The International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) has published its ranking of central defenders for the 2024/25 season aged under 20, who do not play in the top 5 European leagues.
In first place is the defender from Brazilian club Palmeiras, Vitor Reis, with a score of 80.3 points, second is Nils Setterström from Swedish club Malmö (77.4), and rounding out the top three is center-back Taras Mikhavko from Dynamo Kyiv (77.1).
