A number of Bundesliga players recently participated in an anonymous survey to identify the best defender in world football based on performances from the current season.
The survey, conducted annually by German sports outlet kicker, involved 216 players from all 18 Bundesliga clubs, offering them the chance to weigh in on some of football’s most talked-about topics.
One of the standout results came in the attacking category, where Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal received 53.7% of the votes, earning the title of best attacking player after tallying 18 goals and 25 assists across all competitions. The 17-year-old edged out Ousmane Dembele (6.9%) and Kylian Mbappé (6%), while teammate Raphinha came in fourth with 4.6%. Other notable names in the voting included Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah, and Erling Haaland.
When it came to defenders, Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk topped the list with 27.3% of the vote, following a stellar campaign that saw the Reds clinch a record-equalling 20th league title under new manager Arne Slot. Van Dijk was recently rewarded with a two-year contract extension for his leadership and consistency.
Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni finished second with 15.7%, while Arsenal’s William Saliba came third with 12%. Barcelona’s rising star Pau Cubarsí (4.2%) and Real Madrid’s Antonio Rüdiger (3.7%) rounded out the top five.
Manchester City’s Ruben Dias (3.7%) also featured in the rankings, alongside Marquinhos and Rodri (both 3.2%), as well as Jonathan Tah and Josko Gvardiol (both 2.3%).
In the coaching category, Hansi Flick was named the best manager after guiding Barcelona to a league title, securing 31.9% of the votes. He finished ahead of Luis Enrique, who had just celebrated a Champions League triumph with Paris Saint-Germain following a 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the final. Other coaches receiving recognition included Xabi Alonso, Pep Guardiola, Arne Slot, Simone Inzaghi, Carlo Ancelotti, and Mikel Arteta.
The survey also addressed Bundesliga-specific questions. Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha, signed from Fulham last summer for £42.3 million plus add-ons, was named the biggest underperformer among outfield players, having featured only 24 times in all competitions.
Conversely, Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz was voted the most outstanding outfield player, earning 28.2% of the vote for his consistently impressive performances.