Aspersions about the declining relevance of centre-backs have been uncontrovertibly dismissed in the past 12 months.
The previous decade’s worship of attacking idols has ebbed away and a holistic viewpoint has taken hold. It is now clear that there is far more to success at the highest level than possession of – the, admittedly, still wonderful – Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.
This has reached its apex in the adulation afforded Liverpool and the Netherlands’ Virgil van Dijk. But other spectacular, nuanced footballers can be found at the heart of Europe’s greatest sides.
It’s been 12 months since we last released our Tiered Rankings and here in ascending order from Tier 4 to Tier 1, we examine eight of the best centre-backs in the world right now.
The players have been measured by their form over the last year with talent, reputation and statistics – thanks to Wyscout, WhoScored.com plus Opta – used as a guide.
TIER 4
Kalidou Koulibaly
There was no debate about 2018/19’s No1 defender in Serie A.
Koulibaly, 28, was majestic then as Napoli finished second under Carlo Ancelotti. Even greater levels were expected this term after the summer addition of Roma and Greece centre-back Kostas Manolas.
Yet the institutional maelstrom that the club fell into during the opening months of this term impacted most on their uncharacteristically uncertain leading light.
The Senegal international’s last-minute own goal against Juventus and costly penalty concession against Red Bull Salzburg in the Champions League’s group stage stand as particular lowlights for someone who was locked into Tier 1 in our inaugural edition.
Koulibaly’s strong defensive statistics, broadly speaking, have remained static from 2018/19-2019/20. It is these aberrations and a new sense of unease that have defined this shaky season.
Is there more to come from him, or are we witnessing the unavoidable decline of a once-outstanding performer?
Harry Maguire
The cure to Manchester United’s defensive ails was not a cheap one.
2018/19’s concession of 54 goals – their most since 1978/79 – sparked manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward into decisive action. This recruitment drive was headlined by the world-record £85 million addition of England centre-back Maguire from Leicester City.
An uncertain start witnessed an error in the early home defeat to Crystal Palace, plus role in a 13-match run of conceding in the Premier League. Fast forward to last month’s postponement, however, and the picture had decisively changed.
United have kept nine clean sheets and conceded just six goals since January’s call to make Maguire permanent captain. This helped fuel a 11-match unbeaten run that put them on the verge of Champions League qualification.
Few centre-backs have had such a telling impact – and at 27-years old, the elegant Yorkshireman can, surely, only improve.
TIER 3
Sergio Ramos
Say ‘hello’ to the bad guy…
At 34-years old, Ramos is – unsurprisingly – not the force of nature he once was. An ‘inch-perfect’ back pass sent Willian Jose through to score for Real Sociedad in November, while misadventure at Villarreal set Los Blancos on their way to an early season draw at Villarreal.
There should be, however, no doubt about his continued status as totem for a side that remain in the mix for La Liga glory. Madrid, furthermore, have conceded the least goals of any side in Europe’s ‘big-five leagues’ with just 19 from 27 matches played.
Ramos has even managed to curb his wild side. The only red card collected since April 2019 came after Kevin De Bruyne made it 2-1 to Manchester City in February’s Champions League round-of-16, first leg.
Ramos has recorded the second-most 2019/20 minutes for Los Blancos, easily swatting aside the challenge from €50m Brazil – centre-back Eder Militao. He’s also their seven-goal, second-top scorer.
Hold the obituaries about a player who featured for the ninth-successive edition in the FIFA FIFPro Men’s World11.
Dayot Upamecano
A glittering starlet illuminates the centre of RB Leipzig’s rearguard.
The command of Upamecano’s performances, at just 21-years old, in the Bundesliga’s joint-stingiest defence has made it impossible to temper expectations. These supreme qualities, allied with an enticing €60m release clause and Bild’s report about a desire to depart, make the France youth international a potential story of the summer.
So why the fuss? Every facet of Upamecano’s play is assured; from firmness in the tackle, ability to react to potential danger, crispness of his passing and positivity of dribbling that drives Leipzig up the pitch.
The next 12 months could feature a big-money ascension up European club football’s hierarchy and senior debut for Les Bleus. Which Tier will he be in after that?
TIER 2
Aymeric Laporte
The range of Laporte’s abilities are enviously vast.
A £57m fee paid to Athletic Bilbao in January 2018 has been made to look, relatively, cheap. The 25-year-old has the physicality to stand up to any buffering from the Premier League’s sturdy centre forwards, plus is an artist on the ball.
Laporte’s final-day header at Brighton & Hove Albion, in an eventual 4-1 victory, also put City firmly on their way to 2018/19’s crown. A pair of disastrous mistakes in last April’s Champions League quarter-final against Tottenham are outliers in an excellent portfolio.
There is, however, a significant caveat. Laporte has been fit enough to record just 508 minutes in the 2019/20 top flight after knee and hamstring issues.
These absences have exposed critical frailty in City’s back line and denied Laporte a second chance to gain his first France cap. To further underline his influence, by the time of August’s first injury he’d made the most passes in the Premier League (324).
A clean bill of health would be Laporte’s grandest achievement in the year ahead.
Stefan de Vrij
Milan Skriniar is the most-hyped member of Inter Milan’s backline, Diego Godin the most revered and Alessandro Bastoni holds the most hope.
It is the Netherlands’ De Vrij who is, unquestionably, now the most important.
The 28-year-old’s attuned tactical mind has melded perfectly with head coach Antonio Conte, acting as sweeper in an effective three-man rearguard that is the joint-second meanest in Serie A.
De Vrij leads the way at the Nerazzurri in Serie A, per game, for blocks (0.9) and clearances (3.7). A return of three assists, highlighted by a searching run and deft pass to Belgium centre forward Romelu Lukaku against Sassuolo, is the club’s joint-third best, while his stooping header helped send Inter on their way to an unforgettable 4-2 derby victory versus AC Milan.
Conte has worked with some of the 21st century’s finest defenders – De Vrij can now be added to this list.
TIER
Raphael Varane
Is there a more underappreciated player than Varane?
The serene, lighting quick 26-year-old has continued to go about his business at Madrid, providing the ice next to Ramos’ blazing fire.
A circumspect nature is perfectly suited to fellow France legend Zinedine Zidane’s favoured XI, where the former is flanked by the aforementioned skipper and buccaneering right-back Dani Carvajal.
The previous cycle contained a third-successive Champions League and victory at World Cup 2018. But on an individual basis, 2019/20 contains real progress.
Respectable numbers have been registered. These include an a 86.9-per-cent pass success rate from 50 passes per La Liga game, 71.4-per-cent aerial success rate that proves he’s no soft touch and an influential role in a defence that has conceded just 19 times.
Improved durability, further, put him on course to play 30+ top-flight games for the second-successive campaign – and only the second time in his career – before coronavirus intervened.
Madrid’s miserable early spring – yet alone the stoppage – dented hopes of supremacy at home and abroad. This should not detract from Varane’s enduring understated majesty.
Virgil van Dijk
The best has got even better.
Van Dijk’s first full campaign in red after a – then – world-record £75m transfer from Southampton culminated in the 2018/19 Champions League. A slew of individual honours was highlighted by a second-placed finish in the 2019 Ballon d’Or.
The statuesque Netherlands international’s glacial temperament, expert reading, unforgiving pace, precision in possession and unbeatable presence in the air have since propelled Liverpool, relentlessly, toward a hallowed first top-flight title success since 1989/90, before coronavirus’ emergence.
Remarkable statistics continued to be recorded. Van Dijk made the most accurate passes in the Premier League (2,210), boasted the second-best aerials won average per game among defenders (4.9) and is the joint-top goal scorer among defenders (four).
Anyone still in search of what sets Van Dijk apart from the rest must study last month’s inch-perfect, deep throughball to send Sadio Mane clear against Bournemouth. It was redolent of Xavi or Zidane.
A modern great is, unquestionably, in situ at Anfield.
