Defenders:
Left-back: Paolo Maldini
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Paolo Maldini epitomises the art of defending. He has adapted to varying positions across the back line, including both flanks and the heart of the defence. The Italian appeared for A.C Milan 902 times, scoring 29 goals in that time.
Maldini was a daunting defender back in the day, and one could not simply float past the defender. Forging a partnership with then teammate Alessandro Nesta, the amalgamation of their skill, defending and passion for winning led AC Milan to glory. Brutal but clean tackles, rough but timed interceptions, were just a couple in a long list of the left back's playing qualities.
Center-back: Jamie Carragher
The Liverpool legend was one not to be messed with. He starred for the Reds for 17 years, playing 737 matches for them. The defender was a dependable centre back and although his goal numbers are not high, they aren’t the stats to be looked at.
The Merseyside star might have looked skinny, but inside him was an untamed, fierce animal and Liverpool’s defence was only strengthened by this quality. Jamie Carragher is not just any addition to this team, but an extremely valuable one.
Centre-back: Carles Puyol (Captain)
Aptly nicknamed the Lion of Barcelona, the former Blaugrana defender was one of the greatest ever to embrace the position. He donned the Catalan club’s shirt for 682 games and scored 24 times.
“The Lion” as he was rightly called, was a true leader at the back and was known for his honesty and ethics. The Catalonian could also play at right back, and that quality made him a more versatile player.
Puyol was a hard worker and was known to train a lot. A former teammate of his once said, “Even if you’re four goals down, he thinks we can win.” This attitude is exactly what separated him from the rest, and is why the captain’s armband is with him for this team.
Right-back: Philipp Lahm (Vice-Captain)
Phillip Lahm is undisputedly the most versatile player the world has ever seen. He has played everywhere from central defensive midfield to centre back as well as both wing backs. The Bavarian shows no signs of stopping as he is still playing for Bayern Munich at 33.
So far, Lahm has played 497 matches for Die Roten and has put the ball in the net 16 times. Being a technically gifted footballer, he makes the most of his intelligence, passing and tackling, although he lacks height.
