5 best ball-playing centre-backs in football right now
An expansive style of play is the go-to routine for many clubs right now and the effectiveness of a possession-based game is being explored on a large scale once again. As such, there has arisen a need to find players with good technical ability to build teams around.
One of the most important parts of such teams are ball playing centre-backs. In order to keep a hold of the ball, teams start building right from the back and a central defender who can keep it away from the pressing attackers and distribute it wisely and get the team going is of utmost importance.
On that note, let's take a look at the 5 best ball-playing centre-backs in the game right now.
#5 Sergio Ramos
The Real Madrid captain is often lauded for his physicality than his other attributes. Sergio Ramos is definitely someone you don't want to be up against in a 50-50 situation but that doesn't take anything away from his technical ability on the ball.
Ramos is an excellent passer of the ball. In the La Liga this term, he averaged 62 passes per match and registered a pass completion rate of 91%. Sergio Ramos plays a lot of forward passes and makes sure Real Madrid progress the ball through the lines instead of getting static at the back.
Ramos is perhaps the best attacking-defender in the world right now, if we could use such a term. Sergio Ramos was also Real Madrid's second top scorer this season, scoring a whopping 11 goals.
#4 Gerard Pique
Gerard Pique has had an illustrious career and he continues to be Barcelona's go-to man at the back even at the age of 33. Pique has been able to play with some of the best defenders and midfielders the world has ever seen and that has clearly rubbed off on him.
Pique is excellent at passing the ball out from the back and getting Barcelona shift into attack. He is not one to panic on the ball and distributes it with aplomb. Pique averages 78 passes per game and he completes 92% of his attempted passes.
Pique has been Barcelona's main man at the back ever since Carle Puyol called it a day and the Cules are going to have a tough time trying to find a replacement for the Spaniard. Pique has been a complete defender and such players are difficult to come by.