Highest Scoring Defenders of All Time

After Sergio Ramos scored his 100th goal for Real Madrid, we thought about making a list of the highest scoring defenders of all time. The following footballers were not only great in defense but also successful in front of the goal. We can find great legends and less known footballers as well in the top scorers. 

Some of the best defenders of the world were capable of great defensive play and helping the attacks at the same time. While a few of them were almost better in front than in the back. But one thing is common within them, all of them had great skills and magical techniques which allowed them to score goals on several occasions. For their clubs and for their national teams, the following players all scored lots of goals even though it wasn’t their major role in their teams.

7. Steve Bruce, United’s centre-back is in the highest scoring defenders of all time

Now Steve Bruce is more known for his managerial role at Newcastle United, but actually he was a great player of Manchester United between 1987- 1996. He played as a centre-back in the team but also scored 51 goals for the club. Including two goals in the game against Sheffield Wednesday in the 1992-93 season which ensured the team’s first Premier League title after 1967. He won 12 trophies with the club including 3 Premier League and 3 FA Cup titles. Strangely Bruce never played for England so all of his 113 goals were scored for his clubs.

6. Graham Alexander, who couldn’t score for Scotland

We have a Scottish player next in the list of the highest scoring defenders of all time, Graham Alexander. In his long career he played for several clubs from Scunthorpe United to Burnley. He played as right back in his teams but started in the midfield in his first club. He could use his skill to score goals later as well. Many of them came from penalties but Alexander also scored a few from open play during counter-attacks. He is the second outfield player in English football history to have 1000 appearances and the fourth oldest player to score in the Premier League. He scored in total 130 goals but interestingly no goal for Scotland in his 40 appearances.

5. Sergio Ramos, who netted his 100th goal for Real

One of the most important players of Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, Sergio Ramos is also one of the best defenders of the world. He is still playing in top level at the age of 34, and can go on like this a few more years. Ramos is a terrific player in the back, and in the front as well, with his great passing and shooting skills. He has just scored his 100th goal for his club, making his total to 128 with his goals for Sevilla and Spain. In these goals we can find very important ones too, like the equalizer against Atletico Madrid in the 2014 Champions League final. Online sportsbooks in Spain predict Los Blancos to win the La Liga ahead of big rival Barcelona this season again.

4. Laurent Blanc, the President

We have another world champion in the list of the highest scoring defenders of all time. Laurent Blanc who was also a great scorer beside being a great defender. He still holds the record of the most goals at his first club, Montpellier with 84 goals. But ‘Le President’ also scored a few goals at his other clubs from Marseille to Manchester United. In the French team Blanc added 16 goals to his total beside playing superbly in the back. He helped his team to win the 1998 World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000 as a player. His most famous score was the first golden goal in the history of the World Cup, which Blanc scored against Paraguay in the last 16. He became the manager of the French team in 2010 and led them to the quarter-finals at Euro 2012. 

3. Fernando Hierro, another icon at Real

Another legendary Real Madrid captain, Fernando Hierro scored even more than Sergio Ramos. His royal number of his goals scored in his career is 163, with 127 goals scored for Real. Just like Ramos, Hierro was a regular penalty and free-kick taker, but also scored a lot from headers. He won five La Liga and three Champions League titles with Los Blancos in his 14 years spent there. Then he spent a season in Qatar and England, scoring in these leagues too. Hierro is fifth in his county’s top scorers list with 29 goals scored in his 89 appearances. Amazing performance from a defender who scored the qualifying meaning goal against Denmark before the 1994 World Cup. Online gambling sites in Spain predict their team to win their next game against Switzerland next week in the Nations League.

2. Daniel Passarella, captain of the Argentine World Cup winners

Argentine defender Daniel Passarella was the captain of the 1978 World Cup winner Argentine team. One of the best defenders of all time was also a prolific goalscorer, he scored 175 goals in his career. 153 for his clubs, River Plate, Fiorentina and Inter and 22 for the national team. Passarella  scored 11 goals in a single season in 1986 at Fiorentina. Which was the record of the most goals scored by a defender until 2001. Just like other members of this list, he was an excellent penalty and free-kick shooter and effective in the air in spite of his average height. Passarella was the top scoring defender until the next player broke his record.

1. Ronald Koeman, the prolific goalscorer

The current manager of FC Barcelona, Ronald Koeman scored an astonishing 253 goals in his career as a player of the big Dutch clubs, Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord. And of course he also played for Barcelona where scored 88 goals, with netting 19 goals in two seasons. His numbers are better than the scores of great midfielders or strikers. Koeman could score from any distance and position. He was a member of Johan Cruyff’s Dream team Barcelona, which won the La Liga four times in a row. Plus the European Cup in the 1992, where Koeman scored the only goal in the final against Sampdoria. In the Dutch national team his performance was slightly worse, with scoring only 14 goals in his 78 appearances. Still his performance is remarkable and will be very difficult to beat for anyone.

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