10 best young centre backs in the world

The ones who give fulcrum and a solid base to every football team are their best centre backs. Defending goals is as crucial as scoring goals in football. Any team consisting of a world class strike force can’t win trophies without a stable and rigid defensive line. Centre backs are at the heart of defensive duties on a football pitch, marking forwards, clearing their lines, and making match-winning tackles and interceptions. But strangely, they are seldom appreciated for their undying efforts, a fact which defenders all over the world have to live with.

We look at some of the most talented and promising centre-backs plying their trade in Europe. These wonder kids might not be in the news as much as other strikers or midfielders (Gotze, Hazard etc), but that doesn’t make them any less talented. Scouting such players was a daunting task considering the huge talent pool, but in the end only the players who are aged 23 or under, at the time of the publishing this article, were short listed for this exclusive young list of best centre backs in the world.

Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)

Nationality: France

The 18-year old Frenchmen is probably the most promising centre-back in the world right now. A product of Ligue 1 side Lens’ football academy, Varane made an astonishing ascend up the footballing ladder from a very tender age. After signing a professional contract with Lens at the age of 16, he made 24 appearances for the first-team and also earned his first few international youth caps.

Lens youth coaches described him as a ‘truly first class player’ who is ‘comfortable on both the tactical and technical level’. His potential captured the attention of Real Madrid in ‘11, who then signed him for a fee reported to be around €10 million. Real’s training facilities and exposure to the senior squad will surely make this French wonder kid into a top defender in the coming years.

Phil Jones (Manchester United)

Nationality: England

Easily the most talented young defender in England, Phil Jones couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to the world. At 19, he is already a first-team player for English champions Manchester United and also has the honor of representing the Three Lions on 3 occasions. Sir Alex Ferguson and Fabio Capello have been full of praise for Jones, describing him as a player ‘born with talent’.

He has played 29 matches for the Red Devils so far this season, fully justifying the £16.5m that was paid to Blackburn Rovers for his signature. The presence of senior members like Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic in the same dressing room has been a huge plus for Jones, who has shown remarkable improvements in a very short span of time.

Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich)

Nationality: Germany

Leading a line of upcoming central defenders in Germany, Holger Badstuber was the youngest defensive member of the German squad in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Although, playing pre-dominantly as left-back back then, Badstuber made a name for himself for his concentration, anticipation and reading of the game. Two years down the line, 22-year old Badstuber is a crucial player in central defense for both club and country. Respected manager Louis van Gaal has named him as the best left-footed defender in Germany. He’ll be an indispensable player for Joachim Löw at the Euros in the summer.

Kyriakos Papadopoulos (Schalke)

Nationality: Greece

This Greek sensation has been in the limelight ever since he burst on to the competitive stage at the age of 15, becoming the youngest ever player to feature in the Greek league. He was snatched from Espanyol’s grasp by his home club Olympiacos in 2007, an event which marked the ascend of a prodigal footballing talent in the country of the Gods.

His performances in the 2007 U19 European Championship were phenomenal, as he helped his team to a runners-up spot, and was included in the team of the tournament alongside other best prodigies in Europe. Papadopoulos signed for German club Schalke in the summer of ’10 and guided his team to the German Cup in his debut season.

Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund)

Nationality: Germany

Another German on the list, the 6 ft 3 inches Hummels has formed one of the most feared defensive partnerships in the world with club teammate Neven Subotic. The 23-year old has also established himself as a regular in the national side, giving some stiff competition to Badstuber and Schalke’s defensive superstar Benedict Howedes.

His towering presence at the heart of defense helped Dortmund to a long overdue league title in 2010/11. Dortmund recorded their best ever defensive record, conceding only 22 goals in the entire Bundesliga season. Known for his composure, hard-tackling and work ethic, Hummels is a world class talent and is poised to make his big money switch to England in the summer.

Mamadou Sakho (Paris Saint-Germain)

Nationality: France

Born and brought up in the French capital, Mamadou Sakho is a product of the PSG youth academy. He is one of the most sought-after defenders in the world right now, attracting interest from European giants Barcelona, Juventus, Milan and Arsenal in the past. Sakho became PSG’s youngest ever captain at the age of 17, also becoming the youngest player ever to lead a side in the French top-flight.

Sakho’s exceptional talent came to the fore last season, as he was awarded the UNFP Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year and was also a part of the UNFP Team of the Year. He has been likened to French legend Lilian Thuram for his leadership skills, tactical prowess and tackling ability.

Chris Smalling (Manchester United)

Nationality: England

Chris Smalling’s meteoric rise from the seventh division in the English football system to the world’s most popular football club is a story worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster. Playing for Maidstone United in the Isthmian Premier League (seventh division), no one could have imagined him sharing the dressing room with Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs in just 4 years time.

After securing an astonishing six division promotion to Fulham in 2008, he made his dream move to Manchester United just two years later. The 22-year old hasn’t looked back since. Smalling has already amassed 55 appearances for United in less than two seasons, becoming a strong contender for starting positions alongside Evans and Phil Jones. He has a bright future ahead of him at Old Trafford and with the England national team.

Nevan Subotic (Borussia Dortmund)

Nationality: Serbia

The £20million-rated Subotic is another hot talent in Europe. The 23-year old has been Nemanja Vidic’s understudy in the Serbian squad for a couple of years and has often been compared to the Manchester United defender for his imposing stature and no-nonsense approach to defending. His club performances for Borussia Dortmund have been nothing short of splendid, playing more than 130 matches for Dortmund in less than 4 seasons. He is physically very strong, possesses great stamina and strength, apart from being very dominant in the air. England beckons for Subotic, but will the Serbian oblige?

Mateo Musacchio (Villarreal)

Nationality: Argentina

A River Plate academy scholar making his way to a big European club is usually a development one associates with a playmaker or a forward. But when a certain 18-year old centre-back moved to a Spanish first division outfit, it was bound to be worthwhile. Musacchio, who was restricted to the B-team in his first season with the Yellow Submarines, started to unwind and unravel his potential last season, making regular starts for the first team, putting in impressive displays and slowly making his name as one of the most talented defenders in the world. His club performances have already earned him 2 international caps for Argentina.

Simon Kjaer (Roma, on loan from Wolfsburg)

Nationality: Denmark

Simon Kjaer is probably the least known out of all the names on this list. The Danish U19 Player of the Year in 2007 has made remarkable strides in a fledgling career. After attracting numerous scouts from England and Italy earlier in his youth career, he decided to sign for Palermo in ’08. His successful stint in Italy lasted two seasons and 65 matches, earning him praise from all quarters.

German side Wolfsburg reportedly out-priced a few big clubs to sign the ’09 Danish Talent of the Year in ’10. After a testing first season, the fire in Kjaer seems to have gone cold. A string of below par performances forced Wolfsburg to send him out on loan to Roma. Kjaer’s inconsistency and poor concentration levels have been getting the better of his huge bag of potential. He’s still pretty young and if he can work upon his shortcomings, he’ll be a top defender in the near future.

Honourable Mentions: Sebastian Coates (Liverpool), Marc Muniesa (Barcelona), Eliaquim Mangala (Porto), Leonel Galeano (Independiente)