“let go” suggests Madrid were keen to see the back of Varane, I don’t think that’s the case. He wanted to leave and come to Old Trafford. Same with Casemiro.
Prime Ferdinand or Prime Varane
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Of course he wasn't let go like that but he him and Casemiro were both allowed to go because Madrid felt they had better players. For better or worse, Madrid support was somewhat divided on it as well and there was a lot of talk about how Madrid shipped a player past his best to us.
It turned out great for us and he's class but if this was Rio at 28 clubs would fight tooth and nail to keep him there.
Phil Jones
Rio, Varane is also fantastic CB but Rio was better.
Also Varane is not average or mediocre on the ball, he looks bit awkward on the ball but he is good with ball, easily switches with both feet.
Also Varane is not average or mediocre on the ball, he looks bit awkward on the ball but he is good with ball, easily switches with both feet.
Varane looks like Smalling on the ball, but is comfortable with it and brings it forward really effectively.
Anyway, at topic - Rio, he was an absolutely majestic defender, read the game like he's learned the opponent's patterns.
Anyway, at topic - Rio, he was an absolutely majestic defender, read the game like he's learned the opponent's patterns.
We seem to forget how good Vidic made Rio look.
Not saying he's not better than Varane, but the hype is crazy. It was when Vida came in that Rio started to look good to me.
Not saying he's not better than Varane, but the hype is crazy. It was when Vida came in that Rio started to look good to me.
Wio
Insulting thread. /s
How is this even a thread? Idiotic.
Rio. Other than being a 10/10 defender, he was hardly ever injured
Rio.
Ramos was better than Varane at Madrid. Licha is better than Varane now.
Ramos was better than Varane at Madrid. Licha is better than Varane now.
Ferdinand easily imo, he was a Rolls Royce defender.
Both unbelievable at their peak, too hard to pick so it has to come down to trophies won and Varane takes it.
World Cup winner, 4x Champions League winner + Multiple Spanish Leagues/Cups won at Madrid and he's still only 29.
World Cup winner, 4x Champions League winner + Multiple Spanish Leagues/Cups won at Madrid and he's still only 29.
Rio stands out for me by a narrow margin.
He was more vocal, had more command of the penalty area, was a better leader.
IMO Rio was more prone to error than Varane.
Ability wise, skill and pace are a bit similar.
He was more vocal, had more command of the penalty area, was a better leader.
IMO Rio was more prone to error than Varane.
Ability wise, skill and pace are a bit similar.
I love Varane, but Rio was significantly better in his pomp.
Optimus Bramble
Rio no question. Shut down defender who barely fouled anybody. One of the greatest CBs to ever play period. He gets disrespected far too often in the greatest CBs debate. I would not have any other CB in PL history over him. I'm dead serious.
Rio and nobody even comes close in the history of the PL. Even VVD isn’t fit to touch Rio’s boots.
I cringe when people actually think this is up for discussion.
I cringe when people actually think this is up for discussion.
Both great in their own way but Rio edges it
Varane is Jimmy McNulty
Rio is Lester Freamon
Maguire is Herc
Varane is Jimmy McNulty
Rio is Lester Freamon
Maguire is Herc
While Varane has more accolades, he obviously benefited from playing with better teams than Rio did. As a defender, Varane was definitely amongst the best of his generation but I never saw him as a leader at the back, it was important to have Ramos with him at the back during those Madrid years.
Rio was not only a great defender but a great leader I felt. Both are top defenders but Rio having that leadership is what separates them.
Rio was not only a great defender but a great leader I felt. Both are top defenders but Rio having that leadership is what separates them.
Yeah, not sure how this comparison would come about in the first place because it'd need to be Varane at prime for seasons to realistically contest, and he didn't have a long peak nor as many defense records and performances for the ages to fall back on.
Really rate Varane, but this isn't really a contest.
I’m English, I think Ferdinand was better BUT I despise the English.
I can understand the trophy argument in favour of Varane slightly but not in comparison to Rio. One of my criticisms of Kane is that he doesn't have trophies but that impacts his legacy and how he will be remembered more than how he actually was as a player but he has 0 trophies compared to Rio who has 6x PL and a CL amongst others. We are all old enough too to remember Rio as a player and those title winning sides, one of which is arguably the best side to ever compete in the PL. He also is part of the defence with most consecutive clean sheets at 14 games...even the monstrous Mourinho Chelsea side only had 10. I don't think that record will be broken, it's ridiculous.
Varane is good but is a clear tier below Rio. I would honestly laugh if someone tried to make this comparison to my face
Mike Smalling
While I do agree Rio is better, you're certainly doing Varane a disservice here. He tends to look surprisingly clumsy on the ball (at times it almost reminds of Smalling), but ignore how it 'looks' and focus on what he does with it and he's obviously quite good. He regularly plays good passes both through the centre and going longer out out wide, and is also quite good at bringing it forward himself.
Ferdinand. Varane is a brilliant defender but Rio was comfortably the best in the world at the time and maybe the best of his generation.
Madrid only let Varane go because he wanted to leave and was refusing to sign the contracts they offered him. Hell, he wasn't even making counter-offers of what he wanted as he'd already made the decision to leave. Rumours were they were even thinking of offering him captaincy, but admittedly those are rumours so no way to know if that was true.
Ferdinand by a distance. I wouldn't even say Varane is a stand out defender in the league right now. He is good but I wouldn't say he is exceptional.
I think Varane was a player that for years was considered to have the highest ceiling of any defenders out there, but he only reached about 80-85% of his potential whereas Rio pretty much reached his full potential.
It's a good comparison because both had incredible potential and enjoyed long and decorated careers at the very top. The difference for me is when they came to their mid-to-late 20s, Ferdinand shifted up another gear, whereas I don't think Varane made that next step up. In fact he had more of a dip at the very time he was expected to establish himself as the top man.
For me there is a gap but perhaps not a gulf between them. Varane deserves a lot of kudos for excelling so long at Madrid at the top end of European competition. The Real midfield rightly takes a lot of credit, but often they ceded control and it was backs-to-the-wall stuff with Varane/Ramos/Pepe really bailling them out.
For me there is a gap but perhaps not a gulf between them. Varane deserves a lot of kudos for excelling so long at Madrid at the top end of European competition. The Real midfield rightly takes a lot of credit, but often they ceded control and it was backs-to-the-wall stuff with Varane/Ramos/Pepe really bailling them out.
That tells me he's very good at the passes he is supposed to be making. Short and medium passes into the feet of the midfielders. He doesn't do much with long passes because he plays on the right and the right channel is a total void for us.
Martinez is much better at that because he has Rashford and Shaw to aim for.
He was about go into the final year of his contract and unwilling to sign a new one, that's why he was sold - it was either fee or free.
I agree. I think it's Rio too, but only by a hair and I am biased as f...
Not in any universe where Nesta existed, but yeah, he is the gold standard in England alongside Moore and Campbell.
You seen rio at his pomp right?
But he's 74th percentile in pass completion %. I appreciate that it might not be called for due to the specifics of the way the team has been built, but this also includes a not-insignificant amount of data from France where you see the same thing.
I just would never call him good at passing, that's all. For me that's an area where Rio has a clear and obvious advantage that is more or less indisputable.
Ferdinand by a country mile although I reckon a Varane sex tape would've been an easier watch.