Discussing the best right-backs in the world was not something most would have considered doing even 15 years ago.
Famously, no one “grew up wanting to be Gary Neville”. Well, things have changed a little. Judging modern right-backs is about far more than just their defensive capabilities, as we assess who offers something bombing down their flank and even inverting into midfield.
Who'd have thought it 20 years ago, eh? Let's crack on with the best players in the world right now able to slot in at right-back…
How FourFourTwo's expert panel decided the best goalkeepers in the world
FourFourTwo assembled an expert panel of comprising of our own writers but also including esteemed minds in the industry, such as the likes of European football expert Julien Laurens, Breaking the Lines' chief editor Zach Lowy, freelance analyst/scout Ben Mattinson and Scouted co-founders Phil Costa and Tom Curren for their rankings of the best players in the world in their opinion right now.
Right-backs were given a score between one and 10 – with 10 points awarded to the top-rated player, down to one for the 10th-rated – by each of our experts, based on technical ability, form over the past 18 months and general standing in the game. We also awarded points for statistical analysis, with minimal points awarded for categories such as crosses into the penalty area, progressive passing, tackles won and a percentage of dribblers tackled.
Overall, 25 right-backs made the longlist, with the top-rated right-back receiving 150 points overall – for players who have played in multiple roles this season, such as Joshua Kimmich, a judgement call was made over their principal position, rather than including them in more than one list. Our honourable mentions below contain the five highest-rated who didn't make the top 10, while all values are courtesy of Transfermarkt and correct as of June 2025.
This is one of 10 positions that FourFourTwo experts were asked for their picks on: goalkeepers, defence (right-backs, centre-backs and left-backs), midfield (defensive midfielders, central midfielders and attacking midfielders), and attack (right-wingers, left-wingers and strikers) have all been split, with the same criteria presented for each list – so let's get started, shall we?
The full list
10. Pedro Porro
Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Date of birth: September 13 1999 (25)
National team: Spain
Value: €38.00m
As football evolves, full-backs' attacking abilities have become more and more valuable. Being able to stretch the pitch and break down deep defences is a useful skill to have for any team, and having Pedro Porro in your squad makes that easier.
Whilst sometimes his defensive contribution has been questioned, his attacking output usually makes up for it, with pinpoint crosses and penetrating runs allowing Ange Postecoglou to implement his full throttle style of football.
We can't wait to see what he brings to Thomas Frank's side.
9. Giovanni Di Lorenzo
The past two seasons have been an up-and-down time for the Italy defender.
After captaining Napoli to the 2022/23 Scudetto (something only Diego Maradona had previously done), the team made a mess of their title defence, with Di Lorenzo enduring a tough Euro 2024 with Italy.
But the appointment of Antonio Conte and a new system has revitalised the 31-year-old for both club and country and he is now back to being one of Serie A’s most effective attacking full-backs.
8. Daniel Munoz
Club: Crystal Palace
Date of birth: May 25 1996 (29)
National team: Colombia
Value: €25.00m
As versatile as they come, Daniel Munoz has seen his stock rise exponentially over the last 18 months at Crystal Palace.
Known for his energy, tactical awareness, and attacking mindset, he combines defensive solidity with attacking contributions and has become a staple under Oliver Glasner at Selhurst Park.
Munoz has excelled in both domestic leagues and international competitions, particularly shining during his early days at Club Brugge.
Munoz's ability to press high, pick out pinpoint crosses, and track back defensively makes him a crucial asset in the modern footballing world.
Matty Holt
His ability to press high, pick out pinpoint crosses, and track back defensively makes him a crucial asset in the modern footballing world.
Colombia will be an intriguing proposition at the World Cup next year with Munoz and Estupinan either side of the defence.
7. Tino Livramento
Club: Newcastle United
Date of birth: November 12 2002 (22)
National team: England
Value: €40.00m
Livramento is one half of an incredibly exciting full-back duo which also consists of Lewis Hall. His pace, workrate and defensive nous make him a perfect modern day full-back: and he has the ability to also play on the other side, making him a manager's dream.
He hasn’t quite yet established himself at international level, but with Kyle Walker, Trent Alexander-Arnold and a former prodigy of Thomas Tuchel in the shape of Reece James in front of him, it’s always going to be difficult. His aforementioned versatility helps make a case for taking him to the 2026 World Cup.
A move to Manchester City may see him creep up the pecking order as well, especially as it is likely he will replace Walker should he move to the Etihad.
6. Jurrien Timber
After returning from an ACL injury, Timber has had to play almost every week, owing to Ben White’s knee surgery and absences at left-back and centre-back.
The Dutchman is yet to drop anything less than an 8/10, however: he's simply superb whenever he plays and typifies exactly what Mikel Arteta wants in a player in any position of the pitch.
Timber is the complete footballer, let alone full-back, offering excellence on the ball, the ability to invert and an aggression that makes him a favourite in most duels: his build is such, too, that he looks made for constant end-to-end transitioning.
Timber has a build that looks made for constant end-to-end transitioning.
Mark White
It’s his mentality that might just be his most impressive trait, however, as he’s risen from the darkness of injury hell to be one of Arsenal’s players of the season and a leader in the team.
With Timber, Ben White, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori, there's certainly a case to be made that Mikel Arteta has the most unique set of full-back profiles in the Premier League right now.
5. Jeremie Frimpong
Jeremie Frimpong is very much a modern full-back, more concerned with bursting forward than rushing back to defend.
Typically utilised as a wing-back by Xabi Alonso, the Dutchman has been given scope to repeatedly attack, netting an impressive 14 goals in all competitions as Bayer Leverkusen went unbeaten on the way to the Bundesliga title in 2023/24.
Frimpong’s pace and directness make him a nightmare for opposition full-backs, particularly when he is in a system that gives him free rein to venture forward uninhibited.
4. Denzel Dumfries
Club: Inter Milan
Date of birth: April 18 1996 (29)
National team: Netherlands
Value: €28.00m
If Inter Milan have one knack, it’s identifying right-backs. The Nerazzurri defender played a starring role in the ascent of Achraf Hakimi as one of the best in the position, but a €70m bid from PSG in 2021 forced their hand.
Never mind: they just developed another of the world’s best in Denzel Dumfries.
Dumfries brings the sort of athleticism to a match that can put the frighteners on opponents from the referee's first whistle. It makes him ideal for Inter’s wing-back role, bombing up and down the flank to track and dispossess wingers, before quickly transitioning to attack within the blink of an eye.
Dumfries brings the sort of athleticism to a match that can put the frighteners on opponents.
Isaac Stacey Stronge
The directness of the Dutchman, and the speed at which he operates, can more than make up for any lapses in execution. Just look at the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, in which Dumfries – who yes, is named after Denzel Washington – was at the heart of everything dangerous about Simone Inzaghi's team.
Opposition: blink at your peril.
3. Jules Kounde
Club: Barcelona
Date of birth: November 12 1998 (26)
National team: France
Value: €50.00m
A symptom of the modern game is that so many of the best full-backs in the world are heralded almost exclusively for the attacking elements of their game, with defending sometimes an unexpected but welcome bonus.
Jules Kounde flips that on its head. While he does pop up with the occasional goal contribution, where the Frenchman is most at home is getting stuck into opposition attacks and snuffing out danger.
His pace makes him ideal for Barcelona’s aggressive high line, which necessitates plenty of tracking back. Kounde possesses a mixture of attributes that make him a versatile defender, just as comfortable in the centre of defence as he is out on the flank battling wingers; a manager’s squad-planning dream.
A surprising rarity these days, Kounde at full-back is a world-class defender first and foremost.
2. Trent Alexander-Arnold
Club: Real Madrid
Date of birth: October 7 1998 (26)
National team: England
Value: €75.00m
The way Trent Alexander-Arnold’s time at Liverpool ended should in no way taint the work he did for Liverpool and, indeed, the position of right-back as a whole. Once the preserve of the overly self-deprecating Gary Nevilles of the world, Alexander-Arnold made right-back one of the most important positions on the pitch.
He won’t win any awards for his tough tackling or man-to-man defending (although his frailties there are somewhat overblown), but his passing range is one in a million.
On the floor, over the top, from deep, crosses from the byline; tell him where you want it, and Alexander-Arnold will deliver it.
Under the tutelage of Xabi Alonso and with the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr to pick out in the frontline ahead of him, watching the Merseysider create in Spain is sure to be a treat.
1. Achraf Hakimi
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Date of birth: November 4 1998 (25)
National team: Morocco
Value: €80.00m
As CVs go, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and PSG make for a decent line-up, but it’s with the latter of that quartet he entered a new stratosphere.
The flying full-back was no stranger to hitting double figures for assists at Dortmund and Inter, but found new levels in the French capital. The Moroccan registered 23 goal involvements in 2024/25 (from right-back, remember), including nine in the Champions League, one of which the opener in the routing of his former Italian side in the final.
You’re just as likely to catch Hakimi troubling the last man of the defence as you are defending his lines, making him almost impossible to track and requiring an inhumane level of fitness.
Respect precluded him from celebrating his moment at the Allianz Arena, but Les Parisiens won’t allow him to forget it.
Honourable mentions
These five players only just missed out on a shot in our top 10…
FAQs
Who's the greatest right-back of all time?
It's debatable, of course – but FourFourTwo ranked Carlos Alberto highest of any right-back in our list of the greatest footballers of all time. The likes of Cafu, Philipp Lahm and Javier Zanetti also made the list.
Who's the greatest right-back in Premier League history?
Trent Alexander-Arnold was the highest-ranked in FourFourTwo's list of the greatest Premier League players ever, at no.43, ahead of Gary Neville at no.48.
Has a right-back ever won the Ballon d'Or?
No, a right-back has never won the Ballon d'Or, with Trent Alexander-Arnold saying in October 2024 that he wanted to be the first full-back to lift the award.
What makes a good right-back?
A successful modern right-back needs to be a strong defender, but also possess excellent attacking attributes like crossing ability, pace, and stamina to contribute to their team's offence down the flank.
What is the role of a right-back?
The primary role of a right-back is to defend the right flank, prevent opposition attacks, and provide width and attacking impetus in offensive phases, often overlapping with wingers or midfielders.
