Well, we are rifling through this short series covering the best footballer in every position over the last decade, and with goalkeepers and right-backs out of the way, today we move onto centre-backs.
As I said in the introduction to the right-backs video, if you’re new to the series, I’d suggest checking out the seven goalkeepers video first and then returning here, simply because I laid out the criteria and my thought process a little more comprehensively there.
Every era has produced world class centre-backs, and the 2010’s is absolutely no exception. As always, a top class centre-back in 2010 like Rio Ferdinand and a top class centre-back in 2019 like Niklas Sule may both be brilliant footballers, but neither have been at the highest level for enough of the 2010’s to make a top seven of the decade in their position.
Here are my views on the seven best centre-backs of the decade:
7. Vincent Kompany
I have made a point of not having formal honourable mentions during this series, since I just end up with people complaining that if I mention X then I should have mentioned Y and Z. Well, I’m making an exception to that rule here due to the calibre and consistency of some of those who miss out, and I’ll just have to avoid reading too many of the comments! The likes of Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels, John Terry, Leonardo Bonucci, Jan Vertonghen and Raphael Varane have all been either the best or among the best centre-backs in the world at times during the last decade. You’re probably watching this thinking at least one or two of those players had to feature, but hopefully you won’t think I’ve been too unreasonable when you see my final seven.
Getting us started in seventh place is Vincent Kompany, who may well be higher if he hadn’t suffered 457 muscle injuries since 2015 alone. Signed during the pre-Mansour era from Hamburg for just £6 million, Kompany went on to captain the Citizens through the most successful period in the clubs history. The Belgian international lifted 12 trophies during 11 seasons at the Etihad, although it was actually 12 trophies in 8 seasons – all in the 2010’s – since the club won nothing in his first three seasons.
At his best, Kompany was athletic, he marshalled the Man City defence and he led by example. His injury problems were a real issue for the club at times, when they were heavily reliant on him to organise their backline. Kompany cemented his already established status as a Man City legend last season when he returned from injury to sure-up Pep Guardiola’s defence, whilst also scoring a crucial goal of the season winning strike at home to Leicester City. He may be 33 now, but I bet Pep wishes he hadn’t left for Anderlecht in the summer given his current defensive woes. With the exception of his injury struggles, Kompany has been exceptional throughout most of the decade, and his pivotal role in Man City success is recognised with an inclusion in seventh place.
6. Thiago Silva
Thiago Silva of Paris Saint-Germain looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League group A match between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain at Bernabeu on November 26, 2019 in Madrid, Spain.
Thiago Silva has been playing professional football for almost two decades now, having made his debut in the third division of Brazilian football way back in 2001. He broke into the Brazil team in 2008, and earned a move to Europe in 2009 though, so it would be fair to say that almost all of his best years have come during the last decade.
For a long time Silva has been among the most complete centre-backs in the world game, combining his athleticism and strength with fine leadership skills and defensive nous. He was excellent during his three seasons at AC Milan, before becoming one of PSG’s first marquee signings under their Qatari ownership situation.
Now in his eighth season at the Parc des Princes, Silva has been a mainstay in the PSG side during an era in which the club has become the dominant force in the French game. He has won 20 trophies and has made over 300 appearances for PSG alone, and he has also won a Serie A title, the Confederations Cup and the Copa America during the 2010’s. Silva has spent the entire decade playing regular football to an excellent standard over the last ten years, thrice making the FIFPro World XI, and he has to come at least sixth in this seven.
5. Pepe
Another Brazilian-born centre-back, whilst Thiago Silva has won 88 caps for Brazil to date, Pepe chose to represent Portugal instead, with whom he has won 108 caps. Pepe has cut a controversial figure in European football for more than a decade now, and I suspect there will be those who agree and those who disagree with him coming fifth in this seven. Pepe is the type of footballer who is very easy to dislike. A master of the dark arts of the beautiful game, rarely did 90 minutes pass without Pepe doing something stupid, morally objectionable or both.
The fact remains, however, that he was and indeed still is a very good centre-back. Having moved to Portugal at the age of 18, Pepe made his name with Maritimo, but he had already spent three seasons at Real Madrid by the time this decade began. Signed in 2007 and released in 2017, Pepe played 334 games for Los Blancos, where he won three La Liga titles, three Champions Leagues and seven other trophies.
All but two of his 13 trophies in Madrid came during the 2010’s, and Pepe did somewhat learn how to curtail the rashness in his game. Together with Sergio Ramos, the Portuguese international formed one of the most loathsome but also one of the most formidable centre-back partnerships in recent memory. Now back in Portugal with Porto and still a full Portuguese international, Pepe was superb in Portugal’s Euro 2016 win, making his third consecutive European Championships Team of the Tournament.
4. Gerard Pique
Koke of Atletico de Madrid fights for the ball with Gerard Pique of FC Barcelona during the Liga match between Club Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Wanda Metropolitano on December…
Even fourth place seems harsh for Barcelona legend Gerard Pique, but there have been many fine centre-backs over the last ten years. Pique began the decade with his boyhood club Barcelona, having returned to the Camp Nou following four seasons with Manchester United in 2008. Pique returned for £5 million never having become a regular fixture at Old Trafford, but he immediately became a regular in Catalonia under Pep Guardiola.
The 32-year-old has since made 514 appearances for the club, which puts him eighth in Barcelona’s all time appearance charts and climbing. In many respects, Pique was the perfect centre-back for Guardiola, bringing a real aerial presence to Barca’s backline, whilst still being fantastic in possession and in the pass. Despite standing at 6’4, Pique is the outstanding ball-playing centre-back of his generation.
As well as having a trophy-laden decade at Barcelona, Pique also won over 100 caps for Spain, with whom he won the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. He has made the FIFPro World XI four times and the UEFA Team of the Year five times, and last season was among his finest in a Barcelona shirt. In terms of the level he has played at, his consistency, what he has won and how few games he has missed over the last 10 years, Pique can consider himself unfortunate not to make the top three of this seven.
3. Diego Godin
We’ve another La Liga legend in third place, as Diego Godin takes bronze in a fiercely competitive seven. Godin actually began the decade with Villarreal, but he joined Atletico Madrid in August 2010. The Uruguayan international spent the next nine years in the Spanish capital, where he was the beating heart of one of the most formidable defences in European football for a number of years under Diego Simeone.
Laughably underrated, Godin never made the FIFPro World XI, despite being faultless at the back and scoring eight goals during the season in which Atleti won an unlikely La Liga title. That was one of eight trophies that Godin won in Madrid, in addition to reaching two Champions League finals. In terms of the fundamentals of defending, I’ve often made it clear that I think Godin is the finest defender of his generation.
As well as being uncompromising and brave, Godin’s positional awareness and defensive reading of the game are second to none. He brought his nine-year stay with Atletico to an end in the summer by signing for Inter Milan, who have conceded just 12 goals in 13 games so far this season, as they aim to finally knock Juventus off their perch. Capped 135 times by Uruguay and an inclusion in the 2018 World Cup Dream Team, Diego Godin has been relentless brilliant for the past decade, and third place is more than deserved.
2. Giorgio Chiellini
Giorgio Chiellini of Juventus arrives at the Allianz Stadium before the Serie A match between Juventus and US Sassuolo on December 1, 2019 in Turin, Italy.
Centre-backs tend to peak a little later in life than many other positions, and that is reflected in this seven, where 32-year-old Gerard Pique is the youngest inclusion. Giorgio Chiellini is another veteran of the game, aged 35 and having begun his career with Livorno in 2000. He joined Juventus in 2005, as the club were forcibly relegated in his debut campaign, but Chiellini has been a regular for the Old Lady ever since.
An old-school centre-back who bleeds black and white, Chiellini has looked equally formidable when deputised as part of a two or three at centre-back. A born leader, Chiellini is a really assertive centre-back who tends to go out and press the ball, attack any aerial balls and relieve the pressure on the rest of the defence. He stands at 6’2, he’s strong and even at 35 he is no slouch.
In possession of the ball, Chiellini is no Pique, or even Godin for that matter, but he knows his limitations. For a decade and a half, Chiellini has had one thing on his mind, defending; and he has inspired Juve into having one of the finest defensive records in Europe for a number of years. Chiellini ranks fifth in terms of Juventus’ all time appearance charts, he comes seventh in Italy’s and he made Juve’s all time XI in 2017.
1. Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos isn’t as good in the pure defensive fundamentals as Giorgio Chiellini or Diego Godin, and he isn’t as good on the ball or in the pass as Gerard Pique. However, his mentality and relentless appetite to win will see him go down as the greatest centre-back of the decade. Ramos spent most of the 2000’s playing as a right-back, and it was off the back of a season playing as a full-back at Sevilla that he signed for Real Madrid in 2005.
At the start of this decade though, Real Madrid began playing the hot-headed Spaniard at centre-back more frequently, and from 2012 onwards it was just about the only position he played for club or country. A fantastic athlete, Ramos is and was both quick and strong, he’s never afraid of getting into a war with a centre-forward and he’s more than capable of winning a game at the opposite end of the pitch.
In addition to his defensive credentials, Ramos has scored 114 goals during his career, which I suspect is considerably more than any other defender over the last decade. Magnificent in the air but also a set piece specialist, particularly when it comes to penalties, Ramos has scored some hugely significant goals for Real Madrid and ranks joint tenth in Spain’s list of all time record goal scorers. He too won the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 with Spain, as well as Euro 2008 but that obviously wasn’t this decade, and he is on course to become the most capped European footballer of all time during the next 12 months. Ramos isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but he is a born winner, a formidable competitor and the greatest centre-back of the 2010’s.
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