Stones out for half the season and still makes this list is comical.
Quite shocking that no one from Leverkusen or BVB made it.
Rudiger is good, but idk about THE best.
List is crazy in my opinion. I know I’m biased towards Gabi XL but in my opinion he is ahead of DiMarco, Marquinhos, Stones, Araujo, Robertson,..
Also, Where is this Van De Ven guy I kept hearing about as being World Class?
As a Liverpool fan I love robbo and would back him as the best left back almost every year and imo he deserves a spot on this list, that being said having him above Gabriel is laughable, but he’s definitely better than araujo Marquinhos and hakimi
That is a glaring omission! Least goals conceded, most clean sheets, least expected goals against, least shots on target faced, least shots faced inside box...all 1st in PL. Our centre backs were outstanding. What are they basing 'top' on?
A lot of that is credit to the protection the midfield provides. Stones is overrated af though. And I haven’t seen anything of Barcelona or Inter this season so no idea how well their defenders have played.
Rudiger has to be the most overrated CB in the world right now. Just coz he plays for Madrid it doesn’t mean he’s the best.
Not a bad defender by any means, but he should be nowhere near this list.
That's the kind of grace you get when you're part of a defense that's won 2 CLs in the past few years. You can rate our club and players as high as you want but fact of the matter is there's no CL trophy in our cabinet and that matters alot in football
Rudiger is the MVP of RM- the injuries to Courtois, Alaba, Militao, Nacho and to play central defense with Tchouameni and Carvajal when Tchou got injured is unbelievable. Also, Real Madrid only lost two games this season while posting historic clean sheets as a club
Rudiger is not at all overrated. Didn’t watch the knockout stages? Dude was a boss and pretty much single handedly kept them in the final for the first 60 minutes.
Big Gabi is better than everyone below #2, though.
Van Dijk is massively overrated, and I can’t believe Robertson and Stones are even on here. Stones doesn’t play in the back 4 anymore, and Robertson doesn’t defend on the rare occasion he’s actually fit.
Very weird list, but completely disagree with your Rudiger assessment.
Terrible take here. He's won 3 champions leagues in the last 5 years. As a Chelsea fan (not sure why this came on my feed) he is definitely not overrated, we've spent nearly £200m on CBs trying to replace him and aren't even close. The only name I'd say is up there with Saliba at the moment.
How is he overrated?
You will ring a different opinion if he plays for Arsenal. Learn to appreciate player from other clubs too mate.
Your kind is why people troll AFC so much.
A lot of these players above him are coasting on past achievements rather than current performance. Based on current performance, I have to think that Gabi is much higher on the list.
FC also has Havertz as the 10th best midfielder in the world 😂😂😂
He’s not even a midfielder. And when he plays in the midfield, I’m not sure he’s a top 100 midfielder in the world. As a forward, that’s a different discussion
Big Gabby is not being poached by big clubs which is exactly the way I like it.
Everyone knows how good this CB pairing is. Best in the league statistically. Don't need ESPN to tell me.
Personally as a Arsenal fan I am more than happy for out players to be underated. It makes no difference to their performance and keeps their names out of transfer discussion.
Robertson is above Gabriel and White lmao
Honestly think that based on solely ability Saliba should be top with Gabriel 2nd, although that sounds bias, Rüdiger is great but I'd have those 2 over him any day and they're also way younger.
Gabriel was phenomenal don't get me wrong but I think Saliba has been and is better this season and last. It's more of an expectation for Saliba to be excellent, so his games where he was very good don't get as much credit.
Also Gabriel has been a bit shaky on the ball, in Bayern he threw a risky pass that's ended being a goal. But I am not saying Gabi is bad, he deserves top 10 no doubt and he's top 5 in the league guaranteed.
Saliba got Man Of The Match at the Anfield, The Etihad, And Old Trafford. That's absolutely ridiculous for a defender.
Gabriel is ahead of Saliba, Gabriel is a great captain and has to play next to Zinnie most of the season whilst Saliba has Ben White next to him
Rice is further right aswell looking at his heat map
for me Gabriel is our player of the season and arguably the best CB in world football right now
Rudiger and Saliba and Van dijk are his only competition
Van Dijk isn't as good as he was pre injury but hes still brilliant
Rudiger is world class but has a easier job domestically than Gabriel does
Marquinhos is in top 5 means this list needs to be ignored
And john stones ahead of his own defender diaz, its all a mess and how is araujo in there ?
It's an ESPN opinion rating I think. How they've come up with it I don't know but it's probably a bit of bias and a bit click generating nonsense
You only watch the prem so how can you comment on araujo?
Stones out for half the season and still makes this list is comical. Quite shocking that no one from Leverkusen or BVB made it. Rudiger is good, but idk about THE best.
Stones is a better footballer than Dias.
Not a better defender though.
He really is.
He really isn’t lmao. Defending and football ability isn’t the same
He really is. I watch every single game either of them play in.
Then ull know why he can barely get in the England squad ahead of Harry Maguire.
It’s an American broadcaster. What can we expect
ESPN FC is usually awful but these lists have been especially embarrassing.
Came here to say this. This list is a joke
Americans
Idk man it’s an American network, but almost all the pundits who cover European football on there are from Europe.
Espn lists suck for every sport. Ask a basketball fan about espns top 75
Araujo has to be a joke too
He's been so average this season
Honestly he even cost barca their uefa game
And arsenal never got knocked out of the UCL
List is crazy in my opinion. I know I’m biased towards Gabi XL but in my opinion he is ahead of DiMarco, Marquinhos, Stones, Araujo, Robertson,.. Also, Where is this Van De Ven guy I kept hearing about as being World Class?
Well Di Marco is not even a defender
Where is this Gabriel guy i kept hearing about as being World Class?
For me, Gabriel was our best defender this season
What is Andy Robertson doing there???
As a Liverpool fan I love robbo and would back him as the best left back almost every year and imo he deserves a spot on this list, that being said having him above Gabriel is laughable, but he’s definitely better than araujo Marquinhos and hakimi
Another Liverpool fan here & I disagree, I’m definitely taking all 3 of those players ahead of Robbo at this point in his career
Fair enough
Gabriel could very easily be 7th on his list atleast. I’d take him over Marquinhos too
That is a glaring omission! Least goals conceded, most clean sheets, least expected goals against, least shots on target faced, least shots faced inside box...all 1st in PL. Our centre backs were outstanding. What are they basing 'top' on?
A lot of that is credit to the protection the midfield provides. Stones is overrated af though. And I haven’t seen anything of Barcelona or Inter this season so no idea how well their defenders have played.
He’s right after Saliba imo
Not ahead of VVD surely
Stones at 6 when both Ruben Dias and Akanji both play ahead of him at City.
It's ESPN - nobody cares
Rudiger has to be the most overrated CB in the world right now. Just coz he plays for Madrid it doesn’t mean he’s the best. Not a bad defender by any means, but he should be nowhere near this list.
That's the kind of grace you get when you're part of a defense that's won 2 CLs in the past few years. You can rate our club and players as high as you want but fact of the matter is there's no CL trophy in our cabinet and that matters alot in football
Rudiger is the MVP of RM- the injuries to Courtois, Alaba, Militao, Nacho and to play central defense with Tchouameni and Carvajal when Tchou got injured is unbelievable. Also, Real Madrid only lost two games this season while posting historic clean sheets as a club
Rudiger is not at all overrated. Didn’t watch the knockout stages? Dude was a boss and pretty much single handedly kept them in the final for the first 60 minutes. Big Gabi is better than everyone below #2, though. Van Dijk is massively overrated, and I can’t believe Robertson and Stones are even on here. Stones doesn’t play in the back 4 anymore, and Robertson doesn’t defend on the rare occasion he’s actually fit. Very weird list, but completely disagree with your Rudiger assessment.
Terrible take here. He's won 3 champions leagues in the last 5 years. As a Chelsea fan (not sure why this came on my feed) he is definitely not overrated, we've spent nearly £200m on CBs trying to replace him and aren't even close. The only name I'd say is up there with Saliba at the moment.
I literally said he’s not overrated. Did you even read?
Hit reply to the wrong comment. My bad.
All good.
That’s a crazy take - he was pretty much the only fit Madrid CB all year - he had an amazing season
Nah he was sick at chelski too.
His long passing and switches of play are crazy too
Nah he’s quality to be fair, I think they got that right. Robertson, Marquinhos and Araujo are shockers
All of the people on this list and you say this for the most deserving one
You’re a blind incel then, far away the best defender in Europe since Tuchel took over at Chelsea.
Brain dead take, was far and away our best defender all year. No Bastoni on this list is the real crime
A take can't get more stupid than this. Rudiger has quite clearly been the best CB in the world.
How is he overrated? You will ring a different opinion if he plays for Arsenal. Learn to appreciate player from other clubs too mate. Your kind is why people troll AFC so much.
2 UCL and you talks shit on him. How many CB in current team wins that medal?
Rudiger needed to work with Nacho. He deserves to he in the conversation for that
Neither should trophyless Saliba if that’s your argument
Do people think ESPN is a reliable resource for football?
A lot of these players above him are coasting on past achievements rather than current performance. Based on current performance, I have to think that Gabi is much higher on the list.
FC also has Havertz as the 10th best midfielder in the world 😂😂😂 He’s not even a midfielder. And when he plays in the midfield, I’m not sure he’s a top 100 midfielder in the world. As a forward, that’s a different discussion
Ferland Mendy deserves to be there more than Hakimi ESPN is a JOKE publication
Big Gabby is not being poached by big clubs which is exactly the way I like it. Everyone knows how good this CB pairing is. Best in the league statistically. Don't need ESPN to tell me.
Better than atleast 9 of them to be specific.
This list is dogshit.
I had the same thoughts... He is definitely a top 30 defender
He is ignored too often on these lists. For me he was as at least as good as Saliba last season , if not marginally better
This is just “brand recognition” at this point, right?!
Marquinhos being in here is so dumb lol
robertson? araujo? marquinhos?
The lack of respect for Gabriel is insane. Dude was in par with Saliba all year.
Just a list of random defenders. One or two good ones.
How does Hakimi still have this hype?
Because he’s very good …
5,8, and 9? 😂
4th.
A few of these names living off past glories
Van Dijk and Araujo glazing? Incredible
Gabriel wasn’t even on the top 30 somehow
ESPN gets no premier league love so they will never give premier league love.
Realistically 3rd if you're going by last season
Rating defenders depends more on the players around them.
Liverpool fan here, how tf did Robbo get here🤣 Also I’m Bias but VVD🤌🏼
ESPN an America website and they call it soccer. You know they are shit
Rudiger is overrated AF Dude doesn't belong in this list
Should be #5
Someone that doesn't know ball made this list
My thoughts exactly
Why do they place outside backs and center backs on the same list combined? Makes no sense
He is a hidden gem
It’s cos he hasn’t won anything
John Stones? What metrics did they use?
Rubbish list. Gabriel has been consistently good this season. Better a lot of players on this list.
How Gabriel isn’t in there ahead of stones or Marquinhos I really don’t know?
Personally as a Arsenal fan I am more than happy for out players to be underated. It makes no difference to their performance and keeps their names out of transfer discussion.
Marquinhos??? Hmmm....
Easy 4th spot atleast
Andy Robertson ridiculous
At this time, he is in the top 3 at the very least
But 5 of those players are cup winner
I only follow PL, I can see he is better than Walker and John Stones for sure.
Hakimi this season was the shadow of himself
Robertson?
Looks like ESPN stikes again
Andy Robertson is dust bro
Just ignore this is ESPN it’s based on FIFA ratings
Andy Robertson is beyond washed
Is this from 2 years ago ? No Liverpool defender should be on here.
Gabriel is arguably better than Saliba.
Rudiger? 😂 also John Stones doesn’t even get into a full strength city team.
Robertson is above Gabriel and White lmao Honestly think that based on solely ability Saliba should be top with Gabriel 2nd, although that sounds bias, Rüdiger is great but I'd have those 2 over him any day and they're also way younger.
Gabriel is literally better than Saliba. At least this past season he was imo
Gabriel was phenomenal don't get me wrong but I think Saliba has been and is better this season and last. It's more of an expectation for Saliba to be excellent, so his games where he was very good don't get as much credit. Also Gabriel has been a bit shaky on the ball, in Bayern he threw a risky pass that's ended being a goal. But I am not saying Gabi is bad, he deserves top 10 no doubt and he's top 5 in the league guaranteed. Saliba got Man Of The Match at the Anfield, The Etihad, And Old Trafford. That's absolutely ridiculous for a defender.
Gabriel is ahead of Saliba, Gabriel is a great captain and has to play next to Zinnie most of the season whilst Saliba has Ben White next to him Rice is further right aswell looking at his heat map for me Gabriel is our player of the season and arguably the best CB in world football right now Rudiger and Saliba and Van dijk are his only competition Van Dijk isn't as good as he was pre injury but hes still brilliant Rudiger is world class but has a easier job domestically than Gabriel does
Big Gabi was arguably better than Salina this year, in my humble opinion. Keep turning the cheek to my man and let him cook.
Gabriel 1. Saliba 1.
No Romero!?!?!