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The Best Defenders of All Time: Maldini, Nesta, Cannavaro, and More
Only three defenders have won the Ballon d'Or in 70 editions, yet defenders win titles. Here are the 10 greatest, with honors checked up to October 2026.
WhoBaller a footballer guessing game for iPhoneHow it works| # | Defender | Nation | Key honors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paolo Maldini | Italy | 5 Champions Leagues · 7 Serie A |
| 2 | Franz Beckenbauer | Germany | 1974 World Cup · 2 Ballon d'Or |
| 3 | Franco Baresi | Italy | 3 European Cups · 6 Serie A |
| 4 | Fabio Cannavaro | Italy | 2006 World Cup · 2006 Ballon d'Or |
| 5 | Sergio Ramos | Spain | 2010 World Cup · 4 Champions Leagues |
| 6 | Alessandro Nesta | Italy | 2006 World Cup · 2 Champions Leagues |
| 7 | Cafu | Brazil | 1994 and 2002 World Cups |
| 8 | Carles Puyol | Spain | 2010 World Cup · 3 Champions Leagues |
| 9 | Roberto Carlos | Brazil | 2002 World Cup · 3 Champions Leagues |
| 10 | Virgil van Dijk | Netherlands | 2019 Champions League · 2019 Ballon d'Or runner-up |
Paolo Maldini played his whole career at Milan (1985–2009): 902 official games, five European titles and 126 caps. Franz Beckenbauer reinvented the libero and won the World Cup as captain and coach. Franco Baresi was a one-club man too, and Fabio Cannavaro is the last defender to win the Ballon d’Or (2006).
Alessandro Nesta won Serie A with Lazio and Milan, Cafu is the only player to appear in three straight World Cup finals, and Sergio Ramos holds Spain’s caps record with 180.
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Fabio Cannavaro
