Best Defenders in the Bundesliga 2025/26
Per-90 performance rankings · Rising Transfers DNA Analysis · 19 players ranked
Based on per-90 statistics across 19 Bundesliga defenders in 2025/26, Diogo Leite leads the ranking as a Ball-Playing CB with a composite score of 0.75. Min-jae Kim (Ball-Playing CB) ranks second at 0.74, followed by Finn Jeltsch (Ball-Playing CB) at 0.73. All rankings are calculated using Rising Transfers' 47-dimension per-90 analysis methodology.
Methodology: Per-90 stats explained · DNA matching
Diogo Leite
21 games · Portugal
Min-jae Kim
21 games · South Korea
Finn Jeltsch
20 games · Germany
Full Bundesliga Defenders Rankings
| # | Player | Style | TW/90 | Int/90 | Clr/90 | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diogo Leite | Ball-Playing CB | 0.73 | 2.01 | 6.51 | 21 | Similar → |
| 2 | Min-jae Kim | Ball-Playing CB | 0.95 | 2.19 | 4.49 | 21 | Similar → |
| 3 | Finn Jeltsch | Ball-Playing CB | 0.84 | 1.14 | 4.19 | 20 | Similar → |
| 4 | Albian Hajdari | Ball-Playing CB | 1.49 | 1.52 | 6.25 | 25 | Similar → |
| 5 | Jonathan Tah | Ball-Playing CB | 0.72 | 1.21 | 5.55 | 23 | Similar → |
| 6 | Dayot Upamecano | Ball-Playing CB | 1.35 | 1.00 | 2.58 | 20 | Similar → |
| 7 | Cédric Zesiger | Ball-Playing CB | 1.24 | 0.89 | 5.91 | 22 | Similar → |
| 8 | Christopher Trimmel | Active Full-Back | 1.29 | 0.50 | 3.69 | 26 | Similar → |
| 9 | Jordan Torunarigha | Ball-Playing CB | 1.01 | 1.44 | 8.45 | 19 | Similar → |
| 10 | Edmond Tapsoba | Ball-Playing CB | 0.46 | 0.72 | 4.92 | 26 | Similar → |
| 11 | Lukas Kübler | Defender | 1.48 | 2.24 | 4.03 | 21 | Similar → |
| 12 | Josip Stanisic | Active Full-Back | 1.21 | 0.90 | 2.98 | 21 | Similar → |
| 13 | Castello Lukeba | Ball-Playing CB | 0.50 | 1.29 | 5.22 | 20 | Similar → |
| 14 | Kristoffer Lund | Active Full-Back | 0.83 | 1.07 | 3.72 | 26 | Similar → |
| 15 | Dimitrios Giannoulis | Active Full-Back | 0.98 | 1.04 | 3.17 | 22 | Similar → |
| 16 | Konrad Laimer | Active Full-Back | 1.01 | 0.78 | 1.34 | 25 | Similar → |
| 17 | Josha Vagnoman | Active Full-Back | 1.15 | 0.17 | 2.69 | 23 | Similar → |
| 18 | Derrick Köhn | Active Full-Back | 1.11 | 0.38 | 1.89 | 27 | Similar → |
| 19 | Philipp Treu | Active Full-Back | 1.10 | 0.30 | 1.84 | 23 | Similar → |
KP = Key passes · TW = Tackles won · Int = Interceptions · Clr = Clearances · GC = Goals conceded
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best defender in the Bundesliga right now?
Based on per-90 data in 2025/26, Diogo Leite is the top-ranked defender in the Bundesliga. Diogo Leite is classified as a Ball-Playing CB by Rising Transfers' DNA analysis system.
How are Bundesliga defenders ranked on Rising Transfers?
Rising Transfers ranks defenders using a composite per-90 score across key performance dimensions specific to the position. All statistics are normalised per 90 minutes of play to allow fair comparison between players with different minutes. Only players with 1,350+ minutes (equivalent to approximately 15 full matches) are included to ensure statistical reliability.
What does the DNA archetype mean for defenders?
Each player is assigned a DNA archetype (e.g. Creator, Ball-Winner, Pressing Forward) based on their playing style vector — a 768-dimensional representation of their per-90 performance across 47 metrics. The archetype describes how the player plays, not just their position.
How often is the Bundesliga defender ranking updated?
Rankings are recalculated weekly as new match data is processed into Rising Transfers' DNA pipeline. The underlying per-90 statistics are sourced from live match data across the Bundesliga season.
Defenders Rankings in Other Leagues
Other Positions in the Bundesliga
Rankings are generated by Rising Transfers using per-90 statistics from the 2025/26 Bundesliga season. Only players with 1,350+ minutes in the current season are included to ensure statistical reliability. Scores are computed using a position-specific composite formula across 47 performance dimensions. Data is refreshed weekly. Learn more about our methodology →
Some players may be excluded due to data availability (e.g. mid-season transfers, injury absences, or cup-only appearances). Rankings reflect on-pitch statistical performance and do not account for team defensive structure or shot quality — elite players on dominant teams may rank lower on volume-based metrics.