5 of the fastest defenders in the world right now
The foundations of great football teams are laid in defence. If a team is successful in keeping balls out of their own net, the job is half done. A consistent set of defenders can provide stability to the side, enabling the rest of the players to focus on the goalscoring side of things.
A good defender is supposed to have quite a few essential skills in his repertoire. He ought to be good at one-on-one duels, possess a fair amount of strength and also be brave. He shouldn't shy away from traffic and always be committed to winning the ball back or clearing the danger for his side.
One auxiliary attribute that defenders will hugely benefit from having is pace. Even if a player is beaten, if he has the legs to keep up with the attacker, he is never taken out of the game. On that note, let's take a look at five of the fastest defenders in the world right now.
#5 Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United)
Lovingly called Spiderman for his flexibility and agility by Manchester United fans, Aaron Wan-Bissaka is one of the best in the world at one-on-one defending. Not only is the 23-year-old a robust defender but he is also a very intelligent player who knows exactly how to time his tackles.
While his long legs help him poke the ball away from the attacker's feet, it's Wan-Bissaka's speed that renders him a nightmare to go up against. Even the most skilful forwards like Kylian Mbappe, Raheem Sterling and Sadio Mane, to name a few, have often been stopped by the wall that is Wan-Bissaka.
He is easily one of the fastest defenders in the world and has played a big role in improving Manchester United's defence recent seasons.
#4 Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
Left-back Andrew Robertson was roped in from Hull City by Liverpool in the summer of 2017 for a sum of £8 million. The Scot would go on to prove why that's one of the best bargain deals the Merseysiders have ever struck.
Robertson is a force to be reckoned with down the left flank. He is a tireless worker and shuttles up and down the left wing for the length of games. Robertson is also extremely fast and can keep up with the quickest attackers in the game. He is also a fierce campaigner who shows a lot of bite when he goes into the tackle.
He has mastered the art of using his pace equally well in both attack as well as defence and is easily one of the fastest defenders in the world.