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ESPN Ranks Arsenal Duo in Top Three Central Defenders Worldwide

Andrew
By Andrew
August 18, 2026 1 Min Read
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ESPN, the American sports media giant, has released its ranking of the world’s top central defenders. Former leader Virgil van Dijk barely made it into the top ten, while the list is led by a player from Arsenal.

Notably, two Arsenal center-backs, William Saliba and Gabriel, secured spots in the top three. Meanwhile, Pau Cubarsí broke into the top five, boosted by his performance linked to the 2026 World Cup.

Here are the best central defenders according to ESPN:

1 – William Saliba
2 – Willian Pacho
3 – Gabriel
4 – Pau Cubarsí
5 – Jonathan Tah
6 – Marquinhos
7 – Dayot Upamecano
8 – Virgil van Dijk
9 – Alessandro Bastoni
10 – Marc Guehi

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Andrew

Andrew is the founder and editor of SportBursts. He launched SportBursts in 2026 to build an independent sports news website focused on fast, accurate, and accessible coverage of football and international sporting events. His responsibilities include: researching sports news; reviewing published content; editing articles before publication; verifying factual information using publicly available sources; maintaining editorial standards across the website. SportBursts does not claim exclusive access to teams, leagues, or sporting organizations. The website reports on publicly available information and aims to present it clearly, accurately, and responsibly. Outside of SportBursts, Andrew has experience in web publishing, website management, and digital content production.

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