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Sir Alex Ferguson's 26 trophy-laden years at Manchester United saw some of the world's best players ply their trade at the club. Cristiano Ronaldo, Roy Keane, Wayne Rooney, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and many more superstars donned the United jersey.
Sir Alex Ferguson was named the world's best coach twice, in 1998 and 2007. He led Manchester United to 13 Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues, five FA Cups, four League Cups and a FIFA Club World Cup title.
Many defenders made an impression under Sir Alex Ferguson
Unarguably the greatest manager in Premier League history, Sir Alex Ferguson once claimed, "attack wins you games, defense wins you titles." Naturally, the legendary manager's most successful Manchester United sides had great defenders, those who led the club to silverware.
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While some spent all their years representing United, some left a long-lasting impression in just a few years. In this article, we will look at the five greatest defenders who represented Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Honorable mentions: Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic.
#5 Denis Irwin
Denis Irwin joined Manchester United from Oldham Athletic and went on to spend 12 glorious years at the club. He first started as a right-back but soon made the left-back position his own, becoming a feature at the position under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Irwin finished his time with Manchester United as one of their most decorated players, winning seven Premier League titles, a Champions League title, three FA Cups and a League Cup. He was an instrumental part of the treble-winning 1998-99 United side. In all, Irwin made 467 appearances for the club, scoring 33 and assisting 23 goals as well.
A solid and hard-working defender, Irwin was one of the greatest defenders to have played under Sir Alex Ferguson. The legendary United manager was once asked to name his favorite United eleven. He struggled to find a spot for the plethora of stars that he managed, but here's what he had to say about Irwin:
“But honestly, I would say Denis Irwin would be the one certainty to get in the team. I called him an eight out of 10.”
#4 Gary Pallister
Gary Pallister was a fixture in the Manchester United side that dominated the early years of the Premier League under Sir Alex Ferguson. The centre-back played alongside Steve Bruce in the United back-line, helping the side win four Premier League titles and three FA Cups.
Pallister made 337 appearances for the club in nine years after joining them in 1989. He was also named the PFA player of the year in 1992, a year before the start of the Premier League.
Pallister left the club a legend, and his central defensive partnership with Steve Bruce is still talked about in glowing terms.
#3 Jaap Stam
Though Jaap Stam spent just three seasons at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, he left a long-lasting impression. He joined the club in 1998 as the world's most expensive defender then (£15.3 million) and played a defining role in the club's treble run in 1999.
Stam won the Premier League title in all three of the seasons in England before being sold to Lazio in 2001 following a fall-out with Sir Alex Ferguson. The manager once admitted that selling the Dutch defender was one of the biggest disappointments of his United career.
"When I think of disappointments, obviously Jaap Stam was always a disappointment to me, I made a bad decision there," Sir Alex Ferguson said in 2013.
Stam made 127 appearances for United across competitions, and despite his no-nonsense style of defending, he wasn't sent off even once in his tenure.
#2 Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand joined Manchester United in 2002 from rivals Leeds United in a deal worth €46 million. The transfer made him the then-most expensive British player and the most expensive defender in the world. Ferdinand did fulfill the promise that Sir Alex Ferguson and the club showed in him when they shelled out such a big amount for a defender.
In 12 seasons with the club, Ferdinand made 455 appearances, winning the Premier League six times, one Champions League in 2008 and three League Cups. He captained Manchester United in their Champions League final win over Chelsea in 2008.
Ferdinand formed a formidable defensive partnership with Nemanja Vidic, and grew into one of the best defenders in the world under Sir Alex Ferguson.
#1 Steve Bruce
At the top of the pile of the greatest defenders to have played under Sir Alex Ferguson is Steve Bruce. The centre-back was a crucial part of the Manchester United side that kick-started the club's domination in English football.
Bruce was one of Sir Alex Ferguson's earliest signings, joining the club in 1987. He soon became a constant feature in the Manchester United back-line, and even had a knack for scoring goals. In 414 appearances for the club, he scored 51 goals.
Bruce's two late goals in a 1992-93 Premier League encounter against Sheffield United tilted the title race in Manchester United's favor. It acted as the foundation for the team that didn't look back for over a decade, dominating English football like no other.
