Wayne Rooney anafikiri Mchezaji wa Manchester United Chris Smalling ni Beki bora duniani.....Je ni kweli
Chris Smalling (right) has enjoyed a brilliant start to the season at the heart of Manchester United's defence
Red Devils captain Wayne Rooney has hailed Smalling as one of the 'top three centre-halves in the world'
10. Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal and France)
If
Arsenal are to finally end their wait for Premier League glory, rock
solid defence will be essential and Koscielny will be an important cog
in the machine.
The
Frenchman's game has matured over the last few years into world class
ability and, on their day, Koscielny and defensive partner Per
Mertesacker are pretty much unbeatable.
It
could be a big season for the 30-year-old, who will round it off by
playing for his country in a home European Championships.
Arsenal will hope Laurent Koscielny (right) can maintain his form if they are to win the Premier League title
9. Gerard Pique (Barcelona and Spain)
Pique
is 28 and has already won everything the game has to offer - the World
Cup, a European Championship, four Champions Leagues and much, much
more.
He
has been a rock at the heart of Barcelona's defence since returning to
Barcelona from Manchester United, helping them build and sustain an
incredible period of success.
His
devotion to the Barca cause is proven by his anti-Real Madrid
sentiments, which have led to him being jeered by some Spain fans when
on international duty.
Gerard Pique's (right) honours include three Champions League titles during his time at Barcelona to date
8. Vincent Kompany (Manchester City and Belgium)
If
City go on to build a dynasty of success in the Premier League, their
fans will always reflect on the importance of Kompany, arguably the best
defender playing in England for some time.
In
an eventful few seasons, Kompany has been a rock of reliability in
City's back line, helping them to win two Premier League titles, the FA
Cup and the League Cup.
At
the age of 29, all that remains is for Kompany to help City crack the
Champions League and enable Belgium's 'Golden Generation' to achieve
their potential at Euro 2016.
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany (right) tackles United's Anthony Martial during Sunday's 0-0 draw
7. Raphael Varane (Real Madrid and France)
22-year-old
Varane has already achieved a lot in his young career and could well be
a mainstay of the Real Madrid defence for years to come.
Jose
Mourinho was the man who invested faith in him, helping his game
develop, and this continued under Carlo Ancelotti as Real won the
Champions League.
With plenty of time on his side, Varane should mature into a world class centre-half.
22-year-old Raphael Varane (right) is set to be the cornerstone of Real Madrid's defence for years to come
6. Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus and Italy)
Did
Chiellini's absence through injury cause Juventus to lose last season's
Champions League final to Barcelona? We'll never know, but his value to
the Italian giants is not in doubt.
Bringing
a wealth of experience and knowhow to the backline, the 31-year-old is
among the world's best and if he shows the same longevity as other
Italian defenders have, will remain so for some time yet.
Chiellini has four Serie A titles to his credit in addition to many other accolades, both team and individual.
Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini's (centre) tough-tackling approach makes him a daunting for attackers
5. Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund and Germany)
The
defender endlessly linked with Manchester United and viewed for a long
time as the natural successor to Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.
That
hasn't come to pass but Hummels remains vital to one of Europe's best
clubs in any case. He shone when Dortmund were at the peak of their
powers under Jurgen Klopp, winning two Bundesliga titles and helping
them to the final of the Champions League.
The German is also a World Cup winner - little wonder he's coveted by the best teams in the world.
World Cup winner Mats Hummels will be hoping to captain Borussia Dortmund to success this season
4. Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid and Uruguay)
Any
team trying to shake up the status quo in football needs to have solid
foundations and Uruguayan defender Godin was precisely that for Diego
Simeone's Atletico Madrid.
When
he joined in 2010, Godin could have had little idea of the journey that
was to follow - a La Liga title success in 2014, the same year they
reached the final of the Champions League, a game in which he scored.
Godin is also captain of his national team and has amassed nearly a century of caps for Uruguay.
Diego Godin (left) development at Atletico Madrid has been substantial - helping them win La Liga in 2014
3. Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid and Spain)
Another
player Manchester United were keen to sign over the summer and, given
his pedigree for both club and country, who can blame them?
A
World Cup winner with Spain in 2010, Ramos added the European
Championship in 2012. They were the highlights of his astonishing 130
international caps all by the age of 29.
Domestically, Ramos has three La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys, the Champions League and Club World Cup in his trophy cabinet.
Like Hummels, Real captain Sergio Ramos has been strongly linked with a move to United
2. Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich and Germany)
Yes,
he was embarrassed by Lionel Messi last season but, let's be honest,
that happens to every defender. It shouldn't detract from the fact
Boateng is one of the world's foremost defenders.
Bayern's
dominance of German football doesn't happen by accident and the German
World Cup-winner is vital to their back line being so miserly.
Regarded
as the form team in Europe right now, surely it is a matter of time
before Boateng adds a second Champions League winners medal to his
collection.
Jerome Boateng has developed into the one of the world's best centre backs during his time at Bayern Munich
1. Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil)
He
may have had a slightly convoluted route to the top - arriving at PSG
via Juventude, Porto, Dynamo Moscow, Fluminense and Milan - but Thiago
Silva is the best at his craft right now.
The Brazil captain brings just about every defensive attribute to the table and even a few attacking ones as well.
He
also has the accolades to back it up, winning league titles with Milan
and PSG, and frequently making dream teams at tournaments.
Thiago Silva's strength, pace and positional awareness are just some of his standout qualities as a defender
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