Football News: World's Best Centre Backs?

World's best centre backs

This is a difficult list to write, I mean how can you put together a list of the world's best centre backs without including Vincent Kompany of Manchester City? However, I decided to leave him out as he has been injured so much that he just has not made enough appearances to justify his inclusion. I decided to base it on form this season, in the main, so a player like Kompany just cannot be included.

By the same token, two of the best centre backs in the Premier League this season, Liverpool's Joel Matip and Manchester United's Eric Bailly, have also had to be ignored, simply due to an injury-disrupted season. Though both massively impressed before their injuries, neither looked quite as good after they returned, initially anyway, both are returning to form now, but too late to be included in this list.

However the likes of Barcelona's Gerard Pique and Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos have been left out purely on ability. Pique is a good footballer but an extremely average defender, though he is not helped by the way Barca play, he is still not good enough at actually defending to be included. Ramos has all the attributes to be the best, but he is an absolute moron on the pitch, regularly putting the team in trouble with needless and nasty fouls. He also is far too hotheaded, when the centre back position is the place you most need a cool head, in my opinion. The defender should be winding up the forward to try and put them off, when Ramos is usually the one getting wound up and put off his game.

Then there is the world's most expensive defender, the ridiculously overpriced (and overrated) John Stones. Simply not good enough in any aspect of the game to deserve inclusion. He is ok on the ball, but dwells on it far too much and is absolutely shocking at defending, getting the basics wrong continually. In particular, his heading of the ball is like a small child, his bodyshape is wrong and he has no control over it. He would be as well to just close his eyes and hope for the best!

So, as they say, in no particular order, this is the list I ended up with:

Diego Godin

To think Atletico Madrid paid just £6.8m(ish) to bring the Uruguayan in from Villareal in August 2010. While I said this list is in no particular order, this 31 year old is without doubt my choice as the best in the world right now. Admittedly he is helped by the way Atleti play, but, as a pure defender, he is one of the very best around. Added to that, he is very good on the ball as well, not Kompany/Hummels good, but better than he is given credit for. As a stopper, to play alongside a ball playing centre half, I can think of no one better right now. Though he does have a similar problem to Ramos, in that his weakness is that he can be hotheaded and pick up needless cards.

Mats Hummels

From a stopper to a ball playing centre half, Hummels is probably the ultimate example of the ball playing defender around right now. While the Bayern Munich player does lacks a little in the defensive department, being caught out for pace and not having Godin's hardness, his ability on the ball is better than most playmaking midfielders. His range of passing and vision makes him a genuine threat on the ball.

Leonardo Bonucci

It is very difficult to judge a defender on the most dominant team in their league, especially one so far ahead of the other sides, like Juventus. However, Bonucci always impresses me whenever I see him play. Rather than being a Sergio Busquets-type, who looks good because of the team he plays for, I believe Bonucci is a large part of why the team he plays for is so good.

Toby Alderweireld

Alderweireld is an all-round defender, a good ball player and a solid defender. His partnership with Jan Vertonghen at the heart of the Tottenham Hotspur defence is the best in England and a big part of Spurs' rise to become a title challenger in the Premier League. Comfortable playing as a defensive midfielder and right back, as well as at centre half, that has made him all the more suited to the way the North Londoners play. His time playing full back has made him very comfortable when he is dragged out wide to cover Spurs' attacking wingbacks and his time as a midfielder has left him happy receiving the ball higher up when the defensive midfielder drops in behind. He does often get a lot of protection from the midfield, which always includes at least one defensive mid and a deep lying playmaker, which helps him. However, he has shown throughout his career that he is an excellent defender in his own right.

Kalidou Koulibaly

While he is often left exposed by the way Napoli play, at least on the times I have seen him, and he is a bit raw, but he is also an excellent example of a physical defender. Koulibaly has all the attributes Man City were looking for when they signed Eliaquim Mangala, but slightly more refined. Slightly.

David Luiz

I know this is not a fashionable choice and will surprise many, but I really like Luiz and thought he has got unfairly hounded by the media for the mistakes he made in his first spell at Chelsea. A lot of attention comes from the way he looks and his over the top reactions and style of play, but put that aside and what is left is an excellent ball playing centre half. Luiz has recovery pace, which is lucky as he does make mistakes in trying to win the ball early, but that is fine, he just needs a team built to play to his strengths, like every player. His best asset is undoubtedly his ability on the ball, which is amongst the best in the world, for a centre back anyway. Luiz has been a huge part in Chelsea's rise to the top of the Premier League, though he will always suffer in most people's eyes due to the way the media always highlights every error and ignores his good play.

Konstantinos Manolas

This Greek international always impresses me when I see him play for Roma, he always looks a real player, with potential to improve. Not to be confused with his cousin of the same name, who plays for AEK Athens. I would be very surprised if Roma were able to hang onto him in the summer, richer clubs are beginning to really sit up and take notice of the 25 year old.

Alessio Romagnoli

The 22 year old AC Milan defender is in partly on his future potential, but he is already a very accomplished left sided defender. It is easy to see why Milan paid over £20m for him in August 2015.

Aymeric Laporte

Another young left sided centre back with vast amounts of potential, but, unlike fellow French defender Raphael Varane, able to hold down a regular place and improve because of that. Athletic Bilbao have him tied down to the club until 2020 and he is an essential part of their team, who will have many suitors after him over the next few years.

Laurent Koscielny

Koscielny has been carrying the Arsenal defence for years now and has proven himself to be a top class defender, unfortunate enough to be paired with some players who are barely Conference League class, such as Per Mertesacker. With little, if any, protection from midfield for most of his time there, he still managed to help the Gunners to a very creditable defensive record.

Jonathan Tah

The young German international has a rapidly growing reputation with lots of big clubs sniffing around him. Bayer Leverkusen will need to show some ambition if they are to keep hold of him in the long term.

Niklas Sule

It is easy to see why Bayern Munich have moved to sign him up to join them from Hoffenheim in the forthcoming summer window. Only 21 and with immense potential to improve, he could be the mainstay of their defensive line for the forseeable future.

Giorgio Chiellini

One of the best left sided defenders in recent years, Chiellini has been a big part of Juventus's domination of Italian football over the last few years. The big Italian is very reminiscent of the old school Italy defenders who were not afraid to use any tactics to stop their opponent.

Jose Fonte

This is probably the surprise pick, as he has not had the best of seasons admittedly, but he has been excellent for years now for Southampton and in the summer Euros for Portugal, he can be excused a poor half season prior to his move to West Ham United in January. Especially as his performances were in large part down to his desire to leave the Saints. Now he has his wish, even if not to the club he wanted to join, I would expect him to gradually return to his best. While he is entering the veteran stage of his career, at the age of 33, he is an excellent captain and organiser of a defence. Fonte has never been a player who relied on pace, so he should have a few years left in him at the top level.

Written by Tris Burke February 20 2017 08:01:40