Top 5 Best Defensive Duos in World Football: Antonio Rudiger Backs Arsenal’s Gabriel and Saliba
Antonio Rudiger, one of Europe’s top defenders, has named Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhães and William Saliba as the best central defensive partnership in world football.
Rudiger praised their performances over the past two seasons, highlighting their key role in Arsenal’s transformation and their challenge for the Premier League title.
Rudiger particularly emphasized Gabriel’s vocal leadership and aggressive style, while Saliba impressed him with his clean and composed play, describing the Frenchman as a “silent leader.” Speaking on the Inside Scoop podcast, the Real Madrid star remarked: “They’re doing an amazing job. Gabriel is the aggressive leader, and Saliba plays clean – you have to give it to him.”
Despite Rudiger’s high praise, his former manager at Chelsea, Frank Lampard, believes the duo still have more to prove.
Lampard stated that while Gabriel and Saliba are fantastic young defenders, they need to win major silverware, such as the Premier League or Champions League, before being considered among the league’s greatest defensive pairings.
Gabriel, who has been nominated for the Premier League’s Player of the Month for September, has played every minute of Arsenal’s Premier League campaign so far, contributing to three clean sheets and scoring important goals, including one in the North London Derby against Tottenham and another in their clash with Manchester City. Arsenal’s next test comes when they face Southampton.
Top 5 Best Defensive Duos in World Football: Antonio Rudiger Backs Arsenal’s Gabriel and Saliba
