The best centre-back partnerships ever

(Image credit: Alamy)

3 Alessandro Nesta & Paolo Maldini (Milan)

Alessandro Nesta spent the best years of his career at Milan – and he spent them all alongside Paolo Maldini, who spent his whole career with the Rossoneri and cemented his status as the greatest full-back of all time.

Evidently, though, ‘Il Capitano’ was also more than adept in the middle of defence – and by the time Nesta joined him in 2002, he was well on his way to becoming a fully-fledged centre-half, and the partnership the pair formed was nothing short of legendary, yielding Champions League victory in 2002/03 and 2006/07.