Chelsea dominate the top 12 defenders with the most goals in Premier League history

From the Premier League formed in 1992, it has become one of the most watched and loved leagues in world football.

There have been many exciting and wonderful attacking players to grace the famous league, but here we take a closer look at the defenders, and in particular the top scorers in the history of the competition.

One player who won’t make the list is Everton’s Ashley Young as, despite being converted to full-back, most of the Englishman’s goals have come from midfield, so he will be out this one

12

Antonio Valencia

24 goals

Antonio Valencia reached the Premier League for the first time during his time in Wigan Athletic. The Ecuador international was quick and powerful, making him a standout performer for the Latics.

Valencia spent three seasons in the top flight at the DW Stadium, scoring six goals as he operated primarily as a right-back, firing in low-powered shots.

Then he got a move Manchester Unitedwhere he scored 18 goals in 10 seasons. Valencia joined Sir Alex Ferguson’s side as a midfielder but spent most of his time at Old Trafford playing at right-back as his ability to attack and defend made him a useful asset in that area of ​​the playing field.

11

Kieran Richardson

24 goals

Former left-back Kieran Richardson played for five different Premier League clubs: Man Utd, West Brom, Sunderland, Fulham i Aston Villa.

Richardson was another player who could operate in a number of positions, as he could play on the left wing and in the center of the field, but he mainly played as a left back.

The defender’s best tally in a Premier League season came in 2008/09, 2010/11 and 2013/14 as he scored four goals during spells at Sunderland and Fulham.

10

Julian Dicks

24 goals

Julian Dicks also finished his career with 24 Premier League goals, albeit in fewer games than Richardson and Valencia.

Dicks played Liverpool i West Ham United in the Premier League, with his best goalscoring season in the 1995/96 campaign as he scored 10 goals in 34 league games. The majority of Dicks’ goals came from the penalty spotas it was known to be accurate from 12 meters.

9

Guillem Gallus

25 goals

William Gallas was well known in London as he did something that not many players had done before by participating Chelsea, arsenal i Tottenham Hotspur.

The Frenchman was one of the best defenders during his time in the Premier League, particularly at Chelsea, as he played a key role in their early success.

Despite playing at the back, Gallas has always had an eye for goal, as he proved with five goals in the 2005/06 campaign. Gallas scored all kinds of goals, right-footed and left-footed, but mainly he was a great set-piece threat with his head.

8

Steve Watson

26 goals

Steve Watson played Newcastle UnitedAston Villa, evertoni West Brom during his time in the Premier League.

The 50-year-old, who was comfortable playing anywhere in the back four, played more than 350 times in the Premier League and scored 26 goals.

Watson had two outstanding Premier League campaigns, scoring five goals in 2002/03 and 2003/04 while playing for Everton, including a hat-trick in 2003 (albeit from midfield).

7

Marcos Alonso

26 goals

Marcos Alonso is one of the more modern defenders on this list, having recently played for Chelsea in the 2021/22 season.

Alonso spent six seasons with the Blues, with his best goalscoring campaign in 2017/18 as he scored seven goals in 33 games. The Spanish is also a Premier League and Champions League winner of his time at Stamford Bridge.

Before joining the Blues, Alonso played for Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland in the Premier League, but those spells were not as successful as his time at Chelsea. The left-back was best known for scoring long-range efforts or from set-pieces while playing for England.

6

Gary Cahill

28 goals

Former England centre-back Gary Cahill played for four Premier League clubs: Aston Villa, Bolton, Chelsea and Crystal Palace.

Cahill became a strong defender during the latter end of his time at Bolton as he sealed his move to Chelsea, where he won the Premier League twice and the Champions League once. The defender’s threat in front of goal came mainly from set pieces as his ability to get crosses proved invaluable for the Blues.

5

Ian Harte

28 goals

ancient Leeds UnitedSunderland and Reading defender Ian Harte is in the top five of the Premier League’s highest-scoring defenders, having played in fewer games than Gary Cahill.

The former Republic of Ireland international played over 237 games in the Premier League and his 28 goals came while playing for Leeds.

Harte was primarily a left-back during his career, but also had the versatility to play in the backline. Harte scored a mixed bag of goals during his career, though he certainly had talent scoring from free kicks.

4

Leighton Baines

32 goals

It may come as no surprise to see that Leighton Baines has moved into the top four of the top-scoring defenders, as the former Wigan and Everton man scored penalties and free-kicks for both sides.

Baines was a huge attacking threat despite being a left back as he had a great left foot which helped him score some wonderful goals.

Baines had three campaigns in which he scored five Premier League goals – all for Everton – and scored in 11 consecutive seasons between 2008/09 and 2017/18.

3

Ian Marshall

33 goals

Ian Marshall played in the Premier League for Oldham Athletic, Ipswich Town, City of Leicester and Bolton.

Marshall was a central defender with an impressive vision for goal, scoring 33 goals in 157 games in England’s top division. Marshall’s goals were varied as he was another defender who took penalties, although the fact that only two defenders have scored more than him speaks for itself.

2

David Unsworth

38 goals

Currently second in the ranking is David Unsworth, who played for Everton, West Ham, Portsmouth, Sheffield United and Wigan. He will be best remembered for his time with the Toffees.

Unsworth played 334 games for Everton out of a total of 364 in the Premier League during his career. The left-back was a consistent goalscorer, scoring 11 goals between the 1999/00 and 2000/01 seasons alone.

Like Baines, Unsworth was also a defender who scored many penalties during his career, with his last top-flight strike coming from the spot to save Wigan from the drop in 2007.

1

John Terry

41 goals

The highest scoring defender in Premier League history is former Chelsea centre-back John Terry.

Terry only played for the Blues in the Premier League, doing so 492 times. He is a five-time Premier League champion and five-time FA Cup winner, while also winning the Europa League and Champions League.

Terry was a key part of Chelsea’s defense during their period of success in the mid-to-late 2000s, and was not only good at keeping goals out of the net; he was also a huge threat at the other end of the pitch.

The former England captain scored 41 goals in the Premier League, with his best goalscoring campaigns coming in the 2010/11 and 2011/12 campaigns as he scored six goals in each.