It is not a big statement to imply that Croatia's Josko Gvardiol, who was ranked No. 22 on ESPN's 39 U21 list in April, has been the tournament's best defence thus far. Gvardiol entered the 2022 World Cup with a reputation as one of the most promising young centre backs in the world.

The 20-year-old left-footed defender has more than lived up to his reputation despite wearing a protective face mask since fracturing his nose against Freiburg in November. Reputations are one thing, but delivering on the greatest stage is another.

Gvardiol has demonstrated incredible confidence and authority in defence for a Croatian team that has only allowed two goals (excluding the penalty shootout against Japan), winning approximately 70% of his duels while remaining secure and helpful in possession.

While the attacking players on display at a World Cup typically garner the most attention because they enjoy the luxury of creative autonomy and are free to move around, attempt individual actions, and do so without experiencing match-defining consequences, Gvardiol has performed admirably in one of the most demanding roles, where even the slightest lapse in judgement, failure to anticipate, or positional error can result in a goal for the opposition.

What's more amazing is that he plays for a squad that might not immediately come to mind as having strong defence. Dejan Lovren, his teammate in central defence, is 33 years old and has a wealth of experience, but he has lost some of his mobility with time. Borna Sosa or Borna Barisic play left fullback, and both are aggressive fullbacks, which occasionally provides spaces for Gvardiol to fill.

Despite his obvious talent, Gvardiol's performance at the World Cup at such a young age or even his regular playing time at centre back given the other possibilities weren't guaranteed.

The Croatian can further solidify his position as one of the finest young defenders in the world and generate further buzz before what is anticipated to be a busy January transfer season with another commanding performance against Brazil, against the most difficult opposition to date.