"The best centre-backs in the world can often do the least amount of work in the team. You've certainly heard it said that Virgil van Dijk and William Saliba, for example, simply use their aura to defend: and with Paolo Maldini famously credited with saying, If I have to tackle, I have already made a mistake, much of defending these days is about reading as it is reacting."
"We asked our hive mind to pick players not just based on their current ability yes, go for who's having a great season but also their pedigree over the past 12-18 months, along with historic achievement, since the prestigious title of being the best on Earth isn't something that should be assigned to any old flash in the pan. Treat yourself to your favourite World Cup 2026 shirt"
Elite centre-backs frequently minimize physical interventions by reading the game and using positional authority rather than frequent tackling. Selection combined reading and reacting attributes with current form, 12–18 month pedigree, and historic achievement to evaluate players. An expert panel of writers, analysts and experts ranked players across positions, creating a longlist exceeding 50 before reducing it to 20. Statistical metrics across Europe's top five leagues — including aerial duels won, tackles won and percentage of dribblers tackled — awarded minimal points for leaders, influencing the final competitive rankings separated by narrow point margins.
Read at www.fourfourtwo.com
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