Liverpool's Dejan Lovren pulls no punches in criticism of Sergio Ramos and picks out the world's best defenders
Dejan Lovren’s claim that he was one of the best defenders in the world was widely mocked back in July.
The Liverpool and Croatia defender has enjoyed a stunning 2018, reaching both the Champions League and World Cup finals, but his catalogue of errors previously were still stuck in the minds of most onlookers.
Lovren, though, remains convinced that he is in the top echelon of centre-backs and has now explained his comments – picking the players he thinks are at the same level as he is.
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“I said I’m one of the best, not the best,” Lovren explained.
“It can be five, but look at this season and tell me who played in the Champions League final and then a month later in the World Cup final. I was second after Thierry Henry, I searched that information.
He added: “Virgil [van Dijk], I would say.
“We had a great season, last season, me and him. We reached the final of the Champions League.
“I would say [Raphael] Varane. I like Varane, he deserves a lot of credit but I think he doesn’t get it as much as [Sergio] Ramos gets it and I don’t agree with that,” he added.
“Is Varane better than Ramos? Definitely. I think in this moment and in previous years. He won the Champions League, he won the World Cup.
“So he should be voted the best defender in the world. I think they chose Ramos [at the FIFA Best awards] but that’s a decision that you cannot change.
“Then I would always consider Thiago Silva. He’s really good, experienced, he’s not so tall but he jumps quite high.”
Ramos was public enemy number one after Liverpool’s defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League final and Lovren is clearly not a fan.
He believes that Ramos’ mistakes are forgotten about and laid into the defender.
“If you look, Ramos, he has many more mistakes than me but he’s at Real Madrid,” Lovren added.
“With [Cristiano] Ronaldo, when you make a mistake, it’s 5-1, 5-2 and nobody sees the mistake.
“I’m quite unlucky, when I make the mistake it’s 1-0. When I do a mistake I don’t talk to anyone, not even my wife… you don’t know how it is.”
