The 10 Greatest Sweepers and Ball-Playing Centre-backs of All Time

Giuseppi Bergomi  Italy  1982-98  (Inter)

Paul McGrath  Ireland  1985-97  (Man Utd/Aston Villa)

Gheorge Popescu  Romania  1988-03  (PSV/Barca/Galatasary)

Fernando Hierro  Spain  1989-02  (Real Madrid)

Alessandro Nesta  Italy  1996-06  (Lazio/Milan)

Laurent Blanc  France  1989-00  (Montpelier/Marseille/Inter)
Roberto Ayala  Argentina  1994-07  (River Plate/Napoli/Valencia)

Lucio  Brazil  2000-  (B.Leverkusen/B.Munich/Inter Milan)

Rio Ferdinand  England  1997-  (West Ham/Leeds/Man Utd)

Ricardo Carvalho  Portugal  2003-  (Porto/Chelsea/R.Madrid)