Put together your best CB-duo of all time

simplyared

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Your best CB-duo. You can either choose a proven partnership or put 2 players together who've never played together and from different eras if you like. Feel free!
For the record my choice would comprise the best CB ever imv = Beckenbauer and I'd put Puyol beside him. A German and a Spaniard with totally different playing styles but what a balance that would be. Anybody beat that?
 
From a purely hypothetical standpoint, I'd pick either the All-German duo of Beckenbauer—Kohler (libero + stopper upgrade over Schwarzenbeck) or the All-Italian duo of Baresi—Nesta (rock solid defensively and very complete). Baresi is actually very unique in that sense because you can pair him with just about anyone ranging on the Rio-Vidić scale and it would be a wonderful partnership...same goes for the likes of Figueroa and Nesta, albeit to a lesser degree. Wouldn't pick Maldini in a theoretical All-Time centerback partnership — greatest leftback of all time and probably the greatest dual LCB, but a tier below as a dedicated centerback.
 
I can only really name players from 90's onwards because although I'm aware of the greats of the past, I haven't seen them play so would be naming them on reputation.On that basis a couple of partnerships of the top of my head actuall played together starting with our own Rio-Vidic players who were bothe genuinely world class who had minimal flaws but the flaws they did have the other excelled at, to have Evra beside them and VDS was amazing.

One from that 90's that would have been great would have been Blanc-Campbell, brains and braun partnerships always work the best, if both are not only that obviously.
 
Franco Baresi: having him was almost a cheat back in the days. His physique was not impressive, but he had one the best antecipation movements I've ever saw on a center back. And plus: his technique with the ball on his feet was flawless and he would score some screamers during the season. What more could you ask from a defender?



Jurgen Kohler: tough center-back that would leave the opponents scared. He would outmuscle almost any opponent and as a bonus his passing skills were amazing, he was usually one of the team top assisters.




Kohler - Baresi would be a perfect match.
 
Maldini - Rio
I've been watching football since the second half of 90s so I missed some legends.
But since 2000s only Nesta got close to Rio for me.
 
Deion Sanders and Charles Woodson.



In seriousness, of those I’ve actually seen it would be Boateng and Ramos.
 
Pascal Cygan and Jean-Alain Boumsong.
 
Best partnership i have ever seen was Maldini + Nesta.

Maldini with Rio/Vidic would be a dream though!
 
HTG said:
Deion Sanders and Charles Woodson.



In seriousness, of those I’ve actually seen it would be Boateng and Ramos.
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Ramos is a good shout. How about Maldini/Ramos?
 
Cannavaro and Nesta wasn't a bad combo!
Back in the days Italians were the absolute defensive masters
 
Baresi and Figueroa for me. Both very complete defenders who were equal part sweepers and had the aggressiveness of a stopper. Kohler Beckenbauer is a good shout and in proven competition Nesta/Maldini was also rock solid, as was Blanc Desailly.

Scirea Nesta would be another good combo, or Scirea Kohler.
 
Baresi and Stam would be a thing of absolute beauty at the back.
 
Sonnet XVII said:
From a purely hypothetical standpoint, I'd pick either the All-German duo of Beckenbauer—Kohler (libero + stopper upgrade over Schwarzenbeck) or the All-Italian duo of Baresi—Nesta (rock solid defensively and very complete). Baresi is actually very unique in that sense because you can pair him with just about anyone ranging on the Rio-Vidić scale and it would be a wonderful partnership...same goes for the likes of Figueroa and Nesta, albeit to a lesser degree. Wouldn't pick Maldini in a theoretical All-Time centerback partnership — greatest leftback of all time and probably the greatest dual LCB, but a tier below as a dedicated centerback.
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Two perfect pairs.
 
Beckenbauer and Rijkaard :drool:

Rijkaard there is probably cheating but he has played there for Euro 88 winning Dutch side alongside Koeman and at times beside Baresi for Milan. Probably not the fullest use of his abilities but in an one off match there isn't another CB I'd take over him in that reserved stopper role, alongside a more expansive libero.
 
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Maldini and Vidic.

Dream pairing. Maldini sweep the floor, Vidic dominate the air.

But seriously, it'll be Nesta + one-other-superb-defender. Don't remember Maldini playing much at CB, usually LB.
 
It will always be Ferdinand and Vidic I do not think there has ever been a CB pairing whose qualities matched up perfectly together.
 
I'm not going to pretend to have watched anyone prior to the late 90s so pick two out of Maldini, Nesta and Stam or Rio/Vidic. Terry/Carvalho were consistently solid as well.
 
Passarella-Desailly (with Rijkaard as holding midfielder)
 
Baresi with a stopper — be it Kohler or Nesta (depending on a striker that they face).
 
Sonnet XVII said:
From a purely hypothetical standpoint, I'd pick either the All-German duo of Beckenbauer—Kohler (libero + stopper upgrade over Schwarzenbeck) or the All-Italian duo of Baresi—Nesta (rock solid defensively and very complete). Baresi is actually very unique in that sense because you can pair him with just about anyone ranging on the Rio-Vidić scale and it would be a wonderful partnership...same goes for the likes of Figueroa and Nesta, albeit to a lesser degree. Wouldn't pick Maldini in a theoretical All-Time centerback partnership — greatest leftback of all time and probably the greatest dual LCB, but a tier below as a dedicated centerback.
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agree with this totally
 
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