The best Premier League defenders ever? Getting it down to 20 was tough enough, let alone putting them in order....
10. Gary Neville (Manchester United)
Gary Neville brought great balance at right-back
Even in a Manchester United side that was not well-liked by neutrals, Gary Neville was a particular source of ire...which often tells you that a player is doing their job well.
The right-back was far more than just a prickly wind-up merchant, however, as 602 Manchester United appearances and 85 England caps in a 20-year career can attest. Neville was the best right-back in the Premier League for much of that time.
'Balance' is the word that comes to mind for Neville: always defensively responsible, but also capable of getting forward at the right times and capable of delivering lethal early crosses.
9. Sol Campbell (Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Portsmouth, Newcastle United)
Sol Campbell represented both North London clubs
There was little flash about Campbell; he was just constantly reliable. Unless you're a Tottenham fan, anyway.
Controversial both for daring to cross the north London divide and for some of his post-career political activities, but you won't find many people who will deny Campbell was an excellent centre-back for a very, very long time.
Campbell became in immovable fixture in the Tottenham back line as a teenager in 1993 and was still getting Premier League moves into the 2010s, helping Arsenal to go Invincible in 2003/04 and reach the Champions League final in 2006, skippering Portsmouth to the FA Cup in 2008, and holding off heavy competition to earn 73 caps for England.
8. Tony Adams (Arsenal)
Tony Adams captained Arsenal through a fantastic period
A big of a clumsy joke figure in his early days, Adams' career at his only club, Arsenal, began nine year before the Premier League was founded and ended ten years after.
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Adams was the most prominent and long-serving of several Gunners defenders to bridge that gap between the George Graham era and the Arsene Wenger era, winning trophy after trophy despite his off-pitch battles with alcoholism.
To a whole generation of fans, Tony Adams was Arsenal: his statue outside the Emirates Stadium, alongside effigies of Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp, is there for a reason.
7. Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United)
Nemanja Vidic won plaudits for his Manchester United showings
No-nonsense defenders appeared to e going out of style when Vidic arrived at Manchester United in 2006, but Vidic proved they still held value.
Exactly as mean and intimidating as he looked, Vidic was a more than worthy foe to every striker in the division (except Fernando Torres, for whom he had something of a blind spot).
As Ferguson put it: "How many centre-halves can you name who actually like defending? Vidic liked it. He loved the challenge of sticking his head in there. You could tell that the thrill of contesting those 50-50 balls animated him."
6. Vincent Kompany (Manchester City)
Vincent Kompany helped transform Manchester City into a juggernaut
It's strange to think that Kompany's arrival at Manchester City pre-dated Sheikh Mansour's, but it's true, even if only by a matter of days - and the centre-back proved to be one of the best purchases the club have ever made.
Even in his injury-hit last few seasons at the club, Kompany was a vital presence in the City defence, both with his own individual performances and his ability to inspire others to reach their best.
Kompany's effectively title-winning goal against Leicester City in 2019 just the final big flourish on a spectacular transformation the club enjoyed during his time at the Etihad, most of which was spent as captain.
5. Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Manchester City)
Kyle Walker has lifted multiple Premier League trophies (Image credit: Getty Images)
A full-back who ticks all the boxes we're looking at: longevity, ability, consistency, trophies, and improving every team he has been a part of.
Walker was there through Tottenham's continued ascent to turn the big four into a big six, then made the move to Manchester City to become - and remain - a crucial player in a hugely impressive side.
The right-back effectively defines all the qualities you want from a modern-day full-back, regularly getting among the assists without shirking his defensive duties.
4. John Terry (Chelsea)
John Terry led Chelsea through their greatest ever period (Image credit: Alamy)
A player whose presence often transcended his ability, mostly for the better for Chelsea and sometimes for the worse.
Not quite a one-club man, Terry nonetheless racked up nearly 500 Premier League appearances for Chelsea over 20 Premier League campaigns.
A reliable defender who also scored more than his fair share of goals, Terry won it all with Chelsea, going down as the club's greatest-ever captain after taking the armband aged just 23.
3. Virgil van Dijk (Southampton, Liverpool)
Virgil van Dijk dragged Liverpool back to the top
Few players have had the aura of invincibility that van Dijk had for years after his move from Southampton to Liverpool.
Eyebrows were raised at the monstrous £75m transfer fee the Reds paid for his services in 2018, but he has proved to be worth every penny. The Dutchman was ever-present for the club as he won the Premier League player of the season in 2018/19, when Liverpool won the Champions League, and again as Liverpool ended their 30-year wait for a top-flight title the following season.
Van Dijk went over two years without being dribbled past once in the Premier League from 2018-2020 - and on the ball he has been the perfect fit for the unique Jurgen Klopp style that brought success back to Anfield.
2. Ashley Cole (Chelsea, Arsenal)
Ashley Cole was one of the best full-backs of his generation (Image credit: Getty)
Quite possibly the best English full-back of all time, and for our money the Premier League's finest too.
A talent from an early age, Cole was part of a brilliant Arsenal side, including the 2004 Invincibles team, before going on to be part of an even more successful Chelsea side... much as that move proved just as unpopular with Gunners fans as Campbell's move to join them from Tottenham had been a few years earlier.
More than that, Cole helped set the blueprint for what full-backs need to be in the 21st century. Almost unerringly consistent at both ends of the pitch and one of the best left-backs in the world throughout his career, Cole was quite simply an excellent footballer.
1. Rio Ferdinand (West Ham United, Leeds United, Manchester United, Queens Park Rangers)
Rio Ferdinand changed the game for centre-backs
We don't mind admitting it was a tough call for who should take the number one spot, but Ferdinand takes it for good reason.
When Ferdinand first emerged as a 17 year old at West Ham in 1995, centre-backs in English football were defenders and that, more or less, was that. By the time he retired 20 years later, far more was expected of them on the ball - and Ferdinand was the primary factor in that shift.
A classy technical player who also defended as well as anyone else you could name, Ferdinand was equally at home in a three, a four, as a sweeper... you name it. Ferdinand was quick, he was tall, he was good on the ball and off it. All but ten of his league games played at the highest level. Ferdinand wore the captain's armband for club and country, and was named in the PFA Premier League team of the year six times spanning 12 seasons, winning every trophy along the way, and was one of the finest defenders in the world. A worthy number one.
Steven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication, WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.
