Following the response to our 7 best goalkeepers in world football right now video, and the requests for us to make it a series looking at each individual position building up to a final World XI, today we’re moving onto our first outfield position, left-back.
The full-back positions have undergone a major transformation over the last decade, and one could make a case for a full-backs attacking output now being as important if not more important than their defensive duties these days.
Obviously, the ideal full-back can do both with equal proficiency. As always, the seven is based on current ability, but that doesn’t mean current form, so we’re not just looking at their last 6-10 games or anything like that, but nor are we going to include someone based on past glories, so Ashley Cole will not be featuring. The ‘right now’ in the title is just to clarify between these type of current videos and our all time videos. Also as always, there will be some honourable mentions between first and second place.
Here are our 7 best left-backs right now:
7. Faouzi Ghoulam
We kick off our seven with undoubtedly the least celebrated and least well-known player that we are going to mention today, and that includes in the honourable mentions. Faouzi Ghoulam has been really impressive for a number of years now, having made his name in France with Saint-Etienne and now being a key man in an impressive Napoli defence in Serie A.
In the last 16 months, Ghoulam has ruptured his ACL, fractured his kneecap and suffered a serious sprain to his knee ligaments which required surgery. Those setbacks restricted him to 17 appearances last season and 8 so far this term, and the Algerian international is desperate to put his injury nightmares behind him. One could make a good argument that Napoli would have won the Serie A title last season if their flying full-back had avoided injury.
Ghoulam is quick, tireless and a magnificent crosser of the ball. At full fitness, he is undoubtedly among the best left-backs in the world, as well as possessing a tremendous long throw that can be a real weapon at times. The 28-year-old beat the likes of Riyad Mahrez and Yacine Brahimi to be named as the 2017 Algerian Footballer of the Year, and he takes seventh place for us.
6. Lucas Hernandez
Lucas hernández of Atletico de Madrid and Dani Carvajal Real Madrid) battle for the ball during La Liga match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid at Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid…
Atletico Madrid have two excellent left-backs available to their excellent backline in the forms of Filipe Luis and Lucas Hernandez. Luis will make our honourable mentions, whilst Hernandez makes the seven proper. The youngest player in this seven having just turned 23, unlike most modern full-backs, Hernandez’s real strengths lie in the defensive side of his game.
Brilliant at neutralising his opposite number, Hernandez is strong on the tackle and tight in his marking. He’s also fairly quick and happy to put in the hard yards, but it’s his defensive solidity that ensures his inclusion, and he should be a really a top player under the tutelage of Diego Simeone at Atletico in two or three years.
Capped 15 times by France, Hernandez has already registered more than a century of appearances at the Wanda Metropolitano, and he takes sixth place in our left-backs seven.
5. Alex Telles
At the age of 26, I have to say I’m surprised that Alex Telles is still with Porto. The uncapped Brazilian full-back arrived in the Primeira Liga from Galatasaray, and he has been exceptional ever since. He has made the Primeira Liga Team of the Season in each of the last two seasons, and was even named as FC Porto’s Player of the Year last year, as the club won the Primeira Liga title.
Of course, there will be those who say well it’s all well and good doing that in Portugal, but it’s not really a true test of a player to make a seven such as this, but those people are wrong. Telles is a really talented all-round full-back, who is quick, creative and a fine crosser of the ball down the left, as well as being measured, astute and calm at the back.
Porto proved they’re a decent side by going unbeaten and topping their group during the Champions League group stages, and Telles is arguably their best player. As you can tell, we rate him highly, and the former Inter Milan loanee comes in at fifth for us.
4. Alex Sandro
ALLIANZ STADIUM, TURIN, ITALY – 2019
From one Brazilian Alex to another, when Alex Telles arrived at Porto, he was filling a void vacated by compatriot Alex Sandro. Sandro had also made the Primeira Liga Team of the Season twice, and he has since made the Serie A Team of the Season twice as well. Signed for less than €10 million, Porto sold Sandro to Juventus for €26 million, but that was still an absolute bargain for the Old Lady.
The 28-year-old is one of the most accomplished full-backs in the world. So confident with a ball at his feet, Sandro has excellent technique, he’s fast and he can beat a player. In the opposite direction, his pace acts as a get out of jail free card, but he’s also strong and a force to be reckoned with in the tackle.
We rate all of our top four very highly, and I got in a few arguments with myself about their ordering. Not literal arguments, I’m not insane or a schizophrenic or anything… I just mean I had a few internal arguments and altered their rankings in my notepad a few times. In the end though, Sandro comes out in fourth place.
3. Jordi Alba
Defensively, I’d say Alex Sandro is slightly superior to Jordi Alba, and in an attacking sense, I’d say Alba edges it over Sandro. In truth, there’s not a fat lot to separate the two, but I just about feel as though Alba edges it overall, having been so important to Barcelona at times over the last six or seven years.
A left-back who will take any opportunity to get further up the pitch, Alba is fortunate that he has a pretty high starting position in a Barcelona side which tends to dominate proceedings whoever they are playing. Alba is very quick, his touch and technique are excellent and his movement on the overlap and the way he peels off defenders is very difficult to counteract.
He has ten assists for Barcelona in La Liga and the Champions League this season, which is second only to Lionel Messi, as well as chipping in with a couple of goals. Those are pretty remarkable statistics for a full-back, and Alba is our bronze medalist here.
2. David Alaba
David Alaba (L) and Jerome Boateng of FC Bayern Muenchen chat during a training session at the club’s Saebener Strasse training ground on February 26, 2019 in Munich, Germany.
A player of outstanding pedigree, David Alaba was probably widely considered to be the best left-back in the world at the age of 22, and it looked as though he should stay there for the next decade or more. The Austrian international’s form wavered following the departure of Pep Guardiola, and his exceptional versatility and varied skill set started to work against him.
He began playing in central midfield, particularly with the national team, and perhaps just forgot some of the fundamentals of his game as a full-back. Last season, Alaba brought that defensive solidity back into his game, and he looks a far more accomplished player for it. We hope he sticks at left-back, where he can be a truly special talent, and continues to keep improving.
Still only 26, Alaba has all the tools to be the best full-back in the world. He has a terrific work rate, he is a top class athlete and he is a naturally gifted footballer. His defensive positioning is sometimes found wanting, and his deliveries into the oppositions box aren’t as consistent as the likes of Alba’s or Ghoulam’s, but his overall game is very good, so we rank him second.
0. Honourable Mentions
Whilst our goalkeeper seven featured three Premier League players, our left-back seven features none, and this may well be the only video on the series not to feature a single player from England’s top flight. We must mention some in our honourable mentions though, starting with Liverpool’s number 26 Andy Robertson.
A big favourite at Anfield, the former Hull City defender has fantastic energy and is capable of whipping one of those sensational flat balls in behind a defence which are horrible to defend against. We really like Robertson, who clearly suits Jurgen Klopp’s style down to the ground, but he isn’t as accomplished as our seven defensively, and still looks a little vulnerable up against a top class wide man.
Manchester City left-back Benjamin Mendy is also very attack-minded, and his offensive output when fit has been extraordinary, but he hasn’t been fit anywhere near enough since arriving at the Etihad. Not long ago, Marcos Alonso’s name may well have been thrown into the hat, and his attacking output at Chelsea is almost as impressive, but the Spaniard has looked a real liability at the back over the last 12 months.
Outside of England, Aleksandar Kolarov may be 33 now, but he’s been brilliant since signing for Roma, and had to make our shortlist. Then there’s Jonas Hector, who is a really accomplished and dependable left-back and still Joachim Lowe’s first choice in that position in the German national team, despite playing second tier football in Germany with Koln.
Those are probably the four or five players who came closest to making our seven. Make sure to subscribe to HITC Sevens to keep up with the rest of this series as we build to our World XI and squad, and here is your top spot…
1. Marcelo
Marcelo of Real Madrid looks on prior to the La Liga match between Real Valladolid CF and Real Madrid CF at Jose Zorrilla on March 10, 2019 in Valladolid, Spain.
Ultimately, it has to be Marcelo who takes top spot in this seven. Whilst we are big fans of all of our top four, and Sandro, Alba and Alaba could all arguably be rotated, Marcelo in top spot was never really in doubt. The only player in our seven who made the shortlist for our seven greatest left-backs of all time video, I won’t spoil whether he made the seven proper for you here, Marcelo has been performing at the highest level for so long now.
The reason that Alex Telles hasn’t yet won a cap for Brazil and Alex Sandro has only won 13 is because Marcelo has been so formidable for more than a decade. Roberto Carlos’ heir apparent in both the Real Madrid and Brazilian national team starting XI’s, Marcelo is a real force on the left flank.
Technically superb, Marcelo’s touch rarely lets him down, and nor do his deliveries into the box. He isn’t the quickest player in this seven, but he is a powerful runner who’s intelligent runs and ability on the ball make him a real outlet down the left flank. Defensively, Marcelo still leaves a little to be desired, although he has improved in that respect as his career has gone on. Now aged 30, Marcelo has made the FIFPro World XI five times, which is a record among left-backs, and second only to Dani Alves in terms of full-backs, so he takes top spot for us.
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