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Ola Aina says Arsenal once sold a defender who was even better than Brazilian legend Cafu

Charles Jones

Wed 9 April 2025 16:45, UK

Arsenal have been lucky enough to boast some incredible defenders over the years.

Indeed, Arsenal have boasted some world-class defensive talents in their time.

William Saliba is the best defender in the world right now according to some, while Sol Campbell reckons he was better than Virgil van Dijk in numerous key areas.

Arsenal have also had some incredible full-backs in their time – Ben White has earned tons of praise this season, while Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy earned plenty of praise during their spells in north London too.

Speaking to The Mail, Nottingham Forest’s Ola Aina has been ranking and rating some of the best full-backs in football history, and he made an interesting claim about one former Arsenal star.

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Ola Aina picks Ashley Cole over Cafu

Aina was asked to compare some of the greatest full-backs from footballing history.

Eventually, after sifting through a number of legendary names, Aina was asked to pick between Ashley Cole and Cafu.

Ashley Cole was a phenomenal defender during his career, and Arsene Wenger really regretted selling him when he was at Arsenal.

Meanwhile, Cafu is the only footballer to have played in three World Cup finals, winning two with Brazil.

Despite Cafu’s legendary status, Aina picked Cole over the former AC Milan star.

Ashley Cole career achievements compared to Cafu

Cole vs Cafu is a very interesting debate.

Both men were undoubtedly two of the best full-backs of their generations, but they had wildly differing career trajectories.

Cole tasted incredible success at club level, winning all there is to win with both Arsenal and Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Cafu’s club legacy is rather strange – he first joined a top European club at the age of 27, and he only won two league titles in that period.

As for whether Cole is better than Cafu, that’s certainly up for debate, but according to Aina, the Arsenal legend just about edges the Brazilian star.

Both men are considered true legends of the game, but due to his international triumphs, Cafu may have a slightly greater legacy than Cole.