England star Raheem Sterling has played against some of the best defenders in the world.
During his career for Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and England, the attacker has achieved great success on an individual and club level.
In doing so, Sterling has got the better of several world class defenders with his skill and talent.
Having played against the likes of Kyle Walker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Sergio Ramos, Virgil Van Dijk and many others, Sterling named a Man United defender as his toughest ever opponent.
Speaking with StatSports, Sterling was asked about his toughest opponent to date, and he provided what may have been a surprising response.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka is, in fact, the hardest defender Sterling has ever faced. According to Sterling, even if he manages to go past Wan-Bissaka, the Manchester United full-back frequently surprises him by charging back and catching him.
“Toughest defender you have ever faced?” Sterling was asked.
“A battle that I enjoyed was Wan-Bissaka. You’d get past him go through and then from out of nowhere, that’s one where I’d enjoy the battle,” Sterling said.
Whatever you think of Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s overall skill set, he has consistently been a top player when he’s defending in a one on one situation.
He is clever in charging back and making precise tackles, making it difficult for the opposition wingers to attack the United defense.
Although Sterling has always enjoyed using his speed and dribbling prowess to outpace his opponent, Wan-Bissaka has got the best of him several times.
There may not be a better full-back in world football than Wan-Bissaka when it comes to defending against a straight winger like Sterling, even though he may not be the greatest in the world when it comes to attacking or using the ball.