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Being a centre-back is one of the most challenging tasks in football. They are expected to stay alert at all times, dispossess opponents with every challenge, and win aerial duels at will. Additionally, since they generally operate inside the box, even the slightest of fouls could lead to a penalty.
Performing in such high-stakes situations is not everyone’s cup of tea. Only the best of the best can endure and thrive as a centre-back and produce decisive performances week in, week out.
Below, we will take a look at five centre-backs who have been a class above the rest over the rest, helping their teams to invaluable trophies.
Now, without further ado, let’s check out the five best centre-backs of the last half-a-decade:
#5 David Alaba (Bayern Munich/Real Madrid)
David Alaba is by far the most versatile player on our list today. Over the course of his career, he has played as a left-back and centre-back. He has also been deployed in multiple midfield positions, proving himself to be an asset in all the aforementioned roles.
Originally a left-back, Alaba has been playing regularly as a centre-back since the 2019-20 campaign. His ability to play out from the back helped Bayern Munich immensely that season, allowing them to transition from attack into defense in the blink of an eye.
The Germans won the treble at the end of the season, and Alaba, who played 42 games across competitions, was one of their key players. The following campaign, the Bavarians bagged another Bundesliga title but failed to defend their Champions League and DFB-Pokal crowns.
Last summer, Alaba joined Real Madrid as a free agent and naturally filled the hole that Sergio Ramos left behind. His presence instilled calmness at the back and helped the Whites to a Champions League-La Liga double.
Alaba, once again a makeshift centre-back, was arguably their best defender, with him recording three goals and four assists in 46 matches across competitions.
#4 Ruben Dias (Benfica/Manchester City)
Rising through Benfica’s academy, Portuguese defender Ruben Dias made his senior team debut in the 2017-18 season.
The towering centre-back easily made himself at home in the Primeira Liga, bagging three goals in 24 appearances in his debut season. He continued his good run of form in the 2018-19 campaign, playing exceptional football all season to help his team to the Portuguese league title.
Another impressive season later, Dias joined Manchester City for a whopping €68 million fee. The intimidating Premier League attackers could not faze the Portugal international, with him producing multiple match-winning performances en route to City’s Premier League title triumph that season.
On the back of his stellar campaign, he deservedly won the 'Premier League Player of the Season' award.
Dias enjoyed another fruitful campaign in the 2021-22 season, scoring twice and providing four assists in 29 league matches for City. He helped the Citizens successfully defend their Premier League crown.
So far, Dias has featured in 90 matches across competitions for City, recording three goals and five assists. He has won two league titles and a League Cup for Pep Guardiola's team.
#3 Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain/Chelsea)
Thiago Silva moved to Paris Saint-Germain from AC Milan for a €42 million fee in 2012. The Brazilian centre-back quickly adjusted to the rhythm of the French top flight and emerged as one of their key players.
He was an absolute leader at the back for the Parisians, making vital interceptions without breaking a sweat and bringing order to the backline, something his predecessors couldn’t.
Between 2012 and 2020, Silva played 315 games across all competitions for PSG, recording 17 goals and six assists. His leadership and defensive acumen helped Les Parisiens emerge as the undisputed kings of French football.
During his time with PSG, Silva won 25 trophies, including seven Ligue 1 titles, five French Cups, six French League Cups and seven French Super Cups.
The 37-year-old centre-back joined Chelsea as a free agent in the summer of 2020 and immediately made a winning impact. Silva emerged as one of Chelsea’s best defenders, helping them win the Champions League at the end of the season.
The following campaign, the Brazil international won the Club World Cup with the Blues, playing both games of the competition.
Silva has thus far taken part in 82 games across competitions for Chelsea, netting five times and providing two assists.
#2 Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid/Paris Saint-Germain)
A Real Madrid legend through and through, Sergio Ramos spent 16 long seasons in the Spanish capital, winning every possible trophy with the Whites.
Ramos’ greatest contribution in a Real Madrid shirt will forever be his headed equalizer against Atletico Madrid in the 2013-14 Champions League final. Los Blancos ultimately won the game by a 4-1 margin at the end of extra time. However, that does not mean the Spaniard did not enjoy more such magical moments for the Whites in his latter years.
He was one of the first names on Real Madrid’s team sheet in the 2016-17 campaign, recording 10 goals and two assists in 44 games across competitions.
His connection with Toni Kroos was divine that season, with the duo combining for multiple match-winning goals en route to Los Blancos’ La Liga-Champions League double.
Ramos proved to be pivotal once again the following season, with his disciplined display helping the Whites to yet another Champions League triumph, marking their third in a row.
The 2019-20 season saw Ramos emerge as the best penalty kick taker in the world. He scored 13 goals in 44 matches that season, with most of them coming from the spot.
The 36-year-old has struggled to keep himself fit since the 2020-21 season. The veteran centre-back played only 21 matches in the 2020-21 season for Madrid before joining PSG last summer and playing only 13 games for PSG.
He, however, managed to win the Ligue 1 title in his debut season in the French capital.
#1 Virgil van Dijk (Southampton/Liverpool)
Liverpool ace Virgil van Dijk has easily been the best defender in the world in the last five years. The Netherlands international was an intimidating centre-back at Southampton, but has transformed into one of the best in the world at Liverpool.
Van Dijk joined Southampton from Celtic in 2015 and steadily made himself one of their most important players. The Dutchman did not win a trophy during his time with the Saints. But their run-up to the 2016-17 League Cup final (3-2 defeat to Manchester United) is still remembered fondly.
Having scored seven goals in 80 appearances for Southampton, Van Dijk joined Liverpool for a club-record £75 million in January 2018. His addition brought solidity to Jurgen Klopp’s men and propelled them to their first Champions League final in a decade. But the Reds were ultimately beaten 3-1 by Real Madrid in the summit clash.
The following season, Van Dijk’s Liverpool played another Champions League final, deservedly winning it at the expense of Tottenham Hotspur.
The 2019-20 Premier League season saw the best of Van Dijk. The towering centre-back played all 38 league games that term, scoring five goals. With him leading the backline, Liverpool ended the campaign with the league’s best defensive record (33 conceded), deservedly winning their first league title in three decades.
The 31-year-old missed most of the 2020-21 campaign due to an ACL rupture. But he recaptured his world-class form once again in the 2021-22 season, helping Liverpool to an EFL-FA Cup double.
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