The Best Right-Backs of All Time
The 5 Greatest Right-Backs in Football History
Right-back, the No. 2 on the pitch, is one of the most demanding positions on the football pitch (aren’t they all?).
There have been some incredible players play the position over the decades.
Legendary right-back Javier Zanetti “El Tractor”
Like the left-back position, the right-back spot on the field has evolved from physical, defensive-minded players to footballers who are adept at attacking like a winger, yet still capable of defending.
Right-backs are more readily available than left-backs due to two-thirds of footballers being right-footed.
With more players available to play the position, more competition is provided for it.
Competition breeds better players, as the best of the best battle for the No. 2 shirt.
The following players can be considered the 5 greatest-ever right-backs in football history!
5. Dani Alves
Brazil has produced some fantastic right-backs over the years. Indeed, Brazil may have produced more high-quality right-backs than any other country in the world.
It isn’t difficult to place Dani Alves on the list of the 5 greatest right-backs of all time, due to the number of trophies he has won throughout his career.
Alves is considered by many Spanish football experts as one of the best foreign signings Barcelona have ever made.
It is difficult to argue with the assessment, as Alves won six La Liga titles, four Copa del Rey trophies, three Champions League winner’s medals, three UEFA Super Cups, and three FIFA World Club Cups.
Alves was constant movement up and down the right flank during his peak years. He excelled as an attacking full-back but could also defend when needed.
The right-back played 408 times for the Blaugrana before moving to Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain for short spells.
Alves won Serie A with Juventus and two French Ligue 1 titles with Paris Saint-Germain, providing veteran leadership to both clubs.
The right-back also picked up two Copa America trophies as a member of the Brazilian national team.
4. Philipp Lahm
Philip Lahm joined Bayern Munich in 2002 and, except for a two-year loan to Stuttgart, played his entire career with the Bavarians.
Lahm was a special player with a brilliant mind for the game.
Pep Guardiola called the right-back “the most intelligent player I have ever coached” shortly after arriving at Bayern.
Guardiola promptly turned Lahm into a central midfielder, giving the player a new lease on life.
Remarkably, Lahm’s conversion to midfield came nine years into his professional career at Bayern.
Bayern Munich would later do a similar conversion to full-back Joshua Kimmich, who changed positions after starting his career in Bavaria as a right-back.
Lahm won eight Bundesliga titles with Bayern. Several of those titles were captured with Lahm wearing the captain’s armband.
Lahm lifted one UEFA Champions League trophy, six DFB Pokals, one UEFA Super Cup and one FIFA World Club Cup.
The German was known as the “Magic Dwarf” due to his size and skills. Lahm wasn’t a right-back that bombed forward and outran opposing players with electric pace.
Instead, Lahm’s best attribute was out-thinking opponents to get the best positioning possible.
His positioning was excellent, and it helped Bayern dominate the Bundesliga in the 2000s and 2010s.
3. Javier Zanetti
Javier Zanetti manned the Internazionale right-back position from 1995 to 2014.
The Argentine bled blue and black and he is one of the club’s most legendary defenders.
Italy has long been known for producing high-quality defenders.
Zanetti didn’t come through the ranks of Inter, having started in Argentina, but he had the attributes of other great defenders that came before him from the peninsula.
Nicknamed “El Tractor” for his ability to plough up and down the right flank without getting tired, Zanetti had a tireless work ethic.
He didn’t win the trophies some of his contemporaries did, yet Zanetti still lifted five Serie A Scudetti in the middle and late 2000s.
The Argentine also got his hands on a UEFA Cup in 1998 and the Champions League trophy in 2010, as the Jose Mourinho-led Inter did the treble.
Zanetti was arguably the most complete right-back of his generation.
While AC Milan had Paolo Maldini at left-back, Inter had Zanetti playing right-back.
Both players were legends of their times, and stalwarts in many of the Derby della Madonnina matches over the years. The former players now work as executives for their respective clubs.
Unfortunately, some fans may not give Zanetti the praise he deserves. He wasn’t a sexy full-back with silky ball skills.
Rather, he was an Argentine tractor with no fear and a hunger to deliver for the Nerazzurri.
2. Lilian Thuram
Lilian Thuram played 18 seasons with some of the world’s biggest clubs, marshalling attacking players and performing as one of the most complete defenders of his time.
Thuram broke into the Monaco's first team in 1991 and would go on to play just over five seasons with Les Monegasque’s first team.
In 1996, recognised as one of the world’s elite right-backs, Thuram signed for big-spending Parma in Serie A.
It was a magical time for I Crociati, as the tiny team from Emilia-Romagna won the Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup in 1998-99.
After the club imploded financially, Thuram joined Juventus, where he won three Serie A titles in five seasons. One of those three titles was vacated due to the Calciopoli scandal, however.
Thuram wasn’t technical in his skills as a right-back. Instead, Thuram was more functional, which isn’t what many fans expect from right-backs these days.
What Thuram lacked in flashy skills, he made up for in rock-solid defending.
He was dominant against forwards and wide midfielders, capable of stopping them with his power and pace.
In 1997, he won the French Player of the Year award during a time France was producing some of the world’s best footballers.
One year later, he helped Les Bleus win the FIFA World Cup.
In 2000, Thuram was again a member of the French national team, as Les Bleus lifted the European Championship.
1. Cafu
Cafu is regarded by many fans, pundits and footballers as the greatest right-back of all time.
But why is the Brazilian the consensus No. 1 right-back in football history? Is it merely people repeating others without doing their own diligence?
Cafu is credited as the innovator of the modern full-back position. The player hounded and hassled opposing players by constantly running up and down the right flank.
The 5ft 9in Brazilian wasn’t imposing physically, yet few players in world football could keep up with his engine and constant movement.
Wide players didn’t want to take on the pacey Brazilian, who could track back and win the ball or plunge forward, providing crosses to strikers.
The right-back starred in Brazil for the likes of Sao Paulo, Juventude and Palmeiras.
Yet, it wasn’t until Cafu arrived at Roma in 1997 that the wider football world began to learn about Il Pendolino, aka "The Express Train”.
In 2000-01, Cafu helped Roma win the Scudetto for just the third time.
In 2003, Cafu joined Roma’s Serie A rivals AC Milan.
There, he added to his trophy collection with a Serie A title, two UEFA Super Cups, and one UEFA Champions League winner’s medal.
Cafu didn’t just win trophies at the club level. He won two FIFA World Cups with Brazil and two Copa America trophies.
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