Top 5 centre-backs in world football right now

Football in modern times has changed. A decade earlier, football was more about going forward and scoring goals. But modern football brings with it a much-needed change that defenders can win games too, not just by preventing the opposition from scoring, but by being the target men during corners and other set pieces.

This season has seen the rise of defenders, especially central defenders, in the game.

Today we take a look at the top 5 centre-backs, who are helping their teams to glory, as our footballing season is entering the business end.

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#5 Marquinhos (PSG)

Manchester United v Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League Round of 16: First Leg

Brazilian defender Marquinhos, who plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain, is 5th in this list. The 24-year-old, who can also play as a right-back, has spent the majority of his time on the field this season partnering Thiago Silva in the central defence.

PSG have conceded just 15 goals in 26 matches in Ligue 1 this season. Besides providing stability to the backline, Marquinhos has also scored 3 goals.

The departure of David Luiz to Chelsea in 2016 proved beneficial for Marquinhos as he was deployed as a centre-back from his usual right-back spot. Since then the Brazilian has only gotten better at his new role in the centre of the defence.

What separates him from other top defenders in France and all over the world is his agility and pace, which many central defenders lack. With forwards having phenomenal pace these days, both with and without the ball, speed is a great trait to have in a defender.

Marquinhos, who has been capped 29 times by Brazil, joined PSG from Roma in 2013 and has already won four league titles with the French giants.

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#4 Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli)

There is no doubt that Kalidou Koulibaly is one of the most sought after defenders in the world right now. He has been a constant transfer target for English giants such as Manchester United and Chelsea, but the defender has time and again expressed his loyalty towards his present club Napoli.

Koulibaly, who has been a monster in Napoli's own half for the past couple of seasons, has been in great form in the present campaign too, with the Italian club conceding just 20 goals in 26 Serie A games.

The Senegalese's strength is one of the major factors which makes him almost unbeatable in the Napoli penalty area. It also gives his team an edge during corners and set pieces. Most of the strong centre-backs lack pace due to strength being their major attribute, but Koulibaly is an exception. He can challenge Serie A's top attackers like Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala when it comes to speed.

#3 Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus)

Leonardo Bonucci is one of those defenders, who has only gotten better with age. The 31-year-old Italian, who left Juventus for a short stint with AC Milan last season, returned to the Italian champions at the start of the season and has been splendid for them.

His strong partnership with fellow Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini has only helped Juventus to have a strong defensive core for the past decade or so, which has seen many legendary European teams visit the Turin club, and leave empty-handed as they were unable to breach the Bonucci-Chiellini defensive partnership.

Bonucci's aggression is one of his biggest attributes which separates him from the other top defenders. It is always intimidating to play against an aggressive defender who is stern on not letting anyone go past him.

Although he is not getting any younger, Bonucci has been consistently performing for Juventus and doesn't look like stopping for many more seasons to come.

#4 Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)

Real Sociedad v Club Atletico de Madrid - La Liga

Although Barcelona are currently atop the Spanish league table, Atletico Madrid definitely are the best defensive team in La Liga this season. They have conceded just 17 times in 26 league games this season, while Barcelona and Real Madrid have let in 25 and 31 goals respectively. The reason behind Atletico's solid defence is the Uruguayan wall named Diego Godin.

The club captain has been marshalling Atletico's backline for years now and despite being 33 years old, the defender's form has not dipped one bit. Godin is also a handful in the opposition's penalty area, with the centre-back scoring 3 goals in the ongoing campaign.

Godin might just be the reason why Lionel Messi led FC Barcelona will not run away with the title this season as Atletico Madrid are more than capable of bridging the seven-point gap between them and the Catalan giants by the end of the season.

#1 Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Everton FC v Liverpool FC - Premier League

The top spot definitely goes to Virgil van Dijk, who has totally revamped Liverpool's defence since joining the Reds from Southampton in January 2018.

The Dutch centre-back is a beast on the field. Liverpool, who have always been criticised for having a poor defence, have found their new talisman to guide the team into a bright future.

Van Dijk-led Liverpool defence have conceded just 15 goals in 29 games this season in the most competitive league in the world - the English Premier League. Liverpool's defensive tally is the best in Europe, tied with French champions PSG.

Van Dijk's height gives him the much-needed advantage over the opposition players, both in the Liverpool penalty area and in the opposition box, resulting in him scoring 3 goals for the Merseyside giants in the present campaign.

The Dutch centre-back should definitely be the player of the season for Liverpool if they manage to win the Premier League.

Edited by Samya Majumdar