World Cup’s five finest full-backs
As the World Cup edges closer and closer the world’s best players are assembling for the biggest stage in world football. In looking forward to the World Cup Squawka have picked their top players in each position, starting with the full backs.
In compiling this list a lot has come down to form for their clubs this season as well as their overall ability. Philipp Lahm is the obvious exclusion from this list but reports from Germany seem to hint that the Bayern Munich man will be used in midfield for Germany, in a similar role to the one he plays for his club.
Other notable exclusions are Brazilian left-back Marcelo and his club team-mate Fabio Coentrao of Portugal. Both left-backs have done very well this season but they ultimately just missed the cut. Bacary Sagna is certain to start for France and others such as Filipe Luis and Dani Carvajal haven’t been taken to the World Cup.England’s Leighton Baines has enjoyed a sensational season for Everton but he is still just behind the players in this list.
Here is our guide to the five best left and right-backs present at this summer’s tournament, kicking off with a man heavily linked with replacing Sagna at Arsenal. Serge Aurier, the first of our five, has reportedly been interesting Arsene Wenger and with performances of the calibre to make our list it is little wonder why.
Serge Aurier
Starting with the youngest player in this list and that is Toulouse’s Serge Aurier. However having said that he may well not be property of Toulouse for too much longer. Aurier has been pushing for a move to Arsenal for a couple of years now through his Twitter account and a few weeks ago reports suggested that the Gunners had made an opening bid of around £7 million.
Since then his agent has claimed that they are in talks with a different English side, the identity of which remains unclear. What is clear though is that it is unlikely that Aurier will remain with his current club for much longer.
The interest comes about after Aurier enjoyed an extremely eye catching season. This season alone he scored six goals and assisted a further six more, the former statistic is the highest of any player on this list. Aurier played pre-dominantly on the right hand side of Alain Casanova’s 3-5-2 formation but he has proven that he is more than capable of playing centre-back, winning a higher percentage of his aerial duels than any other player on this list.
With 75 interceptions (the highest of all five) and 110 clearances Aurier clearly hasn’t been shirking his defensive responsibilities, of which there were plenty at Toulouse this season. He did pick up more yellow cards than anyone else on this list and make the most defensive errors but he has the ultimate weapon for a full-back, stamina. Aurier does not stop running for 90 minutes and he can make it appear as if his team have two players on his side. He will be a vital asset for the Ivory Coast both offensively and defensively.