Best Defenders in the La Liga 2025/26
Per-90 performance rankings · Rising Transfers DNA Analysis · 25 players ranked
Based on per-90 statistics across 25 La Liga defenders in 2025/26, Joan Oriol leads the ranking as a Physical Stopper with a composite score of 1.44. David Affengruber (Ball-Playing CB) ranks second at 1.36, followed by Jon Aramburu (Active Full-Back) at 1.31. All rankings are calculated using Rising Transfers' 47-dimension per-90 analysis methodology.
Methodology: Per-90 stats explained · DNA matching
Joan Oriol
22 games · Spain
David Affengruber
27 games · Austria
Jon Aramburu
27 games · Venezuela
Full La Liga Defenders Rankings
| # | Player | Style | TW/90 | Int/90 | Clr/90 | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joan Oriol | Physical Stopper | N/A | 3.59 | 2.31 | 22 |
| 2 | David Affengruber | Ball-Playing CB | 1.38 | 1.77 | 5.44 | 27 |
| 3 | Jon Aramburu | Active Full-Back | 2.17 | 1.53 | 2.98 | 27 |
| 4 | Florian Lejeune | Ball-Playing CB | 1.15 | 1.26 | 6.13 | 29 |
| 5 | Arnau Martínez | Active Full-Back | 1.44 | 1.49 | 4.67 | 26 |
| 6 | Eric García | Ball-Playing CB | 1.53 | 1.66 | 2.73 | 27 |
| 7 | Pedro Bigas | Ball-Playing CB | 0.85 | 1.52 | 4.19 | 21 |
| 8 | José Ángel Carmona | Active Full-Back | 1.47 | 1.42 | 2.90 | 27 |
| 9 | Natan | Ball-Playing CB | 0.54 | 1.16 | 7.23 | 26 |
| 10 | Alejandro Catena | Ball-Playing CB | 0.95 | 1.11 | 6.24 | 27 |
| 11 | José Copete | Ball-Playing CB | 0.82 | 1.23 | 5.72 | 21 |
| 12 | Yeray Álvarez | Ball-Playing CB | N/A | 1.71 | 6.44 | 21 |
| 13 | Vitor Reis | Ball-Playing CB | 0.84 | 0.88 | 6.27 | 27 |
| 14 | Dani Vivian | Ball-Playing CB | 1.30 | 1.25 | 5.11 | 24 |
| 15 | César Tárrega | Ball-Playing CB | 0.96 | 0.90 | 6.53 | 23 |
| 16 | Domingos Duarte | Physical Stopper | 0.46 | 1.01 | 6.06 | 26 |
| 17 | Manu Sánchez | Defender | 1.89 | 1.26 | 2.88 | 25 |
| 18 | Nahuel Tenaglia | Active Full-Back | 1.15 | 1.15 | 4.88 | 27 |
| 19 | Marcos Alonso | Ball-Playing CB | 0.78 | 1.05 | 5.49 | 24 |
| 20 | Pablo Maffeo | Defender | 1.10 | 1.19 | 3.34 | 23 |
| 21 | Pau Cubarsí | Ball-Playing CB | 0.89 | 1.03 | 3.84 | 24 |
| 22 | Álex Pastor | Ball-Playing CB | N/A | 1.53 | 5.09 | 29 |
| 23 | Antonio Raíllo | Ball-Playing CB | 0.56 | 0.69 | 5.19 | 23 |
| 24 | Jonny Otto | Active Full-Back | 1.34 | 1.34 | 1.94 | 27 |
| 25 | Juan Iglesias | Defender | 2.16 | 0.75 | 3.81 | 28 |
KP = Key passes · F3rd = Passes into final third · TW = Tackles won · Int = Interceptions · Clr = Clearances · GC = Goals conceded
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best defender in the La Liga right now?
Based on per-90 data in 2025/26, Joan Oriol is the top-ranked defender in the La Liga. Joan Oriol is classified as a Physical Stopper by Rising Transfers' DNA analysis system.
How are La Liga 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 La Liga 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 La Liga season.
Defenders Rankings in Other Leagues
Other Positions in the La Liga
Rankings are generated by Rising Transfers using per-90 statistics from the 2025/26 La Liga 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.