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5. John Terry
John Terry is a divisive figure in English football. His off-field and on-field activities have caused him a lot of trouble including fines and suspensions. But love him or loathe him, he still remains one of England's best central defenders.
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Terry started his career at West Ham, but their London rivals Chelsea saw something special in young Terry which led them to buy him. Once he broke into the senior side, he quickly established himself in the heart of the defence. Even though Terry performed consistently, he did not win many trophies. That all changed when Jose Mourinho arrived in Stamford Bridge.
Mourinho made Terry club captain and the Englishman went on to become Chelsea's most decorated captain. From 2004 until 2017, Terry led Chelsea to five Premier League titles, five FA Cups and their only Champions League title. Under Mourinho, Chelsea was one of the best defensive teams in the Premier League and Terry was in the heart of it.
Terry's time with the English national team was however not that successful. He debuted in 2003 and played for the Three Lions till 2012. He captained England from 2006 till 2010, but it was during that time when England failed to qualify for the Euro 2008. Terry's racial abuse of Anton Ferdinand also led to tension in the England set-up. This even led to him being stripped off his captain's armband.
While Terry's England career was not a great one, he definitely deserves plaudits for his exploits at Chelsea. He was a rock in the back with his well-timed tackles and interceptions.
He was also a constant threat for opposing defences in dead ball situations with his powerful headers. He holds the record for the defender with the most goals scored in the Premier League. Minus the controversy that surrounded him, John Terry has shown enough that he was a world class defender and therefore deserved to win the Ballon d'Or.
