The best football duos

The best things often come in twos. Salt and pepper, Mario and Luigi, Jamie Carragher and comical own goals.

Naturally, there have been some incredible double acts in football over the years, ranging from prolific partnerships to formidable defensive pairings. Within a team game, some work better within an even smaller team.

Forming a telepathic relationship on the football field is no simple task, with the most successful duos coming together in perfect harmony on the biggest stages.

Without further ado, here are some of the best duos in football history, and no trios allowed.

Johan Cruyff, one of the leading pioneers of total football in the 1970s, saw his genius facilitated by one of his most favored teammates, Johan Neeskens. The duo worked closely throughout the decade, flourishing hand in hand at Ajax, Barcelona and the Dutch team.

Neeskens adopted a central midfield role to support Cruyff’s remarkable creativity and the pair forged an incredible relationship as they dazzled for club and country. Neeskens brought the heart and determination to the engine room that allowed Cruyff to inspire audiences around the world with his brilliance.

Paolo Maldini + Franco Baresi = unmovable force.

Few are afforded greater mentorship than Maldini had at AC Milan, learning his trade alongside legendary Italian centre-half Baresi. The latter was a titan in his own right, but quickly thrived lining up alongside his less experienced but more athletic compatriot.

The duo were almost impenetrable for club and country, conceding just 23 times in 196 games together. Just crazy.

It feels like a long, long time since Blackburn Rovers were crowned Premier League champions, with the prolific partnership of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton key to the remarkable triumph of the Lancashire side.

Dubbed the ‘SAS’, they scored 49 goals between them during the 1994/95 Premier League campaign, both with ferocious physical profiles and exquisite finishing ability. They combined 13 times over the course of the season and have etched their name in English football history as a formidable double act.

English football has embraced ‘small and big’ partnerships over the years, but few have proved more fruitful than Kevin Phillips (small) and Niall Quinn (senior). The pair flourished at Sunderland and reached their peak in 1999/00, scoring 44 times between them throughout the campaign.

Quinn naturally had a keen eye for goal but often acted as a facilitator for Phillips, who produced 30 strikes en route to winning the Premier League Golden Boot and European Golden Boot .

Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole combined on three separate occasions. Their first and most successful time together came Manchester Unitedwhere they immediately hit it off when the Red Devils achieved the treble in 1998/99. They scored a total of 53 goals between them.

Hailed for their innate connection in the final third, Yorke and Cole continued to thrive alongside each other at Old Trafford before finally reuniting at Blackburn at the turn of the century, although success was not as close to Ewood Park.

However, the pair still managed to rub shoulders for the last time at Sunderland in the latter stages of their careers.

On an individual level, both Robert Pires and Thierry Henry were masters. However, when combining for arsenal during a trophy-laden period around the millennium, they proved that teamwork makes the dream work.

Henry often grabbed the headlines for his era-defining performances and sensational strikes, but his French team-mate regularly picked him out and helped his natural genius shine through. They combined for 29 goals in the Premier League, the third most of any two.

Alessandro Del Piero had already made a name for himself in Juventus before the arrival of David Trezeguet in 2000. However, the Frenchman’s entry only enhanced Del Piero’s outstanding performances.

Del Piero’s agility complemented Trezeguet’s power perfectly and the duo spent a decade together working in harmony in Turin. Together they won many, including several Serie A titles, and even Serie B later on Calciopoli scandal

Two of ChelseaThe all-time greats shared the pitch for nearly a decade and were a formidable force in the final third in west London. Frank Lampard was the perfect foil for Didier Drogba, with the former weaving together in attacking midfield and the latter leading the line with power and consistency.

They combined for 36 Premier League goals, the second most of any duo in the competition’s history, and brought unprecedented success to Stamford Bridge alongside a string of outstanding supporting players.

Peter Crouch and Jermaine Defoe were the heirs to the Quinn and Phillips throne, forging the perfect partnership between the big man and the little man during impressive spells at Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur. Crouch’s 6’7 frame allowed the diminutive Defoe to thrive, the latter waiting for takedowns and darting behind the opposition backline.

The pair also joined international service on a semi-regular basis, although neither were considered major figures for the Three Lions.

You don’t see double acts like this anymore, much to our frustration.

Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres didn’t spend much time together at Anfield, but they made their time together count. In the second half of the 1990s, the duo combined on a weekly basis under Rafael Benítez, with Gerrard often serving Torres with the perfect pass.

The long-haired Spaniard never performed better than when Gerrard bounced from box to box behind him and the two superstars almost combined for LiverpoolFirst Premier League title in 2008/09 as they scored 30 goals between them.

The partnerships have rarely been more feared than when Sergio Ramos and Pepe took to the field as a central defensive duo. Not just because they were exceptional centre-backs, but also because of their ability to clear out lumps from opposing forwards.

The couple kept Real Madridthe defense for a decade and helped the Whites add to their overflowing trophy cabinet. Three Champions League titles, three La Liga crowns and two FIFA Club World Cups is a pretty attractive proposition.

Speaking of impressive and combative defensive double acts, step up Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci (with a nod to Andrea Barzagli, too). Filling the shoes of Maldini and Baresi, the Italian duo enjoyed incredible success for Juventus and Italy.

Key to the Azzurri’s Euro 2020 triumph, a brief break in 2017/18 as Bonucci spent a year with Milan did not affect their legacy or their connection when they reunited. They didn’t have speed or athleticism, but they understood the game – and each other – like few central players.

Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge’s time together was short but incredibly sweet. The pair quickly formed a prolific partnership while leading the line for Liverpool, producing their most fruitful campaign in 2013/14 as the Reds almost clinched their first Premier League title.

They scored 52 goals between them in the league alone during the season and both delivered impressive performances on the biggest stage. Suarez particularly shone, but Sturridge’s sensational left foot more than played its part in a deadly partnership.

Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery are not a traditional double act. Playing on opposite flanks, they didn’t spend much time near the pitch but were an unstoppable duo as Bayern Munich dominated German football – and sometimes European football – in the 2010s.

Both were famous for cutting inside and aiming for goal, scoring impressive numbers in a formidable Bayern side. Despite forming a different dynamic, they have earned their place on this list.

No combination has been set up more often in the Premier League than Harry Kane and Son Heung-min Tottenham. The prolific Englishman and the indefatigable South Korean combined for 47 goals during their Spurs careers.

Kane’s ability to score, hold the ball and link play together in a deeper role allowed Son to flourish on the left flank, and the pair earned their status as Tottenham legends. Unfortunately for Son, Kane’s move to Bayern ended their friendship on the pitch.

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