Sol Campbell Named the Best Defender, Central Midfielder, Winger & Striker Ever

Sol Campbell may be a controversial figure, but there’s no denying that he’s one of the greatest centre-backs in the history of the Premier League. He played elite football at the top of the division for the majority of his career, winning multiple league titles and FA Cups among other honours.

As a result, Campbell knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a quality player. He’s had his fair share of critics for his attitude off the pitch, but he was still a very talented defender and had a solid mind for the sport. His opinion on football is one that holds a lot of weight and he was recently tasked, in an interview with talkSPORT, to name the best defender, midfielder, winger and striker to ever play the beautiful game.

Related

Sol Campbell Named Two ‘Relentless’ Stars as His Most Difficult Opponents Ever

Campbell would later go on to play alongside the players in question.

Defender

Campell named Paolo Maldini

First up, Campbell was asked to name the best defender of all time. As a former elite defender himself, there’s likely not much he’s more clued up in than what it takes to thrive at the back. That shows as well, as while some of his picks are a little controversial, there won’t be many arguments about who he named as the best defender ever. The former Arsenal man picked Paolo Maldini. The Italian, whether it was at left-back or in the heart of defence, was a force to be reckoned with throughout his career at AC Milan.

He was a striker’s worst nightmare and rarely let anyone get the better of him on the football pitch. He was majestic at the back and almost glided around the pitch. There have been very few players quite like Maldini.

Central Midfielder

Campbell named Paul Gascoigne

Campbell’s next pick for the best central midfielder ever is a surprising one. There’s no denying that Paul Gascoigne was one of the most charismatic and creative footballers in the world during his career on the pitch. He was unlike anyone and could do things with a ball at his feet that most could only ever dream of. His antics off the pitch held him back, though, and prevented him ever really reaching the pinacle of the sport.

Related

15 Greatest English Midfielders in Football History [Ranked]

If England knows anything about football, it’s how to make a good midfielder.

Still, Campbell named him the best central midfielder of all time. The Englishman represented the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Rangers during his career and was beloved everywhere he went. If you ask most people, though, he wouldn’t be the name that immediately came to mind when discussing the best centre-mid ever.

Winger

Campbell named Ryan Giggs

Moving onto the wing, Campbell named Ryan Giggs as the best winger to ever play football. There’s certainly an argument to be made that the Welshman is the best in Premier League history. He spent his entire career at Manchester United and was consistently great all the way through. No one recorded more assists in the English top flight than Giggs and his trophy cabinet is as impressive as they come.

He was pivotal to United’s success under Sir Alex Ferguson throughout the 1990s and 2000s, playing 963 times for the Red Devils as they dominated England. There have been some very talented wingers over the years, including stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, but Campbell believes Giggs was better than them all.

Striker

Campbell named Alan Shearer

The last position Campbell had to choose was the striker and he went with the Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer in Alan Shearer. The former Newcastle United man was untouchable in front of goal during his career, scoring 260 times in England’s top flight. It’s a record that still hasn’t been broken and while he only managed to win one Premier League title, during his run with Blackburn Rovers, he’s still considered one of the very best players in England’s history.

Shearer’s trophy cabinet would look very different had he joined Manchester United in the 1990s when he had the chance, but his passion and desire to play for his boyhood club, Newcastle, meant he turned Sir Alex Ferguson down for St. James’ Park. It’s hard to imagine he regrets his decision and even without the silverware, he’s still considered the greatest striker of all time by Campbell. Considering the likes of Ronaldo and Thierry Henry have torn teams apart over the years, being named the best of the best is quite an honour.

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and accurate as of 05/04/2025