Football club and player rankings
The best clubs and players in world football, ranked every nightOur own rankings, over the last twelve months of club football. Every result in 131,441 matches, weighed by who it came against and where. The top 50 of each, free to read; every ranked club and player by API.
The best defenders in Ireland
Ranked over the twelve months to 29 October 2026. Narrow it to a country and it shows that country's best, with each player's place in the world beside it.
| 1 | new | JR J. RedmondSt Patrick's Athl. · IRL · 1,942 in the world | DEF | 3,175 | 1 | 2 | 42.3 | Open |
| 2 | new | SH S. HoareSt Patrick's Athl. · IRL · 1,977 in the world | DEF | 2,286 | 2 | 1 | 42.2 | Open |
| 3 | new | LT L. TurnerSt Patrick's Athl. · IRL · 2,193 in the world | DEF | 3,012 | 2 | 3 | 41.2 | Open |
| 4 | new | CD C. DummiganDerry City · IRL · 2,463 in the world | DEF | 1,430 | 2 | 1 | 40.0 | Open |
| 5 | new | BC Barry CotterDerry City · IRL · 2,527 in the world | DEF | 1,807 | 2 | 0 | 39.7 | Open |
| 6 | new | P PicoShamrock Rovers · IRL · 2,927 in the world | DEF | 2,335 | 3 | 1 | 38.2 | Open |
| 7 | new | LG L. GraceShamrock Rovers · IRL · 3,325 in the world | DEF | 2,544 | 1 | 1 | 36.9 | Open |
| 8 | new | BC Benny CoutoWaterford · IRL · 3,560 in the world | DEF | 2,717 | 2 | 11 | 36.2 | Open |
| 9 | new | PH P. HickeyBohemians · IRL · 3,766 in the world | DEF | 3,197 | 5 | 1 | 35.5 | Open |
| 10 | new | PM Patrick McCleanDerry City · IRL · 4,190 in the world | DEF | 2,531 | 1 | 1 | 34.3 | Open |
| 11 | new | JM J. MahonWaterford · IRL · 4,550 in the world | DEF | 2,854 | 5 | 1 | 33.4 | Open |
| 12 | new | SM S. MullenBohemians · IRL · 4,886 in the world | DEF | 1,865 | 0 | 1 | 32.5 | Open |
| 13 | new | TW T. WilsonDundalk · IRL · 4,896 in the world | DEF | 1,989 | 4 | 2 | 32.5 | Open |
| 14 | new | OC O. CaseyShelbourne · IRL · 4,913 in the world | DEF | 1,273 | 0 | 0 | 32.5 | Open |
| 15 | new | KL K. LongWaterford · IRL · 5,597 in the world | DEF | 2,089 | 2 | 1 | 30.9 | Open |
| 16 | new | ES E. StevensShamrock Rovers · IRL · 5,956 in the world | DEF | 1,107 | 1 | 1 | 29.9 | Open |
| 17 | new | JB J. BrownSt Patrick's Athl. · IRL · 6,460 in the world | DEF | 3,141 | 1 | 4 | 28.8 | Open |
| 18 | new | ST S. ToddBohemians · IRL · 6,462 in the world | DEF | 2,544 | 2 | 0 | 28.8 | Open |
| 19 | new | AO A. O'ConnorGalway United · IRL · 6,490 in the world | DEF | 2,090 | 1 | 2 | 28.7 | Open |
| 20 | new | TS T. SobowaleShamrock Rovers · IRL · 6,624 in the world | DEF | 2,680 | 1 | 4 | 28.5 | Open |
| 21 | new | BB B. BurnsDundalk · IRL · 6,925 in the world | DEF | 2,988 | 2 | 0 | 27.9 | Open |
| 22 | new | BF B. FlemingDerry City · IRL · 7,080 in the world | DEF | 2,832 | 0 | 3 | 27.6 | Open |
| 23 | new | CK C. KeeleyDrogheda United · IRL · 7,347 in the world | DEF | 2,919 | 3 | 1 | 27.0 | Open |
| 24 | new | WO Wasiri Ola WilliamsGalway United · IRL · 7,716 in the world | DEF | 1,782 | 1 | 1 | 26.2 | Open |
| 25 | new | OD O. DenhamSligo Rovers · IRL · 7,759 in the world | DEF | 2,276 | 1 | 0 | 26.1 | Open |
| 26 | new | SB S. BoneShelbourne · IRL · 8,107 in the world | DEF | 1,673 | 1 | 1 | 25.4 | Open |
| 27 | new | AP Arthur ParkerGalway United · IRL · 8,108 in the world | DEF | 946 | 0 | 0 | 25.4 | Open |
| 28 | new | EA E. AgbajeDrogheda United · IRL · 8,349 in the world | DEF | 2,998 | 2 | 2 | 24.9 | Open |
| 29 | new | CO C. O'SullivanShamrock Rovers · IRL · 8,377 in the world | DEF | 2,003 | 0 | 2 | 24.8 | Open |
| 30 | new | KL K. LedwidgeShelbourne · IRL · 8,757 in the world | DEF | 3,546 | 0 | 1 | 24.0 | Open |
| 31 | new | SG Sean GannonShelbourne · IRL · 8,876 in the world | DEF | 1,279 | 0 | 0 | 23.8 | Open |
| 32 | new | ZI Zeno Ibsen RossiShelbourne · IRL · 9,083 in the world | DEF | 1,129 | 1 | 1 | 23.3 | Open |
| 33 | new | MA M. AnimasahunDundalk · IRL · 9,143 in the world | DEF | 1,635 | 0 | 0 | 23.2 | Open |
| 34 | new | PB Paddy BarrettShelbourne · IRL · 9,187 in the world | DEF | 1,865 | 2 | 0 | 23.1 | Open |
| 35 | new | JR John Ross WilsonDundalk · IRL · 9,542 in the world | DEF | 1,702 | 0 | 1 | 22.4 | Open |
| 36 | new | CB C. ByrneBohemians · IRL · 9,882 in the world | DEF | 1,799 | 0 | 0 | 21.7 | Open |
| 37 | new | DP D. PowerBohemians · IRL · 9,947 in the world | DEF | 2,925 | 0 | 0 | 21.6 | Open |
| 38 | new | GM G. McElroySligo Rovers · IRL · 10,058 in the world | DEF | 2,955 | 1 | 0 | 21.3 | Open |
| 39 | new | JB James Barry NorrisShelbourne · IRL · 10,190 in the world | DEF | 1,717 | 2 | 2 | 21.0 | Open |
| 40 | new | HC H. CannWaterford · IRL · 10,286 in the world | DEF | 2,888 | 2 | 1 | 20.8 | Open |
| 41 | new | SM S. McHaleSt Patrick's Athl. · IRL · 10,426 in the world | DEF | 1,459 | 1 | 0 | 20.5 | Open |
| 42 | new | DC D. ClearyShamrock Rovers · IRL · 10,458 in the world | DEF | 1,358 | 0 | 0 | 20.4 | Open |
| 43 | new | CB C. BarrDerry City · IRL · 10,648 in the world | DEF | 1,473 | 1 | 0 | 20.0 | Open |
| 44 | new | HW H. WarrenDundalk · IRL · 10,808 in the world | DEF | 1,097 | 0 | 1 | 19.7 | Open |
| 45 | new | GF Gianfranco FacchineriGalway United · IRL · 11,026 in the world | DEF | 2,670 | 0 | 0 | 19.2 | Open |
| 46 | new | JS J. StottDerry City · IRL · 11,576 in the world | DEF | 2,384 | 0 | 1 | 18.0 | Open |
| 47 | new | SS Sean StewartSligo Rovers · IRL · 12,204 in the world | DEF | 1,567 | 0 | 2 | 16.6 | Open |
| 48 | new | KB Killian BrouderGalway United · IRL · 12,402 in the world | DEF | 2,006 | 1 | 0 | 16.1 | Open |
| 49 | new | JE Jeannot EsuaSligo Rovers · IRL · 12,756 in the world | DEF | 2,271 | 1 | 1 | 15.2 | Open |
| 50 | new | LB Leo BurneyDrogheda United · IRL · 12,916 in the world | DEF | 1,591 | 3 | 0 | 14.7 | Open |
Four things decide a place
Our method is our own and we keep the detail to ourselves. This is what goes into it, in plain words.
Results
Every win, draw and defeat, and by how much. A club is judged on what it did, not on its name or its wage bill.
Who it came against
Beating a strong side counts for more than beating a weak one, and the level of the competition counts too, so a European night weighs what it should.
How recent
Twelve months, rolling, with the latest matches counting for the most. Last spring still matters; last week matters more.
For players, the minutes
What a player did with his time on the pitch, judged against others in the same role, at the level he did it, and how his side fared while he played.
The same rankings, one call away
Four endpoints on the Live & Archive plan. Pick one to see the call and what it answers tonight.
Put the rankings in your own product
Every ranked club and player, by country, competition, club or role, with a history you can chart. Rebuilt every night before you wake up.