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The foundations of great football teams are laid in defence. If a team is successful in keeping balls out of their own net, the job is half done. A consistent set of defenders can provide stability to the side, enabling the rest of the players to focus on the goalscoring side of things.
A good defender is supposed to have quite a few essential skills in his repertoire. He ought to be good at one-on-one duels, possess a fair amount of strength and also be brave. He shouldn't shy away from traffic and always be committed to winning the ball back or clearing the danger for his side.
One auxiliary attribute that defenders will hugely benefit from having is pace. Even if a player is beaten, if he has the legs to keep up with the attacker, he is never taken out of the game. On that note, let's take a look at five of the fastest defenders in the world right now.
#5 Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United)
Lovingly called Spiderman for his flexibility and agility by Manchester United fans, Aaron Wan-Bissaka is one of the best in the world at one-on-one defending. Not only is the 23-year-old a robust defender but he is also a very intelligent player who knows exactly how to time his tackles.
While his long legs help him poke the ball away from the attacker's feet, it's Wan-Bissaka's speed that renders him a nightmare to go up against. Even the most skilful forwards like Kylian Mbappe, Raheem Sterling and Sadio Mane, to name a few, have often been stopped by the wall that is Wan-Bissaka.
He is easily one of the fastest defenders in the world and has played a big role in improving Manchester United's defence recent seasons.
#4 Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
Left-back Andrew Robertson was roped in from Hull City by Liverpool in the summer of 2017 for a sum of £8 million. The Scot would go on to prove why that's one of the best bargain deals the Merseysiders have ever struck.
Robertson is a force to be reckoned with down the left flank. He is a tireless worker and shuttles up and down the left wing for the length of games. Robertson is also extremely fast and can keep up with the quickest attackers in the game. He is also a fierce campaigner who shows a lot of bite when he goes into the tackle.
He has mastered the art of using his pace equally well in both attack as well as defence and is easily one of the fastest defenders in the world.
#3 Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Achraf Hakimi is Paris Saint-Germain's most expensive acquisition this summer. They shelled out as much as €60 million to secure the services of the Moroccan right-back from Inter Milan.
Hakimi has already established himself as one of the best attacking full-backs in the world and he is still just 22-years-old. The youngster started his career at Real Madrid but truly showcased his abilities during a loan spell with Borussia Dortmund.
Inter Milan subsequently signed him and he played a starring role in their Serie A triumph in the 2020-21 season. He scored seven goals and provided 10 assists in 37 appearances in Serie A this past term.
Hakimi is a pacy, dynamic right-back and there is no catching him once he beats a defender and turns on his afterburners. He was trained as a winger in his younger days but his physical attributes and tactical intelligence make him one of the best full-backs in the world.
#2 Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker might be 31-years-old but he is still one of the fastest players in the Premier League. On his day, Walker is one of the toughest defenders to go up against. He has a good physique and if he can't wrestle an attacker off the ball, he will hound them relentlessly until they surrender.
Walker's pace is extremely important to the Cityzens as it allows him to link up with the forwards. Overloading the flanks is a tactic that Pep Guardiola uses quite a lot and if not for the pace of Walker, things could go south really quickly.
Even the paciest attackers in the Premier League find it difficult to poke the ball past Walker and beat him in a foot race. Ahead of Euro 2020, Walker said:
“I always say to the young ones, ‘You might think I’m old,’ and they gave me a bit of stick when I shout ‘oldest starts’ in the possession or games.
“But I say, ‘If any of you want to race me, I am more than happy…and I’ll probably give you a head start as well. Who would win a 100m race at England? Me. If anyone told you different, they’d be lying!"
#1 Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich)
Alphonso Davies has been an absolute revelation ever since joining Bayern Munich from MLS outfit Vancouver Whitecaps in 2018. He made his first Bundesliga start in the 2019-20 season and was an instant hit.
He earned a reputation as one of the best left-backs in the world pretty early on in his career. Towards the end of the 2019-20 season, Davies clocked a speed of 36.51 kilometres/hour in a game against Werder Bremen. That is the fastest speed clocked in the Bundesliga till date.
Davies played a starring role in Bayern Munich's continental treble triumph in the 2019-20 season. A torn ankle ligament ruled him out for a portion of the 2020-21 season and he wasn't as influential as he was the season prior. However, Davies is just 20-years-old and has his entire career ahead of him to make amends.
