Alessandro Nesta names Premier League star who is ‘the best defender in the world’

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Published October 11, 2025 7:35pm Updated October 11, 2025 7:35pm Nesta believes the Premier League star is still at the top of his game (Picture: Getty Images) Football legend Alessandro Nesta has named Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk as the best defender in the world. The former Italy international maintained his remarkable levels of consistency for so many years and has been impressed with how van Dijk has done likewise, hailing him as still the best the game has to offer at the back.

Van Dijk still operating at the top level (Picture: Getty Images) ‘For me, now van Dijk is the best,’ Nesta said. ‘The best, because he performs every year at the same level. He plays in the Premier League, the biggest league in the world, for me, and toughest so for me he is the best.’ For a number of years, Italian clubs have struggled to compete with the financial might of the Premier League with no Serie A side winning the Champions League since Inter’s triumph in 2010.

Nesta one of the greatest of all time (Picture: Getty) ‘In Italy, the league is changing. It is different. ‘Different and years ago when Serie A was the best league in the world. for me, we did not build something stronger. ‘Now without the big money, from the Italian families, the Premier League is killing us.’ Arrow MORE: Diego Costa smashes into Martin Skrtel as Chelsea Legends lose to Liverpool Arrow MORE: Chelsea suffer Enzo Fernandez injury concern with Argentina Arrow MORE: Gilberto Silva backs Chelsea star to become ‘one of the best in the world’ Football Newsletter – In The Mixer Your guide to the week in football.