10 Greatest Defensive Full-Backs in Football History [Ranked]

Key Takeaways

• Modern full-backs need to be multi-functional, focusing on ball skills and defensive duties.

• Central defenders are increasingly used as full-backs for their height and aerial prowess.

• Defensive legends like Maldini and Cole exemplify the strength of traditional full-backs.

Modern-day full-backs are expected to fulfil various different roles in their team. These defenders need to be multi-functional, with some managers now moving away from the idea of an overlapping full-back.

Many full-backs are now judged on their ability on the ball and also how effective they are in the final third. Some central defenders are often now selected in full-back positions due to their height and ability to win aerial duels.

Historically, though, full-backs have always had to be good at one key skill: defending. Paolo Maldini is an example of a defensive full-back, who would be able to thrive in this era where full-backs are asked to invert and defend impressively. Over the years, there have been many magnificent full-backs, who are well known for their defensive actions rather than their contribution in the final third.

For example, Ashely Cole was one of the best full-backs of his generation, best remembered for his fascinating duels with the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo. Cesar Azpilicueta is a more recent example of a defensive full-back who starred as Chelsea won the Premier League and then the Champions League.

With that in mind, here are the best defensive full-backs in football history.

10 Gary Neville

Active Years: 1992-2011

Gary Neville devoted his entire playing career to Manchester United. The right-back was one of the best full-backs of the generation known for his ability to defend in one-versus-one situations.

During his 19-year career at Man United, Neville captained his team on many occasions, with his former teammates praising his tremendous leadership qualities. Neville could occasionally overlap the winger, but he is best known for being part of a formidable back-line that consisted of Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra.

Notably, Neville was part of the treble-winning team and he also earned 85 caps for England, featuring in five major tournaments.

9 Mauro Tassotti

Active Years: 1978-1997

Mauro Tassotti will go down in AC Milan folklore. The defender, who operated primarily at right-back, was a vital component of Fabio Capello's iconic team.

Capello's Milan side were one of the best defensive teams in the world and Tassoti will be remembered for his role alongside Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi and Alessandro Costacurta. Tassoti won 17 major titles with Milan, which includes five Serie A titles and three Champions League triumphs.

The Italian featured heavily as Milan won successive European Cups in 1989 and 1990. He was also part of the team that won the title in 1994.

8 Cesar Azpilicueta

Active Years: 2006-Present

Cesar Azpilicueta was a versatile defender who operated in various roles under different managers. In 2012, he moved to Chelsea and played on either side of the central defenders.

The Spaniard is a natural defender, who rarely ventured forward, but was able to defend against some of the most lethal wingers of this generation. During his first season with the Premier League club, he won the Europa League and he followed this up with a domestic double two years later.

He made over 500 appearances for the Blues, captaining them to a Europa League victory in 2019, a Champions League win in 2021 and a FIFA World Cup triumph that same year.

7 Philipp Lahm

Active Years: 1995-2017

The German will go down in history as one of the best right-backs to ever grace the game. Philipp Lahm would rank higher, but in the latter stages of his career, he began to have more of an impact in the final third.

Despite this, Lahm was a phenomenal defender. The right-back had exceptional positional intelligence, which allowed him to intercept key passes and block shots. His leadership skills were equally impressive, as he captained Bayern Munich to eight Bundesliga titles. He was also the Germany captain for the 2014 World Cup victory.

Lahm was smart enough to be versatile, often operating at left-back. Many managers would benefit from having a player of his calibre at full-back in today's game.

6 Gianluca Zambrotta

Active Years: 1994-2013

Gianluca Zambrotta was a gifted footballer, blessed with an incredible amount of versatility. However, he was best known for his defensive ability, which saw him become one of the best defensive full-backs of his generation.

Zambrotta starred as Italy won the World Cup in 2006 and he went on to make 100 caps for his country. During his seven seasons at Juventus, he won two consecutive Serie A and Supercoppa Italiana titles.

He then had an unsuccessful spell with La Liga giants Barcelona, where he won just one Supercopa de Espana before returning to Italy. At AC Milan, he added to his trophy collection, winning yet another Serie A and a Supercoppa Italiana in 2011.

5 Javier Zanetti

Active Years: 1992-2014

Javier Zanetti is another fantastic full-back, who made a name for himself in Serie A. The Argentine's game benefited from being in such a defensive league, as he was able to excel and showcase his brilliant defensive instincts.

Able to play as a left or right back, Zanetti was a top tackler and an exceptional passer of the ball, which is why he was also deployed as a defensive midfielder later in his career. He won an impressive 145 caps for his country, featuring in two World Cups.

Having dedicated almost his entire career to Inter Milan, Zanetti will go down in history for his role in the club's historic treble-winning season. He is also one of his nation's greatest-ever players.

4 Lilian Thuram

Active Years: 1988-2008

Lilian Thuram was a fantastic defender, who dealt with some of the toughest attackers of his generation. His general athleticism, speed and reading of the game, made him one of the best right-backs in football history.

Thuram's sublime technical qualities saw him excel at elite clubs such as Monaco, Parma and Juventus. His performances at club level saw him also establish himself as a key player for France, in which he won 142 caps for his nation. He started at right back during France's World Cup victory in 1998 and their European Championship triumph in 2000. The defender also won two Serie A titles with Juventus.

3 Ruud Krol

Active Years: 1967-1986

Ruud Krol will go down in history as one of the best defensive full-backs of all time, but also as one of the Netherlands' greatest defenders in history. The Dutchman earned 83 caps for his country across a 14-year international career.

Krol was a traditional full-back known for his incredible defensive qualities. The defender starred in the 'Total Football' era and he played a crucial role in Ajax's three European Cup victories between 1971 and 1973. Krol played as a sweeper, but he predominantly operated at left-back. His passing ability with both feet was impressive and he was even better at regaining possession from the opposition with inch-perfect tackles.

2 Ashley Cole

Active Years: 1999-2019

Arguably Britain's best full-back of all time and also one of the finest defenders to play in the Premier League. Ashely Cole was an old-school full-back who was a truly sensational defender.

The Englishman is known for his battles with Cristiano Ronaldo, with Cole typically getting the better of the Portuguese winger. The left-back won the Premier League with Arsenal on two occasions before joining arch-rivals Chelsea, where he went on to win another league title and the Champions League, which coincided with various other domestic triumphs.

Cole won 107 caps for his country between 2001 to 2014, featuring at three World Cups and two European Championships. Furthermore, when he retired from international football in 2014, he became England's most-capped full-back.

1 Paolo Maldini

Active Years: 1985-2009

Taking the crown for the best defensive full-back in football history is Paolo Maldini. The Italian had both a lengthy and trophy-laden career.

Maldini operated at left-back but had all the defensive instincts of a central defender. During his time at AC Milan, he worked with great defensive managers such as Capello, who made the Italian team one of the best defensive sides of the generation.

The full-back was dominant in the air and he could make last-ditch blocks, crunching tackles and vital interceptions. Maldini made a staggering 902 appearances for Milan, winning five European Cups and a remarkable seven Serie A titles.

The Italian spent his entire career at the Serie A giants before retiring at the age of 41. In total, he won 26 trophies at club level, which also included a variety of cup wins and also one FIFA Club World Cup.