Top 10 best right-backs of 2023: Ranked

These players have been brilliant in the last year.

Football is currently blessed with some of the best right-backs ever. We have some supremely talented right-backs following in the footsteps of the legendary Brazilian stars Cafu, Dani Alves, and the iconic German, Phillip Lahm. Right-back was never the most glamorous position, but the game’s many evolutions have seen it become a thrilling and unpredictable spot on the pitch. The best in the game will marry a strong positional awareness with blinding speed, as well as the daring to surge forward to support their teams in attack.

As is with the modern era of football, full-backs are very different to the right-backs of previous years. Often revolutionising the game, the bare expectations are that they are as competent going forward as they are when having to do what the old guard was typically tasked with doing: defending. Versatile right-backs are becoming an ever-more important position in football.

An elite right back can rule an entire flank with composed defending, quality passing in the build-up, supportive runs for the attackers, and game-changing assists via their crossing. Here we look at Khel Now‘s top ten best right-backs of 2023:

10. Davide Calabria – AC Milan & Italy

Calabria joined Milan’s academy in 2006 and has been with the Rossoneri since he was 10 years old, playing through the different age groups up to the Primavera, working his way up the youth ranks before making his senior debut on March 30, 2015. Whilst he was given a brief run of starts under manager Siniša Mihajlović, he was largely forced to bide his time on the bench behind De Sciglio and veteran Ignazio Abate.

Calabria quickly won a starting spot under manager Gennaro Gattuso, impressing with his calmness on the ball, his awareness of when to go forward and when to stay back, and his ability to make a clean tackle and win the ball back in a dangerous area. Calabria has shown rapid signs of improvement under Pioli, who has engineered the right balance to get the best out of his homegrown fullback.

9. Giovanni Di Lorenzo – Napoli & Italy

Giovanni Di Lorenzo has been a rock in Napoli’s backline. An intelligent reader of the game who equally relishes attacking and defensive situations, he’s been one of the most quietly consistent defenders in Serie A over the past couple of seasons and one of Napoli’s more underrated players.

Clinching the Serie A title in 2022-23 was the surprise story of European football, and Di Lorenzo formed an integral member of the side that swept away sides before them with their free-flowing, attacking football.  A versatile player, he is also capable of playing as a centre-back, an attack-minded wing-back or a right winger due to his offensive qualities. Although he is not the quickest player, Di Lorenzo is tall, possesses good technique, can play with both feet and is known for his stamina, physical qualities and ability in the air.

8. Trent Alexander-Arnold – Liverpool & England

Known for his range of passing, crossing and assists, he is regarded as one of the best right-backs in the world, despite alleged flaws in his defensive ability. During the early years of his career, he emerged as one of the Premier League’s most creative players due to his role in assisting goals from early crosses and set-piece deliveries. He’s a superb footballer but as is the modern game, the criticism has been a little over-the-top but still, he is a quality player.

7. Ben White – Arsenal & England

Ben White is a versatile player, capable of playing multiple positions. Ben White has made the transition to right-back look seamless. After seeming a little rash and reactive when he first arrived at the Emirates Stadium for a hefty £50m price tag, shifting to right-back has allowed him to embrace the fiery, confrontational side of his game, while also showcasing his supreme talent on the ball even more.

He defends with aggression when pressing from behind and following opponents moving towards the ball. He is effective at preventing passes into the feet of those opponents, when he correctly times stepping ahead to intercept the ball, and at assertively defending one-on-one, even if there are times – mostly when he is further forward – when his front-foot approach to defending means he concedes free-kicks. 

He is proven at preventing opponents from turning, particularly when they have received with their backs to goal. Defensively he is sound and has an impressive recovery pace. He is solid in 1v1 situations. He is a key player for Arteta.

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6. Kieran Trippier – Newcastle & England

Managers’ first signings at a new club say a lot about them. Eddie Howe’s choice to bring Kieran Trippier in has been nothing short of a complete masterstroke, with the former Atletico, Tottenham and Burnley man offering something that the Toon sorely lacked in their squad.

His experience precedes him by now, while his crossing ability is among the best that England has ever produced in his position. Trippier is a menace from dead-ball situations, has the creativity to unlock defences and with a stint in LaLiga, has become one of the most rounded defenders in the league, thanks to Diego Simeone’s school of deep blocks. 

He seems to have gotten even better under Howe’s tutelage, too, providing assist after assist while keeping Newcastle’s defence solid, resolute and incredibly difficult to break down.  

5. Denzel Dumfries – Inter Milan & Netherland

Standing at 189cm tall, the Nerazzurri’s right wing-back is extremely active down the right-hand side, constantly charging up and down the pitch. When receiving the ball, Dumfries is often positioned higher than the opposite wing-back, indicating he is more involved in the team’s build-up play. Furthermore, when the ball is on the other side of the pitch, the Dutchman moves into extremely high areas of the pitch, playing almost like a natural winger, often attacking in and around the penalty box.

Dumfries’ attacking output is arguably his greatest asset. When looking at the defensive aspect of his game, Dumfries utilizes his strength, pace and athleticism to dispossess opposing attackers. Due to his pace and athletic frame, he can quickly close down and block off the passing lanes, subsequently increasing his chances of successfully dispossessing the opposition player.

The only problem could be with his defensive abilities in transition, which is a big factor for a team as defensively strong as Inter. The 27-year-old will need to work on his defensive transitions.

4. Jeremie Frimpong – Leverkusen & Netherland

Jeremie Frimpong is a 23-year-old right-back who currently plays in Germany with Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen. Raw speed is one thing, but it’s Frimpong’s ability to turn such talent into true ball progression that separates him from other rapid young fullbacks. The Dutch international isn’t shy of beating an opponent or driving possession up the pitch.

His extreme pace and skillfulness make it very hard for defenders to deal with him which means he also wins a lot of fouls in attacking areas. As good as Frimpong is going forward, his end product has improved during the 2023-24 season. He’s good at taking the ball, driving forward and getting himself in great positions but his end product lets him down on occasions and is certainly something he needs to improve.

3. Joao Cancelo – Barcelona/ Bayern & Portugal

One of few players to be genuinely world-class in two different positions on a football pitch, Joao Cancelo has returned to right-back since his move to Barcelona. When playing as a traditional fullback he times his forward runs well. He tends to move forward when in possession rather than making lung-busting overlapping runs around the outside of a teammate, and he prefers to receive to feet rather than chase through balls.

He is a very strong dribbler and that ability, combined with the fact he is confident on either foot, makes him extremely difficult to defend against. His speed also allows him to be fast enough to recover at defensive transitions and is always aware of the space he leaves behind him when his team attacks. Cancelo is adept at moving into central midfield and playing a ball over the top for a runner in behind. With Cancelo instead adding an extra player in midfield, the team’s attack is better set up to deal with defensive transitions.

2. Achraf Hakimi – PSG & Morocco

Achraf Hakimi has played for Real Madrid, sparkled in the Bundesliga, won a Scudetto, starred in a Hollywood attack alongside the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi and been the superstar in the first-ever African World Cup semi-finalists’ side. Incredibly, he’s still a long way from his peak years.

Luis Enrique decided to ship off the ailing stars and focus PSG’s attacks around Hakimi’s power and might down that righthand flank as he bombs forward to support attacks. Defensively he’s faced criticism, but he’s the ultimate tool for a possession side to throw up the pitch, providing dangerous crosses and silky dribbling for talents like Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Goncalo Ramos and Randal Kolo Muani all to benefit off of. 

1. Kyle Walker – Manchester City & England

The 33-year-old may now be the elder statesman of his defence, but that doesn’t stop him from using that electric recovery acceleration to become an old-school full-back more content with pocketing wingers than doing laps up to the byline and back. He is considered to be instrumental to Manchester City’s recent success.

He is also a strong and physical defender who is comfortable in one-on-one situations and is adept at making tackles and interceptions. Walker’s defensive ability is further enhanced by his good reading of the game and his ability to anticipate opposition attacks.

He’s adapted his game tremendously well under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Walker has learned to invert, overlap and sit back as part of a defensive three, all while developing a sumptuous passing range to accompany his monster physicality.

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