One marshals the Real Madrid defence, the other Barcelona's. One is a traditional country boy who raises horses on his estate, the other an internet sensation with an active Twitter account and a thriving online business. One is the poster boy of Madrid and Spain, the other a vocal advocate of independence for Catalonia.
Yet, quality wise, it is hard to separate one from the other. Two of the best defenders Spanish football has ever seen, a debate on deciding the better among Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique arguably settles the dispute for the best defender in the world.
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For once, let us set aside all their differences off the pitch, and put the duo under the microscope to examine the qualities they bring, on it. It will certainly be a never ending debate, but here is a comparison between Pique and Ramos to help identify who the better player really is.
Physical Attributes – Pace, Height, Strength, Physicality
Taller than Ramos (6 ft) at 6'4", Pique is notably one of the only tall players in a Barca side packed with diminutive technical players. However, with around 75 kgs packed in his relatively short stature, Ramos boasts a slightly stockier frame and indeed exhibits more physicality due to the natural style of his game.
Pace wise there is no comparison – Ramos is one of the fastest defenders in the world, and with the exception of a certain Arjen Robben (who is, of course, quite fast himself) in the 2014 WC, not many players have been known to expose Ramos for pace.
In fact, in that very foot race, the Madrid defender was clocked at 30.6 km/hr – only to watch helplessly as Robben recorded the fastest speed ever by a footballer at 37 km/hr. Pique, while he isn't a slouch himself, loses out quite emphatically to Ramos in this department.
Defending and Discipline
One of the very first questions a neutral would counter you with, upon being asked who is better between Ramos and Pique, is: "Are you asking for the better defender or the better player overall?" A fundamental reason for this line of questioning is, of course, Ramos' dodgy disciplinary record. With 21 red cards till date for Real, not to mention the regular flurry of yellow cards, Ramos is not the player to have on your team if your goal is to pick up fair play awards.
In terms of purely defensive attributes, Pique has the edge. A better reader of the game, the Barcelona defender overcomes his lack of pace with crucial interceptions and fair well-timed tackles.
Being mentored by Carles Puyol has had a considerable influence on Pique's game. As a result, he has developed more intelligence, discipline and better positional play. While both have identical numbers in terms of tackles per game – 1.7 – Pique has recorded more blocks (0.7) per game than Ramos (0.5).
Quality on the ball and passing
Refined by La Masia culture, Pique is as comfortable a defender as they come on the ball. However, when it comes to dribbling skills, Ramos outshines most defenders in the world. In La Liga 2016-17, Ramos has attempted 0.2 dribbles per game with a 100% success rate, whereas Pique has a success rate of 75% at 0.4 attempted dribbles per game.
When it comes to short metronomic passing, the Barcelona man definitely has the edge. His passing style, in tune with the Barcelona way of playing, is better suited for quick, crisp passing to feet. This season, Pique has played an average of 70.2 passes per game with a short pass success rate of 93.08%, whereas his Real Madrid counterpart has played 60.1 passes with a success rate of 92.66%.
However, Ramos excels at long passes. Having been part of a counter-attacking side for the best part of a decade under different managers, the 30-year-old's range of passing is perfect for instigating the lightning fast counter attacks that Real Madrid thrive on.
Ramos pulls off 0.3 successful key passes per game, bettering Pique at 0.2. He betters the Barcelona defender at long pass success percentage as well, with 69.88% against Pique’s 66.05%.
Threat in opposition box, set pieces (shooting)
Not many disputes here. As many headers as Pique has scored, Ramos' fame as a threat in the opposition box is the stuff of legends. While Ramos has amassed a tally of 70 goals at club level and 10 goals at the international level, Pique’s numbers pale in comparison – 40 goals at club level and 5 at international level.
Not just headers, any loose ball in the penalty area from a set piece situation interests Ramos – for a defender, he is quite good at getting a clean strike on the ball. (Yes, we have all seen his penalty vs Bayern Munich – but it's fair to say that doesn’t happen too often!)
With a penchant for scoring late winners in crucial matches, the Real Madrid ace can be quite dangerous when in charge of set pieces – as he reminded everyone in May 2014 with a peach of a free kick against Valladolid.
Honours and Accolades
Ultimately, to settle such contests, we have to go by the numbers, the prizes, the honours. There is no other impartial way to set apart two defensive talents who will go down in history as legends for their respective clubs.
La Liga Best Defender of the Season
Pique (2009-10)Ramos (2011-12, 12-13, 13-14, 14-15)
UEFA Team of the Year
Pique (2010,11,12,15,16)Ramos (2008,12,13,14,15,16)
FIFA FIFPro World XI
Pique (2010,11,12,16)Ramos (2008,11,12,13,14,15,16)
As Captain Fantastic of Real Madrid, and currently Spain, we would have to go with Sergio Ramos as our final pick – for the undying spirit he brings to the game, his leadership qualities and never say die attitude, and the ability to drag his team to success with quality at both ends of the pitch.
Starting from his Spanish identity as opposed to Catalan, the answer to who Spain's best defender is must rest on Ramos – without the slightest hint of disrespect to Pique.
