The five most effective tacklers so far in 2024/25
In the rough and tumble world of central defenders, there's an art to knowing when - and how - to make sure your opponent doesn't get the ball. bundesliga.com runs the rule over the five players who have proven most effective in challenging so far this season.
1. Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen), 68.4 per cent
Jonathan Tah is not only the Bundesliga player who wins the highest percentage of duels, he also has the best pass completion rate having additionally topped the league for percentage of successful passes last season.
This season, the accomplished Germany international has added significantly improved duel performance to his resumé, taking his success rate from 61.3 per cent (not even in the top 10 in the league) to an unsurpassed 68.4 per cent (among players to have played at least two-thirds of possible playing time). Incredible stats from the dependable defender, who is once again leading from the back in a team that has lost just once this season - and which went into the winter break in second on the back of a five-match winning streak.
2. Eric Smith (St. Pauli), 66.2 per cent
An integral part of the St. Pauli side that claimed Bundesliga 2 gold last season, Eric Smith is proving in the current campaign that he has the quality to mix it in the top flight. Smith has been particularly efficient in challenges since August and his performances have helped the Hamburg club to precious clean-sheet away wins over Freiburg and Hoffenheim, boosting their bid to avoid relegation in their first top-flight campaign in 13 years.
3. Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), 65.7 per cent
After finishing tenth in 2023/24, Freiburg hit the ground running in the current campaign, spending the bulk of the first half of the season in the top six. Among their leading performers is central defender Ginter, whose previous wealth of experience with Freiburg, Borussia Dortmund, Borussa Mönchengladbach and the German national team (52 caps) is reflected in the acuity he shows in winning the ball. If Freiburg are to recapture their early season form, they will surely need Ginter to keep up the good work at the back.
4. Jeff Chabot (VfB Stuttgart), 65.5 per cent
Franco-German centre-back Chabot walked into Sebastian Hoeneß's starting XI after signing from Cologne in the summer - which was no mean feat, especially considering that the side had just finished second behind Leverkusen and earned a place in the Champions League. It's clear that this was no fluke, as the 6'5" defender has racked up an impressive successful duel rate while starting in all but two of Stuttgart's 15 league outings.
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5. Willi Orbán (RB Leipzig), 64.9 per cent
The Leipzig captain has been a real workhorse for the club since signing from Kaiserslautern all the way back in 2015, and he is showing no signs of slowing down. The experienced Hungary international (54 caps) is still an elite performer when it comes to winning the ball, showing prowess that has been key to Leipzig's eight clean sheets this season. On top of this, the 32-year-old has rifled home four goals this season - level with his personal best - suggesting that if anyone can drive Die Roten Bullen's bid to bounce back from their defeat to Bayern just before the break, it's Orbán.
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