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The art of defending is underappreciated in the world of football. Keeping the many world class forwards at bay is not an easy task, especially when one mistake could cost the team the game. Defending is not everyone's cup of tea and as such, there are not too many world-class defenders around right now.
But when one throws in discipline in the mix, the odds are further narrowed. Defending is extremely hard on its own, but defending while also ensuring minimal fouls and booking is a nightmare and very few defenders in the world possess that skill. Ask Sergio Ramos - who has eleven yellow cards and one red from 39 games already this season!
Thankfully, there are still a few elegant defenders around who show tremendous restrain on the field and yet manage to get the job done too.
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Today, we take a look at the 5 most disciplined defenders in the world based on this season's statistics.
#5 Giorgio Chiellini (Italy, Juventus)
Giorgio Chiellini is the defensive rock that the Juventus team is built upon. He joined Juventus from Fiorentina almost 14 years ago in 2005 and has consistently been one of the best defenders in the world in recent times. Chiellini is another classy defender to come out of Italy and his emergence has been in line with the country's legacy of producing fine defenders for decades.
Off the field, the Italian is a gentleman and his gracefulness is depicted even in the way he maintains himself on the field. He rarely lunges into tackles, preferring instead to use his wit, presence of mind and exceptional defensive skills to work his way out of trouble. The Juventus defender is also a great passer of the ball and excels in intercepting opposition play.
This season, the defender has been in fine form for his club, having used his skills well to ensure that Juventus are always protected at the back.
Chiellini has received only 3 yellow cards from 28 games played - 1 in the champions league and 2 in the Serie A. The Italian as committed an average of just 0.7 fouls per game in the Champions League and 0.5 fouls per game in the Serie A. He is one of the cleanest defenders in world football this season.
#4 Angelo Ogbonna (Italy, West Ham United)
The Italian has not been a regular feature in the West Ham team this season, but when on field, Angelo Ogbonna has done a stellar job. However, what makes it more impressive is that he has managed to be extremely disciplined in his job in the Premier League, FA Cup as well as the League Cup.
Ogbonna is a big presence in the central defense for the Hammers, but the defender is actually quite composed in his job.
He does not dive into tackles and rarely gives away fouls. It is not a wonder then, that he has received just one yellow card from 24 appearances from all competitions this season. Ogbonna is also good when going forward, he has already scored three goals and registered one assist so far.
This season, the Italian is averaging just 0.7 fouls per game in the Premier League, and is the fourth most disciplined defender in the world.
#3 Conor Coady (England, Wolverhampton Wanderers)
The 26-year-old has a very wise head on his shoulders. Connor Coady is a picture of calm in the heart of the Wolves defense and has been one of the reasons for their form this season. He has received six cards from 37 games this season, but is a player who is quite disciplined on the field.
The Englishman's strongest abilities are his passing range. He is extremely comfortable on the ball and has a tendency to initiate attacks from the deep with his accurate long balls. He also likes to shoot from distance. One of his biggest strengths while defending is his ability to stay grounded. The English defender rarely goes all out in challenges and prefers to use his skills to win the ball back without giving away a foul.
In the Premier League, Coady has an average of just 0.2 fouls per game in his 30 appearances and as such, is the third most disciplined defender in the world right now.
#2 Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands, Liverpool)
The Dutchman has changed the fortunes of Liverpool ever since joining the club and is one of the best defenders in the world right now. Virgil van Dijk is a leader at the back that Liverpool have lacked in recent times. The Dutchman's presence allows Klopp to stick to his ultra attacking tactics, as the Merseyside club chase their first Premier League title.
Van Dijk is a warrior on the pitch, a fighter who is extremely strong in the air and has wonderful ability to read the game ahead of him. He stations himself accordingly and ensures that very little get past him on the pitch. And he rarely lunges into tackles. But van Dijk does not just defend, he is also a threat in the opposition box during set pieces, where his heading ability comes in handy. He has already scored four goals and assisted three times from 38 appearances this season.
The Dutchman’s discipline is also one of his strong points. Van Dijk has just one yellow card from 31 appearances in the league and four from 38 games in all competitions. He has averaged just 0.4 fouls per game in the Premier League this season.
#1 Leonardo Bonucci (Italy, Juventus)
The Italian has been massive for Juventus ever since he returned from AC Milan and together with Chiellini, has formed a formidable partnership at the back for the Old Lady. They have lost just one game in the league this season, and just five in total in all competitions.
Bonucci is an extremely talented ball playing defender who reads the game superbly from the back. It is from here that he sends in long balls into the path of his forwards. He is an effective contributor from the back - the Italian has already scored twice and also has a couple of assists to his name.
He is always on the lookout for the runs of his forwards, but is rarely caught off guard when the opposition come calling. As such, he does not dive into tackles at every chance, but uses his wisdom and experience to always maintain his position well.
This season, the Italian has averaged a mere 0.3 fouls per game in the Serie A and 0.5 fouls per game in the Champions league. He has picked up just one card from 32 appearances in all competition and is the most disciplined central defender in the world at the moment.
