CB Eder Militao
Eder Militao had an encouraging first season for Real Madrid in 2019-2020, playing a key role in the march to the title with his shutdown performance of Athletic Club star forward Inaki Williams at San Mames. But Militao wasn’t playing at anywhere near the level he is right now.
The Brazilian defender’s inclusion on this list comes after a string of five straight matches against Liverpool (twice), Barcelona, Getafe, and Cadiz in which Los Blancos conceded just two goals overall. They had clean sheets over Getafe, Cadiz, and Liverpool, and Militao pretty much carried the defense in that 0-0 draw with Getafe.
Militao has all the tools necessary to become a great center back for Real Madrid. If both Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane leave this summer, Real can have confidence in the former FC Porto man, because he proved he can be a strong starter when he went toe-to-toe with two of Europe’s elite clubs and did not look out of place at all.
Composed on the ball and sharp with his long passing, Militao has a little bit of Ramos to his game. He’s even scored with his head this season. The 23-year-old’s always had promise, but after being mentioned in transfer rumors, his recent displays have made it clear to Madridistas that he must be a part of this club’s future.