The World Cup is over for another four years with Argentina crowned as champions for the third time. So, who were the best defenders during Qatar 2022 – including Josko Gvardiol?
Well, a total of 681 players featured at least once at the 22nd edition of FIFA’s quadrennial tournament. Of those, 211 were defenders along with 42 goalkeepers, 276 midfielders and 152 forwards. So, 151 players named across the 32 sides also failed to play a single minute.
FIFA increased its limit on squad sizes for Qatar 2022 to 26 from the traditional 23 because of the unique timing of this year’s World Cup. It was the first winter edition with it usually held in June and July. So, the World Cup fell amid most domestic league’s regular seasons.
The increased limits on squad sizes at Qatar 2022 offered more players a chance to feature at a World Cup. There were 196 defenders among the 604 players to play at the last World Cup, as well as a total of 41 goalkeepers, 239 midfielders and 128 forwards, at Russia 2018.
So, who were the best defenders at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as Argentina won a third title to date after their successes in 1978 and 1986? Well, HITC Football has taken a look…
Who were the best defenders at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for tackles?
Morocco dynamo Achraf Hakimi was the best defender at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for their volume of tackles. The Paris Saint-Germain star amassed 26 successful tackles during his seven appearances. His work at right-back was instrumental for Morocco’s historic run.
The Atlas Lions became the first African nation to ever feature in a World Cup semi-final at Qatar 2022. Hakimi was the driving force behind their successes on the right flank. But his defensive work stood out as Morocco conceded just one (own) goal before the semi-finals.
Per SofaScore, the next-best defender to Hakimi for successful tackles was World Cup finalist with France, Theo Hernandez (16). The left-back came into Didier Deschamps’ team after his brother, Lucas, ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during France’s first match.
Ibrahima Konate also delivered a significant defensive presence for France with 15 tackles to his name. But the Liverpool centre-half only played five of Les Bleus’ seven fixtures and started just five. The 23-year-old also only featured for the final seven minutes in the final.
Yet despite Deschamps favouring Dayot Upamecano against Argentina, no centre-half had a higher volume of successful tackles than Konate. He ranked third among all defenders at Qatar 2022 while Bayern Munich ace Upamecano ranked in 11th with 11 from five outings.
Early World Cup exits did not stop these defenders from impressing at Qatar 2022
Daley Blind, meanwhile, ranked in fourth place despite the Netherlands losing to Argentina in the quarter-finals with 14 tackles. Borna Sosa, who helped Croatia reach the semi-finals and win the third-place play-off against Morocco, also made 14 successful tackles in Qatar.
As did the Atlas Lion’s left-back Noussair Mazraoui, while Croatia right-back of Celtic, Josip Juranovic, had 12. Argentina left-back Marcos Acuna, Senegal centre-half Kalidou Koulibaly and Netherlands centre-back Jurrien Timber also made 12 successful World Cup tackles.
Koulibaly led Senegal into the knockout stages but the Lions of Teranga would only reach the Round of 16. England eliminated the West Africans 3-0 before they lost to France. No English defender ranked higher than Harry Maguire in 28th with seven successful tackles.
Who were the best defenders at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for interceptions?
No English defender ranked higher than Maguire in 35th among the best defenders at the World Cup for interceptions with four, as well. Croatia’s rock Gvardiol, on the other hand, topped the standings with 11 as he took command on the FIFA stage at just 20 years old.
Gvardiol was among the biggest breakthrough talents at Qatar 2022 as the RB Leipzig star showed why clubs love him. 90min claims Chelsea are confident they can beat out interest from Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid to secure a deal.
Only Timber of the Netherlands also amassed double digits for interceptions with 10 over his four appearances at Qatar 2022. The Dutchman pipped Nicolas Otamendi and Nicolas Tagliafico of Argentina, plus Morocco star Hakimi, who registered nine interceptions each.
Despite Qatar becoming the worst host nation of all time by crashing out after two of their three group stage matches, Pedro Miguel ranked sixth on eight interceptions. Nathan Ake of the Netherlands also recorded eight, ahead of four players who each registered seven.
Konate featured the most often among the four players to register seven interceptions. He played in seven fixtures, ahead of Australia ace Kye Rowles and the United States’ Antonee Robinson with four appearances. Uruguay’s Jose Maria Gimenez had seven in three games.
Josko Gvardiol kept Croatia’s area safe with the most clearances at Qatar 2022
Gvardiol further kept Croatia’s area safe by recording the most clearances among all of the defenders to feature at Qatar 2022. The in-demand RB Leipzig talent amassed 37 over the 20-year-old’s seven outings. Koulibaly and Morocco star Romain Saiss made the top three.
Saiss and Koulibaly were also the only other defenders on more than 30 clearances on 30. They pipped Croatia’s Dejan Lovren (29) before a small drop to Argentina’s Tottenham star Cristian Romero (25) then World Cup winner Otamendi and Japan’s Maya Yoshida with 24.
Australia’s Harry Souttar and Poland’s Kamil Glik (22) just pipped Netherlands captain and Liverpool enforcer Virgil van Dijk (21). Poland and Australia both lost in the Round of 16.
Who were the best defenders at the 2022 World Cup in the air?
Otamendi further shone as Argentina won the World Cup with the Benfica enforcer often dominant in the air. No defender to play at Qatar 2022 amassed a higher volume of aerial duels won than Otamendi with 21. Although he only won with 60% of the duels he fought.
Lovren ranked second for the total volume of aerial duels he won with 17 and boasted a 74% success rate. Maguire, meanwhile, was third for overall aerial duels won with 15 but won 75% of his battles. Van Dijk also ranked fourth with 14 but with a success rate of 61%.
Souttar, likewise, won 14 of his aerial duels from a 61% success rate ahead of Romero with 12 from 60%. Serbia’s Strahinja Pavlovic won 12 aerial duels, meanwhile, and won in 86% of his duels. No defender within the top nine for aerial duels won penned a higher hit rate.
Ake was even among the eight defenders to rank 10th for aerial duels won with 10 despite the Dutchman only winning 45.5% of his duels. On the other hand, Portugal’s Joao Cancelo and South Korea’s Min-Jae Kim won 10 of their aerial duels but with success rates of 91%.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
