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Defenders in football are highly underappreciated. This is evident from the fact that defenders hardly win personal accolades like the Ballon d'Or. The last defender to win the coveted award was Fabio Cannavaro in 2006, when he captained Italy to a historic World Cup triumph.
The importance of a solid defence has gained prominence especially in the past few years. This perception has been fuelled by Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool team that has improved by leaps and bounds after the signing of Dutch centre-back Virgil Van Dijk.
Apart from centre-backs, full-backs also play an extremely important role in modern day football. Key qualities for a full-back include pace, positioning, stamina, and ability in set-pieces. Full-backs are expected not only to be defensively disciplined but also support in attack.
On that note, let us take a look at the five most valuable defenders in world football based on market value as listed on Transfermarkt.
Five most expensive defenders in world football:
#T4: Raphael Varane (€ 64 million)
Raphael Varane is a 27-year-old right footed French international who currently plays as a centre-back for Real Madrid.
He has won all of the most coveted trophies in world football. Varane has won the FIFA World Cup for France in 2018 besides winning four Champions League and two La Liga titles.
The 6' 3" tall defender is not only good at stopping crosses but is also a very potent passer of the ball. In recent games, though, Varane has struggled with his tackling.
Basic Stats : Varane has played in 23 La Liga games for Real Madrid this season, tallying a total game time of 2070 minutes. He has had a passing accuracy of 87% and has made an average of 1.2 tackles per game. Varane has scored two goals and assisted one goal in the 2019-20 La Liga.
#T4: Andrew Robertson (€ 64 million)
Along with Raphael Varane, Liverpool's left-back Andrew Robertson has a market value of € 64 million.
The 26-year-old Scottish international has seen an exponential rise in his market value over the past few years after he was snapped for about € 9 million in 2017 by Liverpool. Robertson has won one Champions League and one Club World Cup trophy. A much-awaited Premier League title is likely to be soon added to his trophy cabinet.
The 5' 10" tall defender is one of the best passers of the ball. He is also adept in retaining ball posession. Robertson, however, needs to work on his crossing and aerial game.
Basic Stats : Robertson has played in all but one of Liverpool's 29 Premier League games this season, featuring in 2445 cumulative minutes of game-time. He has had a passing accuracy of 83.5% and has made an average of 1.7 tackles per game. He has also scored a goal and assisted seven Premier League goals this season.
#3: Matthijs de Ligt (€ 67.5 million)
Last summer, Matthijs de Ligt was bought by Juventus for a reported fee of € 85 million, making him one of the most expensive defensive signings of all time. De Ligt won the Kopa trophy last year for the best U-21 player. The 20-year-old Dutch international took time to adapt to life in Serie A but is now a regular for the Bianconeri.
De Ligt's defensive strength lies in his aerial ability and passing prowess. However, the young defender has struggled with his tackling in the Italian top-flight this season.
Basic Stats : De Ligt has played in 20 games in the Serie A (1650 minutes). He has had a passing accuracy of 90% and has made an average of 1.2 tackles per game. The Dutch defender has scored two goals in the Serie A this season.
#2: Virgil Van Dijk (€ 80 million)
Surprise! Yes, Virgil Van Dijk is not the most valuable defender in the world right now in terms of market value. The 28-year-old Dutch international plays as a centre-back for Liverpool.
Van Dijk has truly transformed the way Liverpool play and has made them a force to be reckoned with. Last year, the Dutch defender came second in the Ballon d' or rankings (679 points) finished behind Lionel Messi (686 points).
It is hard to find any significant weakness in Van Dijk's game. The defender's leadership qualities, aerial abilities, passing, concentration and strength make him a top player.
Van Dijk's trophy cabinet includes one Champions League trophy. He has also won the UEFA Player of the Year.
Basic Stats : Van Dijk has played in all 29 matches for Liverpool in the Premier League this season, tallying a cumulative 2610 minutes of game-time. He has had a passing accuracy of 89% and has made an average of 0.8 tackles per game. Van Dijk has also scored four goals and assisted one in the 2019-20 Premier League.
#1: Trent Alexander-Arnold (€ 99 million)
The 21-year-old Liverpool right-back is currently the most valuable defender in world football. He is the third Liverpool defender on our list.
Alexander Arnold is an excellent crosser of the ball and is adept in setpieces. Critics, though, argue that the 21-year-old needs to work on the defensive side of his game.
Basic Stats: Alexander Arnold has played all 29 Premier League games for Liverpool this season, tallying 2550 minutes of game-time. The defender has had a passing accuracy of 76% and has made an average of 1.6 tackles per game. He has also scored two goals and assisted 12 in the Premier League.
