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.
Rank
Player
Club(s)
Goals
John Terry
Chelsea
41
David Unsworth
Everton, West Ham, Portsmouth, Wigan
38
Ian Marshall
Oldham, Ipswich, Leicester
33
Leighton Baines
Wigan, Everton
32
Ian Harte
Leeds
28
Gary Cahill
Aston Villa, Bolton, Chelsea, Crystal Palace
28
Marcos Alonso
Bolton, Chelsea
26
Steve Watson
Newcastle, Everton, West Brom
26
William Gallas
Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham
25
Julian Dicks
Liverpool, West Ham
24
Kieran Richardson
West Brom, Man Utd, Sunderland, Fulham
24
Antonio Valencia
Wigan, Man Utd
24
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ByBen BrowningNov 21, 2024 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.
Games
394
Goals
28
Assists
12
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.