Cafu and Dani Alves made right-back play fashionable in back-to-back generations however regardless of the most effective efforts of the samba specialists, Jamie Carragher’s phrases that have been heard all over the world virtually a decade in the past nonetheless largely rang true.
“If you happen to’re a full again, you’re both a failed winger or a failed centre again,” uttered the now revered Sky Sports activities pundit. “Nobody needs to develop up and be a Gary Neville,” he famously added.
Now, the resilient and hard-working Neville starkly contrasted the majestic brilliance of the aforementioned Brazilian tandem, however Carragher’s premise was undoubtedly honest. The likes of Cafu and Alves distorted the idealist idea of the full-back, but it surely hasn’t been till solely just lately that their concepts of how the operate needs to be carried out turned commonplace.
In 2022, not solely are full backs cool, fashionable, and trendy, however they arrive in all method of iterations. To explain it as a revolution wouldn’t be far-fetched, and this drastic shift in full again play has most strongly been felt down the best.
Soccer has by no means earlier than been blessed with such an abundance of distinctive right-back expertise and pinning down the main 25 on the planet was no straightforward job. Nonetheless, we’ve given it a superb go!
Listed below are our high 25 proper backs on the planet.
Leo Dubois’ poor 2021/22 marketing campaign noticed him usurped by a teen as Peter Bosz’s beginning proper again at Lyon and the Frenchman is now plying his commerce within the Turkish top-flight with Galatasaray.
Not too way back, Dubois was regarded by admirers of French soccer as arguably the most effective proper again in Ligue 1 and one of the full on the planet.
The Frenchman is lower from a conventional material. He’s essentially sound and does the fundamentals properly.
The primary of a number of Premier League representatives in our rating.
Whereas his approach does come throughout as considerably determined and erratic at occasions, Matty Money loves defending. The Aston Villa man strikes you because the type of man who needs to be donning the brightest colored boots whereas taking part in left wing to your Sunday League crew. And sure, he might’ve gone professional if it wasn’t for that knee damage in ’08.
In actuality, although, Money’s model completely contrasts one in every of ego and pretend swagger. He’s a gritty defender who usually units the tone for the Villans together with his depth down the best flank. The Poland worldwide is without doubt one of the greatest defensive proper backs within the Premier League.
Nahuel Molina’s inventory has risen exponentially over the previous 12 months or so.
His 2021/22 marketing campaign with Udinese – which was crammed with highlight-reel moments – earned the defender a transfer to Atletico Madrid.
His defensive work nonetheless wants some refinement, although there are few higher managers on the planet to work below in that regard than Diego Simeone. Molina can be a giant attacking risk, a powerful dribbler and has baggage of tempo.
Lyon proper again Malo Gusto is one to regulate, people. He has the potential to emerge as one of many world’s greatest attacking proper backs.
The gangly Gusto boasts a novel bodily profile for a participant of his place. He’s a transformed attacking midfielder who nonetheless wants defensive moulding, however the younger Frenchman’s capacity in possession and willingness to contribute greater up the sphere sees him make our rating.
Gusto is tremendous agile and so powerful to cease in full stride. His athleticism is off the charts, whereas his technical capacity and the swagger with which he performs have seen him garner comparisons to Trent Alexander-Arnold.
It wasn’t too way back when Chelsea skipper Cesar Azpilicueta was thought to be among the best full backs on the planet. The Spaniard has confirmed himself as a wing again and centre again down the years, together with his greatest soccer at Stamford Bridge arguably coming for granted centre again in Antonio Conte’s again three.
Thomas Tuchel utilised the reliable Spaniard in a number of roles after he succeeded Frank Lampard as supervisor in January 2021, however Reece James’ brilliance has lowered the necessity for Azpilicueta’s companies.
It is taken some time for Diogo Dalot to stand up and working at Previous Trafford, however Erik ten Hag’s arrival has fast-tracked his progress through the 2022/23 season.
The Portugal worldwide’s attacking skills have change into extra outstanding, whereas he is no slouch in defence.
Noussair Mazraoui considerably struggled to determine himself below Erik ten Hag at Ajax following a massively promising 2018/19 marketing campaign.
2021/22 was Mazraoui’s best season from an attacking perspective as he notched seven Eredivisie objective contributions, and he’s since joined German giants Bayern Munich.
Accidents have blighted Mazraoui’s profession up up to now, however his expertise can’t be disputed. His education at Ajax means he’s as technically astute as they arrive, and the Moroccan is without doubt one of the few full-backs that may carry out an inverted operate to an elite customary. General, Mazraoui is an extremely sensible footballer who’s at all times conscious of his environment.
The bodily behemoth that’s Nordi Mukiele accomplished a £13m transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in 2022. It’s a discount value for a defender who as soon as appeared destined to achieve stratospheric heights.
It’s not that Mukiele’s declined as such, however he definitely hasn’t continued to develop as many projected. The Frenchman is a flexible defender who performed his greatest soccer with RB Leipzig whereas Julian Nagelsmann was on the helm.
The Frenchman is a stout defender who excels within the air and one-vs-one conditions. Impressively, too, Mukiele can contribute in assault and is at all times eager to enter the opposition’s field when crucial.
A implausible 2021/22 season for Lens in Ligue 1 earned Jonathan Clauss his first call-up for France in March 2022.
Clauss was an output machine for granted wing again for Franck Haise as he notched a mighty 16 Ligue 1 objective contributions, together with 11 assists.
The late-blooming Frenchman was pivotal to the way in which a superb Lens facet each attacked and defended, and his presence down their proper flank shall be sorely missed.
Now at Marseille, Clauss’ rating right here is harm by his omission from France’s 2022 World Cup squad.
Good luck stopping Manuel Lazzari in full flight.
The Lazio winger-turned-defender is one in every of Serie A’s quickest gamers and his capacity to burst in behind opposing defences noticed him thrive as Simone Inzaghi’s proper wing again.
The arrival of Maurizio Sarri and his 4-3-3 had many predicting Lazzari would return to his outdated place, however such was his growth as a defender below Inzaghi that he has been used prominently in Sarri’s again 4.
Lazzari is probably not the best of defenders given Lazio’s tendency to dominate possession, however the Italian carries the ball upfield with aplomb and is technically safe sufficient to contribute to the Biancocolesti’s affected person possession play.
Celik joined Roma in 2022 with fairly excessive expectations regardless of his modest charge.
He was lengthy one in every of Ligue 1’s greatest proper backs and he performed a giant function in Lille’s 2020/21 league title win with stout defensive play and 5 objective contributions going ahead.
Rangers stalwart James Tavernier has lengthy been among the best performers in Scotland, if not the most effective. The Englishman’s output from proper again is nothing wanting absurd.
The fitting again was a protagonist in Rangers’ return to glory in 2021 as he contributed to 21 league objectives within the Gers’ first title-winning marketing campaign in a decade.
Whereas many will maintain the standard of opposition in opposition to him, Tavernier proved in Europe that he needs to be thought to be one of many world’s greatest attacking proper backs.
Many Spurs followers have been content material with permitting Kyle Walker-Peters to depart for Southampton to facilitate the arrival of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. Only a few projected the slight full again to increase as he has on the south coast.
Walker-Peters’ rise culminated in his first England call-up and cap in March 2022, however the Three Lions’ stockpiling of elite-level expertise at proper again means the Saints star has little likelihood of representing his nationwide facet at main tournaments.
Nonetheless, the ex-Spurs full again is without doubt one of the Premier League’s greatest defensive proper backs. Walker-Peters, who can be adept at left again, is the epitome of reliability and consistency.
The flying Dutchman was the Netherlands’ standout performer in a disappointing Euro 2020 marketing campaign, and he had the tough job of changing Achraf Hakimi at Inter.
Dumfries feasted within the Eredivisie at PSV and he’s since risen to higher prominence following his deserved transfer to Milan. Simone Inzaghi utilised Dumfries as an auxiliary winger.
Whereas he isn’t the cleanest of technicians – each defensively and offensively – Dumfries is a bodily behemoth and unstoppable when on tune. His numbers will proceed to increase below Inzaghi.
Juan Cuadrado has been polarising opinion in Turin for the previous half a decade. The Colombian burst onto the calcio scene as an thrilling entertainer at Lecce and Fiorentina earlier than a failed transfer to Chelsea did some injury to his as soon as blossoming status.
A mortgage to Juventus introduced Cuadrado again to life and he’s since established himself at proper again below Massimiliano Allegri.
The veteran is probably not the proper full again however his capacity in one-v-one conditions, athleticism and spectacular versatility have seen him easily take to the place.
A stalwart at Actual Madrid for nearly ten years, with 5 Champions League crowns and three Spanish titles, Dani Carvajal will finish his profession as one of the embellished defenders within the sport’s historical past.
His significance to Los Blancos’ success is up for debate, however there’s a purpose why the Spaniard has garnered the belief of each Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti in Madrid.
Accidents have definitely slowed Carvajal down lately, however he stays one of the dependable and full full backs on the planet.
Danilo has performed a stellar job in making certain he’s now not considered via the prism of Joao Cancelo in Turin. The Brazilian joined Juventus in an element change deal that noticed the maverick Cancelo be part of Pep Guardiola at Manchester Metropolis.
The Portuguese worldwide’s rise on the Etihad put Danilo in a tough scenario on the Allianz Stadium, however the veteran’s significance to an albeit not-so-imperious Bianconeri can’t be overstated.
The veteran is so dependable and there aren’t any doubts that he’d be held in the next regard if Cancelo had nothing to do together with his Juventus arrival.
Benjamin Pavard’s status sky-rocketed within the wake of France’s 2018 World Cup triumph through which the defender scored one of many match’s most iconic objectives.
Pavard’s sidewinder volley within the victory over Argentina exemplified the Frenchman’s stellar approach, and he’s since gone on to raise the Champions League with Bayern Munich.
The previous Stuttgart man is a large contributor within the build-up and he’s considerably of a ball-progression machine. The Frenchman isn’t probably the most bodily of defenders, however any shortcomings in that regard are mitigated by shrewd positioning and sound fundamentals.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo must be thought to be one of the underrated proper backs on the planet. He been a mainstay within the Napoli crew for over three years and he was named the membership’s captain for the 2022/23 season following Lorenzo Insigne’s departure.
Di Lorenzo is a daily for Roberto Mancini’s nationwide crew and is definitely among the best full backs that Serie A has to supply. He’s an aggressive and strong defender whereas he performs a conservative however crucial operate for Luciano Spalletti when Napoli have the ball.
He can contribute in each part, and he seems to have taken to his new management function in Naples with ease.
Mauricio Pochettino performed a pivotal function in facilitating the maturation of Kyle Walker. The England worldwide was as uncooked as they received earlier than Poch arrived at White Hart Lane however, because of the stoic Argentine’s steerage, Walker has advanced into one of many world’s most full proper backs.
You don’t survive in Pep Guardiola’s meticulous system for this lengthy for those who’re not any good.
Walker, whose restoration velocity and technical safety stay essential to his success, has performed a key function in Metropolis’s reign of Premier League dominance. The England worldwide is now not relied upon within the closing third as a lot as he as soon as was and he’s as a substitute tasked with shunning opposition counter-attacks and making certain Metropolis can set up a numerical superiority in midfield once they have the ball.
He is carried out an extremely tough operate to the best degree for a number of years and, when he ultimately hangs up his boots, he’ll be thought to be one of many most interesting full backs England has ever produced.
Brazilians Cafu and Dani Alves made full again play modern, however Trent Alexander-Arnold has totally revolutionised our idea of the modern-day defender.
Any defensive flaws are vastly outweighed by his supreme playmaking capacity. His emergence into Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool facet was one in every of a number of elements within the Reds’ meteoric rise below their chest-pumping German boss.
Whereas Liverpool have been blessed with heaps of attacking expertise amid their ongoing modern-day golden period, they’re distinctive in that their main inventive sources arrive from full again. Alexander-Arnold possesses the crossing supply of David Beckham and Roberto Carlos’ capacity to strike a soccer with such venom.
He’s registered double-digit help hauls in three Premier League seasons, and he’ll undoubtedly encourage a brand new era of full backs.
From Burnley to Madrid, England worldwide Kieran Tripper has had fairly the profession path.
Trippier is again within the Premier League with the enriched Newcastle United and the total again performed a key function of their second-half resurgence final season.
The diminutive proper again is a stellar technician whose capacity from useless ball conditions as soon as catapulted a whole nation right into a state of utter jubilation. Gareth Southgate has usually favoured the versatile and dependable Trippier over maybe extra proficient people for the Three Lions.
Achraf Hakimi’s union with Antonio Conte at Inter was nothing wanting a match made in heaven. The Moroccan wing again was the lacking piece to the demanding Italian’s jigsaw because the Nerazzurri claimed the 2020/21 Scudetto with Hakimi starring.
Nevertheless, he was pressured to take his exploits elsewhere as Inter have been pressured right into a mini exodus forward of the 2021/22 marketing campaign. Paris Saint-Germain got here calling and Hakimi returned to taking part in in a again 4.
Hakimi is a ridiculous athlete who boasts monitor velocity, whereas his decision-making with the ultimate go is bettering. His attacking prowess is complemented by a sound defensive repertoire and, together, they forge to create among the best proper backs on the planet.
We’re unsure whether or not a number of the issues Joao Cancelo does with the ball at his ft are fully authorized. The Manchester Metropolis star is an artist; a science-defier.
There’s a rawness to Cancelo’s recreation that facilitates unpredictability each time he steps onto the sphere. The Portuguese defender is way from the most effective defensive proper again on the planet, however his work in possession is simply obscene.
Following a tough debut season on the Etihad, Cancelo rebounded in yr two to determine himself as a daily in Pep Guardiola’s facet. The versatile full again is so essential to what Metropolis obtain with the ball each week, together with his capacity to keep away from strain, work inconceivable angles, and mix round opponents being distinct options of his recreation.
Cancelo has taken to Guardiola’s calls for with aplomb and he has change into one of the fascinating gamers to look at.
Reece James won’t be the revolutionary that’s Alexander-Arnold, neither is he as electrical as Hakimi or possess Cancelo’s freakish technical repertoire, however he’s presently probably the most full proper again within the recreation.
Like Trent, James possesses a fierce crossing supply, and his ball-striking is that of a prolific quantity 9. The England worldwide is a strong determine down the best and he got here into his personal from an attacking perspective as a wing again final season as he registered 14 Premier League objective contributions.
General, it’s James’ capacity to defend as stoutly as the easiest on the planet that sees him high our rating. The Chelsea star’s attacking prowess is complemented by his aggression with out the ball, physicality in duels, and sound defensive fundamentals.