Best footballers in the world: 5 most disciplined center backs this season
The art of defending is underappreciated in the world of football. Keeping the many world class forwards at bay is not an easy task, especially when one mistake could cost the team the game. Defending is not everyone's cup of tea and as such, there are not too many world-class defenders around right now.
But when one throws in discipline in the mix, the odds are further narrowed. Defending is extremely hard on its own, but defending while also ensuring minimal fouls and booking is a nightmare and very few defenders in the world possess that skill. Ask Sergio Ramos - who has eleven yellow cards and one red from 39 games already this season!
Thankfully, there are still a few elegant defenders around who show tremendous restrain on the field and yet manage to get the job done too.
Today, we take a look at the 5 most disciplined defenders in the world based on this season's statistics.
#5 Giorgio Chiellini (Italy, Juventus)
Giorgio Chiellini is the defensive rock that the Juventus team is built upon. He joined Juventus from Fiorentina almost 14 years ago in 2005 and has consistently been one of the best defenders in the world in recent times. Chiellini is another classy defender to come out of Italy and his emergence has been in line with the country's legacy of producing fine defenders for decades.
Off the field, the Italian is a gentleman and his gracefulness is depicted even in the way he maintains himself on the field. He rarely lunges into tackles, preferring instead to use his wit, presence of mind and exceptional defensive skills to work his way out of trouble. The Juventus defender is also a great passer of the ball and excels in intercepting opposition play.
This season, the defender has been in fine form for his club, having used his skills well to ensure that Juventus are always protected at the back.
Chiellini has received only 3 yellow cards from 28 games played - 1 in the champions league and 2 in the Serie A. The Italian as committed an average of just 0.7 fouls per game in the Champions League and 0.5 fouls per game in the Serie A. He is one of the cleanest defenders in world football this season.