Van Dijk, Saliba, Alaba: The 10 best centre-backs in the world have been ranked | OneFootball

At the peak of his powers, there are not many who would deny that Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk was the best centre-back in the world.

Imperious in the air, a great ball-winner, and a man who at one point had not been dribbled past in 50 appearances.

Yet this season, Liverpool’s defence has looked fragile at times, with big 3-0 losses to Brighton and Wolves, while Real Madrid put five past the Reds’ defence at Anfield in the Champions League.

And now, FourFourTwo have ranked the ten best centre-backs in the world – but although Van Dijk makes the list, he has fallen down the rankings…

The ten best Centre-Backs in the world

10 Cristian Romero9 Eder Militao8 Dayot Upamecano

The first three defenders to crack the top ten are all 25 or younger, with each of them arguably having their best years ahead of them.

Romero has been the standout defender for Tottenham this season, and the World Cup winner was described as being, “perfect for the Premier League” by former manager Antonio Conte.

Militao meanwhile is now in his fourth season at Spanish giants Real Madrid, having joined from Porto back in 2019.

Having won a Champions League and two La Liga titles already, he has been a regular starter for the last two seasons, and with him paired with experienced defenders like Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba, the Brazilian can continue to develop into an even better centre-back.

Upamecano is another young defender playing for a huge team, with the Bayern Munich man assured on the ball, quick, and a key reason why the German team were able to keep two clean sheets in the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain.

7 Virgil Van Dijk6 William Saliba5 Kim Min-Jae

A controversial take is how far down the list Van Dijk ranks, given that he was considered by many to have previously been the best centre-back in the world.

But after pushing Manchester City for the league and competing in the Champions League final, Liverpool’s defence as a whole has struggled this season, with Van Dijk not having the same effect within the backline compared to the impact he had when he first joined the Reds.

But form is temporary and there is no questioning the Dutchman’s class, so hopefully, we see the Premier League and Champions League winner back to his best.

Arsenal defender Saliba has certainly had a very different trajectory this season, with Gunners fans hugely impressed by the Frenchman in his first year as a regular starter.

Voted Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year last season with Marseille, he has won 83% of his tackles in the league so far this season, with Ben White and Gabriel winning 65% and 68% respectively (via FBref).

Having just turned 22, he is well on track to be a top-five defender in the coming years.

Another new sensation this season has been Kim Min-Jae, who has looked dependable at the back for Serie A leaders Napoli.

No team in the Serie A has conceded fewer goals, and the South Korean centre-back’s consistency has been vital in sending Gli Azzurri to the top of the table and into the Champions League quarter-finals.

4 Antonio Rudiger3 Ruben Dias2 Marquinhos

Rudiger’s departure from Chelsea left a big gap for Todd Boehly to fill, and the decision not to meet the German's demands looks to have backfired with the Blues lying 10th in the league currently.

Conversely, Rudiger has seamlessly slotted into the Madrid defence, and although they might still be chasing down Barcelona in La Liga, his aggressive defending, ball-carrying ability and passing have all benefited his new side.

While Pep Guardiola might not be playing Dias as frequently this season, the Portuguese player has looked just as dependable as he did in his first two seasons at the Etihad, and ranks third in the list.

He has been the preferred defensive option in the Champions League this season, playing seven out of eight games in Europe. And Dias will need to be just as solid when City face Bayern Munich in the next round.

Just losing out on top spot is Marquinhos, with Thiago Silva’s heir at PSG playing just as vital a role in defence as the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe play up front.

The captain of the Parisian club exhibits leadership, great tackling and positioning, and quality on the ball with a pass completion rate of 95% this season (via FBref).

1 David Alaba

Hailed as a “complete player” by Carlo Ancelotti when he first arrived at Real Madrid, Alaba has been key to Madrid’s success over the last two seasons.