Veteran Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg named a crafty Real Madrid legend as his favourite defender of all time on the latest episode of Whistleblowers.

Whistleblowers is football’s most original new podcast, hosted by Mark Clattenburg alongside Mail Sport Football Editor Ian Ladyman and broadcaster Gordon Smart.

Debating which centre back was the greatest of all time, Clattenburg championed ‘nasty’ Portuguese defender Pepe.

‘The best centre half I ever saw, even though he could be quite nasty, was Pepe,’ the former official revealed.

‘I watched him at Euro 2024, the last international tournament he played in, and he was incredible for his age at 41.

‘What I liked about him was that he was an incredible pro – he achieved an awful lot. It was like the ball was glued to him, every ball that went in, he was at the other end of.

Veteran Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg named a crafty Real Madrid legend as his favourite defender of all time

Debating which centre back was the greatest of all time, Clattenburg championed ‘nasty’ Portuguese defender Pepe (left)

Mark Clattenburg: ‘Pepe was an incredible pro – he achieved an awful lot.’ Listen here

‘As a referee, I had run-ins with him. In the Champions League final in particular – but he was just an incredible centre half.’

Pepe returned from a thigh injury to deliver a man-of-the-match performance in Portugal’s Euro 2016 final victory over France, a match Clattenburg refereed. 

Clattenburg also officiated the defender during Real Madrid’s 2016 Champions League final victory over Atlético Madrid.

He controversially awarded a dubious penalty against Pepe for a tackle on former Liverpool forward Fernando Torres – which Atlético scored to level the match.

When asked who he would pair with Pepe for the ultimate defensive partnership, Clattenburg suggested Vincent Kompany, arguing that the Belgian’s ball-playing ability would complement the Portuguese defender’s tenacity.

‘I would want a shot stopper and a ball player’, Clattenburg explained.

‘I like Vincent Kompany alongside Pepe. Kompany had a great attitude, very different to Pepe.’

While Clattenburg favoured more recent defenders, co-host Ian Ladyman delved further back in football history for his best defender, naming Liverpool stalwart Alan Hansen.

Hansen won eight league titles, three European Cups, two FA Cups, and four League Cups during his decade-plus spell at Liverpool, establishing himself as one of the most decorated centre-backs in English football history.

Ladyman explained: ‘You can’t look past Alan Hansen. Literally, you couldn’t get past him.

While Clattenburg favoured more recent defenders, co-host Ian Ladyman delved further back in football history for his best defender, naming Liverpool stalwart Alan Hansen

Ian Ladyman: ‘If you have a stylish distributor of the ball, you need someone next to him who can scare the life out of people. I would go with Vidic.’ Listen here

‘What a footballer: wonderful reader of the game. He was brave, athletic, probably could have played in about seven positions.

‘A great passer of the ball, a leader. He would always look pristine after a game because he would never have to go to ground – he was that good.’

Alongside Hansen, Ladyman named a controversial Liverpool-Manchester United defensive pairing, choosing Nemanja Vidic for his physicality.

Ladyman argued: ‘If you have a stylish distributor of the ball, you need someone next to him who can scare the life out of people.

‘I would go with Vidic – he could head the ball; he was a monster in the tackle.’

To hear more debates like this one, including which single player had the greatest impact on football, search for the latest episode of Whistleblowers now – available wherever you get your podcasts.