Manchester United legend George Best once named the two defenders he believed were the best he ever came up against. The Ballon d'Or winner is known as one of the most entertaining and naturally gifted players of all time, and was a trailblazer with his ability to take players on in ways that even the most eccentric modern day players could only dream of doing.
As a result of his penchant for the extraordinary, there were very few members of the opposition who could ever stop him without resorting to some form of on-field violence one way or another. However, 'El Beatle' himself once gave credit where it was due to his two toughest defensive tests.
Best Named Two Greatest Defenders
George Best at Manchester United
Responding to questions sent in by fans via FourFourTwo in 2001, Best was asked by one fan who the toughest defender he ever came up against was. The Irishman revealed that he couldn't split the top two — one of whom was a cult hero in English football, while the other was one of the best in Europe.
"There were two – Paul Reaney from Leeds and Sanchis from Real Madrid. They were both quick and liked to get stuck in."
Reaney was a key defender for Leeds United during their golden era under Don Revie. Joining the club in 1962, he made over 700 appearances across 17 years, primarily as a right-back. Renowned for his pace, tough tackling, and consistency, Reaney was instrumental in Leeds’ domestic successes, including league titles and cup victories. He helped Leeds win the First Division in 1969 and 1974 and featured in numerous finals.
Though often underrated, he earned recognition with three England caps, beating Portugal and Malta in his only starts for his country.
Manuel Sanchis, not to be confused with his son Manolo, was a left-back who starred for Los Blancos in the mid 1960s and into the early 70s. Sanchis was part of the legendary team known as the “Ye-ye” generation and contributed to Real Madrid’s domestic and European success during this era. He won four La Liga titles and was part of the team that lifted the European Cup in 1966, two years before Best and the Busby Babes managed to do so.
He is one of the best father-son duos in football, with the aforementioned Manolo considered a Real Madrid great, spending his entire career with the club over the course of close to two decades.