Best Defenders in the Serie A 2025/26
Per-90 performance rankings · Rising Transfers DNA Analysis · 25 players ranked
Based on per-90 statistics across 25 Serie A defenders in 2025/26, Jacobo Ramón leads the ranking as a Ball-Playing CB with a composite score of 0.74. Victor Nelsson (Physical Stopper) ranks second at 0.73, followed by Lloyd Kelly (Ball-Playing CB) at 0.71. All rankings are calculated using Rising Transfers' 47-dimension per-90 analysis methodology.
Methodology: Per-90 stats explained · DNA matching
Jacobo Ramón
19 games · Spain
Victor Nelsson
18 games · Denmark
Lloyd Kelly
23 games · England
Full Serie A Defenders Rankings
| # | Player | Style | TW/90 | Int/90 | Clr/90 | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacobo Ramón | Ball-Playing CB | 1.16 | 1.16 | 3.97 | 19 | Similar → |
| 2 | Victor Nelsson | Physical Stopper | 0.86 | 1.92 | 7.09 | 18 | Similar → |
| 3 | Lloyd Kelly | Ball-Playing CB | 1.01 | 0.48 | 3.60 | 23 | Similar → |
| 4 | Filippo Terracciano | Ball-Playing CB | 0.49 | 1.68 | 3.55 | 18 | Similar → |
| 5 | Oumar Solet | Ball-Playing CB | 1.46 | 1.39 | 3.85 | 19 | Similar → |
| 6 | Gianluca Mancini | Ball-Playing CB | 0.83 | 1.37 | 3.73 | 24 | Similar → |
| 7 | Evan Ndicka | Ball-Playing CB | 0.54 | 1.60 | 4.69 | 20 | Similar → |
| 8 | Alessandro Buongiorno | Reading Defender | 0.93 | 1.46 | 4.06 | 21 | Similar → |
| 9 | Luca Ranieri | Ball-Playing CB | 1.02 | 0.90 | 4.58 | 25 | Similar → |
| 10 | Alessandro Bastoni | Ball-Playing CB | 1.52 | 0.96 | 3.20 | 22 | Similar → |
| 11 | Saúl Coco | Ball-Playing CB | 1.04 | 1.33 | 4.89 | 15 | Similar → |
| 12 | Danilo Veiga | Defender | 1.83 | 0.95 | 4.11 | 19 | Similar → |
| 13 | Alessio Romagnoli | Ball-Playing CB | 0.55 | 1.12 | 4.54 | 19 | Similar → |
| 14 | Mario Gila | Ball-Playing CB | 1.37 | 0.96 | 3.95 | 18 | Similar → |
| 15 | Juan Miranda | Defender | 0.85 | 1.28 | 2.71 | 21 | Similar → |
| 16 | Johan Vásquez | Ball-Playing CB | 0.93 | 1.30 | 4.39 | 18 | Similar → |
| 17 | Tiago Gabriel | Ball-Playing CB | 1.12 | 1.30 | 6.84 | 20 | Similar → |
| 18 | Berat Djimsiti | Ball-Playing CB | 0.93 | 1.46 | 5.63 | 22 | Similar → |
| 19 | Mario Hermoso | Reading Defender | 0.92 | 1.32 | 3.48 | 18 | Similar → |
| 20 | Antonio Caracciolo | Physical Stopper | 1.30 | 1.39 | 5.73 | 16 | Similar → |
| 21 | Isak Hien | Ball-Playing CB | 1.61 | 1.30 | 4.85 | 21 | Similar → |
| 22 | Manuel Akanji | Ball-Playing CB | 0.79 | 1.25 | 3.35 | 23 | Similar → |
| 23 | Federico Baschirotto | Ball-Playing CB | 0.60 | 0.96 | 6.59 | 16 | Similar → |
| 24 | Pietro Comuzzo | Aerial Defender | 0.87 | 1.30 | 5.48 | 18 | Similar → |
| 25 | Antonino Gallo | Active Full-Back | 1.27 | 0.43 | 3.63 | 20 | Similar → |
KP = Key passes · TW = Tackles won · Int = Interceptions · Clr = Clearances · GC = Goals conceded
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best defender in the Serie A right now?
Based on per-90 data in 2025/26, Jacobo Ramón is the top-ranked defender in the Serie A. Jacobo Ramón is classified as a Ball-Playing CB by Rising Transfers' DNA analysis system.
How are Serie A 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 Serie A 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 Serie A season.
Defenders Rankings in Other Leagues
Other Positions in the Serie A
Rankings are generated by Rising Transfers using per-90 statistics from the 2025/26 Serie A 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.