The Top 22 Goalscoring Defenders in the History of Football

With Sergio Ramos celebrating his 31st birthday on Thursday, we were reminded of the incredible achievement that the defender holds.

The Real Madrid skipper has scored 81 times during his professional career, a remarkable figure for someone who plays at the back, but where does he feature amongst other goalscoring defenders.

Presenting the top 22 goalscoring defenders in the history of football...

22. Sergio Ramos

Number of goals: 81

Clubs scored for: Sevilla and Real Madrid

Country represented: Spain

21. Frank de Boer

Number of goals: 82

Clubs scored for: Ajax, Barcelona, Galatasaray, Rangers and Al Rayyan

Country represented: The Netherlands

20. Bernard Dietz

Number of goals: 86

Clubs scored for: MSV Duisberg and Schalke

Country represented: West Germany

19. Gary Lloyd

Number of goals: 90

Clubs played for: Llanelli and Barry Town

Country represented: Wales (at B level)

18. Dick Schneider

Number of goals: 92

Clubs scored for: Go Ahead Eagles, Feyenoord, Vitesse Arnhem and FC Wageningen

Country represented: the Netherlands

17. Ian Harte

Number of goals: 97

Clubs scored for: Leeds United, Levante, Carlisle United, Reading and Bournemouth

Country represented: Republic of Ireland

16. Rafael Albrecht

Number of goals: 98

Clubs scored for: Estudiantes, San Lorenzo, Club Leon and Atlas

Country represented: Argentina

15. Manfred Kaltz

Number of goals: 100

Clubs scored for: Hamburg and FC Mulhouse

Country represented: West Germany

14. Juan Domingo Rocchia

Number of goals: 101

Clubs scored for: Racing Club and Ferro Carril Oeste

Country represented: Argentina

13. Sinisa Mihajlovic

Number of goals: 104

Clubs scored for: Borovo, Vojvodina, Red Star Belgrade, Roma, Sampdoria, Lazio and Inter Milan

Country represented: Yugoslavia

12. Edgardo Bauza

Number of goals: 108

Clubs scored for: Rosario Central, Atletico Junior, Independiente and Vera Cruz

Country represented: Argentina

11. Franck Suazee

Number of goals: 111

Clubs scored for: Sochaux, Monaco, Marseille, Atalanta, Strasbourg, Montpellier and Hibernian

Country represented: France

10. Steve Bruce

Number of goals: 113

Clubs scored for: Gillingham, Norwich City, Manchester United and Birmingham City

Country represented: England (at youth level)

9. Marcus "Tulio" Tanaka

Number of goals: 114

Clubs scored for: Sanfreece Hiroshima, Mito HollyHock, Urawa Red Diamonds and Nagoya Grampus

Country represented: Japan

8. Franz Beckenbauer

Number of goals: 120

Clubs scored for: Bayern Munich and New York Cosmos

Country represented: West Germany

7. Roberto Carlos

Number of goals: 122

Clubs scored for: Palmeiras, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Fenerbahce, Corinthians and Anzhi Makhachkala

Country represented: Brazil

6. Graham Alexander

Number of goals: 129

Clubs scored for: Scunthorpe United, Luton Town, Preston North End and Burnley

Country represented: Scotland

5. Paul Breitner

Number of goals: 131

Clubs scored for: Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Eintracht Braunschweig

Country represented: West Germany

4. Laurent Blanc

Number of goals: 152

Clubs scored for: Montpellier, Napoli, Nimes, Saint-Etienne, Auxerre, Barcelona, Marseille, Inter Milan and Manchester United

Country represented: France

3. Fernando Hierro

Number of goals: 163

Clubs scored for: Valladolid, Real Madrid, Al Rayyan and Bolton Wanderers

Country represented: Spain

2. Daniel Passarella

Number of goals: 175

Clubs scored for: Sarmiento, River Playe, Fiorentina, Inter Milan and River Plate

Country represented: Argentina

1. Ronald Koeman

Number of goals: 253

Clubs scored for: Gronigen, Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona and Feyenoord

Country represented: The Netherlands