Top 5 defenders in the world at the moment

#1 Virgil van Dijk - Liverpool FC

Virgil Van Dijk has established himself as the best defender in the world

Winner of the UEFA European Player of the Year (the first defender to win the award since they began in 2011), one of the finalists for the FIFA Men's Best Player Award, and one of the frontrunners for the Balon d'Or. Virgil van Dijk is not only the best defender in the world, but is arguably one of the top 3 players in the world since the beginning of 2018.

Since Liverpool bought him for a then-record fee for a defender (£75 million), van Dijk has made the Liverpool defence one of the best in Europe and helped his team to two successive Champions League finals and second place in the Premier League.

Since the beginning of last season, van Dijk went a record 55 games without being dribbled past and established himself as the most dominant centre back in world football. This season, the Dutchman has dropped off a bit, but he still averages an astonishing 5.5 aerial duels won per game while completing almost 90% of his passes, alongside 5 clearances per game.

The former Southampton man is physically intimidating and it could be argued that he's got no glaring weaknesses to his game. He is adept at passing the ball, his speed is almost as devastating as his prowess in the air, and his positioning is perhaps the best in the world. Despite the fact that his recent performances have not matched his own lofty standards, no one can displace van Dijk at the top of this list.