The full back revolution hasn’t merely been restricted to the right side of the pitch. Although, that is where many of the tagged revolutionaries strut their stuff.
Being deployed at left back was once an insult; it’s where you’d likely see the worst player on the team attempt to impress if you strolled down to your local playing fields on a Sunday morning. It was a position that nobody wanted to play.
However, the rapid evolution of the sport in the 21st century has morphed the left back position into a desirable one. It’s an incredibly demanding function with modern-day tactical obsessives trying their utmost to complicate the role as much as they can. Thanks, Pep.
But their work has brought about a new breed of left back and we’re now blessed with a myriad of stars in that position.
Ranking the top 25 left backs in the world is no easy task, but here’s our attempt at doing exactly that.
This may come as a bit of a surprise, but our ranking begins with Brighton new boy Pervis Estupinan.
The left back made a name for himself while out on loan at Osasuna in La Liga during the COVID-hit 2019/20 campaign. Estupinan assisted five times in the league that season as his precise delivery and proactive defensive style became revered in Spain.
The Ecuadorian is an incredibly energetic full back who excels in all phases of play. He’s an excellent dribbler and proved while playing in the Champions League with Villarreal that he can perform to a borderline elite level in high-pressure moments.
Estupinan has all the makings of an exceptional wing back, and there’s no doubt Roberto De Zerbi will maximise his potential at the Amex.
Philipp Max is one of Europe’s most productive left backs from an attacking sense, but the fact that he no longer competes in one of the continent’s premier divisions has undoubtedly damaged his stock.
Max starred in the Bundesliga with Augsburg – registering 12 assists in 2017/18 and 14 goal contributions in 2019/20 – before he opted to join PSV in 2020.
Max scored five times and added 13 assists in his debut Eredivisie campaign, but has struggled with minor knocks more recently.
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