Chelsea skipper John Terry will enter the pitch in the Premier League season opener against Hull City as the world’s best defender on the FTBL chart, but his tally of 141.75 points makes his hold on the top spot appear shaky at best, that is when you consider that Inter Milan’s Brazil international Lúcio is lurking behind with a tally of 138.26 points.

Terry’s task becomes even more complicated considering the fact that he will have a plank of 14.60 rating points to beat, which means he will retain his top spot only if he helps the Blues avoid conceding any goals at all: a loss or draw will not do here for Terry.

Left-back Ashley Cole, who also has a high FTBL rating of 133.55 points, likewise faces a daunting plank of 14.60 rating points to beat. He will also drop in the ranking if Chelsea trip.