Three Lions on his shirt on 86 occasions, and was first-choice left-back at all four major tournaments for which his country qualified from 1980 to 1990.
Terry Butcher
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17. Terry Butcher
The photo of a blood-soaked Terry Butcher (yep, that one up there) at the end of Englandâs World Cup qualifier in Sweden in 1989 is one of the most iconic images in football history â and one which perfectly sums him up as a player.
Kyle Walker
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16. Kyle Walker
Up there with the finest full-backs of his generation, Kyle Walker made a major impact for Tottenham, Manchester City and England with his world-class quality on the right-hand side.
Viv Anderson
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15. Viv Anderson
An absolute icon in the history of Nottingham Forest, Viv Anderson starred at right-back in Brian Cloughâs legendary European Cup-retaining team â having already won the 1977/78 First Division title.
Stuart Pearce
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14. Stuart Pearce
Stuart Pearce made nearly 200 appearances for non-League Wealdstone before getting his break in professional football with Coventry City in 1983 â and he went on to establish himself as one of the most formidable left-backs around (he wasnât nicknamed âPsychoâ for nothing).
Des Walker
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13. Des Walker
Briefly a teammate of Viv Andersonâs at Nottingham Forest, Des Walker enjoys similarly legendary status at the City Ground to this day.
Maurice Norman
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12. Maurice Norman
Maurice Norman goes down as one of Tottenhamâs best ever players, having performed an integral role at the back in Bill Nicholsonâs legendary 1960/61 double-winning team â who retained the FA Cup and lifted the 1962/63 Cup Winnersâ Cup.
Tony Adams
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11. Tony Adams
A title-winning skipper in three different decades, Tony Adams was crowned a champion of England four times during his 19-year association with Arsenal â the only club he ever played for.
Sol Campbell
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10. Sol Campbell
Included in the All-Star Team at the 2002 World Cup â where he scored his sole international goal â Sol Campbell is right up there with Englandâs greatest ever centre-backs.
Norman Hunter
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9. Norman Hunter
A First and Second Division title winner with Leeds â where he also got his hands on the FA Cup and League Cup, as well as reaching the 1975 European Cup final â Norman Hunter was one of the very best defenders of his generation, picking up the 1973/74 PFA Playersâ Player of the Year prize.
Ray Wilson
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8. Ray Wilson
Left-back in Englandâs 1966 World Cup-winning side under Alf Ramsey, Ray Wilson made a name for himself playing for another utterly legendary English manager at Huddersfield Town: Bill Shankly.
George Cohen
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7. George Cohen
To know how good George Cohen was, you only need listen to one of the greatest players of all time, George Best â who described Englandâs World Cup-winning right-back as the best full-back he ever faced.
Jack (left) and Bobby Charlton
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6. Jack Charlton
A 1966 World Cup winner with brother Bobby, Jack Charlton was a giant of the English game (and later, as a manager, the Irish game).
Ashley Cole
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5. Ashley Cole
One of the greatest left-backs of all time, Ashley Cole got his hands on 13 pieces of major silverware across glittering spells with Arsenal and Chelsea.
Billy Wright
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4. Billy Wright
A one-club man at Wolves â helping them to three First Division titles and the FA Cup between the late 40s and late 50s â Billy Wright was the first player ever to win 100 caps for any country.
Rio Ferdinand
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3. Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand broke the mould as far as English centre-backs went in the early 20th century â and it brought him enormous success with Manchester United.
John Terry
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2. John Terry
Another all-time great Premier League centre-back, John Terry spent almost his whole career with Chelsea, captaining them and the national team.
Bobby Moore lifts the Jules Rimet trophy
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1. Bobby Moore
âHe was my friend as well as the greatest defender I ever played againstâ: thatâs what Pele had to say about Bobby Moore upon the West Ham and England giantâs passing in 1993. Praise of the highest order.
