Perfect player series: Building a flawless centre-back

Every footballer on the planet has blemishes, weaknesses in their game they wish didn't exist. But what if they didn't? What would the ideal player look like in every position? Plucking specific traits from various superstars, theScore is diving into the lab to build the perfect footballer.

Complete series:

• Building a flawless goalkeeper
• Building a flawless full-back (July 26)
• Building a flawless central midfielder (July 27)
• Building a flawless attacking midfielder (July 28)
• Building a flawless winger (July 29)
• Building a flawless forward (July 30)

In the second installment of our seven-part series, we're assembling the perfect centre-back. Equal parts physical brute and cultured reader of the game, the ideal central defender can snuff out opposing attacks before they begin, make precise tackles, and launch his team forward with a perfect pass.

Positioning: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich)

Jerome Boateng might just be the best all-around centre-back on offer today. The Bayern Munich superstar is an imposing unit, both powerful and quick; he pairs athleticism with a keen mind, using his footballing intelligence to read the play and get to the right spot before things develop; he's a firm tackler - on the odd occasion he needs to make a last-ditch challenge - and caps it all off by being a composed figure with the ball. He's the benchmark.

Pace: Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)

Raw speed isn't something commonly associated with centre-backs, but in order to keep pace with blistering strikers - and cut across to close down charging wingers - it's an increasingly vital quality. French international Raphael Varane is the game's defensive speed merchant, the lanky 24-year-old using his long stride to make openings disappear for opposing forwards. Just ask Gonzalo Higuain, whose space in last season's Champions League final against Real Madrid was continuously swallowed up by Varane's ability to close the distance.

No-nonsense attitude: Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)

It just wouldn't feel right to craft an impeccable defender without infusing some of Diego Godin's talent into the mix. The Atletico Madrid stalwart, 31, isn't flashy. He doesn't have a suave hairstyle or eye-catching tattoos; he won't be mistaken for a smooth ball-playing peer; he's often cruelly overlooked in these types of conversations by virtue of the stodgy, defence-first system that he plays in. But none of that should obscure the fact that he does one thing better than most: he defends, in the truest sense of the word. Others may have more grace or be more pleasing on the eye, but the Uruguayan is an absolute rock at the back.

Tackling: Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham)

Among Premier League defenders who played at least 24 matches last season, Toby Alderweireld's 0.3 fouls per 90 minutes was the best mark in the division. He was booked just once in 30 league games for Tottenham, which is an absurdly low total any way you slice it, but particularly for someone who plays in a high-pressing system that often leaves the central defenders alone and in compromising positions if the team's initial press is broken. His timing when he goes into tackles is impeccable.

Heading: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)

Everybody knows about Sergio Ramos' aerial prowess inside the opposing penalty area; the stately Spaniard scored eight goals between domestic and Champions League play last season - many of the late, dramatic variety. Seven of those tallies came courtesy of his cranium. His ability to read aerial balls is unmatched, and his incredible leaping ability sees him hang in the air for an extra split second before engaging his neck muscles and thundering home a header. Those same skills are vital elsewhere on the pitch, of course, as Ramos is equally adept using his head to cut out crosses or win important challenges. A Real Madrid training session made up exclusively of Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo contesting aerial balls would be must-see viewing.

Distribution: Leonardo Bonucci (AC Milan)

There is no better passer out of the back than Juventus' Leonardo Bonucci; the Italian international, who completed a remarkable €40-million move to AC Milan earlier this month, has connected on more long-balls (1,022) than any other player in Serie A since the 2012-13 season. Mobile and clever with the ball at his feet, he's also talented enough to dribble out of pressure and make room for himself to unleash one of his trademark aerial passes that sets his team on the front foot. He's the ultimate weapon when it comes to turning defence into attack with one fell swoop, acting as a playmaker who just happens to set up shop in front of his own penalty area.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)