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Football is all about goals, and more often than not, forwards run away with all the plaudits and attention. However, a strong defence is the backbone of any top team in the world. Defenders provide solidity at the back and give confidence to the attack-minded players to go out and express themselves.
With their roles changing, defenders are often contributing to attacks as well, with top teams now having flying full-backs to get up and down the wing. Teams like Liverpool, Manchester City and Bayern Munich have all utilised this brilliantly in the past few seasons.
With ever-increasing attention on the top defenders in the world, we take a look at the 5 most valuable defenders in world football at the moment in terms of their transfer market value.
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Values courtesy - Transfermarkt
#5 Raphael Varane (Real Madrid) - €64 million
Sergio Ramos might be the one on whom all the attention is usually focused on, but Ramos's centre-back partner Raphael Varane is arguably the most complete defender in LaLiga this season. Extremely quick and excellent technically, Varane has been ever present at the heart of Madrid's defence in the last few seasons.
Having already made 36 appearances for Los Blancos this season, Varane is one of manager Zinedine Zidane's most trusted players. Still only 27, the Frenchman already has a wealth of experience and is on course to become one of the greatest centre-backs of the modern era.
With LaLiga's title race going down to the wire this season, Zidane will be hoping that the World Cup winner continues his good form and remains injury free. Having already won multiple league titles and European Cups at Madrid, Varane will be looking to add more and more trophies to his already storied career.
#4 Andrew Robertson (Liverpool) - €64 million
Jurgen Klopp has really transformed Liverpool into one of the best sides in world football at the moment and much of the credit for the Reds' stunning transformation goes to their flying full-backs, Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Signed from relegated Hull City in 2017, the Scotland captain has gone from strength to strength and is one of the first names on the team sheet for Liverpool.
Having already got 7 assists in the Premier League this season, Robertson is not only excellent going forward but is also very adept defensively. Tenacious, gritty, determined and full of running, Robertson's pace and incisiveness have added another dimension to Liverpool's attack and his strong positioning skills have helped Liverpool become extremely solid defensively.
Having already won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup in the last 2 years, the 26-year-old left-back is on course to add the much awaited Premier League title this season.
#3 Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus) - €67.50 million
Rising to fame as the supremely talented captain of the exciting 2018-19 Ajax side, Matthijs de Ligt secured a big money move to Serie A giants Juventus at the start of this season. Initially struggling to settle into the demands of manager Maurizio Sarri, De Ligt has slowly grown into the role and has started performing more consistently in recent matches.
Tall, powerful and a huge threat in the air, the Dutch international is blessed with excellent physical attributes and strength which make him an extremely adept centre-back. Similar stylistically to Barcelona legend Gerard Pique, De Ligt has slowly started forming a powerful partnership with Leonardo Bonucci at Juventus.
Known for his accurate passing, the 20-year-old centre-back can also build play from the back and maintain possession, making him the archetypal modern ball playing centre-back. With plenty of time on his side, Matthijs de Ligt can grow to become an extremely important player for both Juventus and the Dutch national team.
#2 Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) - €88 million
Liverpool's rock in central-defence, Virgil van Dijk has almost single-handedly transformed Liverpool to one of the strongest defensive sides in Europe at the moment. Coming in for a mammoth fee of £75 million, Van Dijk has proved to be worth every penny, and starred in the Merseyside giants' Champions League triumph last season.
Calm, composed and collected on the ball, the 28-year-old Dutch international is one of the best readers of the game. Coming in second place in the Ballon d'Or rankings in 2019, Van Dijk has received praise from every corner, including Argentine maestro Lionel Messi.
When asked about Van Dijk's abilities, the Argentine responded:
"He is a defender who knows how to judge his timing and wait for the right moment to challenge or jockey [the attacker]. He is very fast and big, but he has a lot of agility for his height. He is fast because of its [sic] great stride, and he is impressive both in defence and attack because he scores lots of goals."
Despite the presence of a number of world class players in the Liverpool side, Van Dijk is arguably the most important player of the would-be Premier League champions.
#1 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) - €99 million
With 3 of the top 5 most valuable defenders in the ranks of Liverpool, it is easy to see why they have dominated the Premier League this season. While the likes of Salah, Mane and Firmino rightly get all the plaudits for their wonderful attacking displays, the Liverpool backline consisting of Van Dijk, Robertson and Alexander-Arnold has played a crucial role in making them champions-in-waiting.
Having a ridiculous 12 assists already in the Premier League, Alexander-Arnold is pioneering the role of a modern full back with his wonderful attacking runs and incisive passing. An amazing set-piece taker as well, the 21-year-old is quickly establishing himself as one of the best full-backs the game has ever seen.
Blessed with immense maturity, a level head on his shoulders and incredible passing range, Alexander-Arnold has been absolutely sensational for Liverpool in the last 2 years. He will be hoping to continue his good form for the remainder of the season.
