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#4 Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic
No list of most iconic center-back partners is complete without these two. Edwin van der Sar going a record time without conceding a goal in 2009, Manchester United’s dominance and Sir Alex Ferguson’s legacy are all largely down to this legendary pair.
Rio Ferdinand was still the most expensive defenders at that time and the arrival of Nemanja Vidic produced one of the best pairings in the history of Premier League. The success of Manchester United playing counter-attacking football in the Ferguson era was the out-turn of the stellar job done by these two at the back. They provided the rigidity and creativity to initiate such moves.
An exhibition of bravery and unprecedented commitment was the hallmark of these two players. Vidic had a body of steel and Ferdinand was inch-perfect with his interceptions that helped them complement each other perfectly. They won the Premier League five times and the Champions League once during their battles together. As Sir Alex Ferguson said “Attack wins you games, defense wins you titles”, these two made sure with their commanding presence to propel United to glory.
Both left Manchester United in 2014, just a year after Ferguson’s departure, but their alliance is engraved as one of the best in modern times.
