AI DNA Similarity
Best Alternatives to Mikel Villanueva
Players most similar to Mikel Villanueva (Defender, €300K) — ranked by AI DNA similarity score across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit.
Top 3 Alternatives to Mikel Villanueva
- 1.Lautaro Giannetti85% DNA match·Antalyaspor
- 2.Lukas Boeder85% DNA match·Dynamo Dresden
- 3.Damon Mirani85% DNA match·Heracles Almelo
Ranked by AI DNA similarity — 768 dimensions across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit.
RT
Intelligence Verdict
Chances MissedTop 0%
???Bottom 20%
“Mikel Villanueva Álvarez is a Ball-Playing CB....”
See Full Verdict + Share Card →Playing Style Analysis
Ball-Playing CBBall-PlayingAerial
Mikel Villanueva Álvarez is a Ball-Playing CB. Progressive defender comfortable on the ball. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (4.6 clearances/90), meticulous in distribution (92% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (58% duel success) and switches play with precision (5.6 long balls/90, 68% accuracy). The three most similar players to Mikel Villanueva by playing style are:
- Lautaro Giannetti(85% match) — Lautaro Gianetti is a Ball-Playing CB. Progressive defender comfortable on the ball. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (7.8 clearances/90), meticulous in distribution (86% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (57% duel success) and uses long balls frequently (5.2/90).
- Lukas Boeder(85% match) — A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (6.0 clearances/90), meticulous in distribution (88% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (57% duel success), central to possession (71 touches/90) and uses long balls frequently (7.3/90).
- Damon Mirani(85% match) — A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (6.0 clearances/90), meticulous in distribution (86% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (58% duel success) and uses long balls frequently (5.9/90).
Similarity is calculated using per-90 performance data across multiple playing style dimensions. How Player DNA matching works →
Similar Players — Ranked by DNA Similarity
#1
L
Lautaro Giannetti
Antalyaspor · Super Lig
Argentina32yContract 2027
Tkl/901.80
KP/900.16
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: ↑ Hot85% match
N/A
#2
L
Lukas Boeder
Dynamo Dresden · Bundesliga
Germany29yContract 2026
Tkl/901.08
KP/900.50
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: ↓ Dipvs Villanueva: 4y younger
85% match
N/A
#3
D
Damon Mirani
Heracles Almelo · Eredivisie
Netherlands29y
Tkl/901.08
KP/900.16
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: → Stablevs Villanueva: 4y younger
85% match
N/A
#4
J
Joris Kramer
Go Ahead Eagles · Eredivisie
Netherlands29yContract 2028
Tkl/900.80
KP/900.49
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: → Stable85% match
N/A
#5
J
Jóbson de Brito Gonzaga
Moreirense · Liga Portugal
Brazil32yContract 2026
Tkl/901.39
KP/900.07
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: → Stable85% match
N/A
#6
D
Dies Janse
FC Groningen · Eredivisie
Netherlands20y
Tkl/901.26
KP/900.58
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: → Stable85% match
N/A
#7
N
Nils Röseler
Homburg · Bundesliga
Germany34y
Tkl/900.41
KP/900.15
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
85% match
N/A
#8
P
Pablo Ramón
Espanyol · La Liga
Spain24y
Tkl/900.83
KP/900.28
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: ↑ Hot85% match
N/A
#9
L
Luan Patrick
Estrela Amadora · Liga Portugal
Brazil24yContract 2028
Tkl/901.42
KP/900.14
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: ↑ Hot85% match
N/A
#10
M
M. Jacobsen
Hobro · Superliga
Denmark22y
Tkl/901.25
KP/900.29
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: → Stable85% match
N/A
#11
M
Mads Bech Sørensen
FC Midtjylland · Superliga
Denmark27yContract 2027
Tkl/900.92
KP/900.37
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: ↑ Hot85% match
N/A
#12
J
José Fontán
Arouca · Liga Portugal
Spain26y
Tkl/901.06
KP/900.49
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: ↓ Dip85% match
N/A
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Ask AI: Why are these players similar?
Our 768-dimension Player DNA model matches playing style, physical profile, pressing intensity, and tactical fit. Ask the AI to explain exactly what makes these players statistically similar to Mikel Villanueva.
Ask AI about Mikel Villanueva →Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the best alternatives to Mikel Villanueva?▼
The top alternatives to Mikel Villanueva based on AI DNA playing style analysis include: Lautaro Giannetti, Lukas Boeder, Damon Mirani, Joris Kramer, Jóbson de Brito Gonzaga. These players were matched using Rising Transfers' 768-dimension DNA model across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit — not just position or market value.
Which players are similar to Mikel Villanueva in 2026?▼
Players with a similar profile to Mikel Villanueva in 2026 include Lautaro Giannetti (N/A), Lukas Boeder (N/A), Damon Mirani (N/A). For a deeper DNA-level comparison including playing style, physical attributes, and tactical fit, ask Rising Transfers' AI directly.
What position does Mikel Villanueva play and who plays similarly?▼
Mikel Villanueva plays as a Defender. Players with a comparable positional profile include Lautaro Giannetti (Argentina, N/A); Lukas Boeder (Germany, N/A); Damon Mirani (Netherlands, N/A); Joris Kramer (Netherlands, N/A).
How does Rising Transfers find similar players?▼
Rising Transfers uses a proprietary 768-dimension Player DNA model trained on 3.2 million match events. Each player is represented as a vector across 35+ per-90 metrics including pressing intensity, passing footprint, dribbling profile, and defensive contribution. Similarity is measured using cosine distance — the same technique used in state-of-the-art AI systems — making it the most precise player comparison tool available publicly.