Jaap Stam believes a current Premier League defender is ‘better’ than Chelsea legend John Terry and Manchester United hero Nemanja Vidic. Terry established himself as one of the greatest defenders in Premier League history during almost two decades at Stamford Bridge, lifting five league titles, eight domestic cups and the Champions League with his beloved Chelsea.
![[RB Leipzig v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-2179726563.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Vidic enjoyed similar success at Old Trafford, helping Sir Alex Ferguson’s United win five Premier League trophies and the Champions League while reaching two more finals. Terry and Vidic are considered to be two of the best defenders the Premier League has ever seen but Stam, another all-time great, believes Virgil van Dijk is above both in terms of ‘overall ability’.
![[Chelsea v Sunderland - Premier League]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-686827088.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=594)
Van Dijk has been one of the stand-out players in the English top-flight for the best part of a decade, helping Liverpool end their long wait for a Premier League trophy and also lifting the Champions League at Anfield. The Netherlands international turned 33 last summer but shows no signs of slowing down and is enjoying a sensational season, Premier League leaders Liverpool conceding just 20 goals in 21 league games.
![[Manchester United v Hull City - Premier League]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-488461685.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=594)
‘Virgil van Dijk is one of the greatest defenders in Premier League history and people often mention Nemanja Vidic and John Terry – Van Dijk is a better player than those two were,’ Manchester United treble-winner Stam told BoyleSports. ‘I rate him above them because of his overall ability as a player, it’s better. There are other names I could talk about but Van Dijk is up there with the best ever in the Premier League.
