'There's only one person who has got the most goals as a defender in Premier League history and that's me. He thrived in a far more uncompromising era, collecting five Premier League titles, a Champions League and Premier League Player of the Season in 2009 and 2011. For actual defending, Virgil van Dijk doesn't come close, fine though his elegance and anticipation have been. Leicester bias front and centre, the guy played every minute in the greatest triumph in Premier League history. Not many players can match his medal haul that includes winning the Champions League and six Premier League titles.

Source: Daily Mail February 20, 2026 01:44 UTC