"Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles."
"Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles." This adage has always rung true in football and yet we continue to worship the forwards of the game while consigning the defenders to second thoughts. In an attempt to break away from that, Goal Singapore takes a look at the top five centre-back pairings of all time to remind our readers about the importance of defenders.
5)Gaetano Scirea and Claudio Gentile
Juventus have over the years provided us with exceptional defenders but the most prominent of the bunch could be these two. Together, they bagged six Scudetto and a European Cup with the Bianconeri and helped Italy to the 1982 FIFA World Cup.
4)Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand
Vidic and Ferdinand formed a formidable partnership for Manchester United. While Ferdinand was silk, Vidic provided steel and together, the duo added to Ferguson's untouchable legacy. Also, Vidic and Ferdinand were two major contributors to Edwin van der Sar's record-breaking unbeaten run in 2009, when he went 1,103 minutes without conceding a single goal in the English Premier League.
3)Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique
This Spanish duo picked a treble (winning the UEFA Champions League, Copa del Rey and La Liga) in Pique's debut season at Barcelona and followed the act with three more league titles and a Champions League. They also helped Spain to their first ever World Cup triumph in 2010. Nothing more to be said.
2)Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Nesta
There aren't many iconic duos than these two superb defenders. Maldini was the defender who gave AC Milan leadership while Nesta was one of the best technical defenders to ever grace the game. They were the two best central defenders in the world at that time and helped Milan to two emphatic Champions League triumphs (2002/03, 2006/07).
1)Franco Baresi and Alessandro Costacurta
Baresi spent ten years at Milan before Costacurta broke into the first team. They would go on to form the bedrock of Milan's success in the noughties and late 80s. The sensational pair held Steaua Bucharest (1989) and Benfica (1990) in two consecutive European Cup Finals, etching their name in history for a lifetime. Following their European triumph, the duo led Milan to four consecutive Serie A titles.
