Of all the talented youngsters in the world, it is Raphael Varane; centre-half for Real Madrid who is earning rave reviews after producing some outstanding defensive performances for Los Blancos.
Varane has received a great deal of game-time recently; cementing his place at the heart of the Real defence alongside Sergio Ramos.
Varane is what some would consider to be the perfect defender, seen as though he is equipped with all the correct attributes to become one of the best defenders of our generation.
He is a strong, quick and powerful centre-back who is flawless at bringing the ball out from the back, he is incredibly comfortable on the ball and his decision-making is first-class.
The Frenchman is also an exceptional reader of the game, often timing tackles and interceptions to perfection, as well as being the victor when locked in a battle with an opposition striker.
His most impressive trait is his aerial threat; he is extremely powerful and dominant in the air and can generate an enormous amount of power in his headers, something which can be successful at both ends of the pitch.
The Former RC Lens youth product has the perfect physique for a defender; being tall and stocky, he is able to easily out-muscle strikers and the way he plays is incredibly reminiscent of former France defender Lillian Thuram.
It would appear that he has the perfect package for a defender and if he is able to continue to mature and develop over the next few years, you wouldn’t put it past him becoming one of the best defenders in the world.