Zdenko Baran

This calm Slovakian defensive midfielder is a wall whose elegant intercepting skills were forged after overcoming a childhood phobia of thunderstorms, transforming that fear into a serene aggression on the pitch. With dominant aerial ability and near-perfect defensive IQ, he offsets his occasional stiffness in sliding tackles with impeccable game sense. His imposing frame moves with deceptive speed, making him an implacable guardian of the midfield.