The best centre-backs left at Euro 2024 ranked
Euro 2024 has reached the semi-final stage and the tension levels will only go up from here.
We’ve already seen some close games in the knockout stages so far, with all four remaining nations battling their way to this point. France are yet to concede a non-penalty goal, but only made it past Belgium and Portugal with a 1-0 own-goal win and a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw, respectively. Spain, meanwhile, have earned the right to play Les Bleus with a 4-1 win over Georgia followed by a 2-1 extra-time victory over hosts Germany.
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On the other side of the draw, the Netherlands beat Romania 3-0 in the round of 16 before a manic 2-1 win against a Turkey side who seemed to have forgotten to bring the handbrake to the tournament. They will face an England side that offensively, haven’t got going yet and needed penalties to beat Switzerland after a 1-1 draw, following on from a 2-1 last-16 win over Slovakia in extra-time. But that all came after one goal conceded and two clean sheets in the group stage.
With all that in mind, it’s safe to say those at the heart of the defence have proven vital already and will continue to do so to an even bigger extent during these final stages. Each remaining nation has at least one elite centre-back to call upon but who are the very best?
Here are the top five remaining centre-backs at Euro 2024.
5. Marc Guehi
- Country: England
One of the biggest issues Gareth Southgate looked like he’d face heading into Euro 2024 was finding a viable partner for John Stones. As it turns out, it’s been at the other end of the field where he’s had to work to find solutions. That’s largely thanks to the form of Marc Guehi who has not only slotted into England’s backline, but been the standout player in it.
The Crystal Palace man has shown great composure on the ball, while on the ground, he’s been one of the best defenders at the tournament among those still remaining with seven ground duels won and 20 ball recoveries — the latter more than any of the other remaining seven regular starting centre-backs.
Guehi has, surprisingly, looked more decisive with his passes than Stones, who has often laboured in possession and took far too many touches (and seconds) to pick his passes.
There have been a couple of nervous mistakes, which is not too surprising for someone playing in his first major tournament, but he’s made up for them every time. The 23-year-old has proven he’s more than cut out for this level and provided a solution to what could have been a really serious issue for Southgate.
4. Aymeric Laporte
- Country: Spain
Centre-back had the potential to be a problem position for Spain as well, with doubts over what sort of form Aymeric Laporte would bring to the tournament after playing in Saudi Arabia for the past 11 months.
Well, there was no need to worry. Laporte is first among all semi-final defenders at Euro 2024 for passes completed per 90 minutes (76.7) and first among semi-final centre-backs for final third passes completed (18.52). He’s lost none of the ball-playing grace and precision that made him such an important acquisition for Manchester City back in the day.
But Laporte has got involved in his fair share of defending as well, averaging 4.17 clearances and 1.57 aerial duels won per 90, with the former the third-highest of any player among the final four teams.
Spain have conceded just two goals this summer and there’s no doubt the experience and quality of Laporte has been key to their defensive stability.
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3. Stefan de Vrij
- Country: Netherlands
A couple of nagging injuries hindered Stefan de Vrij somewhat for Inter last season, restricting him to just 17 starts and 25 overall appearances in Serie A. However, there’s a reason that whenever he was fit, he was played and he’s shown us all during Euro 2024.
The 32-year-old has come up with some truly heroic blocks and interventions inside the Dutch box, while his positioning has been second to none. He’s just in the right place at the right time, exactly when the Netherlands need him.
Among centre-backs still at the tournament, De Vrij ranks first for tackles (11) and second for aerial duels won (13). However, it’s not as much about the volume of defending — and to be fair, the Dutch backline has been busy — as it is the manner of it. He’s used all his years of experience to, as mentioned, make sure he’s in the right spot for a cross or to shepherd a forward out of a dangerous area.
2. Virgil van Dijk
- Country: Netherlands
Of course, De Vrij is helped by lining up alongside the man mountain that is Virgil van Dijk.
For Liverpool, Van Dijk has been known more as a centre-back who operates with speed and grace, providing a platform on the ball while just cruising through his defensive work to make elite-level strikers look amateur. Obviously, he’s still done that Euro 2024 with a 90.24% pass completion rate and the second-highest number of long passes completed (18) of any defender left at the tournament.
But it has to be said that Van Dijk has also been unafraid of partaking in a little of the dark arts. In fact, the 33-year-old has committed more fouls (12) than any other player at Euro 2024 this summer, while nobody has won more aerial duels.
For context, Virgil van Dijk played every single minute of Liverpool's 2019/20 title-winning Premier League campaign and only committed 16 fouls…
He only committed 12 during the entire 2018/19 Premier League season. 😳 https://t.co/S9a5Opy1QJ
— Squawka (@Squawka) July 6, 2024
Van Dijk was particularly impressive during Oranje’s quarter-final battle with Turkey, in which he won more duels (7) and aerial duels (6) than any other player, while also posting match-highs for clearances (7) and recoveries (3).
I guess there really is no limit to what Van Dijk can do.
1. William Saliba
- Country: France
It was already one of the mysteries of international football that William Saliba couldn’t get a start for France given how immense he’s been for Arsenal over the past couple of seasons. Didier Deschamps just didn’t fancy him. But taking his performances at Euro 2024 into consideration, it’s now almost impossible to believe that was ever conceivable, let alone a reality.
Saliba has the best passing accuracy (96.82%) of any defender still at the tournament and has made sure that France have at least been dominant in possession in every game they’ve played, even if their offensive unit continues to malfunction.
But it’s at the back where Saliba has been most important. Nobody has been involved in more clean sheets at Euro 2024 than Saliba (4), who has been the cornerstone of a French defence that has conceded just one goal at the tournament so far, and even that was a retaken Robert Lewandowski penalty.
Like De Vrij, Saliba’s work hasn’t really been about volume. Rather, it’s been his pace across the ground, excellent positioning and flawless reading of the game that have combined to make him nigh on impossible to beat.
French supporters will have been particularly worried about the form of Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano going into this tournament. However, he’s been absolutely fine and that is largely thanks to having the totemic, unflappable Saliba next to him.
