For as long as the Premier League continues, what is so brilliantly intriguing about its nature is the ever-growing debates: from the English top division’s greatest-ever player – a war of words dominated by the likes of Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney – to which managers can consider themselves the superior presence from the touchline.
Not forgetting the defensive stalwarts, both past and present, a debate that is particularly rife is one looking at the best central defenders to ever bless the top level of English football. Comparing players across different eras is tricky, of course, but there are names that are ever-present.
John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Tony Adams and Vincent Kompany are all considered to be in the upper echelon of centre-back standards, while Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk is the only name currently still playing that is also placed in the same bracket.
Defender-turned-pundit Jamie Carragher recently backed the Dutchman and insisted the debate is ‘not even close’ – but what do the statistics suggest? Taking a deep dive into the numbers of their respective careers in the English top flight, we attempt to decipher the creme de la creme.
Games, Goals and Assists
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While – for a defender, at least – the beautiful game is not all about getting on the scoresheet, it’s an aspect that could become invaluable for teams that are chasing Premier League titles and exploring other avenues of silverware.
Adams, considered one of Arsenal's greatest ever players thanks to his longevity and dedication to the north Londoners, played a grand total of 255 times for the club in the league – but struggled to pull up trees from an offensive sense. Not the most mobile defender, the vision of Adams marauding up the field is not one ingrained in the memory of Premier League fans. Latching onto the end of crosses is, however, with him scoring 12 goals.
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With his tally still poised to increase as the years go by, permitting he remains put at Anfield, Van Dijk’s aerial dominance has been a thing of beauty in recent seasons. Able to rise like a salmon and connect with the ball, the ex-Celtic man has scored 23 times, all while collecting eight assists, in 277 games.
Having played the highest number of games in the Premier League, one would assume that Ferdinand would, also, be on target the most. That is statistically incorrect, however, with the former Manchester United man finding the back on just 11 occasions. In his lengthy 504-outing career for the likes of the Red Devils, West Ham United and Leeds United, the defender-turned-pundit also plundered eight assists.
A goalscoring defender of the highest order, Terry often rose above the rest to get his head on the end of a set piece – as evidenced by his 41 strikes across his 482-game career in the top flight. Kompany’s most memorable strike for his former employers, Manchester City, was a howitzer from long-range against Leicester City. He also scored 19 more and set up his teammates on 10 occasions across 360 outings.
Player Games Goals Assists
Tony Adams 255 12 9
Virgil van Dijk 277 23 8
Rio Ferdinand 504 11 8
John Terry 482 41 16
Vincent Kompany 265 20 10
Wins, Losses and Titles
Ferdinand is a six-time Premier League champion with Man Utd
Now, we’re here to highlight the serial winners – which, thanks to the success of their respective sides, is them all. London-born Adams, who turned his hand to management post-retirement, won 132 of his 255 games in the top flight (51.8%), while losing 56 of them. Given the imperious nature of Jurgen Klopp-led Liverpool, a side in which Van Dijk was a pivotal part of, the Dutchman has seldom been on the receiving end of a loss. In fact, just 45 of his 277 games in the Premier League have been defeats. He’s won 63.2% of them (175).
On longevity alone, one must tip their hat to Ferdinand, regarded as one of the greatest Manchester United players of the Premier League era, who was ever-present in Sir Alex Ferguson’s glory years at Old Trafford. In 504 games in the top flight, of which he won six, he won 291 games (57.8%) and lost a mere 103. The utterly dominant nature of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City during Kompany’s 265-game stay means that his win rate of 63% is little to no surprise. From his maiden season in 2008/09 to his concluding term in 2018/19, he won 167 outings and lost just 48.
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Boasting the highest win rate (64.5%) of the five is Terry. Over his five-time Premier League title-winning career as a player, the imposing centre-back seldom tasted defeat – as evidenced by his tally of just 74 losses in 482 games. He won on an impressive 311 occasions. From a title-winning perspective, all five central defenders – almost always with the captain’s armband hugging their biceps – have got their hands on the all-important trophy at the end of the season.
Player Wins (%) Losses Titles
Tony Adams 132 (51.8%) 56 2 (97/98, 01/02)
Virgil van Dijk 175 (63.2%) 45 1 (19/20)
Rio Ferdinand 291 (57.8%) 103 6 (02/03, 06/07, 07/08, 08/09, 10/11, 12/13)
John Terry 311 (64.5%) 74 5 (04/05, 05/06, 09/10, 14/15, 16/17)
Vincent Kompany 167 (63%) 74 4 (11/12, 13/14, 17/18, 18/19)
Individual Accolades
Van Dijk has picked up an array of awards during his time spent in England
Only two of the five – Liverpool stalwart Van Dijk (18/19) and Chelsea legend Terry (04/05) – have been named as the Premier League’s Player of the Season, an award most recently picked up by Englishman Phil Foden. The former reigned victorious in his side’s title-winning 18/19 season, while the latter won the prestigious individual award when the east Manchester side struck gold in 11/12.
Van Dijk, in the same season, was crowned the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Player of the Year for his undying contribution to success. A total of 14 years prior and it was Terry picking up the same award as he led the Blues to the memorable Premier League title. Interestingly, none of the quintet have been named as the Football Writers’ Association’s Player of the Season.
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The likes of John Terry and Steven Gerrard find themselves inside the top 10
As expected, given they have all plied their trade at varying times since the inception of the Premier League in 1992, all five have been named in the division’s Team of the Year on plenty of occasions. Both Adams and Kompany, regarded as one of the most injury-prone players in the Premier League history, have rubbed shoulders with the top division’s greats in the Team of the Year on three different occasions.
The former was first given the honour in the 93/94 season and he was last named in the Premier League Team of the Year in 96/97, while the latter was involved three times between 10/11 and 13/14. Chelsea royalty Terry, now 43, was regarded as one of the league’s best players on four different occasions - 03/04, 04/05, 05/06 and 14/15.
In 01/02, 04/05, 06/07, 07/08, 08/09 and 12/13, former Leeds man Ferdinand saw himself named alongside the division’s best players, while Van Dijk – named in the Team of the Year on four occasions – still has the chance to match his record, permitting the towering centre-back remains in England beyond his contract extension.
Player PL Player of the Season PFA Player of the Year PL Team of the Year
Tony Adams N/A N/A 3 (93/94, 95/96, 96/97)
Virgil van Dijk 1 (18/19) 1 (18/19) 4 (18/19, 19/20, 21/22, 23/24)
Rio Ferdinand N/A N/A 6 (01/02, 04/05, 06/07, 07/08, 08/09, 12/13)
John Terry N/A 1 (04/05) 4 (03/04, 04/05, 05/06, 14/15)
Vincent Kompany N/A N/A 3 (10/11, 11/12, 13/14)
All statistics per Transfermarkt - correct as of 02/12/24