- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2010–2024
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 93.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 93.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
GOAT Rank · 23
Greatest Football Centre-back of all time
This ranking uses verified career records and GOAT Rank's published model. Every listed athlete clears the data eligibility threshold.
#AthleteGOAT Score
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2006–active
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2005–2024
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2013–active
- Country
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2000–2019
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2012–active
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 92.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2006–2024
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1993–2011
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2011–active
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2006–active
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 87.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2004–active
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2010–active
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 87.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2001–2023
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 84.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 78.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2000–2017
- Country
- 🇵🇹 Portugal
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 76.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2003–2019
- Country
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 78.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2010–active
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1995–2013
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2006–2024
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 84.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 78.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2006–2025
- Country
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- Peak
- 80.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2011–active
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 84.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 76.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2022–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 76.0
- Longevity
- 62.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 1989–2004
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 48.0
- Dominance
- 46.0
- Statistics
- 48.0
- Honours
- 44.0
- Longevity
- 52.0
- Sport
- Football
- Career
- 2009–active
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 30.0
- Dominance
- 24.0
- Statistics
- 28.0
- Honours
- 18.0
- Longevity
- 44.0
| # | Athlete | Sport | Country | Career | GOAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | Raphaël Varane | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 2010–2024 | 88.9 |
| 54 | Wendie Renard | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 2006–— | 88.7 |
| 61 | Leonardo Bonucci | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2005–2024 | 88.4 |
| 82 | Kadeisha Buchanan | Football | 🇨🇦 Canada | 2013–— | 87.6 |
| 99 | Andrea Barzagli | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2000–2019 | 87.2 |
| 126 | Griedge Mbock | Football | 🇫🇷 France | 2012–— | 86.4 |
| 145 | Sara Gama | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2006–2024 | 85.9 |
| 165 | Marco Materazzi | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1993–2011 | 85.5 |
| 219 | Amanda Ilestedt | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 2011–— | 84.6 |
| 228 | Erika Cristiano | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 2006–— | 84.4 |
| 242 | Thiago Silva | Football | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 2004–— | 84.1 |
| 272 | Cecilia Salvai | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2010–— | 83.6 |
| 308 | Nilla Fischer | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 2001–2023 | 82.8 |
| 313 | Ricardo Carvalho | Football | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 2000–2017 | 82.6 |
| 325 | Vincent Kompany | Football | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 2003–2019 | 82.2 |
| 327 | Elena Linari | Football | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2010–— | 82.2 |
| 337 | Olof Mellberg | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1995–2013 | 82.1 |
| 360 | Steph Houghton | Football | 🏴 England | 2006–2024 | 81.6 |
| 388 | Jan Vertonghen | Football | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 2006–2025 | 80.7 |
| 399 | Magdalena Eriksson | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 2011–— | 80.1 |
| 426 | Naomi Girma | Football | 🇺🇸 United States | 2022–— | 77.6 |
| 436 | Patrik Andersson | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1989–2004 | 47.5 |
| 445 | Pontus Jansson | Football | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 2009–— | 28.6 |
Compare the leaders
Raphaël Varane vs Wendie RenardRead the full methodology
Sport lists use the raw In-Sport GOAT Score. Cross-sport lists use the official competition-depth adjustment. No scores are recalculated for this page.
Read the full methodologyFrequently asked questions
How is this ranking calculated?
Five verified components are weighted consistently: dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.
Who is included?
Only verified athletes with sufficient career history, metrics, honours and independent sources are eligible.
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