Ruud Krol

A magnificent product of the Ajax youth academy of the late 1960s, where alongside a golden generation he won everything there was to win at club level and only narrowly missed out on a World Cup. Like many Dutch players, Ruud Krol is difficult to categorize: for tactical reasons he primarily played as an attacking left-back for both club and country, displaying athletic, tactical, and technical dominance from a very young age. Almost perfectly two-footed, powerful, fast, and blessed with excellent technique, his tactical evolution and overall completeness share many similarities with the Italian Maldini, although Krol was slightly less dominant defensively but even more accomplished in building play. This was clearly demonstrated during his years at Napoli, where, despite being in the later stages of his career, he quite literally dominated Serie A, often achieving some of the highest average ratings, playing as a sweeper. He is undoubtedly one of the strongest and most complete defenders of all time.