The Top 10 Centre-Backs In The World Right Now Have Been Ranked

Virgil van Dijk has fended off fierce competition from Real Madrid duo Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane to be named the best centre-back in world football.

Liverpool splashed out a whopping £75m to snap up the 29-year-old Dutch star from Southampton in the 2018 January transfer window.

Van Dijk has had an immediate impact since his arrival at Anfield and reached the Champions League final with Liverpool in 2018.

The ex-Celtic and Southampton defender made his mark in the following season as the Reds won Europe's top-tier club competition.

That's not to mention Van Dijk being named PFA Players' Player of the Year and the Premier League Player of the Season.

The Liverpool star, who won the UEFA Men's Player of the Year award, also finished behind Lionel Messi for the 2019 Ballon d'Or.

The Daily Star has now placed Van Dijk top of the list for the best centre-backs currently active in world football.

The newspaper said that the Netherlands captain is the "best centre-back of his generation" and pointed to his immediate success with Liverpool in the space of two years.

Van Dijk has continued to add more silverware to his time at Anfield after Liverpool were crowned Premier League champions last month.

Varane finished ahead of fellow Madrid teammate Ramos in the rankings, with his second-placed standing linked to him reaching "full maturity" now.

The Daily Star praised the 27-year-old French centre-back's pace and ranked him amongst the fastest players in La Liga.

The publication added: "Varane is physically imposing, good with the ball at his feet and unflappable in the most stressful of situations."

Posted below are the top 10 centre-backs in world football right now, according to The Daily Star.

10. Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus)

9. David Alaba (Bayern Munich)

8. Milan Skriniar (Inter Milan)

7. Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich)

6. Gerard Pique (Barcelona)

5. Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City)

4. Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli)

3. Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)

2. Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)

1. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)