5 players who made most successful tackles in 2021
How important are tackles in football?
The main objective of football is scoring more goals than the opposition team and goalkeepers have the responsibility of preventing such goals by keeping the ball out of the net. However, it is not feasible to let the goalkeeper face endless shots on goal. The ball must be recovered by the outfield players as much as possible.
Tackles, along with interceptions and pressure, are the primary forms of winning the ball back. Among them, tackling is by far the most visually pleasing form of defending. Any defensive player loves making a standing or sliding tackle to regain possession of the ball.
N'Golo Kante - 45
N'Golo Kante - 25
Back to his best
🥇 Most tackles and interceptions combined of midfielders in the Premier League
🔵 N'Golo Kante - 45
🥇 Most tackles and interceptions combined of midfielders in UEFA Nations League A
🇫🇷 N'Golo Kante - 25
💪 Back to his best https://t.co/qnwATdFfbd
Midfielders lead the way for most tackles in 2021
Contrary to popular belief, midfielders make more tackles than defenders. Centre-backs tend not to risk getting beaten by opposition attackers, as that would leave the goalkeeper stranded in a one-on-one situation. Defensive midfielders are usually the ones who fly into challenges.
The five players who made the most challenges among the top five leagues in 2021 are all midfielders. Four of these footballers ply their trade in Ligue 1. Without any further ado, let’s find out who these tackling machines are.
#5 Wilfred Ndidi (67 tackles)
Wilfred Ndidi has earned a reputation for being one of the best ball-winning midfielders across Europe. The midfielder’s absence is hugely felt by Leicester City when he is suspended or injured. He made 67 tackles last year, the most by any Premier League player.
Despite missing a few matches through injury, Ndidi still made enough tackles to warrant a place on the list. He made a tackle every 40 minutes, which is a better metric than the four players on the list with more overall tackles than the 25-year-old.
Wilfred Ndidi made more ball recoveries (19) in a single match than any other outfield player in the Premier League this season.
Putting in a shift against Liverpool. https://t.co/bXC5CDs0Fg
His partnership with the more industrious Youri Tielemans is one of the best in the Premier League. Leicester may have slid down the table this season due to their defensive woes. However, Ndidi’s tackling has still been top-notch.
#4 Laurent Abergel (68 tackles)
Laurent Abergel is one of several French players who made numerous tackles last year. The Lorient midfielder made a total of 68 tackles, with an average of two tackles every match. He was one of the best defensive-minded midfielders in the 2020-21 Ligue 1 campaign.
Abergel won a whopping 108 tackles last season, the most in the French league. The 28-year-old also applied pressure to opponents 958 times, more than any other player in Ligue 1 this season.
Defensive midfielders Andrés Cubas (Nîmes Olympique) and Laurent Abergel (Lorient) lead the way in the main defensive categories. 🛡️
Abergel especially stands out with his high number of tackles made, showing he's doing an impressive job protecting Lorient's back line. https://t.co/4lGU8NMhwi
The Marseille youth academy graduate was joint-highest with AS Monaco's Aurelien Tchouameni in terms of tackles + interceptions. Lorient's vice-captain has been a nailed-on starter for Christophe Pélissier and will be critical in their relegation battle.