Top Tacklers of Europe’s Elite: Ranking the Players with the Most Tackles in the 2022/2023 Season across Europe’s Top 5 Leagues
This season has seen a slew of excellent tacklers emerge from Europe’s top five leagues, with this piece paying tribute to individuals who simply enjoy getting’stuck in’.
Ball winners are just as vital to a team’s success as goal scorers, and no players have reclaimed control more times than this group in 2022/23.
Ranking the players most likely to win tackles in Europe’s top five leagues in 2022/23.
Roam by Bryan Cristante (113).
Bryan Cristante has been an underappreciated member of Roma’s midfield for numerous seasons, and he led Serie A in tackles during the 2022/23 season.
As Roma finished sixth in the league under Jose Mourinho, the 28-year-old registered 113 tackles at an average of 3.1 per 90 minutes.
Cristante 🫂 Mancini @ASRomaEN pic.twitter.com/Z64jvF7h7D
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) March 6, 2023
Cristante also led the Europa League in tackles (39) as Roma advanced to the competition’s final, finishing ahead of Manchester United’s Casemiro and teammate Nemanja Matic in the campaign.
Guido Rodriguez – Real Betis (115)
Guido Rodriguez has had an incredible ascent in recent seasons, going from relative unknown to Argentina international and World Cup winner.
Rodriguez made his Argentina debut after impressing at Club América in Mexico, where he won the Mexican Golden Ball as Liga MX’s best player in 2018/19.
🎂 🟢⚪️ A big Happy Birthday to @RealBetis_en star @Guido_Rodriguez!#LaLigaSantander pic.twitter.com/pV5kWOpxx2
— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN) April 12, 2023
That summer, he joined Real Betis and has since grown into one of La Liga’s most effective defensive screens, leading the league in tackles in two of the last three seasons.
Following Argentina’s recent success at the Copa America and World Cup, Barcelona have been linked with a summer move for the 29-year-old as the Catalans seek a replacement for Sergio Busquets.
Andrei Girotto has had the most stable spell of his career since joining Nantes, where he was a member of the team that won the Coupe de France in 2021/22.
After losing Randal Kolo Muani, Nantes has unable to recreate that success this season, and they are fighting relegation in Ligue 1.
Girotto has played a crucial role in the club’s successful struggle for survival, recording 122 tackles in the domestic league. Only one other player in the division achieved more.
Benjamin Andre has been an excellent purchase for Lille, leading the league in tackles for the second consecutive season.
Andre joined Lille from Rennes in 2019 for €8 million and has since proven to be fantastic value with his ability to win the ball prolifically in midfield.
The 32-year-old was named to the Ligue 1 Team of the Season after Lille shocked everyone by winning the league in 2020/21, and he has made 100+ tackles in each of the last three seasons.
Joao Palhinha led Europe’s top five leagues in tackles during the 2022/23 season, and the midfielder was one of the Premier League season’s signings.
Palhinha was overlooked by several top clubs last summer when they were looking for midfield reinforcements, but that error has proven to be Fulham’s gain.
No player in the Premier League won more tackles or won more duels than Fulham's João Palhinha ⚔️
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) May 29, 2023
Not a bad debut season… pic.twitter.com/SuFdDAFTq5
Marco Silva sanctioned a £20 million deal to buy his countrymen from Sporting Lisbon, and he has been rewarded with a stellar season from Palhinha, who has made more tackles and won more duels than any other Premier League player.
The 27-year-old’s performances are said to have piqued the interest of more affluent clubs, and Fulham may expect to more than double their initial investment if Palhinha leaves.
The west Londoners will be reluctant to lose the midfielder, whose presence has been crucial to Fulham’s successful return to the top flight.
