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#6 Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal, Napoli)
Serie A has the habit of producing some fabulous defenders over the years and Kalidou Koulibaly is another feather to the league’s cap. The big Senegalese is strong in the air, intercepts passes, blocks shots and always seems to win the 50-50 challenges. He is also a constant threat in the opposition box from set pieces. Koulibaly joined Napoli in 2014, but it was only under Maurizio Sarri that his qualities came into the fore, especially last season.
What makes him a rare breed among defenders is his ability to play the ball out of the defence. It is said that even Pep Guardiola admires him because he is the kind of defender that fits into Pep’s system, just like he was fabulous in Sarri’s system. Koulibaly is extremely composed with the ball and his distribution is also very good – he has attempted more passes than any defenders in the Serie A last season. As a defender, Koulibaly was extremely impressive. He averaged 2.3 tackle, 1.3 interceptions and 3.3 clearances per game. He also attempted approximately 88.7 passes per game, completing 91.3% of them.
Koulibaly mixed his gutsy physic with a poise and calmness on the ball that makes him one of the finest ball-playing center backs around.
