The 15 best Brazilian defenders today: see the updated list

The defender plays a crucial role in his team’s rearguard, preventing opponents from scoring. They are the last man standing between the striker and the goalkeeper, which means they have a huge responsibility! Just like goalkeepers, they can be great villains or great heroes. Today you’re going to meet the best Brazilian defenders of today!

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How do you define the 15 best Brazilian defenders of the moment?

It’s not easy to choose just 15 of the best Brazilian defenders. There is so much talent, so much dedication, that we had to rack our brains to put this list together. What will be analyzed here is the overall performance of these players last season and this season.

Who are the best Brazilian defenders?

1. Marquinhos from Paris Saint-Germain (France)

Possibly the best of the best Brazilian defenders in action, Marquinhos has overcome his modest stature to establish himself as a key member of the PSG squad.

Age	Height	Strong points
29 years old	1,83 cm	Long balls  Dueling on the floor

Personal archive/Instagram

2. Éder Militão from Real Madrid (Spain)

Extremely versatile, the Brazilian is known for his ability to play as both a right-back and a defender. The player started out at São Paulo and was soon acquired by Porto. His impressive performance in Portugal aroused the interest of Real, who quickly signed him. He has made up the starting defense of our national team several times.

Age	Height	Pontos fortes
26 years old	1,86 cm	Aerial duels  Duel on the ground

Personal archive/Instagram

3. Gabriel Magalhães from Arsenal (England)

Gabriel Magalhães was recruited by Arsenal after a successful season with French side Lille. The defender arrived at the English club with great enthusiasm and quickly established himself as a starter. As the seasons went by, Gabriel became one of the key defenders in Arsena’s squad and in the competitive Premier League. He is also frequently called up to the Brazilian national team.

Age	Height	Strong points
26 years old	1,90 cm	Duels on the ground

Personal archive/Instagram

4. Lucas Beraldo from Paris Saint-Germain (France)

A great revelation at São Paulo, Lucas Beraldo is part of a list of promises with enormous potential for the future of the position, as well as being one of the best Brazilian defenders in action. destined to shine on the European soccer scene.

Age	Height	Strong points
20 years	1,82 cm	Speed  Ball output

Personal archive/Instagram

5. Murillo from Nottingham Forest (England)

Murillo started out in the youth ranks at Corinthians and quickly rose through the ranks to the first team. Murillo’s stay at Corinthians was short-lived, however, as he soon attracted interest from Forest in England. Since then, in the Premier League, the Brazilian talent has been outstanding and it is increasingly likely that he will move to a more renowned club in the near future.

Age	Height	Strong points
21 years old	1,83 cm	Positioning  Dueling on the ground

Personal archive/Instagram

6. Nino from Zenit (Russia)

A Fluminense star, Nino is a genuine product of the club’s youth system and played a crucial role in winning the most important title in its history, the 2023 Copa Libertadores. Leaving Tricolor das Laranjeiras at the start of 2024, Nino opted to accept the challenge of playing for Russian club Zenit. Now making his debut in Europe, the defender aims to stay in the limelight in order to continue to be called up to the Brazilian national team.

Age	Height	Pontos fortes
27 years old	1,88 cm	Aerial duels  Duel on the ground

Personal archive/Instagram

7. Murilo from Palmeiras

Defender Murilo was a surprise inclusion in Dorival Jr’s Brazil squad. At the age of 26, he realized his dream of representing his country. Murilo returned to Brazil in pursuit of this goal, preferring Palmeiras to a higher offer in Mexico. Murilo quickly established himself as a first-team regular at Palmeira and stood out for the number of goals he scored: he has now scored 16 since his arrival at the club;

Age	Height	Strong points
26 years old	1,81 cm	Aerial duels Floor duels Long balls

Personal archive/Instagram

8. Thiago Silva from Chelsea (England)

Despite being at the end of his career, due to his advanced age, the veteran former captain of the Amarelinha is still at the top. He has played some excellent games for the English club, being a safe haven in the Blues defense since he arrived there;

Age	Height	Strong points
39 years old	1,81 cm	Aerial duels Floor duels Long balls

Personal archive/Instagram

9. Iago Maidana from Henan Songshan Longmen (China)

Iago had a great season last year with América-MG and, with the club’s relegation, he went off to venture into Chinese soccer. Despite the fact that the Minas Gerais side didn’t have a good season, the defender was one of the best tacklers in the Brasileirão, with a total of 10 correct tackles (without a foul).

Age	Height	Strong points
28 years old	1,94 cm	Aerial duels

Personal archive/Instagram

10. Adryelson from Lyon (France)

Adryelson was a key figure in Botafogo’s excellent performance during the first half of the season. Over the course of the season, he made 35 appearances, contributing a goal and an assist. The player received six yellow cards and was sent off on one occasion, highlighting his intensity on the pitch.

Age	Height	Strong points
26 years old	1,84 cm	Aerial duels Positioning

Personal archive/Instagram

11. Fabrício Bruno from Flamengo

Fabrício Bruno stood out as a key player in Flamengo’s performance throughout the season. He played in 34 matches for the Mengão and although he didn’t score, he did contribute a crucial assist. Wearing the number 15 shirt, he accumulated eight yellow cards, but was not sent off during the competition.

Age	Height	Strong points
28 years old	1,92 cm	Duels on the ground

Personal archive/Instagram

12. Léo Ortiz from Flamengo

A target of interest from several big-name clubs during the transfer window, Léo Ortiz played in 20 matches for Red Bull Bragantino in the last edition of the Brasileirão. The defender scored twice and received just three cards during his participation. Now at Flamengo, the defender has the chance to dream of bigger titles.

Age	Height	Strong points
28 years old	1,85 cm	Aerial duels Positioning Dueling on the ground

Personal archive/Instagram

13. Bruno Méndez from Granada (Spain)

The former Corinthians man has also cemented his place among the best Brazilian defenders of the moment. In 2019, Bruno Méndez made his debut for Corinthians where he performed very well, making 16 tackles in the last Brasileirão, although not always as a starter. Now playing in La Liga, the Uruguayan defender has played 9 games as a starter out of the 10 that have taken place since he arrived in the league.

Age	Height	Strong points
24 years old	1,84 cm	Duels on the ground

Personal archive/Instagram

14. Alan Franco from São Paulo

Alan Franco, a 27-year-old Argentine player, plays as a defender for São Paulo. He started out at Independiente in 2017, winning the Copa Sudamericana and, along with it, the attention of bigger clubs. He made his debut for the São Paulo side in January, scoring his first goal in February against Santo André in Paulistão;

Age	Height	Strong points
27 years old	1,83 cm	Consistency

Personal archive/Instagram

15. Thiago Pagnussat from Avaí

Now in Santa Catarina, Thiago made a name for himself playing in the Série B of the Brazilian Championship for Ceará last year. He played 39 games, contributing two goals and one assist. With Vozão, the defender played in the Cearense Championship, Copa do Nordeste, Copa do Brasil and Série B of the Brazilian Championship.

Age	Height	Strong points
33 years old	1,91 cm	Aerial duels

Thiago Gadelha/SVM

List of the 15 best Brazilian defenders

1. Marquinho
2. Éder Militão
3. Gabriel Magalhães 
4. Lucas Beraldo
5. Murillo
6. Nino
7. Murilo 
8. Thiago Silva
9. Iago Maidana
10. Adryelson
11. Fabrício Bruno
12. Léo Ortiz 
13. Bruno Méndez
14. Alan Franco
15. Thiago Pagnussat

Best Brazilian defenders in action: find out who tackled the most in the Brasileirão 2023

As well as looking at the best Brazilian defenders in the world, we’ve come up with another list: the best tacklers from last season’s championship. How does the order look now? See below!

1. Bruno Méndez – 16 tackles
2. Alan Franco – 12 tackles
3. Raul Gustavo – 11 tackles
4. Murilo – 11 tackles
5. Tiago – 11 tackles
6. Iago Maidana – 10 tackles
7. Kannemann – 10 tackles
8. Brayan Ceballos – 10 tackles
9. Gustavo Gómez – 9 tackles
10. Lucas Oliveira – 9 tackles
11. Gabriel Mercado – 9 tackles
12. Victor Cuesta – 9tackles
13. Gil – 8 tackles
14. Beraldo – 8 tackles
15. Bruno Alves, Titi, Ricardo Silva e Nino – 7 tackles

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