Ranked! The 10 best centre-backs in the world

10. Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham)Alderweireld endured a difficult time at Spurs whilea contract dispute led tohis awkwardbenching. Yet the Belgium international came backwithan excellent World Cup as his country finished third in Russia, and hesoon returned to Mauricio Pochettino'sfirst team despite being heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in the summer. An extension to his contract was triggered, but that only means he can leave for a cut-price fee this summer.Alderweireld is rarely caught out of position and is equally comfortable playing in a back three or back four. He’s a terrific passer too, and is particularly adept at spraying long diagonals out to the flanks.9. Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham)Now into his seventh season as a Tottenham player, Vertonghen has developed into one of the world’s leading centre-backs – and arguably the foremost in the Premier League – over the last couple of years.Alderweireld's team-mate for club and countryis aggressive and an expert at wrestling the ball away from opposition strikers high upfield. He's strong in one-on-one duels and comfortable when forced to defend in wide areas– and the Belgian is also surprisingly adept at left-back, where he put in a stunning display against Borussia Dortmund earlier this season.8. Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)The grizzled Italian stalwart may have turned 34 in August, but he remains one of the standout players in his position. Strong in the tackle and commanding aerially, Chiellini is a wonderful reader of the game and an underrated passer from deep.Juve's defensive stalwart is still a mainstay in theBianconeribackline and will be integral as they look to land a Champions League win for the first time since 1996.7. Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona)Little was known of Umtiti outside his native France before summer 2016, but it didn’t take long for the centre-back to become a household name. Confirmation of his move from Lyon to Barcelona came midway through that year’s European Championship, when the defender turned in a flawless display on his international debut against Iceland in the quarter-finals.Umtiti isn’t the biggest at 6ft tall, but he more than makes up for his lack of height in other areas. Mobile, powerful and quick to anticipate danger, he’s also a good passer and ball-carrier from the heart of the backline. He was a key member of the France side that triumphed to win the World Cup in Russia.6. Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)Godin probably isn’t the type of centre-half who would thrive under Pep Guardiola or Maurizio Sarri, but he’s the perfect fit for Atletico Madrid and Uruguay. While he’s by no means poor in possession – the 32-year-old has shownthat he’s perfectly capable of carrying the ball upfield when the situation demands – Godin is more of an old-fashioned defender than most of his peers on this list.Gritty, rugged and aggressive, the former Villarreal stopper is invariably in the right places at the right times. Blessed with great powers of anticipation, he also has a useful knack for popping up with vital set-piece goals.5. Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City)A classy yet understated operator in the Premier League's finest ever team, Laporte is the atypical Guardiola centre-back: stylish, comfortable in possession and not afraid to put his head where it hurts when things matter.Manchester City run a tight ship in large part thanks to Laporte, who joined them from Athletic Bilbao for £57m in January 2018. An ongoing international dispute– he could beeligible for Spain and France– means he hasn't actually played for either yet, having previously represented Les Bleusat youth level. That will surely change in the near future.4. Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)Ramos won't win too many popularity awards outside of the Bernabeu, and he's slipping down this list now, but it’s tough to dispute his position as one of the best defenders in world football. The Real Madrid captain is still his team’s heartbeat andalways rises to the big occasion, as hedemonstrated duringLos Blancos’ recent monopolisation of the Champions League trophy.His antics may be a turn-off– or hilarious, with that purposeful yellow card against Ajax in mind–but his aerial prowess in both boxes and all-round fighting spirit can only be admired.3. Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli)Napoli may have lost Jorginho to Chelsea in the summer, but they'll have been delighted to keep the rest of their squad intact. Koulibaly is the man they'd have least liked to lose, after the Senegal international proved in 2017/18 that he deserves to be considered among the very best in his position.A commanding figure who’s difficult to get the better of either in the air or in a foot race, Koulibaly is rarely outmanoeuvred by opposition strikers. Most impressive, though, is his ability with the ball at his feet; Koulibaly is a magnificent passer who always manages to keep his cool in possession. He'll be the most in-demand stopper this summer.2. Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)Varane was outstanding at the 2018 World Cup, turning in superb performance after superb performance as France won the tournament for the second time in their history. That followedon from the four Champions Leagueand two La Liga titles he’d previously won – not a bad haul for a player who only turned 25 in April.This season has been less gold-tinged, but Varane is the complete central defender. He reads the game expertly and possesses the recovery speed to cover for team-mates’ mistakes, and he’s adept at stepping into midfield with the ball and setting his side on the attack if needs be too.1. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)Football is a team game and even the most talented individual will struggle to shine if the collective balance of the team isn’t right. Even so, it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that Van Dijk has transformed Liverpool’s defensive fortunes since his move from Southampton in January 2018; where once was a leaky backline that undermined a thrilling strike force now lies the bedrock of a title-challenging team.The Dutchman has never played at an international tournament or won a major trophy outside Scotland, but that doesn't matter right now: he's taken giant strides since his move to Anfield, and is a growing force for his country too. The 27-year-old has everything you’d want in a modern-day centre-back: strength, speed, aerial prowess, leadership qualities and ability on the ball. Five good reasons why he's the most expensive defender of all time.NOW READ...The making of Virgil van Dijk: how Liverpool's rock became the world's best defenderSee also...The 10 best strikers in the worldThe 10 best forwards in the worldThe 10 best central midfielders in the worldThe 10 best goalkeepers in the worldNew features you'd love on FourFourTwo.com