ORA full day of 2 on the calendar can only serve to honor one of the most shadowed positions within a team and at the same time the most important and unbalanced. The right back is a fundamental piece for any scheme, a footballer capable of becoming a winger without losing his defensive essence
CAFU
Ballon d’Or Dream Team to the best right-back in history, chosen by France Football. Double world champion in 1994 and 2002, Cafu created a style and was an academy for future generations who had the Brazilian side as a model: offensive and cheerful game. His time at Zaragoza in 94-95 links him to Spanish football, although he became a legend in Rome and Milan in Italy.
CHARLES ALBERT
Carlos Alberto is considered in many polls as the best right back in history, and also the author of one of the best goals ever scored, a goal that marked an era. Captain of Brazil in 1970, perhaps the best team ever seen, in the final against Italy he scored the fourth goal for the Brazilian team, the one that closed the score (4-1), after a play in which he touched the ball almost the entire Brazilian team. No better goal than that to represent what that team was: a wonderful team.
DJALMA SANTOS
Before Carlos Alberto occupied the right side of the Brazilian team, that place belonged to Djalma Santos. World champion with Brazil in 1958 and 1962. One of the three defenders, along with Beckenbauer and Lahm, to be included in the ideal eleven of three World Cups (1954, 1958 and 1962).
BERTI VOGTS
One of Beckenbauer’s teammates in the Germany that was proclaimed World Champion in 1974. Vogts was included in the ideal eleven of that World Cup and the next, the one that Argentina won in 1978. In addition, he won five Bundesligas and two UEFAs with Borussia Monchengladbach.
ZANETTI
His versatility will make him be on the lists of various positions. He is not as technically gifted or as influential in the game as other full-backs, but his commitment and consistency in performance have made him go down in history. No one has played more for Argentina (145 times) and he is an absolute legend at Inter, where he played from 1995 to 2014, when he retired at almost 39 years old. With the Nerazzurri team he managed to win everything: Champions, Serie A, Cup…
LAHM
“He’s maybe the smartest player I’ve ever coached in my career. He’s on another level.” These words about Philipp Lahm were not said by anyone, but by Pep Guardiola. Able to play at left back as well, even as a midfielder, Lahm will be remembered as a winger who played like the angels, able to organize his team from the right flank. He announced his retirement from the German national team after winning the World Cup, the title that put the finishing touch to a career that still continues. Eight Bundesligas and a Champions League, among other titles, complete his track record.
DANI ALVES
Perhaps the player with the best track record in history, in the absence of the World Cup… and with no expiration date. Dani Alves has been riding down the right wing for two decades with a particular, offensive, technical and crazy style that has made him one of the best ‘2’s of all time. Champion of everything with Barça and even a gold medalist at the Tokyo Games, he is an absolute reference for the next generations of full-backs.
MICHEL SALGADO
In a topic about the number 2, ‘Il Due’ cannot be missing, as the Italian press baptized Míchel Salgado after a friendly between the two teams in which the then Celta right-back impressed the coach Alberto Zaccheroni. Salgado won four Leagues and two European Cups with Real Madrid and with his character he completely took over the lime line of the Bernabéu, a stadium accustomed to looking only at the other band, where Roberto Carlos ran.
GARY NEVILLE
A legend of Manchester United, the Premier and the English team. He played more than 600 games for the Old Trafford team and was their benchmark for two decades in the right lane, surviving generation after generation and winning two Champions Leagues. One in 1999 at the Camp Nou with the Beckhams, Schmeichel, Sheringham and company and another in 2008 with Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney in the team.
And actually?
The winger position continues to be one of the most complicated to fill by clubs. The price of these specialists continues to rise and more and more is paid for their services. These are the most valuable right-backs today according to Transfermarkt.
- Trent Alexander-Arnold 80 million
- Achraf Hakimi 70 million
- Joao Cancelo 60 million
- Reece James 55 million
- Aaron Wan-Bissaka 38 million
- Benjamin Pavard 30 million
- Timothy Castagne 28 million
- Pedro Porro 25 million
- Emerson Royal 25 million
- Nordi Mukiele 25 million
