TOP TEN COLLECTION THIS WEEK WE LOOK AT THE TOP 10 DEFENDERS.... 10 RUUD KROL NETHERLANDS
One of Dutch football’s all-time greats, Ruud Krol’s education in Ajax’s free-flowing system ensured he was versatile at the back and also able to push up into midfield when called for. Finished as a World Cup runner-up to the home side in both West Germany in 1974 and Argentina in 1978.
8
GAETANO SCIREA
ITALY
9
JAVIER ZANETTI
ARGENTINA
Like the man at the top of this list, Argentinian Javier Zanetti arrived in Milan as a young man and stayed. And stayed. Then he retired and came back. Across town from Paolo Maldini, Zanetti is now vice president at Inter Milan, but it was as Inter and Argentian’s rightback that he made his reputation. Holds the Champions League record for captain’s appearances (82) and is one of only 35 footballers to achieve 1,000-plus appearances for club and country.
Winner of every UEFA club and domestic competition while at Juventus, Gaetano Scirea was the centre-back for Italy on their way to their World Cup victory at Espana 82. And the defender, who sadly died at the tender age of 36, inspired future generations. “When I broke the record for most appearances at Juve, it was only important for me because it was attached to Gaetano,” said Alessandro Del Piero.
7 PHILIPP LAHM GERMANY
Equally adept on the left, Philipp Lahm is a rare modern-era one-club player, winning the Bundesliga eight times with Bayern Munich and achieving Champions League glory in 2012/13. With the national side, he was ever-present. “He has performed outstandingly in three World Cups – 2006, 2010 and 2014 – where he twice helped Germany to the semifinals, then [in 2014] he lifted the trophy,” said German manager Joachim Low in 2015. “For me, he is the best player of the past decade.”
6
PAUL BREITNER
GERMANY
One of football’s great mavericks, Paul Breitner’s offthe-wall dress and ‘tache sense hid a bright footballing brain. That combined with his physicality and an eye for goal ensured he was a member of the formidable West Germany defence of the ’70s that won the 1974 World Cup and finished as runners-up eight years later. Only Breitner, Pelé, Vavá and Zinedine Zidane have ever scored in multiple World Cup finals.
42
