The 7 Best Center Backs Of All Time

Center back is one of the most important positions on the soccer pitch. Players in this role offer solidity and protection, and will often be relied upon for their leadership skills and talismanic qualities, as well as significant in-possession contributions. As a result, there have been a large number of hugely influential professional players to have made a name for themselves in this position over the years.

In this article, we'll be taking you through some of the very best, compiling a list of stars from across the world who can make a serious claim to be amongst the best center backs ever. We'll also flesh out the key responsibilities, duties, and skills of a typical soccer center-back to help provide context to this star-studded list. But let's start with the basics — what is a center back in soccer?

What is a Center Back In Soccer?

In soccer, a center back is a player who operates primarily in central defensive positions. Center backs are part of the defensive line, protecting the goalkeeper and working as a unit to prevent the opposition team from scoring. Once they've won the ball back, defenders are also responsible for helping keep possession and progress it forward to midfielders and other teammates further up the pitch.

The most popular soccer formations have changed a lot over the years, but in the modern game, most teams will play with either two or three centre backs. If a coach chooses to use a formation with four defenders (such as 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3) then there will be two center backs, with a right back and a left back on either side of them. If a coach plays with a back three (for example, the 3-5-2 formation), there will be three central defenders, and the wide defenders will tend to push forward a little more.

Back in the day, center backs were often seen as rough and physical, with minimal technical quality and a focus instead on aerial duels, big tackles, and heavy clearances. However, the role has evolved enormously over the years; today, most central defenders are required to be strong on the ball, helping their team build possession from the back and regularly receiving the ball under pressure from opponents. A wide range of skills are required if a player is to function as an effective central defender in the modern game; let's take a look at some of the most important traits of a soccer center back.

What Are The Key Skills Of a Soccer Center Back?

The exact requirements of a centre back can vary depending on the coach's instructions and the specific gameplan for how a team are lining up; however, there are a variety of skills that any central defender worth their salt needs to possess. Here are the most vital of them.

Positional Intelligence

A big part of the center back role comes down to anticipating where a potential threat might arise and taking action to halt the danger before it becomes too threatening. In soccer, this sniffing up of danger is also referred to as "reading the game", and it's absolutely crucial for centre backs. In order to cover the space behind central midfielders, full-backs, and fellow centre backs, anyone occupying this role needs to have excellent positional awareness and intelligence, moving cleverly across the backline to scope out potential threats and move in to intercept, tackle, or clear the ball. A back line will shift constantly from left to right throughout a game, as defenders cover each other's backs, and having a strong, instinctual understanding of this type of position is crucial.

Ball Skills

These days, it's impossible to ignore the need for good quality ball skills amongst center backs. Defenders need to be able to receive the ball, whether in space or under pressure, and calmly distribute it to teammates. Center backs need to be confident receiving the ball and quickly bringing it under control, while constantly scanning for potential passes. If they gain possession under pressure, they may also need to dribble it past opponents, which requires quality close ball control skills.

Strong Physical Attributes

It's pretty rare to find a professional center back who is under 6 feet tall; generally speaking, central defenders need to be tall and strong in the air, capable of winning headers against any striker and showing physical prowess to outmuscle attackers in a range of different situations. If not, you risk being bullied by the likes of Erling Haaland or Harry Kane, whose physical strength can create a number of problems even against elite defenders.

Decision Making

A perhaps underrated skill in the CB's arsenal is decision making; a good center back needs to be excellent at judging when is the right moment to make a big clearance and simply get the ball out of danger, or when they should attempt to pick out a short pass and build up the pitch more calmly and gradually. They need to know when to stay on their feet and jockey an attacker, and when a stronger tackle or quick interception would be more beneficial. Picking the right moment for engagement is crucial.

Leadership Skills

At every level of the game, it's common for center backs to be given the captain's armband and trusted with a key leadership role within the team. Their view of the pitch and their responsibility when it comes to providing a solid, stable structure for their team makes them an ideal candidate for this task, and so center backs also need to be strong communicators able to boss teammates around, issue instructions and lead by example on the field of play.

The 7 Best Center Backs Of All Time

Bobby Moore

The footballing world recently lost a true great, and perhaps England's greatest ever player, Bobby Charlton. A key member of the 1966 World Cup-winning England team, his exploits for the Three Lions were built on the foundations created by captain Bobby Moore, a legendary player who was described by Pele as the best defender he ever faced. A calm, comfortable centre back with great ball skills and a knack for leadership, Moore remains one of the best defenders to ever play the game.

Paolo Maldini

The dominant style of play in Italy, which is often focused on stifling threats from opponents and keeping things tight, means the country has produced some fantastic defenders over the years. Perhaps the pick of the bunch is Paolo Maldini, a Milan legend who completed a remarkable 25 seasons in Serie A and won seven league titles, five European Cups, and a number of personal accolades, before retiring in 2009 at the age of 41.

Fabio Cannavaro 

Another Italian player who went one step further than Maldini on the international stage and led his nation to glory at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Fabio Cannavaro was one of a kind. Standing at 5 feet and 9 inches tall, he was significantly shorter than your average center back, but he more than made up for it with his aggression, excellent jumping ability, leadership skills, and confidence on the ball. Given the nickname 'Il Muro di Berlino' ('The Berlin Wall') by Italy fans due to his unstoppable defensive performances at the World Cup (keeping five clean sheets and conceding just twice in seven games), he was a remarkable defensive talent. 

Franco Baresi

The final Italian centre back on our list is Franco Baresi, a one-club man who made over 700 appearances for AC Milan during the 1970s, 80s and 90s. One of the most capped players in Italy's history, he was a true stalwart both for club and country, and while he was extremely versatile and played across the back line, central defence was where he was most at home. As well as being blessed with pace and strength, he was also a great footballing mind, with real tactical intelligence and understanding of the game that was pivotal in allowing him to play at the highest level for far longer than many top pros do.

Sergio Ramos

We move to the modern day, and a player with a legendary reputation in European football. Now playing at Sevilla having become notorious for his aggression, strong leadership, tough tackling, and technical ability — not to mention his excellent goal-scoring record, with the 37-year-old having bagged 112 goals in 811 career appearances, mostly from the penalty spot — Ramos is an iconic 21st century defender. Playing the majority of his glittering career at Real Madrid, he has won five La Liga titles, two Copa Del Reys, four Champions Leagues, two Ligue 1s, a World Cup and two European Championships with Spain, and is considered one of the best center backs ever.

Virgil Van Djik

Another modern player who has won nowhere near as much as Ramos but who is still seen as an era-defining central defender nonetheless, Netherlands captain Virgil Van Djik has been a mainstay in Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool side throughout the German coach's time in Merseyside. Known for his calm, efficient style of defending — sometimes it seems as though he barely breaks a sweat — as well as his organisational skills, passing ability and incredible reading of the game, Van Djik has been an absolute rock for Liverpool, leading them to a Premier League title, a Champions League trophy (and two other finals), and a League and FA Cup double in 2021-22.

Franz Beckenbauer

Many debates will be had about the best central defender of all time, but Franz Beckenbauer is probably the player who will top people's lists most often. Playing at the heart of numerous iconic Bayern Munich and West Germany teams during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, Beckenbauer's positional intelligence, passing skills and dribbling ability helped pioneer the role of the sweeper defender, these talents helping him win a remarkable eight domestic club titles, a World Cup, and a European Championship with his country.

If you'd like to find out more about this unique position on the pitch, check out our in-depth guide to the role of the center-back in soccer.