7 Greatest Centre-Backs Since 2000

From Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand to former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos, HITC Sevens takes a look at some of the best central defenders since the turn of the millennium as part of a wider series.
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[@seandelap8587]

I can remember Nesta even well into his 30s and not fully fit doing a splendid job of keeping out Messi better in fact than defenders that were younger than he was an absolute fantastic defender and among the best in his prime without a doubt

[@MrKrewie]

I would kill to sign Nesta to my club in his prime

[@vb2388]

Nesta >>> Ramos

[@diazclemenza3591]

Yes I remember that too that day I knew he was the best he was so calm and composed Nesta is my favourite defender. But I understand that after 2000 the price goes to Ramos knowing that ramos had more mistake in his games but he was a leader and won alot so I understand why he is at 1. If Nesta was Playing at Madrid then he could go up a few spots.

[@prometheustv6558]

Messi destroyed him, even Nesta himself said that

[@vespa7961]

​@@prometheustv6558only once, nesta got the better of him every single other time.. and nesta was playing unfit.

[@sheldon97sheldon]

I was initially thinking "Woah Alfie, Thiago Silver is NOT better than Rio Ferdinand was", but your reasoning is actually fair. Rio was definitely the better player at his peak, but Thiago does reasonably pinch a place higher purely because of longevity.

[@martinnitram6056]

Like MJ and lebron if lebron keeps going at it he better than mj

[@cheeseshit999]

Longevity is so overrated

[@hananidrisi6436]

​@@cheeseshit999how exactly

[@alfonsohr02]

Silver

[@alfonsohr02]

@@cheeseshit999No

[@RIPTINY2293]

Ramos’ goal to tie the game for what would be Real’s Decima is still one of my favorite football moments.

[@coldsaucetech1393]

best sporting moment for me ever

[@Username-mn7pc]

@@coldsaucetech1393its 2022 world cup final

[@mayankbhaskar1654]

​@@Username-mn7pc would have been if france actually did win with that comeback , for me as well its the la decima equaliser

[@_Photons]

Nesta and Maldini were the best defenders I ever watched and I loved watching Milan growing up when both were in their prime.

[@Sarchis]

Yeah, milan has 3 of the goats at cb. To think one was even better as a LB and all 3 played together is mind boggling

[@_Photons]

@@Sarchis Maldini was and is still my favorite ever player. I originally wanted to be a CB and had to play LB forever due to being the only left footer on most of my club teams and really looked at his play style for inspiration.

[@mirospajic9929]

Nesta was perfection!

[@joaomaio9070]

Pepe, despite the injuries starting to come in more often lately, has still been world class for Porto the past few years. Despite some competition in Portugal by, for example, Otamendi and Coates, it's hard to argue that he wasn't the best CB in the portuguese league in the last couple of seasons. As a 33 year old he was (imo) the best portuguese player in the 2016 Euros and fundamental to that win. His game against Juventus in 2021 is one the best defensive displays I remember seeing and he was 38 then. Nowadays he recently turned 40 and everyone here in Portugal expects him to go into another season as a starter for both Porto and the portuguese national team. Pure class and determination.

[@faisalaldahlawi6560]

Admittedly this is due to my personal bias, I was hoping to see Walter Samuel mentioned, but after seeing the quality of not even the 7, but just the second string honourable mentions, I don't envy you Alfie on how difficult it is rank all these wonderful players. Thank you for the content and the in-depth explanations for everything

[@TheGregcellent]

A truly underrated player. Absolute class on grass.

[@lewisblackwiththenicehair]

I was about to come into the comments and lavish praise on Walter Samuel, nice to see I'm not the only one. Best left footed centre back of all time, for me at least.

[@tasbhu764]

still hoping to see him though him and lucio in 2009-10 were literally the best pairing i've ever seen. Nothing got past samuel and as a 1v1 defender he's probably better than a few on the list

[@daarom3472]

beyond me how Titus Bramble isn't even on honorable mentions

[@ogbmt]

I totally understand, I was thinking of him when Alfie mentioned Lucio.

[@johnmitchell2269]

Nesta is the best I've seen. Ridiculous levels of composure both on and off the ball, incredible situational awareness, athletic quick and solid. He could smell the danger before it happened. The master of the slide tackle (without fouling his opponent). 98 to 07 were his prime years. I don't think putting Thiago Silva in at 4th is controversial. I agree with you. He has been top class since around 09 and the fact that he's still a very effective player at 38 speaks volumes about his talent and ability.

[@depekthegreat359]

Sergio Ramos boss is like a monster in defence despite having a nasty attitude in himself which would be needed for his passion in defending each and every balls which he would be encountered as well as winning numerous number of trophies in his careers,good friends!!!Shoutout to the rest of the other respective players whom good friend Alfie included,good friends!!!:-D

[@benjacondell2751]

Godin deserved to be in the top 7. Before atletico in villarreal he helped them achieve a second place in la liga. He wad always overachieving in smaller teams. Reaching the semi finals of the world cup in a country of 3.5 million people. Winning la liga and reaching champion league finals and scoring headers on important games. This comes from a Chilean who always feared him scoring a goal from a set piece against us.

[@papipapazov1584]

That small country has 2 world cups mate

[@benjacondell2751]

@@papipapazov1584 yes but that was decades ago. Just 5 years earlier uruguay failed to qualify for the 2006 world cup against australia. To go from failing to qualify to 4th place is a overachieving.

[@jtaco4101]

I don't think he was better than any of these guys.

[@EagleEyes77]

​@@papipapazov1584...and two Summer Olympic trophies, which was the precursor to the FIFA World Cup.

[@SylvesterStallone-ol6cd]

Been saying Godin is the most underrated CB of this century. So positionally sound and excelled at the fundamentals. Very well rounded CB

[@Jack44_44]

I remember when I would watch that Barcelona team Marquez was the one who impressed me more with his pass distribution although puyol did obviously have the better career

[@oshay333]

My only addition to add to your honourable mentions would be Diego Godin. Would love to see an underated 7 from the year 2000

[@JB-ft7qz]

I think he said Godin

[@seemymobot4987]

14:01

[@johnmitchell2269]

Godin was one of the most underrated centre backs of the past twenty years imo. He was never quick but that didn't hold him back. He was a natural born defender. For many years Atletico were a difficult team to score against whenever he played.

[@stolworthy]

Decent content. I like that he takes the time to explain the decision process. All top centre backs

[@williamcross210]

Often the commentariat don't pay attention to the decision process though

[@drjk7555]

I can only just sit back and appreciate the work you've done in this video.. No bias, justification top notch.. Hats off bro ❤

[@Wladislav]

Love the Chiellini shoutout. What a player. I'm happy he got to really shine one last time in the Euros.

[@exmsenhorbataguas6411]

Pepe mising out is absolutly outrageous

[@asaabed4200]

no it is not, considering the calibre of the honourable mentions list- let alone the actual list- pepe would do very well to make the honourable mentions list at all

[@johnnythemachine6949]

Jerome Boateng snubbed: 1x World Cup Winner, 1x Under 21 Euros Winner, 2x UCL Winner, 9x Bundesliga Winner, 5x DFB-Pokal Winner, 1x FA Cup Winner, 1x Germany's Player of the Year, 1x UEFA Team of the Year

[@MrJeffHead]

Vidic was much much better than him

[@umehdivine5395]

Even pique

[@EagleEyes77]

Thank God. I've been really waiting and thought you had stopped.

[@leifschannel]

Chiellini is THE defender. It's really a pity that someone so intellectually versed in speaking about his artform is left out.

[@sh3tpostsgamertime204]

Its the three of them as one though.

[@nasilelelisselo2348]

Number 9

[@MithrandilPlays]

I've been seeing a lot of discourse on how the Saudi league is growing, and especially comparing it to the MLS following Ronaldo's comments today. I was wondering what the top few leagues outside the Big 5 are - this would make an interesting 7 IMO

[@walker63163]

I mean it’s probably a given that the Netherlands, Portugal, Turkey, the US and now Saudi are gonna be in there

[@MithrandilPlays]

@@walker63163 Yeah Portugal and Netherlands are for sure the next two, idk if Saudi would be there though. I wonder if the Championship would crack the 7 as well

[@AnEagle]

@@walker63163 Belgium is pretty good I would guess?

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

​@@walker63163hardly a given. We'll see if the Saudis are still spunking money in five, ten and twenty years time, or will they go back to falconry, horseracing and collecting cars.

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

​@@walker63163Besides, without looking it up, how many Saudi teams can you even name off the top of your head?

[@TheRealRBarry]

Time for everyone to comment who we all think should've been here! And for my mindless comment I go Pepe. Maybe not top five here, but EASILY one of the most overlooked centerbacks of this generation. A stalwart defender on those great Real Madrid teams, he anchored the most successful generation of Portuguese football, and is still playing at a high level today. Respect for the hair/bald/then hair/now bald again man.

[@johnmichel4865]

Very good. Enjoyed that.

[@M1TUK1B]

Legend thanks Alfie great vid

[@maciejdoczyk8196]

Ramos scored total 138 goals and he's received the most red cards in history. Legend!

[@gabepark754]

Been waiting for this

[@ManUsingLogic]

How Pepe didn’t make the list is baffling

[@rocky1169pt]

Him and Ricardo Carvalho should at least be in the running

[@nasilelelisselo2348]

Number 8

[@civildiscourse7626]

@@rocky1169ptover who?

[@aldobonaso3481]

what's baffling is that he was ever allowed to play the beautiful game with a mug like that... (that's obviously a joke, but honestly he should have been in jail, he was a damn thug)

[@ManUsingLogic]

@@aldobonaso3481 Jail for yellow and red cards or hard fouls Makes sense to me

[@t084]

Still a hugely underrated channel, keep it up💪

[@TheKulture]

Just shared to Twitter bro. This channel deserves to be on par with ESPN n nem. But it should always just be you😂 keep up the great work 🏁

[@maxb829]

Alfie, you should do a video on the saga of Lecco (who got promoted to Serie B) having to go through an appeals process to actually play in Serie B because of late paperwork, while Perugia (who got relegated from Serie B) keeps appealing so they can keep their spot in Serie B. The season starts in a few weeks and its still unclear which of the two clubs will actually play in Serie B.

[@wife9571]

these are my favorite types of videos, if you ever start a patreon where you release videos like this that might not do as well to a broader audience i’d happily sign up

[@acaerA1F]

Based upon solely talent, I really do think Alessandro Nesta and Rio Ferdinand had all the raw materials to become top 5-7 defenders of all time. Still generational players tho.

[@sirishbaral3177]

Is we are only talking about their abilities, Rio and Nesta are top 2

[@morkujinirukandji4820]

Rio and Nesta should never be in the same sentence. Nesta way better than Rio. Only Maldini and Baresi can compare to Nesta when it comes to defending

[@acaerA1F]

@@morkujinirukandji4820 I don’t think Ferdinand is as good as Nesta but he was still one of the best of his era and he did not even reach his full potential. By the way beckenbauer, Bobby Moore and Gaetano Scirea rank above Nesta, however he is still my favourite defender ever

[@morkujinirukandji4820]

@@acaerA1F In my eyes, only Maldini is ahead of Nesta.

[@NoryLevi]

@@morkujinirukandji4820 at cb? nesta is better than maldini in the center

[@BOABModels]

0:49 This is absolutely not an F1 channel but you still managed to include Daniel Ricciardo in this video in a week where he is very much back in the news.

[@soundscape26]

The most unexpected cameo.

[@HITCSevens]

Watched all five seasons of Drive to Survive so I'm basically an expert on F1 now.

[@BOABModels]

@@HITCSevens that puts you at least into Q2.

[@blobfishking9419]

@@HITCSevens Drive to survive is such a bad show 🤣. Still though I respect that you are a fellow fan of F1

[@MegaDAli95]

@@blobfishking9419 kind of rejuvenated F1 though

[@maxrhoades73]

Love this series

[@benjeffery9958]

I'm more surprised how highly rated rio ferdinand is considering how many mistakes he actually made in games... I would not put him above cheillini, not in a million years or even vidic...

[@gerrardsteven6083]

Good comment, he did make a lot of mistakes. Overrated defender covered up by Utd being such a strong team at the time.

[@benjeffery9958]

@@gerrardsteven6083 yeah I remember alot of games for utd and especially for England where his positioning and sometimes his general concentration was poor

[@gerrardsteven6083]

@@benjeffery9958 we remember it the same then

[@err4071]

Tony Adams and Sol Campbell were leagues ahead of Ferdinand at club level and especially for England. When Tony retired from England and Ferdinand came into the team, Campbell carried Ferdinand defensively, and when Campbell retired and Ferdinand and Terry took over, England went downhill big time after that. When Rio came up against a world-class striker or forward he was found out many times. I can't remember a single situation where he successfully got the better of a world-class striker or forward, Ronaldo ripped him to shreds and made him look ordinary and 5feet Messi got in front of him to score 2 headers etc etc.

[@benjeffery9958]

@@err4071 completely agree mate and I'm a pompey fan so I've got alot of appreciation for sol, even in his mid 30s was a beast and agree with Tony Adams as well being better, I'm not saying rio wasn't quality but certainly not in the conversation with the elite

[@ForestAHistory]

Great video

[@sydwellmyataza]

Alfie great video as always....would you do a video on the Benjamin mendy situation.. Would like to hear your take on it

[@loshi9440]

While I enjoy most of his videos, I highly doubt he will because he'll have to justify the women who falsely accused Mendy

[@leifschannel]

​@@loshi9440why does innocent until proven guilty does not apply to the women? Just because something god dismissed in Court due to lack of evidence does not mean the accuser was in the wrong. Especially due to the particularity of rape cases (mostly two people being alone) the evidence is often slim.

[@TheJGTurton]

@@loshi9440 That's not how the law works, they did not falsely accuse him, there was just not enough evidence to prove he did it, as is the case of roughly 99% of rape cases in the UK. He was not proven innocent at all, just wasn't proven guilty either, so there is no way to prove that he was falsely accused (which is unlikely when at least 8 women came forward)

[@loshi9440]

@@leifschannel they have nothing to lose whereas he might have lost his career at the top level. While you have a point I didn't see people claiming innocent until proven guilty for Mendy. Trust me the women these athletes surround themselves with are nasty and malicious. It's their fault though and they have to face the consequences of their lust

[@loshi9440]

@@TheJGTurton let me tell you that both parties aren't innocent. The women know who they are messing with (rich possibly dumb athletes) and the athletes might think that this is just a one of and they believe they can go over the board. I don't know if Mendy is innocent but these permiscuous females aren't naive for sure ( that doesn't mean obviously that they have to be raped and any such case must be punished accordingly)

[@dougjones9448]

Terry's on-ball ability has always been strangely underrated, should be put forward as much as defending and leadership (whatever that actually means). As good with his weaker left than many centre backs on their stronger foot

[@vindre7]

Shocked he even made the list. Objectively Not even top 10. Sorry bud.

[@langletprolet8378]

@@vindre7 Alfie is english so he’ll always have a little bias. It’s natural. Also evident in his Central Midfield list.

[@tspcontent4630]

Agreed. The “it would be a stretch to call Terry a ball playing centre back” comment was a bit of a weird one. That’s exactly what he was, his passing with both feet was top notch

[@maanihendessi2668]

I’m pretty sure terry was left footed though

[@tspcontent4630]

@@maanihendessi2668 na right footed but just really good on his left as well

[@enffootballlab2022]

Surely Harry Maguire is number 1!

[@marcuspoosz2190]

lame joke.

[@hyywe240]

I expect these kind of comments on the Irish guys channel but its disappointing to see them here

[@Thomas...191]

This man makes funny words!... see, maguire isn't very good... I could score in a World Cup and play the silly premiership every week as well

[@archylowe603]

Ikr

[@redboyjan]

Dejan Lovren pips him to it

[@wolfpackpete6408]

There's a clip of Ramos giving a masterclass of how a defender owns his area. 3 opposition players against him. He didn't rush in, as they passed to each other, he made the necessary small movements to press/close the angle/block their sight of goal. Another big point that highlights Ramos as a TOP centre-back is that despite Piqué having a full-time understanding with Puyol at Barça, and Ramos naturally having a rivalry with them at Real Madrid... Ramos was still a first choice for the national team.

[@Bruh73129]

I start watching football around 2003 so this is my list: 1- maldini 2- nesta 3- cannavaro 4- ferdinand 5- vidic 6- terry 7-puyol

[@bareknuckles2u]

Great list.

[@Berserk-vj8kz]

Varane and Boateng have to Feature in the 7 in my opinion. I don't know how you argue Terry Ferdinand and Thiago Silva over world cup winning defensiv leaders with multiple Champions Leagues under their name. I would honestly argue for Boateng on 3 or 2 because he is the one constant defensiv presence in the 2 Bayern trebles and germanys world cup Team and I would say that the Bayern Teams in those years have been top 4 club sides and Germany the best world cup winning team since 2000.

[@langletprolet8378]

Boateng is so underrated. It’s what happens when you got no PR 😂 It’s what I’ve learned about the footy world, you’re forgotten if you have no PR. It’s everything.

[@bandulad7695]

Good list!

[@karabomafa5609]

Alessandro Nesta should be no.1... He is the best pure defender on the list

[@christerknutsen8031]

Cant argue on 1st spot, but seeing all the candidates and honorable mentons... im glad im not seting up the list cause its so many you have to leave out that really deserves to be there

[@ivanjovanovic9191]

Not including Nemanja Vidic in top 7 is biggest crime

[@alexandresilva3427]

Vidic > Rio and Ricardo Carvalho > Terry. The British players always get overrated.

[@MrJeffHead]

​@@alexandresilva3427vidic was better than Rio from 08-14

[@nunorb83]

So... Pepe's playing literaly since 2000 and still playing Champions league football...

[@alexandresilva3427]

He's the reason Portugal had any chance in the 2016 Euros. It was the Pepe and Ronaldo show.

[@beanmanwexford]

Entertaining video today Alfie

[@stammerchelsportshighlight3809]

It is your opinion, but I gotta disagree with Puyol being that high. Also I’m perhaps biased but im taking Pepe over some of those u had ranked here including Puyol. I think Pepe doesn’t get as much credit cuz ppl just have a hate for him for his actions earlier in his career but his longetivity (10 great yrs with Madrid, plus still great for Porto and even Portugal as he now 40yrs old), his athleticism and relentless defending are some of, if not the best I’ve seen in this era. And it may be hard to believe for some but he actually does not have many red cards in his career for a CB. It was also cuz of him that Portugal was holding on in that finals of euros 2016 (he was motm). With his bravery, defending, longevity, quickness, athleticism, and with all his accomplishments at every team he’s played on I think he deserves the recognition.

[@Kriscur20]

Pepe should've been banned for life after what he did to the Getafe player. He's not even close in defending ability to anyone on the list

[@stammerchelsportshighlight3809]

@@Kriscur20 he was wrong for what he did but dont act like he wasn’t one of the best CBs of his era. He’s proven it for so long. It’s not even surprising that he was still starting for Portugal at the World Cup at 39 years old and even scored for them

[@ricardocorreia7962]

​@@Kriscur20I am Benfica fan and really dislike Pepe personaly, but as a defender he is leagues above Puyol in terms of quality

[@dcfootball1]

​@@stammerchelsportshighlight3809There's no buts mate the guy was beyond dirty and shouldn't be even be discussed in this list

[@Kriscur20]

@@ricardocorreia7962 you never watch puyol in his prime then

[@johntreherne4611]

I have to admit I always thought more of Ferdinand as a defender than Terry for me it was his ability on the ball. But overall if they are just limiting it to this time frame than it seems pretty fair nesta and cannavarro were the best players listed by the late 00s were passed their primes and injured on a regular basis. There are the likes of Samuel, Juan, Lucio, vidic, pique, kompany, Hummels, chiellini, bonucci, carvalho, barzagli to name a few who could have made this list for their performance during this period

[@Glashome]

I think that Ramos is perhaps the best footballer in the air I have ever seen (at both ends of the pitch) and is a great leader but his all round defensive skills left a lot to be desired for me. In his twenties, he was appalling for ball watching, charging the ball, diving in at the wrong moment and generally losing his positional/tactical discipline, leaving team mates with massive gaps to cover, which he largely compensated for later by getting better at sneaky tactical fouls as his career progressed (although he still ended up with several red card records). Undoubtedly, he had elite level strengths as a footballer but if he hadn't played for the perhaps the best club and international sides of the last 50 years and had instead played out the bulk of his career with Juve and the Italian national team like Chiellini (or insert English or German player and club side) then i doubt so many people would be arguing that he should top this list. A great player, but for me there have definitely been better pure defenders through the same period. If I were to choose a team to try to park the bus in a massive European game, for example, I'd definitely have Terry, Chiellini, Lucio, Godin, Nesta or Pepe in ahead of Ramos, or I'd maybe push a younger Ramos back out to RB to include him.

[@720zaka]

Laurent Blanc

[@98091238]

Vidic was more important to those Manchester United teams than Ferdinand

[@maanihendessi2668]

No chance

[@98091238]

@@maanihendessi2668 Vidic was captain and EPL Player of the Year twice while Rio was slowing down and missing a lot of football.

[@TheLawroPalmer]

Interesting thought for a video. What are the rules behind being a trialist at a football club, there seems to be so little information out there for a system that so many clubs use. Why has Jonny Evans been signed by United on a short term contract rather than playing as a trialist for the two preseason games?

[@Alex727Pasco]

Really enjoyed the video and still enjoying the series. But, to say Rio is a better defender is some call imo. Please bear in mind that I'm not a RM fan or a Sergio Ramos fan if anything I never liked how disrespectful and unsportsmanlike he could be at times and the fact he could and often was a bit inconsiderate about other footballer's safety with some of his tackling. But I think he overall was one of the best(maybe top 5, 7 or 10 best depending on preference) CBs to ever play the game, his effectiveness and consistency need to be taken in account. Great vid as always, all the best mate😊

[@miloskostic8182]

7.Campbell,6.Silva, 5.Carvalho, 4.Vidić,3.Cannavaro,2.Ramos,1.Nesta

[@ademamahit]

If im not mistaken, first 2-3 years of ramos stint in madrid he was a RB, he's moving to CB primarily by 2010's as far as i remember.

[@alacranproducciones502]

Rafa marquez didn’t make the honorable mentions???? Him and Puyol were great in defense for Barcelona

[@ricardocastillo3235]

That’s what I was thinking

[@j6154]

For the women's world cup you should make a few videos on women's football! I know I'd like to learn more about it, maybe best women's teams of all time, best players before 2000, etc

[@josemojeda1527]

0:49 Ricc is Bacc in F1 with AlphaTauri lol, love that you included him

[@tharcisse7103]

I agree 100% with the Top 2, but I would have included Kompany, Pepe and Walter Samuel as honorable mentions.

[@rikut9220]

Pique not being here is an absolute disgrace

[@SkylarkingsCinema]

Can you do a 7 best footballers with insanely interesting backstories of how they got to where they are? Love your vidsand never put a suggestion forward but its been on my brain at work since an argument at work that not all footballers "don't deserve their wages"... as the Karen's say

[@rahulrao6900]

have a feeling he put puyol at no 3 just cuz he didnt want backlash from barca fans who wudve argued if ramos and pepe were 1&2. You could pick any one of pepe, pique, lucio and ricardo carvalho and they would outclass puyol by a country mile.

[@saintpepsi8602]

Video idea - Top seven footballers who ended up being nonces

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

What's the criteria for listing the nonces? Skill and longevity?

[@saintpepsi8602]

​@@ianmacfarlane1241I don't think I should have put "top" in my comment 😂

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

@@saintpepsi8602 I'd love to hear Alfie explaining why nonce #1 should be in the #1 position over nonce #2, or why certain nonces only get "honourable mentions". Then we've got Alfie reminiscing about the top nonce from his childhood...😳

[@RyuzakiTaiyou]

Best German players in the premier league of all time. (Day 523) I will not give up until the video is made or Alfie himself tells me to stop. Everyone else telling me that will be ignored. If you don't believe my number, just go back to the previous videos. I'm at the bottom most of the time, but I'm there.

[@user-vp8qq3bn4l]

My top 7 CB in 2000 to 2023 Ramos Nesta Pepe JT Pique Puyol Thiago Silva

[@gregoriuspascalis500]

Baresi teach Maldini and Nesta teach Thiago Silva, I'm not surprised that 2 Milan defender is on the list

[@EagleEyes77]

Maldini actually taught Thiago Silva

[@bayernmunich8350]

MATS HUMMELS AND JEROME BOATENG LEFT THE CHAT!!!

[@MtATSEL91]

I can’t believe Harry Maguire or Phil Jones are not in this list

[@isaacfung622]

ChatGPT: 7 Greatest Centre-Backs Since 2000 From 7th To 1st Listing the greatest center-backs since 2000 is subjective and may vary depending on personal opinions. However, I'll provide a list of seven exceptional center-backs in descending order, from 7th to 1st, based on their achievements, skill, and impact on the game: 7. Carles Puyol: The Spanish center-back was known for his leadership, tenacity, and defensive prowess. He spent his entire career at Barcelona, captaining the team to numerous titles, including three UEFA Champions League titles and six La Liga titles. 6. Alessandro Nesta: The Italian defender was a crucial part of AC Milan's defense during his prime. He was a master of positioning and had exceptional reading of the game. Nesta won multiple Serie A titles and the UEFA Champions League with Milan. 5. Thiago Silva: The Brazilian center-back is renowned for his elegant defending and composure on the ball. He enjoyed great success with AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain, lifting multiple league titles and domestic cups. 4. Vincent Kompany: The Belgian defender was a stalwart for Manchester City during their rise to prominence. His strong presence and leadership were instrumental in leading Manchester City to four Premier League titles. 3. Paolo Maldini: Though he started his career in the late 80s, Maldini's influence and excellence extended into the 2000s. The Italian legend spent his entire career at AC Milan, being one of the greatest defenders of all time. His skill, intelligence, and longevity earned him numerous Serie A titles and Champions League trophies. 2. Sergio Ramos: The Spanish defender, known for his aggressive defending and goal-scoring ability, was a pillar of Real Madrid's success in the 2000s and beyond. Ramos won numerous La Liga titles and an impressive four UEFA Champions League titles with Real Madrid. 1. Franz Beckenbauer: Widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders in football history, Beckenbauer's legacy influenced the center-back position throughout the 2000s and beyond. His accomplishments as a player and a manager at Bayern Munich solidified his legendary status. Honorable mentions include Gerard Pique, Fabio Cannavaro, Rio Ferdinand, and John Terry, among others. Remember, this list is based on my knowledge up to September 2021, and there might have been other great center-backs emerging since then.

[@mbob07]

beckenbauer 😂😂😂

[@alfiehighley6620]

Beckenbauer played 30 years before the 2000s

[@maciejbala477]

@@alfiehighley6620 I'm sorry, did you even listen to our all-knowing AI overlord? Clearly, Beckenbauer's greatness transcends time, so ChatGPT deemed fit to put him top anyway.

[@HITCSevens]

Looks like I've still got another few weeks before the robots take my job.

[@robfortune6]

​@@alfiehighley6620Thank you, I thought I was tripping when I read that and that I was somehow completely wrong about when Beckenbauer played lol

[@atmeventsandmgt]

i agree with the top spot.... the best defender ive seen over the years

[@Dagpar]

I renew my petition for you to include international subtitles for your videos. I volunteer for Spanish, but just having them there would be great for my football loving non-English speaking family

[@Alex-yl7ub]

Godin missing can think of at least 2/3 of these who he could have replaced in the list

[@alexandresilva3427]

Godin, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho, Vidic, Bonuci. All better than Terry...

[@PakoBar2717]

Pepe, because of longevity

[@alexandresilva3427]

Without him Portugal wouldnt have won the Euros or the Nation''s League.

[@Torilati]

If Hummel's or Boateng are not in there Riot

[@RatedROliveirav2]

No mention Pepe and Ricardo Carvalho? man you missed these gems

[@hugosilva3916]

No Pepe? ahahah

[@REALCaptainAmerican]

CRIMINAL that PEPE is not on this list. tsk tsk

[@marketgarden1]

sergio ramos, all time great

[@lior995]

I guess Pepe is above Silva if you ask me honestly he's a beast

[@koseisan]

How do you not include the Premier League all-time own goalscorer Richard Dunne?

[@edsmith4353]

Similar to Silva - is there a video in players that came out of retirement and succeeded? Perhaps Silva an extreme one but another example; Scholes?

[@victorhino26]

surprised Bonucci& Pepe isn't even on the honorable list but all in all,solid list.

[@zsomborszigeti6797]

Who are you and what did you do to the real HITC Sevens? He would never ever miss out on the Adu joke no matter how annoying it is. We want him back!

[@jackabalas]

Is there a best captains in the HITC archive?

[@mypurpleglasses]

Bro, though being lifelong Barca fan, I can't argue about Ramos being on the top of the list

[@akielsteewart8577]

Ramos definitely deserves it ❤

[@adnanalic7690]

i'm just surprised that you havent even mentioned how many goals ramos actually scored in his career, and how many of them were the winning goals

[@emperorpalpatine4681]

Pascal Cygan is the best defender I’ve seen in the premier league era. Managed to take Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure’s places.

[@lewisblackwiththenicehair]

This is the wildest suggestion I've seen yet

[@sirlaurentvuitton]

😂😂😂😂

[@gabrielestanga]

Putting Puyol and Ramps ahead of Nesta is a crime agaisnt humanity and I'm saying this as an Inter fan.

[@alexandresilva3427]

Real Madrid even at their best conceded almost every game. Their defense was never good.

[@subhankarhotta7094]

There can be doubts for other spots but undoubtedly Ramos has been at the very best of CBs in the last 2 decades.

[@vendetta4033]

Pique, Ramos, Vidic, Terry, Cannavaro, Nesta, Stam, Ferdinand

[@itsbeanefun8356]

I love your videos, I'd be so excited to see you make some videos about the women's world cup!

[@MrReese]

Would love to hear about the CBs of the Austrian Wunderteam 😇✌.

[@fayiazuddinahmed9615]

Bro ignored pepe

[@sithvsjedi9696]

Hmmm. Before I watched the video I'm saying: Cannavaro, Campbell, Ferdinand, Terry, Lucio, Puyol & Maldini. Obviously this is just my humble & I realise Maldini played left defence a lot but he played centre very well too. Again my humble opinion.

[@John-cj9er]

Terry should be ahead of Ferdinand. We all saw what happened to Ferdinand when his pace went. Terry played on for longer due to his superior positioning

[@EvilLeBaron666]

Ferdinand lost his pace well before he dropped off and was still the best in the country, his back done him in his last few seasons. Terry was in and out the Chelsea team his last few years, Cahill outshined him. Terry was only there for his leadership…

[@reubenmiller2142]

Your Danny Ric inclusion is quite outrageous

[@chahineboudemagh9596]

I am once again asking for a video about Algeria's unofficial FLN national team (1958-1962)

[@faunatique5110]

De Ligt as golden boy had performed well outside the streek of handballs caused penalties, he will likely become the best in upcoming handful years

[@mwi8743]

Nesta the best ever. Unbelievable.