Best Defenders in the World 2024

Glusea brings to you the top 10 best defenders in the world 2024

Choosing the best defenders often does not come easy as the is no obvious criteria for selection as in the case of strikers where the number of goals are taken in consideration.

Even though the is no direct metric for choosing the best footballers in the world, It is still very possible to rank center-backs based on their contribution to the success of their teams.

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Ruben Dias – Man City and Portugal National Team

Rúben dos Santos Gato Alves Dias  is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Manchester City and the Portugal national team. Considered one of the best defenders in the world, Dias is known for his strength, leadership, passing and aerial ability.

Dias came through Benfica’s youth academy. He began playing for Benfica B in 2015 and was promoted to the first-team in 2017, and was named the Primeira Liga’s Young Player of the Year.

He signed for Premier League club Manchester City in September 2020 for a reported fee of €68 million, becoming the second-highest fee for a Portuguese player leaving the domestic league.

Dias won the league title and EFL Cup in his first season, while also guiding the club to their first UEFA Champions League final.

He was also named FWA Footballer of the Year, Manchester City Player of the Year, Premier League Player of the Season and the UEFA Champions League Defender of the Season in 2021.

Virgil van Dijk – Liverpool and Netherlands

Virgil van Dijk is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Liverpool and the Netherlands national team. Considered one of the best defenders in the world, Van Dijk is known for his strength, leadership and aerial ability.

 He is the only defender to win UEFA Men’s Player of the Year, and has finished runner-up for the Ballon d’Or and Best FIFA Men’s Player.

After beginning his professional career with Groningen, Van Dijk moved to Celtic in 2013, where he won the Scottish Premiership and was named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year in both of his seasons with the club, also winning the Scottish League Cup in the latter.

In 2015, he joined Southampton before signing for Liverpool in January 2018 for £75 million, a then-world-record transfer fee for a defender.

With Liverpool, Van Dijk reached back-to-back UEFA Champions League finals in 2018 and 2019, winning the latter.

He was also named PFA Players’ Player of the Year and the Premier League Player of the Season in his first full season.

Van Dijk later won the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup, and helped end the club’s 30-year league title drought by winning the 2019–20 Premier League.

Van Dijk is a former youth international for the Netherlands, representing his country at under-19 and under-21 levels.

He made his senior international debut for the Netherlands in 2015 and assumed full captaincy of the national team in March 2018.

The following year, Van Dijk captained the Netherlands to the final of the inaugural UEFA Nations League, where they finished runners-up. He also captains the Liverpool team

Achraf Hakimi – PSG and Morocco

Achraf Hakimi Mouh is a professional footballer who plays as a right wing-back for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Morocco national team.

Widely considered as one of the best right-backs in the world, he mainly plays as a right wing-back or right-back, Hakimi can also play on the left or as a right winger.

Hakimi came through Real Madrid’s youth academy. He began playing for Real Madrid Castilla in 2016 and was promoted to the first-team in 2017, playing a few minutes with the latter.

He was sent on two-year loan deal to Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, winning the DFL-Supercup in 2019.

After a successful loan with Dortmund, Hakimi signed with Serie A side Inter Milan for a reported fee of €40 million, with his performances helping the club win the league title, ending the club’s eleven-year league title drought.

His performances sparked the interest of several European clubs, with Paris Saint-Germain signing him in 2021 for a reported fee of €60 million.

Born in Spain to parents from Morocco, Hakimi represented Morocco at various youth levels, before making his international debut in 2016 aged 17, after previously being capped by the nations’s youth teams at under-20 and under-23 levels.

He was chosen in Morocco’s squads for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Mats Hummels

Mats Julian Hummels is a German professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the Germany national team.

He came through the Bayern Munich youth academy before joining Borussia Dortmund on loan in January 2008 and officially signing for Dortmund in February 2009 for €4 million.

His honours at the club include two league titles and finishing as runner up in the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League. In May 2016, Hummels signed a contract with former side Bayern, which took effect on 1 July 2016.

Hummels has been a full international since 2010, earning over 70 caps to date and representing Germany at the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups, and at UEFA Euro 2012, 2016 and 2020.

Alessandro Bastoni

Alessandro Bastoni Cavaliere OMRI  is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Inter Milan and the Italy national team.

Eder Militao – Real Madrid & Brazil National Team

Éder Gabriel Militão is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for the La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazil national team. Considered one of the best defenders in the world, he is known for his tackling, marking and aerial abilities.

Alphonso Davies – Bayern Munich and United States National Team

Alphonso Boyle Davies is a professional soccer player who plays as a left-back or winger for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and the Canada national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best full-backs in the world, and one of the best North American players of all time

Kyle Walker – Manchester City and England National Team

Kyle Andrew Walker is an English professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Premier League club Manchester City, where he is captain, and the England national team. Walker started his career at his boyhood club Sheffield United at the age of seven. 

Cristian Romero – Tottenham Hotspurs and Argentina National Team

Cristian Gabriel “Cuti” Romero is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Argentina national team. He is known for his aggressive play style, ability on the ball, and dominance in aerial duels. 

William Saliba – Arsenal FC and French National Team

William Alain André Gabriel Saliba is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Arsenal and the France national team. He is considered by many to be one of the best centre-backs in world football.

Josko Gvardiol – Manchester City and Croatia National Team

Joško Gvardiol is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League club Manchester City and the Croatia national team. He plays as a left-back. Considered one of the highly rated in the world, he is known for his physicality, positioning and marking.

Trent Alexander-Arnold Liverpool and England National Team

Trent John Alexander-Arnold is an English professional footballer who plays as a right-back or midfielder for Premier League club Liverpool and the England national team. Considered one of the best right-backs in the world, he is known for his range of passing, crossing and assists.

Antonio Rudiger – Real Madrid and German National Team

Antonio Rüdiger is a German professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for La Liga club Real Madrid and the Germany national team. Considered one of the best defenders in the world, he is known for his aggressive playing style, tackling ability and strong aerial presence.

Ronald Araújo – Uruguay and Barcelona FC

Ronald Federico Araújo da Silva is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays primarily as a centre-back for La Liga club Barcelona and the Uruguay national team.

Best Defenders in the world Summary

These are the list of highly rated defenders in the world in the football year 2024. The list is in no particular order though.

Source: www.glusea.com