Ranking 5 best left-backs in world football this year (2021)
The left-back position is perhaps the least glamorous in football. Not only does the player have to bomb up and down the wing tirelessly, but they also need to have a strong left foot.
In recent years, though, many players have shunned this notion by excelling at the position.
The 2010s saw a host of left-backs making headlines
In the 2010s, Marcelo, Jordi Alba and David Alaba were inarguably the three best left-backs in world football. The trio performed consistently and were key in their teams' fruitful campaigns.
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Several young left-backs have created a buzz for themselves in the last few years. From Alphonso Davies to Theo Hernandez, there is no scarcity of quality left-backs across Europe at the moment.
Andrew Robertson raised the bar high when he produced an enormous number of assists in Liverpool's Premier League and Champions League-winning campaigns. Since then, the Scotsman's status as the best left-back in the world has been under threat.
On that note, here are the top five left-backs in the game this year"
#5 Luke Shaw
Luke Shaw revived his career during the 2020-21 season. The Manchester United left-back was nothing short of brilliant as he defended and attacked with equal guile. Shaw's displays for England at Euro 2020 earned him immense plaudits too.
The 26-year-old has been underwhelming this season. After performing consistently during the first half of the year, the former Southampton man has flattered to deceive in 2021-22. For that reason, Shaw might be a surprise inclusion on this list.
Luke Shaw at #EURO2020 [#ENG rank]:
21 passes into the box [๐ฅ]
8 chances created [๐ฅ]
5 chances created from open play [๐ฅ]
4 big chances created [๐ฅ]
3 assists [๐ฅ]
1.57 xA [๐ฅ]
Outstanding. ๐๐๐ https://t.co/S2KCjb3mCE
Shaw has scored once and assisted seven times for Manchester United this year. He was particularly remarkable for England, though.
He made more appearances for the Three Lions this year than he had previously managed in his seven-year international career. He also opened the scoring for England in their penalty-shootout defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 final.
#4 Theo Hernandez
Theo Hernandez is a pacey and robust left-back who plies his trade for AC Milan in Serie A. Along with Franck Kessie and the now-departed Gianluigi Donnarumma, Hernandez was a vital cog last season as Milan returned to the UEFA Champions League.
Hernandez is known for his attacking output. He has scored six goals and recorded nine assists for the seven-time Champions League winners in the calendar year. The Frenchman may not have the most shrewd defensive awareness, but his strength and speed make up for that.
๐ค Name: Theo Hernandez
๐ซ๐ท Country: France
โฝ Club: AC Milan
๐ Age: 23
๐ฅ Position: LB
๐๐๐๐๐ช๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐จ ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐จ๐๐๐จ๐ค๐ฃ:
โฝ Goals - 7
๐ ฐ๏ธ Assists - 6
๐ Key passes pg- 1.3
๐คค Dribbles pg - 2.2
๐ฏ Cross accuracy - 21%
๐ก๏ธ WS Rating - 7.25
Unlike his brother Lucas, Theo Hernandez is primarily a left-back. Unfortunately, Theo barely gets a chance to don Les Bleus' jersey due to France's defensive approach. The former Real Madrid man has made the second-highest goal contribution for a left-back in 2021.