Bayern Munich center-back Dayot Upamecano said the secret to being a good modern defender is having the ability to pass and build attacks from the back, in addition to reading the opponent's attacks.
"A defender's possession of the ball is crucial, especially when the team is tired. We have to do that so everyone can recharge," Upamecano said, as quoted on the Bundesliga's official website on Wednesday.
Upamecano continued, by starting a breakthrough into the opponent's area from the back line, a team makes it difficult for the opponent to get the ball.
This season, the French footballer has a stellar passing record. The Bundesliga records show Upamecano is in the top five players with the best pass completion rate in the league this season, with a 93.47 percent success rate.
His partner in Munich's center-back position, Jonathan Tah, is in second place with a pass success rate of 95.62 percent.
Furthermore, Upamecano and Bayern Munich right-back Josip Stanisic averaged 6.18 and 6.85 forward passes per game, respectively. The average player in their position only makes 3.63 forward passes per game.
The performance of these defenders resulted in Munich's average ball possession reaching 60 percent per match, with an average pass success rate of around 90.2 percent per match in the 2025/2026 season.