Ricardo Carvalho
Although his time with Real Madrid has been marred by injury, the Portuguese back brings experience and stability to the Spanish team. Carvalho is a great defender not only in recovering possession but also in creating smooth play forward to create scoring opportunities for his team.
Nemanja Vidic
Considered by many the best defender in the world, Vidic will miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury. Without their captain in the lineup, Manchester United faces an uphill battle in trying to regain the top spot in the Premier League.
Maicon
Maicon continues to be the Wall in the Inter Milan defense, while also being one of the most dangerous defenders on the attack. The Brazilian back was Jose Mourinho's most sought-after player when he moved to Real Madrid, but the Italian team has refused to sell the player.
Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique
The outstanding duo of Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique has been a huge factor in Barcelona's domination of European soccer. While Puyol is nearing the tail end of his career, Pique is just starting his reign as one of the best defenders in the world.
Lucio
Lucio, along with his teammate Maicon, is one of the best defenders in the world. Lucio has the task of neutralizing the key strikers he faces with Inter Milan. The Brazilian is also an expert in set pieces.
Giorgio Chiellini
Being the traditional experts in defending, there had to be an Italian in this list. The winner for "Best Defender in the Serie A" three years running, Giorgio Chiellini, is one of the reasons Juventus has recovered its form to take the lead in the Italian league.
Vincent Kompany
The Manchester city captain, Vincent Kompany, is the leader of one of the best defenses in the Premier league. Kompany also helps on the attack in the most explosive offense in the English Premier League, contributing to an astounding total of 53 goals.
Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos has become one of the most iconic players in Real Madrid. While being a constant threat when he moves forward, he also always finds a way to intimidate his opponents.
Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole makes the list ahead of his controversial captain, John Terry. Although Cole may be one of the most hated players in the league, he continues to be one of the most consistent defenders in the Premier League.
Thiago Silva
Thiago Silva continues to shine with AC Milan. The Brazilian was named the captain of the Italian club in November. He has also become a threat on offense, scoring his first goal in European competition this year in the Champions League against Barcelona.
Philipp Lahm
Phillip Lahm wins a spot on the list as the captain of one of the best teams in Europe, Bayern Munich. Bayern has allowed only 10 goals in 17 matches in the Bundesliga this season.
Photo via Flickr/Darz Mol
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