10 best centrebacks in the world?

Fortitude

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I think this is asked every year or two, and we're in a period now where the changing of the guard - with the likes of Godin, Pique, T.Silva, Ramos et al being well past their peaks - is obvious and apparent.

I don't think Van Dijk has a challenger for #1? So if true, which nine follow in behind him?

If you feel 10 is much of a muchness, feel free to just name 5.
 

Bastian

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Koulibaly, Varane, Laporte, de Ligt (soon), I’d say Ramos is still in that group. VVD of course.

Gimenez at Atleti and Marquinos at PSG perhaps (though the latter is sometimes used as a dm)
 

Berbaclass

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Excluding the ones in the OP except VVD, for me the top 10 (in no order) are

Varane
Laporte
Koulibally
Skriniar
Giminez
VVD
Manolas
Lenglet
Romagnoli
Umtiti

I did think about Maguire too but decided against it.
 

André Dominguez

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I think Netherlands are lucky bastards on this position: Van Dijk and de Vrij are amazing defenders.
France is another one: they have so many quality center backs, they can afford to loose a couple.
 

André Dominguez

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Excluding the ones in the OP except VVD, for me the top 10 (in no order) are

Varane
Laporte
Koulibally
Skriniar
Giminez
VVD
Manolas
Lenglet
Romagnoli
Umtiti

I did think about Maguire too but decided against it.
Umtiti barely played in the last months and Romagnoli didn't reach the heights people expected from him. Have to agree on Lenglet: discrete, but gets the job very well done.
 

Bubz27

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I think Netherlands are lucky bastards on this position: Van Dijk and de Vrij are amazing defenders.
France is another one: they have so many quality center backs, they can afford to loose a couple.
Not De Ligt?
 

Berbaclass

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Umtiti barely played in the last months and Romagnoli didn't reach the heights people expected from him. Have to agree on Lenglet: discrete, but gets the job very well done.
Agreed I think when playing those are the best. I think Romagnoli is a great defender. He just plays in a very poor team which doesn't help him. If he went to Juventus he'd look outstanding.

You could include players like De Vrij too who is a really good CB. I think Matip has done very well for Liverpool too.
 

André Dominguez

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Agreed I think when playing those are the best. I think Romagnoli is a great defender. He just plays in a very poor team which doesn't help him. If he went to Juventus he'd look outstanding.

You could include players like De Vrij too who is a really good CB. I think Matip has done very well for Liverpool too.
I like Matip since his Schlake 04 days. Very reliable defender and if he manages to keep himself fit, it's going to be difficult to break VVD-Matip double. Not only they are physically very powerful, they are also quite fast for such a big fellas.
 

Berbaclass

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I like Matip since his Schlake 04 days. Very reliable defender and if he manages to keep himself fit, it's going to be difficult to break VVD-Matip double. Not only they are physically very powerful, they are also quite fast for such a big fellas.
Yeah, I think he's gone under the radar due to playing next to VVD but when Gomez got injured he came in and has done a very good job for them. Free transfer too! Like you say, it will be very difficult to come in and break that partnership up now.

He's not a big name but he's arguably been up there amongst the best 10 in the world in the last year or so.
 

tomaldinho1

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VVD, Varane, de Vrij, Laporte, Matip, Skriniar, Koulibaly, Ramos, Lenglet, Giminez (in no order)

Big change for me is I'd say is some of the old guard like Pique, Chiellini and Godin, as well as players like Alderweireld and Vertonghen who I would probably had one there a couple of season ago don't seem to feature in anyone's top 10.
 

Paul_Scholes18

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It is hard to fully know as lots of defenders gets hyped up for playing in a solid side. Others get attacked due to the manager being poor.
These would be my picks from this season, but I don't watch loads of teams in europe.

Giménez
Varane
Ramos
Lenglet
Bonucci
Van Dijk
Laporte
Evans
Koulibaly
T Silva

I am sure there are other defenders doing great for smaller teams too.
 

Harry190

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Lenglet? Wtf.
He's shite. Same level as Lindelof, perhaps even less gifted.
 

ivaldo

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Are people putting the likes of Lenglets and Matip in there because they don't want to consider Matip.
 

giorno

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De Vrij is inter's best CB right now, Chiellini is injured, Gimenez got injured and Atleti's defence barely missed a beat, Koulibaly is actually playing well below his standards, Laporte is injured, Matip has been great and probably belongs on the list right now, Varane still struggles without Ramos, even when he plays well...

I'd say VVD, Ramos and Pique are the 3 genuine world class defenders right now, with De Vrij and Matip making the cut on season performance and Koulibaly and Gimenez on ability and faith

After that it's hard to say
 

Acrobat7

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Süle is injured atm, bit he belongs up there as well.
 

TheOx

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In my opinion when Matip was playing this season before getting injured, he was putting in better performances than Van Dijk.
 

Ekeke

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I think it changes season to season based on form. No point picking a player who isnt playing well, but someone like Varane has bounced back after being poor last year

This season?

VVD
Varane
Upamecano
Thiago Silva
De Vrij
Smalling
Sonuncu
Elvedi
Yeray Alvarez
Filipe

In some kind of order
 

Kostur

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I was about to the take piss, throw in Smalling and tell you guys 'guess the name of the poster' but it looks like I'm late to the party.
 

Paul_Scholes18

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Right now I got to say Gomez look insanly good. They have not conceded a goal since Lovren got injured in the league.
Although he was not first choice before that so let's see what will happen once the other ones are back.

Playing in a side like Pool being so organized help the defenders out a lot though.
 

Fosu-Mens

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Right now I got to say Gomez look insanly good. They have not conceded a goal since Lovren got injured in the league.
Although he was not first choice before that so let's see what will happen once the other ones are back.

Playing in a side like Pool being so organized help the defenders out a lot though.
Gomez is decent on the ball and can defend well 1v1 against most attackers. He's like a lesser version of VVD in abilities and size, but the same common trait in their ability to contain pacy attackers 1v1 with space. This ability is what I think is and will continue to be the most important trait for centre-backs playing in teams pressing high and dominating possession, i.e. the best performing teams in the world.
 

Paul_Scholes18

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Haven’t been following PSG - so judging by the replies, Thiago Silva has regressed a bit? Which is natural of course, with age catching up.
I liked Silva against us ;). Although that might have given Ole the job so in the end he fecked us over.
 

redman5

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Right now I got to say Gomez look insanly good. They have not conceded a goal since Lovren got injured in the league.
Although he was not first choice before that so let's see what will happen once the other ones are back.

Playing in a side like Pool being so organized help the defenders out a lot though.
I was shocked the other day to find out he's actually younger than Mason Holgate, Everton's young centre-half.
 

_00_deathscar

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Right now I got to say Gomez look insanly good. They have not conceded a goal since Lovren got injured in the league.
Although he was not first choice before that so let's see what will happen once the other ones are back.

Playing in a side like Pool being so organized help the defenders out a lot though.
He was first choice early last season too before he got injured (and Matip came in) - and that was when Liverpool were also barely conceding any goals.
Matip did an incredible job when he came in, and Lovren stepped up too when needed, but at its best, that Gomez-VVD partnership looks absolutely incredible.

Gomez had a hard time coming back in, injuries, not settling right, and playing right back (where he looks VERY uncomfortable at times).
 

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Chiellini. Unless he doesn't fully recovers, which at his age is likely. But if he comes back and regains form, he is easily the best juve defender and top 10 in the world imo.
 

Invictus

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Dunno if it's possible to compile a proper Top 10 list in good faith, the field is really scattered right now.

Baresi/can't-touch-this tier:

Definitely world class: Van Dijk
Arguably world class: Piqué
On the cusp of world class billing: De Vrij
Previously world class but not on the basis of the current season: Koulibaly, Vertonghen
Obviously very good but I still don't know how to rank this player as a pure defender: Ramos
World class but injured/unavailable for extended periods of time so status is up in the air: Laporte, Chiellini, Giménez
Previously on the cusp: De Ligt
World class peak but inconsistent performer/leader: Varane
Maybe: Matip, Škriniar, Yeray, Süle
Not sure if world class but doing quite well this season: Söyüncü, Smalling
Retired or a bit over-the-hill: Godín, Thiago, Barzagli, Hummels, Alderweireld
Massively talented but somewhat disappointing: Romagnoli
Up-and-comers: Demiral, Upamecano, Kabak
 

DWelbz19

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De Vrij is inter's best CB right now, Chiellini is injured, Gimenez got injured and Atleti's defence barely missed a beat, Koulibaly is actually playing well below his standards, Laporte is injured, Matip has been great and probably belongs on the list right now, Varane still struggles without Ramos, even when he plays well...

I'd say VVD, Ramos and Pique are the 3 genuine world class defenders right now, with De Vrij and Matip making the cut on season performance and Koulibaly and Gimenez on ability and faith

After that it's hard to say
I was under the impression Varane has been Madrid’s best CB this season?
 

giorno

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I was under the impression Varane has been Madrid’s best CB this season?
Nope. We're rock solid at the back with Sergio, and a dumpster fire without him
 

Gio

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Half of the normal contenders are either injured or suffering a poor run of form. Of the old guard who stood out in the previous generation, I'd still keep Thiago Silva, Giorgio Chiellini and Sergio Ramos in there. They're all slightly past their best but not significantly so and you'd still back them to deliver the goods in the majority of big games. Godin probably now on the fringes of a top 10 as he has clearly dropped a couple of notches in the last 18 months. For the guys around their peak it's more straightforward with Van Dijk, Koulibaly, De Vrij and Laporte all compelling choices based on their performances in the last 2-3 years. And amongst those still to hit their best years Giminez is a certainty while you'd keep the door open for Varane, Marquinhos and De Ligt.
 

BBRBB

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Haven’t been following PSG - so judging by the replies, Thiago Silva has regressed a bit? Which is natural of course, with age catching up.
He's still world class and second to none when it comes to pure defending, a bit slower than he used to be but no big deal. He's actually better than a couple years ago when he was often injured.
 

Andersons Dietician

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1.VVD
2.Laporte

Thats the only two I’d be confident saying at a step above all the rest. After that the Usual suspects Smalling, Varane and the likes.