Chelsea John Terry
John Terry, formerly of Chelsea and England, is no doubt one of the nation’s greatest-ever defenders – he was ruthless, a leader and lifted the title five times. But who are, in the eyes of the 44-year-old, the four greatest defenders to grace the Premier League?
Chelsea through and through, the Barking-born enforcer racked up 717 games for the west Londoners before spending a brief swansong – between July 2017 and July 2018 – in Birmingham with Aston Villa before calling time on his illustrious career.
EPL_Greatest defenders
By virtue of his position, he is certainly well-placed to offer his perspective on who, from the array of talent at his disposal, are the greatest defenders in Premier League history. Spoiler alert: his former partner in crime, Ricardo Carvalho, is snubbed.
John Terry
Perhaps a bit cheekily, Terry was quick to mention his own exploits. Not only was he aerially dominant, but his blend of composure and know-how in possession made him practically unplayable on his day – and his bloated silverware cabinet attests to that.
All while sporting a wry smile across his face, Terry told SPORTbible: “I’m going to put myself in, actually. Is that allowed? Is that alright? Not that I’m putting myself first, I’m just putting myself in – I’m in the mix somewhere!”
Rio Ferdinand
A mainstay during some of Manchester United’s glory days, Rio Ferdinand was nothing less than a shoo-in for Terry, who cited his fellow countryman’s sheer longevity in the upper echelons of English football as his reasoning.
Virgil van Dijk
Opting for a player from the modern era of Premier League action, Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk was also chosen. Imposing, defensively sound and a menace in both boxes – there may be a lack of superlatives to describe the Dutchman.
Sergio Ramos, Ashley Cole and Alessandro Nesta
Terry said: “Alongside him, I’m going Virgil van Dijk. In terms of a little bit more of the modern era, I just think he’s been an absolute standout, the game looks very easy for him. [He’s] very comfortable, he’s a top, top player.”
Tony Adams
Affectionally known as Mr Arsenal thanks to his undying dedication to the north Londoners, Tony Adams – who enjoyed one of the greatest England debuts of all time – may have been before Terry’s time but, fear not, his adoration for the seasoned defender has never waned.
Albeit a ‘very tough’ decision by Terry’s own admission, he said: “A big idol of mine growing up, I loved watching him play, I loved the passion, I loved that he loved Arsenal Football Club – you could see that as an opposition player and fan as well. Led Arsenal to many major trophies as well. He was a top player, consistently, for a very long time.”