BRADFORD native James Tavernier is catching new Bantams boss Graham Alexander in an extraordinary all-time list.
Both are among the top-10 goal-scoring defenders in world football history and Tavernier’s brace for Rangers in their 3-1 win against Hearts in the Viaplay Cup semi-final at Hampden Park last Sunday means he has now found the back of the net 115 times in his career.
Those goals took the right-back above Roberto Carlos, Paul Breitner and Steve Bruce in the list.
And former Burnley and Preston full-back Alexander is his next target.
Lethal from the spot, the 52-year-old Scot netted over 70 penalties in his professional career, as he racked up an incredible 130 goals altogether.
He was fifth on the list when he retired, but four-time Champions League winner Sergio Ramos has since overtaken him, with 135 goals and counting.
Alexander was never going to get close, nor will Tavernier, to the man on top of the list.
Former Barcelona centre-back Ronald Koeman, who now manages the Dutch national team, was a set-piece master and he scored a mind-bending 253 goals in his career.
— James Tavernier (@James_Tavernier) November 7, 2023
That puts him an incredible 78 goals clear of the man who is second on the list, Argentine World Cup winner Daniel Passarella, who netted 175 goals before retiring.
Real Madrid legend Fernando Hierro, who had a surprising late-career spell with Bolton, is third on the list with 163 goals.
Meanwhile, famous Marseille and Inter Milan centre-half Laurent Blanc, who helped France to World Cup glory in 1998, is fourth with 153.
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