7 Best Right-Backs In The World 2022
The right-back position is one of the most important positions in football. Today, we will look at the best right-backs in the world in 2022.
In modern football, many right-backs often play very active roles in the attack, driving the ball forward and making crosses for attackers.
The right-back role has witnessed quite a few notable performances this year. An elite group of players have shined in this full-back position over the past year, with breathtaking displays in League and Cup competitions. Here are the best right-backs currently in world football.
1. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Alexander-Arnold’s style as a right-back helps Liverpool in attacking positions.
Trent’s passing and crossing abilities are almost second to none for players in his position, but his defensive qualities do lack a lot.
He provided two goals and 12 assists from his position in the 2021/2022 Premier League season. On his days, he can be dangerous from set pieces directly or by laying up another teammate.
What makes Trent one of the best right-backs in the world is his quality crosses, dead ball specialty, work rate, range of passing, and ability to provide assists.
Overall in the Premier League, the Englishman has played 163 games, scored ten goals, and made 45 assists with a tackle success rate of 62%.
2. Reece James (Chelsea)
Reece James comes closest to Alexander-Arnold; he contributed 14 goals in 26 Premier League matches for the Blues in the 2021/2022 season.
He’s already registered a goal in the new season in that dramatic 2-2 draw between the blues and their London rivals Spurs.
The 22-year-old is widely regarded as one of the most complete right-backs in football now. He is very adept at defending as well as going forward.
The English international is averagely better defensively than his compatriot at Liverpool, recording 67% of successful tackles. He’s been offered a seven-year extension at Stamford Bridge.
3. Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Unlike the initial two on this list, Kyle Walker isn’t the best of scorers but remains one of the strongest and fastest right-backs in the game.
His pace is one of his biggest attributes, and although he doesn’t score a lot of goals, his trophy cabinet suggests he’s a championship-winning defender, making up defensively for his attacking deficiency.
Having turned out over 180 times for Spurs, Kyle moved to City and has played featured over 140 times in five years at Etihad, winning everything except the UEFA Champions League.
In 338 Premier League appearances, his tackle rate sits at 75%, one of the highest you will find out there.
4. Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid)
The Spaniard may have been struggling with injuries lately, but any time he is available, he’s thrust straight into the Los Blancos starting lineup.
He’s managed 15 trophies for the Los Blancos and has managed to be in their back four in the last decade as they won five UEFA Champions League titles.
Although he is one of the most injury-prone football players, he always puts a good shift whenever he is fit. He is a tenacious full-back and played a key role for Real Madrid as they won the 2021/22 Champions League.
The 30-year-old played 25 La Liga games and 11 UEFA champions league matches last season for the Los Blancos.
5. Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli)
Di Lorenzo doesn’t really get the applause he deserves, but for a 29-year-old who started his career as a forward, he’s not bad as a right-back.
He moved to Napoli in 2019 and has been a mainstay in the last three years. Di Lorenzo is very strong in the air and has good stamina, but that’s not his biggest trait.
He can play in almost every position in the defense, holding midfield and also as a forward. In 33 Serie A games last season, he made five assists and scored a goal.
The Italian is somewhat underrated but is undoubtedly one of the top right-backs in football right now.
6. Achraf Hakimi (PSG)
Hardly would you find a youngster with a rich CV like the Moroccan Achraf Hakimi. How many 23-year-olds can boast of Inter Milan, Dortmund, Real Madrid, and PSG?
It’s quite unsurprising with his skills as a right back. Hakimi is known for his pace, dribbling skills, and most importantly, his dead ball specialty.
Last season he contributed ten goals in 32 Ligue 1 games for the French champions with four goals and six assists. At the African Cup of Nations earlier in 2022 with Morocco, Hakimi scored two free-kicks in the tournament to make his goal tally eight from 51 matches.
In the 2022/23 season, Achraf Hakimi has also excelled under Christophe Galtier’s system as a wing-back, scoring twice in three matches at the time of this writing.
7. Juan Foyth (Villarreal)
The Argentine is one of the newest kids in the right-back position, who will likely go on to be at the top for the next decade.
Barcelona are currently courting Juan Foyth, and this has been major because of his performances for Villareal in the La Liga last season.
He had initially joined the Yellow Submarines from Spurs on loan in 2020, but after sixteen appearances, Villareal were convinced to sign him permanently. He made 31 appearances for Villareal last season.
Juan Foyth has emerged as one of the best right-backs in the world because of his exceptional qualities like his physical strength, defensive prowess, dribbling ability, and confidence.
Honourable Mentions:
- Emerson Royal (Tottenham)
- Malo Gusto (Lyon)
- James Tavernier (Rangers)
- Kyle Walker-Peters (Southampton)
- Noussair Mazraoui (Bayern Munich)
- Davide Calabria (AC Milan)
- Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United)
- Thomas Meunier (Borussia Dortmund)
- Juan Cuadrado (Juventus).
