Ranking the 10 best defenders in the world

We have seen some top defenders in football over the years. The game has changed a lot over the last 20 years, but the art of defending is still the same, and there seem to be less world class defenders than ever.

Defenders are, sadly, often overlooked when it comes to looking at the greatest players of all time. Most recently, the achievements and quality of Carles Puyol are looked over because of the talents of the players in front of him.

It is the same when it comes to the individual awards. In the last 30 years, only one defender has won the Ballon d’Or, that being Fabio Cannavaro, who was named the world’s best player after leading Italy to victory at the 2006 World Cup.

Obviously, defending has changed an awful lot in recent years. Attackers are now faster, more skilful and possibly the biggest challenge for defenders, more prone to going down under pressure.

This is an era where so many managers insist on their players passing the ball out from the back. This is something that has very much come into the game because of Pep Guardiola, whose Barcelona side revolutionised modern football.

Here are the ten best defenders in world football at this moment in time.

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#10 Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham)

Alderweireld has been a brilliant signing for Tottenham

Tottenham have had the privilege in recent years of being able to field a centre back partnership of Alderweireld and his fellow Belgian Jan Vertonghen. The pair have helped form strong foundations in recent years, that has seen them put in their best performances in the Premier League era. They have qualified for the Champions League in each of the last three seasons, having previously played in the tournament just once.

It is no coincidence that this success has come since 2015 when Alderweireld joined Spurs from Atletico Madrid. The £11.5 million Tottenham paid for his services now looks like a bit of a bargain, as he has gone on to become one of the top defenders in England. He is excellent on the ball, but more importantly, is a superb defender, and reads the game so well at the back.

#9 Mats Hummels (Bayern Munich)

Hummels is one of the first names of the team sheet for the German national side

Hummels has long been seen as one of the top defenders in the world, to such an extent that he has been compared with Franz Beckenbauer. That may be a step too far, but there is no doubting that Hummels is an excellent defender. This is helped by the fact he is big, physically strong, and excellent in the air.

He is another one who is more than capable with the ball at his feet and has been deployed as a defensive midfielder before. He has enjoyed a lot of success during his career in Germany, having won four Bundesliga titles in his time with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. He is also a former world champion, having been part of Germany’s World Cup winning side in 2014.

#8 Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

van Dijk is the most expensive defender in history

The most expensive defender in history, and another man who has become one of the top defenders in world football in recent years. Van Dijk has experienced a rather rapid rise to the top in recent years. He initially moved to Britain and Celtic in 2013 for just £2.6 million, and that is where he first made a name for himself before moving on to Southampton in 2015 for £13 million.

It was at Southampton where he really established himself and gained interest from some of the top sides in Europe. He eventually joined Liverpool in January, in a record deal worth £75 million. He has improved the Reds defence and will hope to help his new club end their six year drought for a trophy this season. Unlike Hummels, he has not enjoyed too much success on the international scene, as he is part of one of the weakest generations of Dutch footballers for a long time.

#7 Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus)

Bonucci has returned to Juventus this summer

Had this list been written a year ago, there is a good chance that Bonucci would have been in and around the top three spots. However, he moved to AC Milan last summer, a move that didn’t really work out for either party and went so badly that he returned to Juventus this summer.

Bonucci had previously spent seven years with Juventus, during which he was part of a side that won a quite remarkable six Serie A titles. He was part of an experienced set up at the back, which also included Giorgio Chiellini, Gianluigi Buffon and Andrea Barzagli. He is a no-nonsense defender, who also has the ability to bring the ball out of defence. Many saw him as a man who could swing the balance of power when he moved to AC Milan last summer, and although that never materialised, it shows how highly people rate him.

#6 Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli)

Koulibaly has been the interest of some top European sides

Many people spoke about the quality and influence of Sarriball in Napoli’s title challenge last season, but their success was really built on the strength of their defence and in particular Koulibaly. He may not play for one of Europe’s big boys, but he has been the subject of interest from the likes of Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Chelsea, but has remained with the Italian side in an attempt to help them win their first Serie A title since 1990.

He will remain hot property for the foreseeable future though, and it may be only a matter of time before he gives in to the temptation of a big money move. He is very much an old fashioned defender. He has the versatility to play anywhere across the backline but does his best job at the centre half, where he is excellent in the air and robust in a challenge. At 27, there is still the possibility that he will get better in the coming years.

#5 Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)

Chiellini has won seven Serie A titles with Juventus

In an era where we haven’t seen too many top defenders, Chiellini is probably the last ‘over my dead body’ defender left in the world at the moment. At 34, he is the oldest player on this list, but he is still a massive player for Juventus. He is one of those players who you would say enjoys defending, and dealing with opposition strikers.

There is a reason that Juventus have had one of the best defences in the world over the past decade, and that is because of their continuity, and that is partly down to Chiellini’s influence. He has been at Juventus since 2005 and has been part of their impressive levels of success since them. He has won seven Serie A titles, as well as four Coppa Italias. He may only be around for a couple more years, so will hope to add a couple more medals to his collection.

#4 Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)

Azpilicueta has had great success with Chelsea over the years

There probably aren’t too many defenders in world football who are as underrated as Azpilicueta. The Spaniard joined Chelsea for just £7 million, making him perhaps one of the best bargains of the past decade. He has spent much of his career as a full back but filled in as a centre back for a couple of years under Antonio Conte, as the Italian implemented a three at the back system at Stamford Bridge.

He perhaps isn’t as highly rated as some other full backs, because he isn’t as adventurous in the opposition’s half, but there is no one better in one-on-one situations than Azpilicueta. Even though Chelsea have spent millions of pounds on defenders over the years, his position in the side has never been in doubt, and he will likely continue to be a key man in Chelsea’s line up for years to come.

#3 Gerard Pique (Barcelona)

Pique has won everything there is to be won while at Barcelona

Sadly, Pique is a bit of a marmite defender in Spain because of comments that he has made about Real Madrid in the past. There is doubting though his talent as a defender though, where he is one of the most capable centre backs in the world. He probably doesn’t get all the glory and attention that he deserves in this Barcelona side, given the wealth of attacking talents, with the likes of Lionel Messi.

He has a never-say-die attitude, which has seen him remain a top centre back and help Barcelona remain strong at the back, despite having a host of partners at the back in that time. There is no trophy in football worth winning that he hasn’t won. He has been part of seven LaLiga winning sides and has won four Champions League titles. He has also experienced success on the international stage, having owned the World Cup in 2010, and the European Championships in 2012.

#2 Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)

Godin has become a great defender until Diego Simeone

Godin is 32 now, but he just keeps on getting better with age. Diego Simeone is certainly a man who deserves some credit for his success. In an age where almost every manager at top clubs are desperate for their players to pass out from the back, Simeone has kept it simple. He wants his defenders to be as good at defending as possible, and it doesn’t matter how good they are with the ball.

Godin’s ability to defend is second to none. He reads the game so well, takes up perfect positions, and knows when to step in to win the ball. He has been a leader for Atletico for a number of years, and it has been only his loyalty that has stopped him winning more honours in his career. He has formed an excellent partnership with Jose Gimenez at club level and has recreated that with Uruguay as well.

#1 Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)

Ramos is currently the best defender in the world

Not many centre backs have the same influence in one penalty area as they do in the other, but Ramos is certainly one of them. The Spaniard is a winner, and that is clear every time he walks on the pitch. Much like Pique, he is loved by some, and hated by others, but there can be no arguments, he gets results. His disciplinary record isn’t great, and some of the things he gets up to on the pitch are questionable, but his record of success is incredible.

He is a defender who has the ability to bring the ball out of defence, as well as being ruthless in his own penalty area. He has also shown his ability to come up with some crucial goals in the past. He has scored in two Champions League finals, and currently has four European crowns to his name. He has also won LaLiga on four occasions, while at international level, has won the World Cup, and two European Championships.