Ranking 5 best right-backs in world football this year (2021)
The role of a full-back in football has evolved over the years. Often considered one of the least important position on the field, modern-day full-backs have become integral components of their teams.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson at Liverpool, and Joshua Kimmich and Alphonso Davies at Bayern Munich were key to their respective teams' Champions League triumphs in the last few seasons.
Right-backs around the world have made their mark
Jamie Carragher once said, “Nobody grows up wanting to be a (right-back) Gary Neville.” However, that is far from the truth in the current generation. England themselves have a wealth of options in that area of the pitch.
What a time to be a right back!!
“ No-one wants to grow up to be Gary Neville “ will go down with “ you can’t win anything with kids “ in Punditry folklore @carra
4 Right backs in the Squad! twitter.com/England/status…
The quality of right-backs in the Premier League is well-known. However, there are a few quality right-sided full-backs in other top leagues as well. On that note, here are the top five right-backs this year:
#5 Kyle Walker
Kyle Walker is the oldest and most traditional right-back on this list. The 31-year-old had another successful year with both club and country. Walker is arguably the most defensively robust among the players on this list.
Many would argue that Walker is Manchester City’s second-best right-back, but that only shows how strong their squad is. The former Tottenham man lags behind the top Premier League right-backs in terms of goals and assists.
PSG 1 v 2 MAN CITY
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@ManCity #mancity https://t.co/HLnvuvAKhc
Nevertheless, Walker has scored a couple of goals and racked up an assist for the Cityzens this season. His work off the ball caught the eye of critics and fans alike. Despite facing stiff competition at international level, Walker managed to keep his place as Southgate’s favoured option at right-back.
#4 Achraf Hakimi
Moroccan international Achraf Hakimi has made a name for himself since his loan move to Borussia Dortmund in 2018. He played a key role in Inter Milan’s Serie A success last season before joining PSG this summer.
Hakimi is everything one would want in a modern-day full-back. He is gifted with immense pace, and is brilliant going forward. The only chink in his armour is his defensive lapses. However, he more than makes up for that while in possession.
Achraf Hakimi 🇲🇦 gets a assist for Paris Saint-Germain in his first match for the club. #PSG https://t.co/14hbT0qrqU
The €60 million PSG acquisition has bagged six goals and recorded nine assists in 2021. After serving up impressive displays during the start of his PSG career, Hakimi has been relatively indifferent in the last few months.
He'll need to rediscover his mojo, as his form could be key in PSG’s pursuit of the UEFA Champions League this season.