The Premier League has been home to some of the greatest right-backs in the history of football.
Particularly in recent years, the Premier League has excelled in producing super-talented right-sided defenders.
The position has evolved drastically over the years. Full-backs of old were often no-nonsense and stuck to their defensive duties, whereas modern-day names can do it all, and often are one of the most creative outlets in a squad.
With this being said, who is the greatest to ever do it in the English top flight? Here we rank the seven best Premier League right-backs of all time.
7: Pablo Zabaleta
Pablo Zabaleta had an illustrious career which spanned 12 glorious seasons in the Premier League. He arrived in 2018 into Manchester from Espanyol, where he quickly became a fan favourite at the Cityzen’s.
His tough-tackling, no-nonsense attitude, typical of an Argentine, quickly saw him rise to captaincy at Manchester City, where he’d lead them to several domestic honours. These include two Premier Leagues, an FA Cup and two League Cups.
He finished his career in the Premier League with West Ham, retiring in 2020. Zabaleta has earned his place on this list.
6: Cesar Azpilicueta
Cesar Azpilicueta will go down as one of Chelsea’s most loyal players ever. The Spaniard arrived in 2012, for a measly fee of just £7m, which also makes him one of the biggest bargains in Premier League history.
Whilst at the Blues, the Spaniard won two Premier Leagues, an FA Cup, a League Cup, two Europa League‘s and the Champions League. Not bad going.
The tenacious full-back also earned Chelsea captaincy during this time, before his eventual departure in July 2023. After 11 glorious years of Azpilicueta, he’s more than cemented his place among the league’s elite.
5: Trent Alexander-Arnold
Trent Alexander-Arnold has already established himself as one of the greatest full-backs the Premier League has ever seen. Rising through the Liverpool academy ranks, the technically gifted Englishman has been integral to Liverpool’s recent Premier League successes.
With more than 50 assists already to his name, it’s no surprise he’s already among the very best in history. Trent possesses qualities that managers can only dream a right-back can have on their side. He’s a free-kick specialist, one of the best passers around and even has an eye for a goal.
He’s already won the Champions League, the Premier League, the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup. Alongside this, his personal accolades include three nominations for the PFA team of the year and a Ballon d’Or nomination.
4: Lauren
Despite not necessarily having the longevity of some of his competitors on this list, the fact Lauren was the right-back in an invincible Premier League side pretty much justifies a position on this list anyway.
But Lauren wasn’t just a spare part in the Arsenal side, the Cameroonian could do it all at full-back and was one of the first names on the team sheet as an uber-reliable option.
Lauren won two Premier Leagues and three FA Cups with the Gunners, winning one more additional FA Cup in his two seasons with Portsmouth, where he departed the Premier League an absolute legend.
3: Lee Dixon
A criminally underrated player who epitomised what it was like to be a ‘traditional’ Premier League full-back is Lee Dixon.
Dixon made 305 appearances for Arsenal, spanning a career that began even before the Premier League’s existence. This longevity was his most impressive feature, still to this day being the only player to ever win league titles in three different decades.
Retiring at 38, Dixon won it all at Arsenal, including four league titles, three FA Cups, a League Cup, and the 1994 Cup Winners Cup. They don’t make them like Dixon anymore.
2: Kyle Walker
Arguably one of the fastest players to ever grace the Premier League, Kyle Walker just misses out on top spot. Despite not winning anything during the earlier stages of his career at Tottenham Hotspur, he made up for lost time at the Etihad.
Since Pep Guardiola got his man, Walker has won five Premier Leagues, two FA Cups, four League Cups, and the Champions League. This includes the elusive treble in the 2022/23 season.
Walker has been at the heart of everything good at Manchester City in their recent dominance and despite the plethora of incoming and outgoings, has remained an ever-present force in one of the greatest sides to ever exist.
1: Gary Neville
At the top spot, has to be Manchester United legend – Gary Neville. Despite often playing himself down as a pundit in the modern era, anybody will tell you Neville possessed undeniable raw talent.
He was part of Manchester United’s Class of 92 and stayed with the Red Devils until his retirement in 2011. During this time, he won a ludicrous eight Premier League titles, three FA Cups, two League Cups, and two Champions Leagues.
His trophy cabinet alone speaks for itself. He is the greatest right-back in Premier League history.
The post 7 best Premier League right-backs of all-time including Arsenal and Manchester United icons appeared first on HITC.
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