Defender Fikayo Tomori has apologised to former Chelsea FC captain John Terry after placing him in 10th position during a blind ranking challenge of the greatest centre-backs in football history.
Tomori, who currently plays for Italian club AC Milan, took part in a football quiz organised by sports media platform SPORTbible. During the challenge, he was asked to rank some of the best centre-backs of all time without seeing the full list in advance.
The 28-year-old later explained that he would have ranked Terry much higher if he had known the other players who would appear on the list.
“10… Hey, JT – I’m sorry,” Tomori said when Terry’s name appeared during the challenge.
The blind ranking format is designed to make the task difficult for participants. Players are given one name at a time and must place that name into one of ten positions without knowing which other names will follow.
Once a position is filled, it cannot be changed later in the game.
By the time Terry’s name appeared in Tomori’s challenge, most of the positions had already been taken. Only the first and tenth spots remained available.
Tomori decided to place the former Chelsea captain in the 10th position, a decision that quickly drew attention from football fans when the video was shared online.
After the challenge ended, Tomori admitted that he felt uncomfortable placing Terry at the bottom of the list.
He explained that he knew the former defender would likely appear on the list but had no idea when his name would come up.
“That makes me feel a little bit better that I put JT 10th, because I knew he was going to come up,” Tomori said.
He added that if he had the chance to redo the ranking, he would adjust the order to give Terry a higher position.
“If I were to change it around, maybe I would shift everyone down. So I’d take John Terry out of the 10th one, slide everyone down and put John Terry third. That’s what I’d do,” he said.
Despite the controversy around Terry’s position, the ranking also included several other famous defenders who have played for top European clubs.
Tomori placed Paolo Maldini, the legendary defender of AC Milan and Italy, in first place. Maldini is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders in football history after a career that lasted more than two decades.
Second place went to Alessandro Nesta, another former AC Milan star known for his calm defending and strong reading of the game.
In third position, Tomori placed Sergio Ramos, the former Real Madrid captain who won multiple Champions League titles and international trophies with Spain.
Other players included in the ranking were Rio Ferdinand, Virgil van Dijk, Gerard Piqué, Giorgio Chiellini, and Vincent Kompany, all of whom have played key roles for their clubs and national teams.
The presence of so many top defenders made the ranking difficult, as each of them has enjoyed successful careers and won major trophies.
Tomori’s apology to Terry also carries special meaning because the two players share a connection through Chelsea FC.
Tomori came through the club’s youth academy and made his early professional appearances for the London club before moving to Italy.
During his time at Chelsea, Terry had already retired from playing but remained one of the club’s greatest legends. The former England international spent nearly his entire career at the club and captained the team for many years.
Under Terry’s leadership, Chelsea won several major trophies, including multiple Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League.
His achievements have made him one of the most respected defenders in English football history.
John Terry is widely considered one of the best centre-backs produced by England. Known for his strong tackling, leadership skills, and ability to organise the defence, Terry played more than 700 matches for Chelsea.
He was also a regular member of the England national team for many years and served as captain during part of his international career.
Because of this reputation, Tomori’s decision to place him 10th in the ranking quickly attracted attention among football fans online.
After the video was shared by SPORTbible, football fans began discussing the ranking across social media platforms.
Some fans understood that the blind ranking format made it difficult to judge fairly, since Tomori could not see the full list before making his decisions.
Others jokingly criticised the ranking, arguing that Terry deserved a much higher place among football’s greatest defenders.
However, many viewers also noted that Tomori openly apologised and explained his reasoning during the challenge.
Fikayo Tomori has built a strong reputation in European football since leaving Chelsea to join AC Milan.
After moving to Italy, he became an important part of the team’s defence and helped the club compete strongly in Serie A and European competitions.
His performances have earned praise for his speed, tackling ability, and composure when defending against top attackers.
Tomori has also represented England at international level and is considered one of the talented defenders of his generation.
Despite the online debate, the ranking challenge was largely seen as a fun football activity rather than a serious judgment of players’ careers.
Blind ranking games are popular in sports media because they create unexpected moments and spark discussion among fans.
In this case, Tomori’s quick apology and explanation showed that he still holds great respect for John Terry and his achievements in football.
For many supporters, the moment served as a reminder of how difficult it can be to rank football legends who have all made significant contributions to the sport.
