2018
France

Pavard (VfB Stuttgart during World Cup, Bayern Munich after) - Varane (Real Madrid) - Umtiti (Barcelona) - Hernandez (Atletico Madrid during World Cup, Bayern Munich after)
This backline proved to be too strong as nobody put up a decent fight and on top of it they had a midfield of Kante,Tolisso,Nzozi,Matuidi to cover them.

Brazil

Fagner (Corinthians) - Thiago Silva (PSG) - Miranda (Inter) - Marcelo (Real Madrid) / F. Luis (Atletico Madrid)
On top of that backline they had maybe the most impressive trio of defensive midfielders of the tournament; Casemiro (Real Madrid),Fernandinho (Manchester City) ,Paulinho(Barcelona).

 

2014
Germany

Lahm (Bayern Munich) - Boateng (Bayern Munich) - Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) - Höwedes (Shalke04)
One of the most compact defenses ever with all players knowing how everyone plays, this group made a very strong unit.

Belgium

Alderweireld (Atletico Madrid) - Van Buyten (Bayern Munich) - Company (Manchester City) - Vertonghen (Tottenham)
Strongest generation that lost by a minimal 1:0 to Argentina in the quarters, this same backline (without Van Buyten) reached the semi-finals in 2018 and also lost 1:0 to France.

 

2010
Spain

Capdevila (Villarreal) - Puyol (Barcelona) - Piqué (Barcelona) - Ramos (Real Madrid)
The golden generation of Spanish football, this team with some ins and outs (Marchena,Puyol,Jordi Alba,Arbeloa) has won back to back Euros and a World Cup in between.

 

Serbia

Ivanovic (Chelsea) - Subotic (Borussia Dortmund) - Vidic (Manchester United) - Kolarov (Lazio during World Cup, Manchester City after)
The only strong point of this team was the backline as they conceded only 3 goals during the World Cup campaign but they failed to pass the group stage during the World Cup itself.

 

Feel free to add more!

Edited April 25, 20206 yr by Gol15

Feel like I'm channelling @Pauly here, but this one must be worth a shout:

Buffon - Zambrotta - Nesta - Cannavaro - Maldini

 

(Guessing Zambrotta was at wing-back or midfield for the match the actual photo is from because I can see our very own 'legend' Christian Panucci in there). 

Italy 1982. Would you argue with their defence,. Any of them !

Claudio Gentile . Some defender. And Gentile is simply the best name ever for an Italian defender !!

GK	1	Dino Zoff (c)
SW	7	Gaetano Scirea
CB	6	Claudio Gentile
CB	5	Fulvio Collovati
RWB	3	Giuseppe Bergomi
LWB	4	Antonio Cabrini
DM	13	Gabriele Oriali
CM	14	Marco Tardelli
RW	16	Bruno Conti
LW	19	Francesco Graziani
CF	20	Paolo Rossi

West Germany 1974.

Some defence and some team unit !

Maier,

Vogts, Beckenbauer, Scwarzenbeck and Breitner.

Bonhoff, Hoesness and Overath

Grabowski, Muller and Holzenbein

 

 

Always liked the 98-2002 French defence built around Thuram, Desailly and Leboeuf. Crazy to think that Willy Sangol sat on the bench despite being regarded as a superb right back at Bayern.

In theory the 2006 England defence should have been amazing too: JT, Ash, Ferdinand and Neville. Two pairs of club teammates. Shame about the goalkeeper... Also shame that for some bizarre reason Carrick never anchored Gerrard and Frank to let them do what they do best...

7 hours ago, Spiller86 said:

Always liked the 98-2002 French defence built around Thuram, Desailly and Leboeuf. Crazy to think that Willy Sangol sat on the bench despite being regarded as a superb right back at Bayern.

In theory the 2006 England defence should have been amazing too: JT, Ash, Ferdinand and Neville. Two pairs of club teammates. Shame about the goalkeeper... Also shame that for some bizarre reason Carrick never anchored Gerrard and Frank to let them do what they do best...

Good shout !

Was talking to someone recently about an 'All time European 11'. (Non British) 

My defence would be the three great Italians of Baresi, Gentile and Maldini and Franz Beckenbauer

Sorry, gone off topic, again.

On 27/04/2020 at 22:53, erskblue said:

Italy 1982. Would you argue with their defence,. Any of them !

Claudio Gentile . Some defender. And Gentile is simply the best name ever for an Italian defender !!

GK	1	Dino Zoff (c)
SW	7	Gaetano Scirea
CB	6	Claudio Gentile
CB	5	Fulvio Collovati
RWB	3	Giuseppe Bergomi
LWB	4	Antonio Cabrini
DM	13	Gabriele Oriali
CM	14	Marco Tardelli
RW	16	Bruno Conti
LW	19	Francesco Graziani
CF	20	Paolo Rossi

This was a really strong team overall not just the defense!

On 28/04/2020 at 00:13, Spiller86 said:

Always liked the 98-2002 French defence built around Thuram, Desailly and Leboeuf. Crazy to think that Willy Sangol sat on the bench despite being regarded as a superb right back at Bayern.

In theory the 2006 England defence should have been amazing too: JT, Ash, Ferdinand and Neville. Two pairs of club teammates. Shame about the goalkeeper... Also shame that for some bizarre reason Carrick never anchored Gerrard and Frank to let them do what they do best...

That was some team, part from the ones you mentioned Lizarazu was maybe a reason why Sagnol was on the bench!

4 hours ago, Gol15 said:

This was a really strong team overall not just the defense!

Agreed.

It grew stronger through the tournament.

                                                  Italy 2006.

                                                  Buffon

                        Zambrotto, Cannavaro, Materazzi, Grosso.

Sorry never realised Italy's 2006 backline had already been posted.

Off topic but Italy always had cool shirts, really classy.

I remember in the early 2000's their shirts were from some special material or something like that, very tight to their body just so that when the opposition is dragging them by the shirt it would be more obvious they were being pulled.

On 28/04/2020 at 04:53, erskblue said:

Italy 1982. Would you argue with their defence,. Any of them !

Claudio Gentile . Some defender. And Gentile is simply the best name ever for an Italian defender !!

GK	1	Dino Zoff (c)
SW	7	Gaetano Scirea
CB	6	Claudio Gentile
CB	5	Fulvio Collovati
RWB	3	Giuseppe Bergomi
LWB	4	Antonio Cabrini
DM	13	Gabriele Oriali
CM	14	Marco Tardelli
RW	16	Bruno Conti
LW	19	Francesco Graziani
CF	20	Paolo Rossi

The lineup oozes manliness. 

Been watching some classic World Cup matches recently on bbc iplayer.

World Cup Rewind

Italy v Brazil, France v West Germany ,Northern Ireland v Spain all from 1982

Scotland v Netherlands from 1978

The Final Brazil v Italy from 1970

To name a few.

Off topic I know.

England’s defence of 1966 and the great Gordon Banks in goal behind it.

Cohen,Moore,Charlton and Wilson.

Some unit.

First goal they conceded was to Portugal in the Semi Final. Four clean sheets in a row.

Edited July 12, 20206 yr by erskblue

Suurbier, Rijsbergen, Haan & Krol, the 1974 Dutch backline wasn't too shabby...although the keeper was a little unorthodox as I recall. As a young'un  had never seen defenders actually 'play' until then and Krol in particular was majestic. 

I guess they were a little too soft when compared to some of the hard bastards posted here but they were effective and good to watch.

 

4 hours ago, Tambling Dice said:

Suurbier, Rijsbergen, Haan & Krol, the 1974 Dutch backline wasn't too shabby...although the keeper was a little unorthodox as I recall. As a young'un  had never seen defenders actually 'play' until then and Krol in particular was majestic. 

I guess they were a little too soft when compared to some of the hard bastards posted here but they were effective and good to watch.

 

Good shout.

Actually I have read that Rudd Krol wasn’t a defender to mess with at club or international level back then.

And he went on to become a big player for Napoli after he left Ajax.

Edited August 6, 20205 yr by erskblue