Discussing the world’s greatest right-backs was not one thing most would have thought of doing even 15 years in the past. Famously, nobody “grew up desirous to be Gary Neville”.
Effectively, the occasions, they’re a-changing – even since Trent Alexander-Arnold’s unbelievable rise from debates about whether or not he was a midfielder to profitable Champions League titles. This can be a place through which crossing machines bomb up and down the flank (see the likes of Achraf Hakimi), playmaking starlets glisten (Joshua Kimmich or Trent, anybody?) and clever defenders lock down a few roles directly (suppose Kyle Walker or Takehiro Tomiyasu).
So rating these gamers in some form of order is… tough. We’ve gone with the gamers with essentially the most affect, consistency and general high quality. Argue amongst yourselves @FourFourTwo as to the order and omissions…
The perfect right-backs on the planet
10. Giovanni Di Lorenzo
Napoli have been the shock story of European soccer this season, demolishing all of their path with ease and thrill that we haven’t seen for the reason that days of Sarriball. Positive, it’s the free-scoring assault which might be writing the headlines – however the defence has been stable, too.
Inheriting the captaincy in the summertime, Giovanni Di Lorenzo has been a rock in I Partenopei’s backline. An clever reader of the sport who equally relishes attacking and defensive conditions, he’s been probably the most quietly constant defenders in Serie A this season and one in all Napoli’s extra underrated gamers. The world is ready for them to clinch the Scudetto as soon as extra.
9. Malo Gusto (Lyon)
Chelsea have been a very completely different staff with out Reece James at right-back this season. When the England man is injured, it has been tough to duplicate simply how good he’s going each forwards and backwards.
Malo Gusto has been very good for some time now at Lyon, nevertheless. The Frenchman is defensively adept, nice going ahead and although the Ligue 1 giants have fallen off the tempo within the final couple of years, unable to problem for the title any longer, Gusto has been a standout product of their academy. He is greater than earned the large transfer.
8. Joao Cancelo
One among few gamers to be genuinely world-class in two completely different positions on a soccer pitch, Joao Cancelo solely actually performs right-back for his nation. Maybe the evergreen Kyle Walker has pushed him to left-back – Manchester Metropolis’s pursuit for Marc Cucurella in the summertime definitely suggests so.
From the left of the pitch within the final couple of seasons, we have seen a model of Cancelo who drifts into Jack Grealish’s house and pings balls with the skin of his proper foot if want be. From the proper, we see a extra simplified Cancelo: fewer trivelas, extra tirelessness in bombing ahead, conserving to the width of the pitch and stretching opposition earlier than utilizing his elegant incision. The Portuguese is devastatingly dynamic.
The autumn from grace over the previous few months has come out of nowhere however it appears as tactical as anything – Trent Alexander-Arnold, likewise, has had blips when the Liverpool system hasn’t coated for him. The purpose stays, nevertheless: talent-wise Cancelo is excellent and nonetheless worthy of a spot on this record.
7. Ben White
Some doubted whether or not William Saliba can be staying at Arsenal past this summer time. The French wonderkid arrived again after three spectacular years on mortgage making an attempt to displace both Gabriel or Ben White – two gamers Mikel Arteta had spent the very best a part of £75 million and a season integrating into his defence.
The reply was easy: transfer White out to the proper. However whereas it regarded like a fast repair till Takehiro Tomiyasu received in control, the England worldwide has been distinctive. His passing vary is pleasant, he excels in 1v1 battles and the overlaps he’s offered to Bukayo Saka have saved Arsenal’s sport unpredictable within the last third.
White was just a little rash and reactive when he first arrived on the Emirates Stadium however shifting to right-back has allowed him to embrace the fiery, confrontational facet of his sport. How lengthy earlier than we name him a top quality right-back in his personal proper and never only a centre-back taking part in out of place?
6. Trent Alexander-Arnold
2022 may simply have been essentially the most tough yr in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s profession. By no means has he come below fairly a lot scrutiny for doing his job; by no means has the very premise of his position been questioned fairly a lot.
A playmaker from full-back, Alexander-Arnold has by no means been one of many sport’s best defenders – however frankly, that doesn’t matter when you think about what he’s and never what he isn’t. The upside of a participant with this capability is his knack for at all times placing the ball on a patch of the pitch higher than the place he obtained it from. His passing is now legendary.
And for a attempting yr, it’s include its justifiable share of gold. Alexander-Arnold was arguably the very best participant on the pitch within the FA Cup last in opposition to Chelsea and regardless of Liverpool’s present malaise, he’s nonetheless Jurgen Klopp’s most trusted creator. He’s an outstanding footballer however as is the fashionable sport, the criticism has been just a little over-the-top… proper? A minimum of he is wanting just a little extra his outdated self for the reason that flip of 2023.
5. Kyle Walker
Few predicted the journey that Kyle Walker would go on as a footballer, bettering to unbelievable ranges below Mauricio Pochettino and changing into a £50m full-back by the point he was nearly hitting his stride.
On the Etihad, he appears to have thrived below nearly each position that Pep Guardiola may throw at him, studying to invert and growing a luxurious passing vary to accompany his monster physicality. Almost 33, he’s now the elder statesman of his defence, utilizing that electrical restoration acceleration to turn into an old-school full-back extra content material with pocketing wingers than doing laps as much as the byline and again.
All of us thought he’d lose a yard by now however Walker is maturing like a effective Merlot. It’s a really ‘Dani Alves’ trajectory.
4. Jules Kounde
Ridiculously, Barcelona have conceded a complete of simply eight targets in 24 La Liga video games. That is one conceded each three matches.
Barça being Barça, although, they will thank each the assault and defence for that one. Defending begins from the entrance and the assault begins from the again – with one other pure centre-back in Jules Kounde spending a lot of the season on the proper of the again 4. He is flawless in possession, very good one on one, robust aerially and had a wonderful World Cup, too.
His latest efficiency in opposition to Actual Madrid in a 1-0 victory displayed precisely why he is been fairly so hyped for therefore lengthy, dominating the defence from the centre this time however with an array of abilities that he is proven at full-back all time period. After a couple of false begins at right-back, Barcelona appear to have discovered the long-term successor (assuming he stays within the position).
3. Kieran Trippier
Managers’ first signings at a brand new membership say lots about them. Eddie Howe’s option to carry Kieran Trippier in has been nothing wanting a whole masterstroke, with the previous Atletico, Tottenham and Burnley man providing one thing that the Toon sorely lacked of their squad.
His expertise precedes him by now, whereas his crossing capability is among the many greatest that England has ever produced in his place. Trippier is a menace from dead-ball conditions, has the creativity to unlock defences and with a stint in La Liga, has turn into probably the most rounded defenders within the league, due to Diego Simeone’s faculty of deep blocks.
A couple of years in the past, Tripps’ credentials as a critical England starter have been being questioned. Effectively, they’re definitely not anymore. He is undoubtedly been the very best right-back within the Premier League this season: it isn’t even a contest.
2. Reece James
Chelsea spent £60m on Cucurella. Although the Spaniard hasn’t repaid the price simply but, goes to indicate fairly how a lot the Blues worth Reece James, in a humorous type of approach, on condition that they have been so keen to shell out megabucks for a participant who may replicate the No.24’s sport on the alternative facet of the pitch, when it comes to his capability to lock up attackers and supply an choice on the ball.
Thomas Tuchel arrived and instantly made James the jewel in his facet, switching to a again three and asking him to finish nearly any activity that wanted to be finished. James has been the right-sided centre-back in a again three, shutting down wingers with ease on nights that Chelsea haven’t had the ball. He’s been an integral man in possession, inverting, dropping deep and enabling the Blues to modify from fours to threes on the again. He’s even been a supply of targets when Tuchel wanted him to be, whereas his last third output has put him into conversations and comparisons with sure different England right-backs tasked with inventive duties.
James’s all-round sport is arguably essentially the most spectacular of any full-back in Europe proper now, proper or left, and Gareth Southgate’s England squad is considerably weaker with out him. On the similar time although, James is 23 – it’s unbelievable to suppose what an choice he might be for membership and nation in one other two years, not to mention 4.
1. Achraf Hakimi
Achraf Hakimi has performed for Actual Madrid, sparkled within the Bundesliga, received a Scudetto and starred in a Hollywood assault alongside the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi. Most lately, he is been the famous person within the first-ever African World Cup semi-finalists’ facet. Extremely, he’s nonetheless not turned 24, but.
As a substitute of constructing round Messi or Neymar, each Pochettino and new supervisor Christophe Galtier each regarded to implement programs round Hakimi’s energy and may down that righthand flank and although he’s been criticised for his defensive nous – properly, who hasn’t on this record? – he’s the last word device for a possession facet to throw ahead. Take a look at how Morocco used a central midfielder to drop into Hakimi’s spot in defence in an effort to let their talisman bomb ahead.
The Moroccan appears like a throwback in a approach – to not the defensive full-backs of Premier League years however the carefree, bullet-train wide-men that flanked traditional Brazilian sides. And that maybe understates his tactical intelligence and technical brilliance. Scarily, he’s maybe nowhere close to his peak, both.
