#2 Cedric Hengbart
Hengbart looks like the older version of WWE Superstar Kane on the football pitch. Tall and well-built, the French defender has long hair and turns red whenever he plays, making him similar to the masked assassin.
Ask opposition strikers, and they’ll tell you a similar story. The player who started his ISL journey with Kerala Blasters in Season 1 is back with the South Indian team for the third season after plying his trade with NorthEast United in the second season.
A highly adaptable defender, Hengbart’s positioning and game-reading make him a handful against any opposition. In ISL 2014, Hengbart had played 13 matches for the Blasters, registering 101 clearances and 49 tackles! That’s another defending high for the tall centre-back. Forming another formidable partnership with Aaron Hughes and Sandesh Jhingan, the defender is apt with the ball at his feet but comes into his own defending one-on-one situations.
Probably the most confident tackler in this list, Hengbart has made 22 tackles in 10 appearances this season. The 35-year-old might not have made the most tackles, but he has made some hard ones. Also, his game intelligence has helped him win 22 aerial duels and make 19 interceptions, one of the highest in the league.
Having conceded 27 goals last season, the Kerala Blasters looked to the experience and strength of the French defender and the player has responded majestically. Leading the side out of danger every now and then, the right-footed defender has also cleaned up their defensive woes, conceding only 8 in 10 ISL games this season.
