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The world’s best defenders will be on display this summer at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The teams with the most stable back lines that avoid making crucial mistakes will be the ones that come the furthest forward.
So what does it take to be one of the best? To me, there are three traits that separate impressive athletes from the best defenders in the world: awareness, positioning and mentality.
Key Traits for Elite Soccer Defenders
I fight for the ball against Holland’s Memphis Depay during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. (Photo by Ayman Aref/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The best attacking players in the world can recognize moments to pounce better than the rest. They see if someone is out of position, if they can time a run perfectly on someone’s back shoulder or identify where there is even the tiniest bit of space that can be exploited. It comes down to football IQ, the ability to recognize a weakness in a split second.
For a defender, you have to be absolutely set and focused every second. A big part of that is communication with the rest of your backline. You need to know where players on your weak side are or when runners are coming from the other side of the field.
When these things are not communicated properly, mistakes will happen and they will likely be punished at the highest level.
The end of the first half for the USA against Senegal is a good example. Antonee Robinson dropped the ball further up the field with the Americans up, 2-0. That led to a counter-attack for Senegal, which ended with a Sadio Mané goal that dampened the tension in what was otherwise a stunning first half.
One mistake and you will be punished by top players.
Many players are very athletic and obviously quite good. You see those guys and think, “Hmm, I wonder what’s missing there.” Then you watch them on the field and see a mistake like I described above and think, “Oh, I get it now.”
You see it all the time when a defender falls asleep at the back post and a forward runs in from their blindside to score. You wonder, “What are you doing?” You must be alert in every moment.
At the highest level, there is simply a smaller margin of error. Being in the right position and knowing where to be can make up for a lot of other deficiencies. You don’t need to be the most athletic defender to be successful if you consistently find yourself in the right spots.
My favorite defenders to watch
The first player is an easy answer for me: Virgil van Dijk.
First of all, I enjoy a central defender who loves to be attacking and score a big goal from set pieces. Van Dijk has scored some massive goals in recent years at club level for Liverpool and will be a threat from corners and free kicks for Holland at the World Cup. His ability to dominate in the air is a valuable skill at both ends of the court – and one that I can relate to and appreciate.
Van Dijk is also very, very intelligent with his positioning. He is very good tactically in terms of making sure he is well positioned. When he gets caught, I think he’s more agile than people give him credit for.
Virgil van Dijk will captain the Netherlands this summer and is one of the best defenders in the world. (Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Hakimi has been so good at club level and for Morocco for most of the last decade. He was a key player during Morocco’s run to the semi-finals at the 2022 World Cup and when the country won a bronze medal at the 2024 Olympics.
The Paris Saint-Germain right-back is known for his attacking prowess with his impressive pace, but he is so solid defensively. He picks the perfect moments to be aggressive but also knows when to keep it simple going forward and while defending.
Of course, it’s easier when you have the physical gifts that Hakimi has. He is one of the fastest players who will be at the World Cup, but he also has impressive size for a full-back.
Few defenders have been as successful at both club and international level as Hakimi, who FOX Soccer ranked as the No. 8 player at the World Cup this summer. I’m surprised his name doesn’t come up more as an elite defender and in conversations about who some of the best in the world are.
