10 Greatest Wales Defenders in Football History [Ranked]

For a proud country with a population of around three million, Wales has a terrific record of producing some of the most iconic footballers throughout the sport’s history. They’ve labeled as dark horses at major tournaments and they reinforced this status at the European Championships in 2016, when they beat Belgium’s ‘golden generation’ 3-1 to advance to the semi-finals.

Although they were unable to reach the final after losing to eventual winners Portugal 2-0, their story was inspiring. In recent years, they have also qualified for the 2020 European Championships and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Despite not being known for their collective defensive solidity, a host of excellent defenders have come out of the country, such as Kevin Ratcliffe and Alf Sherwood. With that in mind, here are the best Welsh defenders in football history.

10 Moses Russell

Active years: 1911-1932

Moses Russel was a left-back who spent the majority of his career with Plymouth Argyle. The defender made his international debut in 1912 and won 23 caps for Wales. He joined Ton Pentre, his first professional club, in 1911 before moving to Merthyr Town that same year.

At his time at the club, he contributed to their South Wales and Monmouthshire FA Cup victory. In 1912, Russel left South Wales to join Southport, however his time was cut short due to the club’s dire financial situation. He then returned to Merthyr on a free transfer rather than taking a cut in his wages.

9 Neil Taylor

Active years: 2007-2022

As a former Manchester City trainee, Neil Taylor began his career at Wrexham in 2007, before moving to Swansea for £150,000 three years later. The left-back went on to make 179 appearances for the club before making the switch to Aston Villa, where he also made over 100 appearances.

His club career came to an end at Middlesbrough, who he signed for in November 2021. Taylor’s international career began in 2010 and in his nine-year involvement with Wales he earned 43 caps. He was an important member of the squad which historically beat Belgium at the European Championship in 2016. Taylor was also selected in the Great Britain squad for the 2012 Olympics, held on home soil. Taylor, who was one of few British Asians to play at the highest level in football, is now the assistant manager for the Wales under-21 team.

8 James Collins

Active years: 2001-2020

Like Taylor, James Collins will be greatly remembered for his involvement in Wales’ 2016 Euros campaign. The central defender formed a formidable relationship with Ashely Williams. He made his debut for the senior Wales team in 2004 against Norway. Three years later, he scored his first goal for the national team in a 3-1 defeat to Cyprus.

He went on to make 51 appearances for Wales, scoring on three occasions. Collins began his career at Cardiff City, progressing through the club’s youth system. The defender will be remembered for his two successful stints in the Premier League with West Ham.

7 Chris Gunter

Active years: 2006-2023

Chris Gunter may not be the flashiest of players, but he has been a very consistent performer for the national team. The defender, who operated primarily at right back, won 109 Wales caps in a 15-year international career.

Gunter, who made his international debut in 2007, became the first player to earn 100 Wales caps and he reached this milestone in a friendly match against Mexico in 2021. He also received a golden cup, as players who reach 50 appearances for Wales are given this award. Gunter played a crucial role in Wales’ sensational Euro 2016 run and also featured at the same tournament four years later. He was also selected for the 2022 World Cup squad.

The former Cardiff City, Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest, Reading, Charlton Athletic and AFC Wimbledon player retired from international duty in March 2023 and went on to end his playing career just two months later.The 35-year-old was recently named as the Wales Under-19 head coach.

6 Alf Sherwood

Active years: 1946-1956

Traditionally, Wales are not known for having the best fullbacks, however Alf Sherwood is considered to be one of their most consistent performances. The left-back was known for his impressive slide tackling ability and relentless work rate. He was an important player for Wales during his 10-year career and he also made more than 350 appearances for Cardiff City.

The former Newport County man narrowly missed out on the Class of 1958, having retired just two years before. However, his inclusion on this list is justified by the testimony of the iconic Sir Stanley Matthews, who described him as the most difficult opponent had ever come up against.

5 John Charles

Active years: 1950-1965

John Charles was one of the most versatile footballers in football history, in which he was able to perform at an exceptionally high level as a striker and, most importantly, as a central defender. He would be higher on the list if he had played more games as a defender than a striker, but nevertheless will go down in history as a legend of the game.

Charles played for Wales in the 1958 World Cup, scoring in the group stages against Hungary. However, his tournament was cut short by injury and crucially he missed the 1-0 quarter-final defeat to Brazil, a game in which the iconic Pele netted the winner. His performances at club level were equally impressive. He scored 157 goals in 297 matches for Leeds and at Juventus he found the back of the net on 108 occasions, guiding the Italian outfit to three Serie A titles and two Coppa Italia trophies.

His goals to games ratio for Wales was staggering, considering a large portion of those appearances were as a center-half. On average, Charles scored a goal every two matches for his country. He will be remembered for his general demeanor and great sportsmanship, which made him one of the most likable players in the game. Charles never complained to the ref and always showed respect to the opposition. In 2004, UEFA asked every member of the association to nominate one player as their country’s most outstanding footballer and there is no surprise that the FA of Wales selected John Charles.

4 Ashley Williams

Active years: 2001-2021

The former Wales and Swansea City captain was an extremely consistent player for club and country. Ashely Williams has been at the heart of the Wales defense for several years and was a crucial component of their Euro 2016 success. After being released by West Bromwich Albion as a teenager, the defender played for non-league side Hednesford Town before he was picked up by Stockport County in 2003. He went on to become their captain and five years later he was loaned to Swansea City.

After playing a vital role in their League One title win, he signed for a then club record of £400,000. Williams quickly became a fan favorite and he made 352 appearances for the Welsh club, scoring on 14 occasions during this period. The commanding center back helped guide the Swans to promotion to the Premier League and he was an integral part of the side that beat Bradford City 5-0 to win the League Cup in 2013.

Years later, he made the switch to Goodison Park, however his spell at the club took a downward spiral, with Williams falling down the pecking order after his first season at the club. Subsequently, he signed a short-term deal with Bristol City in 2019 and put an end to his playing career just two years later.

3 Mike England

Active years: 1962-1974

Mike England will go down as one of the Dragons’ greatest ever center backs. The defender won 44 caps for Wales, scoring four goals in the process. England was considered as a natural leader in the dressing room and on the pitch and he has reinforced his icon status with an eight-year spell as manager.

At club level, he played 300 matches for Tottenham Hotspur, helping to guide them to the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup in the 1960s and 1970s. He was Wales’ youngest captain until Aaron Ramsey took his record in 2011.

2 Joey Jones

Active years: 1975-1986

Joey Jones is a fan favorite at pretty much every club he has played for. At Wrexham, he was named the club’s ultimate cult hero ,while at Liverpool he was also highly thought of. He finished midway among a poll of Liverpool players with more than 100,000 Reds fans taking part in the vote. Jones made his Wales debut in 1975 against Austria and he went on to make 72 appearances for the nation.

He won the league title with Liverpool in a star-studded side and also became the first Welshman to win the European Cup in 1977. The fiery fullback was known for his passion and desire, but was also more than capable on the ball.

1 Kevin Ratcliffe

Active years: 1981-1993

Kevin Ratcliffe claims top spot on this list, having cemented his position in Wales folklore with some astonishing achievements during his playing career. The defender spent his best years at Everton with his brilliant performances earning him 59 appearances for his nation.

The no-nonsense defender was also known for his leadership, often deputizing as captain. He was a very skilled player with great athleticism, which allowed him to cope with some of the most dangerous forwards at the time. He became Everton captain at the age of 23 and was part of the Goodison side that won two league titles, an FA Cup and the UEFA Cup. Having already established himself as a Wales legend, Ratcliffe’s last match for Wales came in 1993 and in this same encounter, Ryan Giggs made his first appearance. A truly fitting moment with Ratcliffe almost passing on the torch to the future Wales legend.

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 26.09.24