The 24-year-old AC Milan star is one of the best players for the Rossoneri and will surely be at the heart of the Italian defence for years to come. Aged 33 and 32 respectively, neither Ramos nor Pique are at their breathtaking best. Virgil van Dijk is more than one, and possibly is the best centre-back in the world at this moment. The German national team has enjoyed loads of success throughout their history. The French had frustrating years in which they would underachieve in international tournaments.

The Oranje have had a wait for over a decade since the retirement of Jaap Stam in 2004 to finally have another world-class centre-back. Back in the day, it was common practice to deploy a third centre-back in the form of a 'libero', better known as a 'sweeper'. The teams are not eligible to enter the FIFA World Cup or any continental confederation championships. Silva is expected to leave PSG at the end of the 2019/20 season.

With the 2012 UEFA championships coming up, the Germans will look to repeat their World Cup success. Football is the most popular game in the world. This list divides teams into two main groups: This list excludes other teams, which generally play outside FIFA's recognition. [6], Two other UN member states (the Marshall Islands and Nauru) have never fielded a national association-organised football team, though there are reports that amateur football teams claiming to represent the latter have participated in local friendly matches on at least two occasions.[7][8].

There are seven further de facto sovereign or partially recognized states with football teams, none of which are members of FIFA or any of its affiliated continental confederations. 3: National governing body is a member of ConIFA. However, France's unbelievable depth without compromising in quality is simply unmatched by any other team in international football. After their first two victories in the World Cup in 1930 and 1950, Uruguay has disappeared in the international scene for decades. The South American nation had a big impact in the football world for many reasons: their exciting style of play, their dominance in the World Cup and the great players they have produced over the years. 3: The Transnistria national team, while a member of ConIFA,[16] has only played against club teams so far.

The typical centre-back has become more about being technically sound and being able to read the game expertly, rather than solely being a dominating physical presence. Lucas Hernandez, who started for France at the left-back position in their victorious 2018 World Cup campaign, is an extremely versatile player who is strongest at centre-back. They finished fourth in the 1966 World Cup. The Italian national team  has one of the most fanatical fan bases in the world. They can simply play with a soda can and kick it around. Germany has produced great player in the past: Oliver Kahn, Gerd Muller, Miroslav Klose and Jurgen Klinnsmann are good examples. Two of the ever-presents of the famous World Cup-winning Spain team from 2010, Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique, are still going strong a full decade since their heroics in South Africa.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup champions have six extremely good central defenders, with the oldest of them being a 26-year-old. Due to the geographical size of Asia, the AFC is subdivided into five sub-federations: Due to the geographical size of Africa, CAF is divided into five regional federations: The CONCACAF federation is divided into three regional federations that have responsibility for part of the region's geographical area: The national football teams included in this section are not members of FIFA, or of any of its affiliated continental confederations. Argentina is never short on talent.

Aside from Zidane, France has had some tremendous players throughout their history: Patrick Viera, Fabian Barthez, Samir Nasri and Michel Platini. Otherwise, the UK is represented in FIFA- and UEFA-organized football by the teams of its constituent countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales (these teams are listed in the UEFA subsection above). These teams, however, are not allowed to participate in the World Cup. The Netherlands will look to improve their international resume when their team full of veterans will try to make an impression in the 2012 European Championship.

Now, it is time for him to step up and assume mantle of the centre-back position in his national team. In recent years, Uruguay is starting to emerge as a world-class team. England, believe it or not, has only captured one World Cup, back in 1966.

Moreover, as in every other position, France have terrific young prospects too, suggesting that this golden generation might last longer than most would anticipate. The Netherlands are also a very strong defensive unit, but it is just too difficult for them to match up with France's roster right now. Either way, France's four top level defenders themselves are all under 26, barring Varane. Germany have good, relatively young centre-backs in Nicklas Sule, Antonio Rudiger and Mattias Ginter, but the trio lack international experience as Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng are now out of reckoning. Potentially, France can name three different centre-back pairings and still be in pole position to beat any other team in the world. There are seven United Nations member and observer states which are not members of FIFA or any of its affiliated continental confederations. 211 men's national football teams affiliated to FIFA, through their national football associations. This page was last edited on 10 October 2020, at 22:05. 10 Most Successful International Football Teams. It comes as no surprise that Brazil is the most successful team in football history.