The hard player: Chris Smalling
Chris Smalling is a defender born on 22 November 1989 in Greenwich, London. Manchester United was where he built his foundations: 323 appearances and 18 goals, a record that speaks to his consistency in the Premier League. A first loan spell at AS Roma (37 matches, 3 goals) was enough to convince the Italian club to sign him permanently, and Smalling went on to add 118 appearances and 7 goals in Rome.
After Roma, he headed to Saudi Arabia with Al-Fayha FC (57 matches, 3 goals), before a final return to England with Fulham FC (19 matches). A defender spotted by 63% of players today, despite a career that wound through England, Italy and Saudi Arabia.
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PlayThe medium player: Lukas Podolski
Lukas Podolski was born in Gliwice, Poland. An offensive midfielder as much as a striker, he bounced between clubs: Górnik Zabrze (164 apps, 28 goals), two spells at FC Cologne (96/35 and 85/51), and two stints at Bayern Munich (148 apps, 44 goals). A stint at Arsenal FC (82 apps, 31 goals) proved he could deliver in the Premier League too.
Born in Poland but representing Germany throughout his international career, Podolski was a player impossible to pigeonhole. A prolific scorer at Cologne, equally at home at Bayern or Arsenal, he had a gift for goals that followed him everywhere he went.
The easy player: Philipp Lahm
Philipp Lahm was born on 11 November 1983 in Munich. A right-back capable of slotting into central midfield, he spent the vast majority of his career at Bayern Munich, making 517 appearances and scoring 16 goals. A formative spell at VfB Stuttgart – 71 matches, 3 goals – helped sharpen him before he returned for good to Bavaria.
His longevity and output at Bayern Munich set a benchmark for defenders in German football. Rarely has a fullback left such a lasting mark on one club, never needing to look elsewhere to find what he already had at home.