Better than Van Dijk — Chelsea legend John Terry names greatest EPL defender

Many football fans and pundits believe that John Terry is in the conversation for the greatest center-back to ever grace the Premier League, alongside other stellar names.

Speaking on a recent episode of the Double Tops podcast, the former Chelsea captain weighed in on the ongoing debate, specifically addressing the comparisons between himself and Virgil van Dijk.

Terry was quick to offer high praise for Liverpool's current captain, stating that "Virgil van Dijk is the best player of this era, from this generation, and the best by a million miles in the Premier League for the last four or five years."

However, Terry argued that the conversation changes when you look at the history of the league as a whole, noting that his own era and Van Dijk’s are difficult to compare directly.

When asked to settle the all-time debate, Terry gave the nod to Manchester United great Rio Ferdinand, pointing toward the sustained dominance seen at Old Trafford.

He gave credit to Ferdinand's long career and the sheer number of successes he achieved while playing for "one of the best clubs in the world."

Terry explained his reasoning clearly: "If I had to choose someone, Rio would be the one," citing longevity and trophy hauls as the ultimate tie-breakers.

Despite giving the honour of EPL GOAT to Rio, Terry didn't shy away from defending his own legendary status.

He noted that while he won't call himself the greatest, he is more than happy to let the history books speak for him.

“I don’t think it’s for me to sit here and say I’m the best. What I will do is, it will come out when someone says the high-scoring defender and clean sheet.“No, no, that’s me. So I can defend myself in that regard."

Over the course of his illustrious Premier League career, Terry made 492 appearances and won 5 league titles.

He was also the anchor of the greatest defence in EPL history, the Chelsea team under Jose Mourinho that only conceded 15 league goals in the 2004-05 season.