Chelsea dominate the 12 highest-scoring defenders in Premier League history

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

There have been many exciting, wonderful attacking players to have graced the famous league, but here, we have taken a closer look at defenders, and particularly the highest-scoring ones in the competition’s history.

One player who won’t be making the list is Everton’s Ashley Young, as while he has been turned into a full-back, most of the Englishman’s goals have come from midfield, so he’ll be sitting out of this one.

12

Antonio Valencia

24 goals

Antonio Valencia first came into the Premier League during his time at Wigan Athletic. The Ecuador international was lightning-quick and powerful, making him a standout performer for the Latics.

Valencia had three seasons in the top flight at the DW Stadium, scoring six goals, as he operated mainly as a right-winger, firing in low-driven shots.

He then got a move to Manchester United, where 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 as a right-back, as his ability to attack and defend made him a useful asset in that area of the pitch.

11

Kieran Richardson

24 goals

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

Richardson was another player who could operate in a few different positions, as he could play on the left wing and in central midfield, but he mainly played as a left-back.

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

10

Julian Dicks

24 goals

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

Dicks played for Liverpool and West Ham United in the Premier League, with his best goalscoring season coming in the 1995/96 campaign as he scored 10 goals in 34 league games. The majority of Dicks’ goals came from the penalty spot, as he was known for being precise from 12 yards out.

9

William Gallas

25 goals

William Gallas was well known in London, as he did something not many players have done before by turning out for Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

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

Despite playing at the back, Gallas always had an eye for goal, as shown by him scoring five in the 2005/06 campaign. Gallas scored all types of goals, right-footed and left-footed, but mainly he was a big threat from set pieces with his head.

8

Steve Watson

26 goals

Steve Watson played for Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Everton, and West Brom during his time in the Premier League.

The 50-year-old, who was comfortable playing anywhere across the back four, played over 350 times in the Premier League, scoring 26 goals.

Watson had two standout campaigns in the Premier League, as he scored five goals in the 2002/03 and 2003/04 seasons 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 played for Chelsea as recently as the 2021/22 season.

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

Before joining the Blues, Alonso played for Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland in the Premier League, but those spells weren’t as successful as his time at Chelsea. The left-back was best known for scoring long-range efforts or from set pieces while playing in 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 top defender during the latter end of his time at Bolton as he sealed a move to Chelsea, where he won the Premier League twice and the Champions League once. The defender’s threat in front of goal mainly came from set pieces, as his ability to get on the end of crosses was invaluable to the Blues.

5

Ian Harte

28 goals

Former Leeds United, Sunderland, and Reading defender Ian Harte makes the top five for the highest-scoring Premier League defenders, having played in fewer games than Gary Cahill.

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

Harte was mainly a left-back during his career, but he also had the versatility to play across the backline. Harte scored a mix of goals during his career, though he certainly had a knack for scoring from free kicks.

4

Leighton Baines

32 goals

It may not come as a surprise to see that Leighton Baines has made the top four for top-scoring defenders, as the former Wigan and Everton man scored penalties and free kicks for both teams.

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

Baines had three campaigns in which he scored five goals in the Premier League – all with 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, Leicester City and Bolton.

Marshall was a centre-back with an impressive eye for goal, scoring 33 goals in 157 games in England’s top division. Marshall’s goals were of mixed variety, as he was another defender who took penalties, though the fact that only two defenders have scored more than him speaks for itself.

2

David Unsworth

38 goals

Currently second in the rankings is David Unsworth, who used to play for Everton, West Ham, Portsmouth, Sheffield United and Wigan. He will mostly be remembered for his time with the Toffees.

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

Like Baines, Unsworth was also a defender who scored a lot of penalties during his career, with his final 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 a five-time FA Cup winner, while he has also won the Europa League and Champions League.

Terry was a key part of the Chelsea defence during their successful period in the mid-to-late 2000s, and he wasn’t just good at stopping goals from going into his 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 campaign for goals coming in the 2010/11 and 2011/12 campaigns, as he netted six goals in each.