Top 10 Most Feared Defenders Of All Time
If you are not too fast and are amateur at passing but you have a tough body that likes to get into anyone coming towards you then you are perfectly cut to be a defender. In the history of football, we have some of the most dedicated defenders that are ready to dedicate their life on the field but not concede a goal. Stopping a player who is the Messi or Ronaldo of their team in defence gives the same adrenaline rush that we get after scoring a goal. People don’t appreciate great defences as much as they do silly tap-in goals. We cannot blame them because such moments are very rare where the heroic act of the defender is seen and mostly for stopping the goal.
We are blessed to have experienced some of the toughest defenders in the history of football. Modern football is getting weak day by day as defenders no longer have the freedom they had earlier.
Top 10 Toughest Defenders In The History Of Football
10: Antonio Rudiger
Real Madrid has a history of signing aggressive defenders in the history of the club. Rudiger is a defender who is hungry for more and would do anything it takes to stop a goal. Unfortunately, the year 2023 is not going as planned for the player as his performances are not the same as his time at Chelsea. Antonio Rudiger has managed to keep 62% tackle success in the Premier League. He was also a crucial part of the Champions League-winning Chelsea side.
9: Paul Scholes
Scholes is among the legendary players in the history of Manchester United and spent his entire career in the club. The amount of passion he had for the game made him the fan favourite during his prime. There were moments when people saw the aggressive side of Scholes. He did not used to tackle a lot but when he did, it was always a hard one. People all around the world remember him for such moments.
It is also one of the reasons why he is among the elite team of Manchester United which won some of the biggest titles in a very short time.
8: Tommy Smith
Tommy Smith also famously known as ‘The Anfield Iron’ is one of the toughest defenders in the history of Liverpool. He had a reputation for being the tough guy in the team. The famous Liverpool manager Bill Shankly once said “Tommy wasn’t born, he was quarried”. He spent a long time with the Reds and won 10 titles for them.
We can also say he was the Van Dijk of the 1960s, but better.
7: Patrick Vieira
Every football critic accepts Viera as one of the best defenders of his time. Vieira is not a traditional defender but he deserves to be on this list. A strong and fierce player who can get into anything and anyone for his team. He had the mindset that helped Arsenal. One more reason why he is on this list is that he holds the record for the most sent-off player in the Premier League.
Patrick Vieira is a legend of the game and someone Arsenal can never get over. Very few Arsenal players came close to the levels of this player.
6: Pepe
It is never a good day to go into a fight with Pepe. He is the definition of an aggressive defender. In his career, there have been so many instances where he has made unnecessary fouls to his opponents. Pairing with Sergio Ramos in Real Madrid they were the most badass defender duo in the world. Pepe has seen a lot of glory in his time at Real Madrid and continues to perform great for FC Porto and Portugal.
People don’t know the back story of Pepe. He comes from a humble background and paved his way to the top with sheer hard work and struggle. When he arrived he Europe he only had about 5 Euros with him. He had the choice of either eating something with it or making a call to his mom. He chose to call her mom and assure her that everything is okay so that his family do not worry about him. One thing we also learn from the story is that Pepe also has a soft side which very few people can see.
5: Gerardo Bedoya
Bedoya is certainly not a famous name in this list but one that will always have a place reserved. He comes from Columbia and spent major parts of his career playing in South America. The thing that makes him so special is that he has the most red cards in the history of football. Bedoya holds 46 red cards to his name and was a complete menace to the referees.
A fun fact here is that after making his debut as a coach he was sent off in the 21st minute.
4: Gennaro Gattuso
Gattuso is an Italian legend who belongs to the era of AC Milan when the team was filled with the best defenders in the world. He was not very tall like other defenders but was always motivated in defence for the team. Gattuso was a short-tempered guy who was ready to get into a fight whenever he is on the pitch. One such moment was when he attacked Joe Jordan who was the assistant manager of Tottenham Hotspurs.
Gattuso was a complete warrior who used his abilities to destroy great players while defending. He motivated many people to become a defender like him.
3: Nigel De Jong
One of the main highlights from the 2010 World Cup final between Spain and the Netherlands was the flying karate kick on the chest of Xabi Alonso by Nigel De Jong. The national team of the Netherlands had put a display of great defences during that World Cup and made it to the final. Unfortunately, a strike from Andres Iniesta sealed the win for Spain. During that period he was considered among the best defenders of the world and was praised a lot by the Dutch fans. De Jong was also famously known as the lawnmower, as he cut his opponents up and down very easily.
The style of play he had was reckless and was a cause of concern for other players on the pitch. The Board decided to drop him from the national squad and the manager labelled him as “wild and unnecessary”. He will always be remembered for being one of the toughest defenders in the history of football.
2: Sergio Ramos
Every football fan knows how aggressive and passionate Sergio Ramos was for Real Madrid. It was a very emotional moment to see him leave the club after embracing it for so long. Ramos breathes for Madrid and will surely come back in the future. He is the definition of a perfect captain for any team. No matter what the scenario his teammates always had his back.
One such act was heavily criticized when he took Mo Salah down in the Champions League final in 2018. It broke off the arm of Mo Salah and he had to rest for months because of it. Liverpool lost the title and Ramos got away with a reckless foul. Apart from this, there are plenty of other occasions where Ramos has shown his aggressive side to the world. His love for Real Madrid and hate for FC Barcelona were clearly visible during the El Clasicos. On one occasion he punched Barcelona legend Puyol on the pitch during a match. All those things made El Clasico more interesting unlike now. Ramos also stands as the second highest player with the most red cards, it is one of the reason other players are afraid of him.
No matter how harsh Ramos has been on the pitch still Sergio Ramos is probably the greatest defender in the history of football. The career he led is remarkable and only a few players in the past come close to it.
1: Jaap Stam
Jaap Stam is a complete beast and a psycho if you are attacking against him. It is a nightmare for any striker to see a 6’3″ bald, heavy build defender running towards him. United with the likes of Roy Keane and Paul Scholes he was one of the unstoppable forces in the Premier League. He was quick to go into fights with the help of his confidence and physical appearance.
Jaap Stam was also a very talented defender who was a key part of his team. He knew how to change his playing style depending on the situation on the pitch. It is a deadly combination when you have an aggressive defender with brains.
