The 100 Greatest Centre-backs of All Time

Discussion in 'The Beautiful Game' started by comme, Feb 2, 2010.

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  1. comme

    comme Moderator
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    Feb 21, 2003
    #1 comme, Feb 2, 2010
    For some time now, I’ve been working on some lists of the greatest ever players in each position. Some of you might have seen my own thread on the greatest players in English league history

    www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=620289

    or the thread that inspired it by Gregoriak of their German equivalents

    https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=420539

    Basically over the coming months I will reveal the 100 best players (in my opinion) in each position, who have ever graced the game. These will be the finest footballers to kick a ball since the codification of the game in 1863.

    Let me start by outlining some of the criteria that I have applied:

    1. Peak performance. How good were they at their very best.
    2. Longevity and consistency. How long did they perform well for.
    3. Achievements. Where did they get to in the game, how much did they win and what style did they do it in.

    Furthermore I have excluded all players aged below 28 today, as I do not feel they have a sufficient "body of work" on which to be judged. All eligible current players have probably been judged slightly more harshy than they might be as it is difficult to fully evaluate a career until it is over.

    These criteria naturally favour some of the players from the bigger nations and bigger clubs. I’m afraid that is largely unavoidable. But if you disagree with any of my selections then please let me know. That is what these threads are for.

    This is just a bit of fun and I've tried to include players across all eras. I'm not pretending it is in any way definitive, but it's there for some debate and hopefully a few people (including myself) can learn a bit more about some forgotten greats.

    I’d like to thank some of the members of the BigSoccer history group for their input on this as well.

    Please do not post your thoughts in this thread. I will set up a designated discussion thread for these threads. I will delete any posts in this thread.

    Please though do contribute. I am really going to try to get this forum back on track, but I will need the input of many members of this board. If you have any feedback or questions about this then please put them in the discussion thread.

    https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showt...7#post19314177

    To help people understand the positions of the players I have created this thread on the history of tactics as well as providing definitions of each position to make it easier.

    https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1269077

    Enjoy!
     
  2. comme

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    #2 comme, Feb 2, 2010
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    #19 comme, Feb 5, 2010
    83. Dave Watson

    [​IMG]

    Centre-back
    England
    5/10/1946
    65 caps (4 goals)
    Clubs: Notts County, Rotherham, Sunderland, Manchester City, Werder Bremen, Southampton, Stoke, Derby County, Notts County, Vancouver Whitecaps, Fort Lauderdale Sun

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Vernon_Watson
     
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    #20 comme, Feb 5, 2010
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    #23 comme, Feb 5, 2010
    79. Ernie Brandts

    [​IMG]

    Centre-back
    Holland
    3/2/1956
    28 caps (5 goals)
    Clubs: De Graafschap, PSV Eindhoven, Roda JC, MVV Maastricht, K.F.C. Germinal Beerschot
    De Graafschap

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Brandts
     
  24. comme

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    #24 comme, Feb 5, 2010
    78. Victor Benitez

    [​IMG]

    Centre-back, defensive midfielder
    Peru
    30/10/1936
    11 caps (0 goals)
    Clubs: Alianza Lima, Boca Juniors, AC Milan, Messina, AC Milan, Roma, Venezia, Internazionale, Roma, Sporting Cristal

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Benitez
     
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    #25 comme, Feb 5, 2010
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