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ESPN staff 10y

#WorldCupRank: No. 50 David Luiz

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No. 50 David Luiz, Chelsea/Brazil

Why he's ranked: Many observers long opined that Luiz's position was as a holding midfielder, but a succession of Chelsea managers persisted in picking him at the heart of their defence, even though he is prone to the odd high-profile error. Jose Mourinho eventually decided to deploy the 27-year-old in the more advanced position at the back end of this season, but he is likely to play in defence for Brazil at the World Cup -- and for his potential new club, Paris Saint-Germain, once he completes a move this summer.

Key stat: Not only the most expensive defender in Chelsea's history, thanks to his $42 million transfer from Benfica, but his reported $83 million move to PSG would make him the most expensive defender of all time.

#INSERT type:image caption: David Luiz is a versatile player who pairs perfectly with Thiago Silva.END#

What the experts say: "Together with Thiago Silva, they are the central defense couple any coach dreams to line up. And when the going gets tough, he is one of the tough guys that get going." -- Vito De Palma, ESPN Argentina

Other articles:
- Tim Vickery: Unconventional Luiz is key for the Selecao
- ESPN Brasil: How family shaped Luiz
- Gabriele Marcotti: Decoding Luiz's move to PSG
- ESPN FC Blogs: Brazil

Next: No. 49, Iker Casillas »

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