5 of the greatest centre-backs of all time

#4 Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)

Cannavaro did Italian traditions proud with his defensive nous

Major Clubs: Napoli, Parma, Internazionale, Juventus (twice), Real Madrid

There is no way that a list of the greatest centre-backs in the history of football can be made without having at least one Italian.

The birthplace of catenaccio has produced more world-class centre-backs than some nations have had presidents and "Il Muro di Berlino" ("The Berlin Wall") remains one of its greatest ever products.

Renowned for his concentration, spatial awareness, technical ability and never-say-die attitude, Fabio Cannavaro like Passarella was a "short" centre-back whose abilities dwarfed his height.

Highly regarded for his aerial ability, Cannavaro was no slouch at competing for balls in the air and more often than, won aerial duels against much taller opponents.

He was an incredibly strong defender who combined physical strength and athleticism with a finely tuned intelligence which enabled him to make intelligent decisions at the right time.

While his trophy collection isn't the biggest, his marshalling of the superb Azzurri defence which won the World Cup in 2006 will live long in the memory.