Choosing the best centre-backs in the world is a difficult task. Often, the best defenders do the least amount of work.
And that in its own right is a skill. Paolo Maldini is famously credited with claiming, “If I have to tackle, I have already made a mistake,” and much of defending these days is about anticipation and starting play.
So we've struck a balance between the two spheres of a centre-back's role with our list.
How our experts decided the best centre-backs in the world
FourFourTwo's trusty football experts were asked to pick the 10 best centre-backs in the world, with a score of 10 rewarded to the top pick, nine to the next best, all the way down to one point given to a tenth-placed centre-back. Simple enough.
Criteria was simple: current ability, form this season and recent history. We wanted to judge ball-playing defenders and no-nonsense CBs, lefties and righties, back threes and back fours, with equal aplomb.
From there, 16 central defenders were chosen: the top 10 formed our list, with the remaining six in our honourable mentions roll call below. FourFourTwo regularly updates this list, with the last refresh coming in November across the board for 11 positions on the pitch. We've split our lists into goalkeepers, defenders (that's right-backs, centre-backs and left-backs, of course) midfield (defensive midfielders, central midfielders and attacking midfielders), and attack (right-wingers, left-wingers and strikers). Judgement calls are made on players who play in multiple positions.
We even have a list of the best players in the world right now of any role. So who did we decide were the best stoppers on the planet in central defence? Let's crack on.
Honourable mentions
Honourable mentions
The full list
10. Nathan Ake
Age: 30
Club: Manchester City
Nationality: Netherlands
Time spent in midfield means that Ake has a 360-degree appreciation for the game around him.
Nathan Ake might be exactly Pep Guardiola’s type when it comes to a defender. Time spent in midfield means he has a 360-degree appreciation for the game around him, while he shows absolutely no angle bias. He’s resolute, a superb passer and a leader in the background.
The Netherlands international has been a key part of the Manchester City side that claimed four Premier League titles on the bounce, with his work ethic, versatility and reading of the game being complemented by his physical and technical abilities at the back. Ake has struggled with injuries this season and it’s no coincidence that this has coincided with City’s current malaise.
9. Marquinhos
Age: 30
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Nationality: France
One of the prime proponents of progressive passing out from the back, Marquinhos had his injury troubles this season – and Paris Saint-Germain notably looked like a much less effective team when he’s been absent.
When the Brazilian is available, however, he’s a first pick on the team sheet – not just for his leadership but his incredible reading of the game. It’s no surprise that Thomas Tuchel played him in defensive midfield, such is his ability on the ball and awareness around him.
8. Ronald Araujo
Age: 25
Club: Barcelona
Nationality: Uruguay
For the past five years, the Uruguayan has been a commanding presence in the Barcelona defence, either at centre-back or on the right-hand side.
The 25-year-old’s big strength lies in his physicality and ability to dominate some of the planet’s best forwards in one-on-one duels and generally make their life hell. With more than 150 Barca games under his belt, he is a vital part of Hansi Flick’s young project and should be on this list for the foreseeable future.
7. Ruben Dias
Age: 27
Club: Manchester City
Nationality: Portugal
Having at times been vulnerable defensively even as they cut teams open, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City were in need of a strong defender when they signed Ruben Dias from Benfica in 2020. The Portuguese quickly became indispensable, a rugged and commanding centre-back with the required ball-playing skills.
Manchester City's fourth-most expensive signing ever has only got better in the years since, winning four successive Premier League titles and helping City to a first ever Champions League title. Alongside Rodri, Dias has arguably been City’s most important addition of recent years.
6. Ibrahima Konate
Age: 25
Club: Liverpool
Nationality: France
While his central defensive partner at Anfield is usually the won to win the plaudits, Ibrahima Konate has quietly become a key cog for Liverpool under Arne Slot.
The Frenchman offers a contrasting style to Virgil van Dijk, with his game more based around speed and physical power than the Dutchman’s, but that makes their partnership all the better for it.
5. Alessandro Bastoni
Age: 25
Club: Inter Milan
Nationality: Italy
Italian defenders have never looked so multifaceted.
Alessandro Bastoni's role at Inter Milan is unique: he's not just a wide centre-back for Simone Inzaghi, he has to roam into midfield during build-up, defend zonally and man-mark – and he's a proficient chance creator from in-swinging balls from his position.
Italian defenders have never looked so multifaceted. The 25-year-old is the first name on the team-sheet for his country, too, such is his importance during a time of flux for the Azzurri. The heir to Chiellini is something completely different for a new generation.
4. Gabriel
Age: 27
Club: Arsenal
Nationality: Brazil
Described by some as the best player in the world in either box, Gabriel is not just a world-class centre-back but a goal threat from Arsenal’s famous set-piece routines. The Brazilian is virtually unstoppable when the delivery’s just right – as Kyle Walker and plenty of others have found to their detriment this term.
Since joining the Gunners, Gabriel has developed into a calmer, steadier presence at the back, settling alongside Wiliam Saliba to form one of the most feared partnerships in the world. After captaining Mikel Arteta’s team this season, too, and playing with teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly to his left at full-back, he’s finding his place as one of the wiser heads in his team – and it’s having a great effect on his football, with his anticipation and calmness on the ball coming on leaps and bounds.
3. William Saliba
Age: 23
Club: Arsenal
Nationality: France
Saliba is the very reason that Arsenal can play such a risk-and-reward man-to-man high press.
Ever since he was a teenager, William Saliba has played with a composure at the back that seems utterly unnatural. But when you’re 6ft 4in, physical enough to shrug Erling Haaland off the ball and blessed with an unbelievable passing range and recovery pace to match, why wouldn’t play football like the Premier League is your back garden?
Saliba is still just 23 years old but already the leader of one of the best defences in the world. He’s the very model of a modern centre-back, able to snuff out danger before it arises and aggressive enough to put on the burners and win balls in the air or on the ground. He’s the very reason that Arsenal can play such a risk-and-reward man-to-man high press – and he’s only grown in stature with time.
2. Antonio Rudiger
Age: 31
Club: Real Madrid
Nationality: Germany
Uncompromising and bullish, Antonio Rudiger doesn’t take any prisoners. The Real Madrid centre-back’s approach is often not subtle, but it is undoubtedly effective, and he often bullies forwards into submission.
While occasionally guilty of an error or lapse in judgment, Rudiger is the kind of defender attackers dread playing against. And he has proved his worth over several years for both Chelsea and Real Madrid, winning the Champions League with the former and helping the latter to another European title in 2023/24.
1. Virgil van Dijk
Age: 33
Club: Liverpool
Nationality: Netherlands
Now in his eighth season marshalling the Liverpool defence, the 33-year-old Virgil van Dijk was probably supposed to be slowing down by now. That is clearly not the case for the Reds’ all-time record signing.
The Dutchman instead remains the most complete defender in European football and a key reason why the Reds are the bookies favourites for both the Premier League and Champions League. The only concern Liverpool fans have is whether the club will be able to convince him to extend his stay past the current season: regardless, he’s already one of the great Premeir League defenders of all time.
