In football, defenders are the unsung heroes crucial in preventing the opposition from scoring. Their main focus is to protect their goal and shut down attacks before they become a threat.
There are basically 2 different types of defenders, Central Defenders, and Full Backs.
Central defenders are the backbone of the defense, positioned closest to the goal. They are typically strong, tall, and good in the air to win aerial duels and block shots.
Likewise, there are two different fullbacks, right back and left back. They Play wider on the pitch, covering the flanks and supporting the attack when their team wins possession.
Ruben Dias of Manchester City is currently one of the best defenders in the world.
Rúben Dias
Renato dos Santos Gato Alves Dias is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Manchester City in the Premier League and for the Portugal national team.
He is best known for his defensive skill, leadership, and aerial ability, and is regarded as one of the top defenders in the world and in contention to become one of the best defenders in soccer all time, with his consistency.
He had a mixed season in 2022/23. He started the season very strongly, helping City to win their first 10 Premier League matches. But, he sustained a knee injury in November that kept him out for two months.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 25
- Tackles attempted: 27
- Successful tackles: 21
- Tackle success %: 78%
- Clearances: 72
- Blocks: 22
- Interceptions: 26
William Saliba
William Saliba is a young French central defender currently playing for Arsenal. He’s been generating quite a buzz lately. He Joined Arsenal in 2019 for a fee of £27 million but was immediately loaned back to Saint-Étienne.
He spent the 2020/21 season on loan at OGC Nice before another loan to Marseille in 2021/22. For the 22/23 season, he returned to Arsenal for the first time after impressive loan spells.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 27
- Tackles attempted: 37
- Successful tackles: 34
- Tackle success %: 92%
David Alaba
David Alaba is an Austrian professional footballer who currently plays for Real Madrid in La Liga and captains the Austria national team.
He is regarded as one of the best soccer defenders ever, owing to his versatility, technical talents, and ability to contribute well in both defensive and offensive roles on the field.
Alaba joined Real Madrid in 2021, winning the La Liga title in his debut season. He was also named in the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 19
- Tackles attempted: 20
- Successful tackles: 14
- Tackle success %: 70%
Kim Min-Jae
Kim Min-Jae is a South Korean footballer who plays for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and the South Korean national team. Kim, often known as the Monster, is regarded as one of the world’s top soccer defenders.
Kim transferred to Bayern Munich in 2023 for a cost of €45 million. Since then, he has had a great start to his career at Bayern, helping the team win the Bundesliga title in his first season.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 34
- Tackles attempted: 58
- Successful tackles: 54
- Tackle success %: 93%
Virgil Van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk is a Dutch professional footballer who currently plays for Liverpool in the Premier League and captains the Netherlands national team. He is widely recognized as one of the world’s top defenders in soccer and is known for his strength, leadership, quickness, and aerial skill.
His achievements piqued the interest of European clubs, and he signed for Liverpool for a cost of £75 million in 2018.
He immediately established himself as one of the Premier League’s finest defenders, assisting Liverpool to win the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2020.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 30
- Tackles attempted: 37
- Successful tackles: 27
- Tackle success %: 73%
Marquinhos
Marcos Aoás Corrêa, aka Marquinhos, is a Brazilian professional footballer who currently plays for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Brazil national team.
He joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2013 for a cost of €31.5 million. He rapidly became a crucial player for PSG, helping the club win seven Ligue 1 titles, five Coupe de France titles, four Coupe de la Ligue titles, and two Trophée des Champions.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 31
- Tackles attempted: 39
- Successful tackles: 31
- Tackle success %: 79%
John Stones
John Stones is an English professional footballer who plays for Manchester City and the England national team as a center-back. Last season (2022/23) he was instrumental in Man City’s outstanding defensive efforts, which helped them win the Premier League title.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 21
- Tackles attempted: 24
- Successful tackles: 22
- Tackle success %: 92%
Achraf Hakimi
Achraf Hakimi is a Moroccan professional footballer who plays for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Moroccan national team.
He joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 for a cost of €60 million. He has since appeared in 60 games for the club, scoring 10 goals and assisting on 10 others.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 27
- Tackles attempted: 79
- Successful tackles: 53
- Tackle success %: 67%
- Assist: 3
Eder Militao
Eder Militao is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Real Madrid in La Liga and for the Brazil national team. He joined Real Madrid in 2019 for a rumored fee of €50 million.
He soon established himself as a crucial player for the team, assisting them in winning La Liga and the Champions League in 2022.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 30
- Tackles attempted: 44
- Successful tackles: 39
- Tackle success %: 89%
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s name is synonymous with attacking brilliance and accurate right-wing crosses. The 2022/23 season, on the other hand, has given a more nuanced image of the Liverpool full-back, highlighting both his evident quality and places for improvement.
While Trent Alexander-Arnold’s defensive flaws must be addressed, his offensive contributions to Liverpool remain significant.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 34
- Tackles attempted: 86
- Successful tackles: 54
- Tackle success %: 63%
- Assists: 8
Theo Hernandez
Theo Hernandez is a French footballer who now plays for Serie A giants AC Milan as well as the French national team. He’s known for his scorching pace, offensive ability, and propensity for scoring vital goals, making him a one-of-a-kind and valuable player on the field.
His loan experiences at Real Sociedad and AC Milan demonstrated his enormous talent, resulting in a permanent move to the Italian club in 2019.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 32
- Tackles attempted: 59
- Successful tackles: 43
- Tackle success %: 73%
Alphonso Davies
Alphonso Davies, known as the Roadrunner for his lightning-fast pace and dribbling abilities, has become a global footballing sensation. This young Canadian talent shines brightly for Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich and the Canadian national team on the left side.
He earned a professional contract at the age of 15, becoming the MLS’s second-youngest player ever. In 2019, he moved to Bayern Munich for a record-breaking amount.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 26
- Tackles attempted: 66
- Successful tackles: 45
- Tackle success %: 68%
- Assists: 4
Antonio Rudiger
Antonio Rüdiger is a German professional footballer who now plays for Real Madrid and the German national team as a center-back. He has established himself as one of the world’s most feared defenders due to his imposing appearance, aerial prowess, and tackling.
He joined Real Madrid from Chelsea in 2022, signing a four-year contract with the Spanish giants.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 29
- Tackles attempted: 24
- Successful tackles: 16
- Tackle success %: 67%
Ronald Araujo
Ronald Arajo da Silva, known as Arajo, is a 24-year-old Uruguayan professional footballer who currently plays for La Liga giants FC Barcelona and the Uruguayan national team.
He is recognized as one of the top young defenders in the world due to his aggressiveness, pace, leadership, and athleticism. He earned his senior debut for Uruguay in 2020 and has rapidly established himself as a key member of the national team defense.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 21
- Tackles attempted: 27
- Successful tackles: 24
- Tackle success %: 89%
Kieran Trippier
Kieran Trippier is a talented English right-back and free-kick specialist who plays for Newcastle United and the England national team. He joined Newcastle United in January 2022, hoping to help the club’s Premier League survival chances.
He has now become a pivotal factor in Newcastle’s resurgence, leading the Premier League in defender assists (7) and ranked sixth overall for all players in the 2022/23 season.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 35
- Tackles attempted: 109
- Successful tackles: 68
- Tackle success %: 62%
- Assists: 7
Jeremie Frimpong
Jeremie Frimpong is a Dutch professional footballer who plays right back for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga and for the Netherlands national team. He joined Bayer Leverkusen in 2021 for a price of €11 million.
Frimpong is a modern full-back who is good both in attack and defense.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 31
- Tackles attempted: 66
- Successful tackles: 46
- Tackle success %: 70%
- Assists: 6
Alessandro Bastoni
Alessandro Bastoni, a name attributed to elegance and intellect on the field, is widely regarded as the best soccer defender in the world.
This 24-year-old Italian stalwart balances modern offensive brilliance with traditional defensive grit, making him an important element in both Inter Milan’s and Italy’s backlines.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 27
- Tackles attempted: 55
- Successful tackles: 39
- Tackle success %: 71%
Cristian Romero
Cristian Romero, nicknamed Cuti, is an Argentine professional footballer who now plays for Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur as well as the Argentina national team.
He is known for his aggressive play style, aerial supremacy, and incredible ability to read the game, and has become a vital component in both club and country defenses.
Romero earned his official debut for Argentina in 2021 and immediately established himself as an important member of the national team’s defense. He was crucial to Argentina’s Copa América success in 2021 and the team’s World Cup victory in 2022.
2022/23 season domestic league stats:
- Appearance: 27
- Tackles attempted: 85
- Successful tackles: 68
- Tackle success %: 80%