Back in 2020, Richarlison named the three defenders that he believed were superior to Virgil van Dijk, but where are all of those players today?
“People talk a lot about him, yes he is a great defender but I’ve already dribbled past him,” Richarlison told Desimpedidos. “For me, there are better defenders.”
The Brazilian then went on to name the three defenders that he believed were superior to Van Dijk at the time.
Thiago Silva
Even when he joined Chelsea at the age of 35, Silva was still a classy operator in the Premier League.
While he perhaps didn’t possess the pace or power of Van Dijk during his Chelsea years, the Brazilian was still one of the best defenders in world football.
During his four-year stint at Stamford Bridge, Silva got his hands on three trophies including the Champions League in 2021.
Then upon his contract expiring in 2024, the centre-half returned to Brazil to sign for boyhood club Fluminense.
Aged 40, Silva is still playing for Fluminense today and doesn’t seem to be planning his retirement yet, with his contract still valid until 2026.
If Van Dijk can have that sort of longevity, he’ll surely be remembered as an all-time great.
Sergio Ramos
Now this one is a real debate.
While some believe that Van Dijk’s defensive instincts make him the superior defender, others like Richarlison prefer Ramos.
Both players undoubtedly rank among the best defenders of their generation and in truth, they are each quite different.
The Spaniard is more aggressive in his approach to defending while the Dutchman tends to stay a bit more composed.
“Ramos is not the best [defender],” Van Dijk said during an interview with De Telegraaf in 2018.
“He’s a great player and I respect what he has achieved, but he is not my type of central defender.
“Myself, I don’t like to defend in the way Ramos does. I try to avoid the situations he gets into, and don’t even try to make slide tackles.”
In terms of their trophy cabinets, you can’t really make much of an argument against Ramos, given he’s won 28 major trophies throughout his career.
However, when purely judging them by their defensive abilities, it’s a fair debate to be had.
Since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, the Spaniard has rarely settled in one place for long. Following stints with PSG and Sevilla, he now plays for Mexican side Monterrey.
In his first five appearances for the Mexican club, he’s already scored three goals.
Marquinhos
Richarlison also named Marquinhos as one of the defenders who was superior to Van Dijk, in his opinion.
The PSG star has been one of the most consistent defenders in Europe’s top leagues over the last decade, but perhaps doesn’t always get the respect he deserves.
Since joining PSG in 2013, Marquinhos has been a key player for the French giants and he’s now closing in on 500 appearances for the club.
Interestingly, PSG are currently scouring the market for a new centre-half and Van Dijk has popped up on their radar.
If he doesn’t extend his deal with Liverpool, there’s a chance that he could be playing alongside Marquinhos next season. Watch this space.
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