Explore the latest Player Defending stats for 2026, with updated data on interceptions and blocks for the most popular players and teams in world football.
Player Defending Stats Table
Our stats are super simple to use! Here’s how to get started:
Get to know the stats that count: Player defending stats are vast, but the most important things to look at are the interceptions, duels won, blocks, clean sheets, and cards.
Filter through the data: In the table above, there are a number of options to help narrow down your search. You can filter by position with the GK, DEF, MID, and FWD buttons on the left. To focus on regularly featured players, activate the ‘MINIMUM 40% APPEARANCE' button; for a detailed analysis, switch to ‘PER 90'.
Refine your search with precision: Use the ‘Top Leagues' and ‘Current Season' drop-down menus to select a particular league or cup and decide between viewing the current or previous season. Want to delve even deeper? Use the search bar to find specific clubs or players.
If you want even more info, our football stats centre has everything you need!
Match Stats
Player & Team Stats
Tips for Betting with Defensive Stats
There are tons of markets which involve defensive action stats, so this page could just be what you need to further your betting knowledge.
Here are a few tips on which markets to bet on when reviewing these stats:
Clean Sheets
An all-time classic, betting on clean sheets simply means that you’re betting on a team not to concede any goals. Solid defence is pivotal for clean sheets, so pinpointing defenders and goalkeepers who consistently maintain them can offer excellent value.
TIP:
These statistics can also guide bets such as Both Teams To Score (or not to score) and Win to Nil, among others..
Tackles
Betting on tackles means betting on a player to dispossess an opponent without committing a foul. You can either bet on total match tackles or individual player tackles.
Defenders who make many interceptions, blocks, and duels are much more likely to make tackles, so betting on them could be ideal. When considering such bets, we suggest filtering by team to determine if total match tackles present a worthwhile wager.
Fouls
Another multi-market opportunity is to bet on player fouls and / or team total fouls. Any defensive action could lead to a foul, meaning that players or teams who are forced to play defensively are more likely to commit fouls. Looking at the stats will let you decipher which players are the most defensive, and therefore the most likely to commit a foul.
ThePuntersPage Final Say
Versatile in nature and highly insightful, player defending statistics can help you place more well-informed bets. So, why not bookmark this guide? It could very well turn out to be your secret weapon for seizing every available betting opportunity!
Defending stats FAQs
Defending stats involve any metric to do with stopping the opposition without it being a foul.
Defensive stats categories are often split into interceptions, duels won, blocks, clean sheets, and cards. These classifications should give an excellent, all-round picture of a player’s quality of defence.
That depends on what you’re looking at. Wolves midfielder Mario Lemina leads in interceptions (17), Palace forward Jordan Ayew has won the most duels (75), and Hammers centre back, Nayef Aguerd, has made the most blocks (13).
With so many different measurements, it may be hard to pinpoint what makes a great defender. That said, the main ways to rate players are their ability to stop shots, make tackles, and keep clean sheets.
Both players boast some decent stats, especially for attackers. Messi is better at tackles and interceptions, but Ronaldo is totally dominant in the air, perfect for defending corners, freekicks and crosses.