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The position that made stars like Roberto Carlos, Marcelo, Maldini and others eternal continues to produce excellent players. To be one of the greatest left-backs of all time, as they were, you have to go beyond the basics of the role;

You have to have your heart in your boots and give your all for the team and the game. Whether defending or leading attacks, the left-back is a fundamental part of soccer.

It’s time to look back at the 15 greatest left-backs of all time!

greatest left backs of the world

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Meet the 15 greatest left-backs of all time

From Roberto Carlos to Eddie Hapgood, great names permeate our list! Read on to discover the greatest left-backs of all time, their titles, careers and curiosities.

  1. Roberto Carlos

Titles: World Cup (2002), Spanish Championship (1996, 2000, 2002, 2006), among others.

History: born in Garça, Brazil, Roberto Carlos began his career at União São João before becoming a legend at Real Madrid.

Curiosity: he was the left-back who scored the most goals in soccer history.

  1. Paolo Maldini

Titles: UEFA Champions League (1988, 1989, 1993, 2002, 2006), Italian Championship (1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2003), among others.



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History: born in Milan, Italy, Maldini grew up in the club of his family’s heart and became one of the greatest defenders in history.

Curiosity: has played over 900 games for AC Milan.

  1. Marcelo

Titles: UEFA Champions League (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017), La Liga (2006, 2007, 2011, 2016, 2019), among others.

History: born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Marcelo was discovered by Fluminense before moving to Real Madrid.

Curiosity: is the left-back with the most assists for Real Madrid.

  1. Giacinto Facchetti

Titles: World Cup (1970), Italian Championship (1962, 1964, 1965, 1970), among others.

History: born in Treviglio, Italy, Facchetti spent his entire career at Internazionale, becoming a club icon.

Curiosity: he was the first full-back to score 10 goals in a single season in the Italian league.

  1. Nilton Santos

Titles: World Cup (1958, 1962), Carioca Championship (1948, 1957, 1961, 1962, 1967), among others.

History: born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Santos spent his entire career at Botafogo, where he became a club legend.

Curiosities: Nilton Santos pioneered the left-back position, introducing a more attacking approach to the game.

  1. Ashley Cole

Titles: English Championship (2001, 2003, 2009, 2014), UEFA Champions League (2011), among others.

History: born in London, England, Cole began his career at Arsenal before becoming one of the best left-backs in the world.

Curiosity: is the only player to win the FA Cup seven times.

  1. Júnior

Titles: World Cup (1982, 1994), Brazilian Championship (1980, 1982, 1983), among others.

History: born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Júnior spent most of his career at Flamengo, where he became an idol.

Curiosity: he is the player with the most appearances in Brazilian Championships for Flamengo.

  1. Paul Breitner

Titles: World Cup (1974), German Championship (1971, 1972, 1973), Spanish Championship (1974), among others.

History: born in Kolbermoor, Germany, Breitner had a glittering career that included spells at major European clubs.

Curiosity: Breitner was known for his versatility, being able to play both as a left-back and as a midfielder.

  1. Antonio Cabrini

Titles: World Cup (1982), Italian Championship (1974, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985), among others.

History: born in Cremona, Italy, Cabrini spent most of his career at Juventus, where he won numerous titles.

Curiosity: he was the first full-back to score in a World Cup final.

  1. Ricardo Rocha

Titles: World Cup (1994), Brazilian Championship (1987, 1990), among others.

History: born in São Paulo, Brazil, Rocha had a successful career that included spells at Brazilian and European clubs.

Curiosity: he was the first full-back to score in a World Cup final for Brazil.

  1. Bixente Lizarazu

Titles: World Cup (1998), Bundesliga (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005), UEFA Champions League (2000), among others.

History: born in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France, Lizarazu enjoyed a successful career with Bayern Munich and the French national team.

Curiosity: he is the only player to win the World Cup and the UEFA Champions League in the same year (1998).

  1. Roberto Rosato

Titles: World Cup (1968), Italian Championship (1971, 1972, 1974), among others.

History: born in Rome, Italy, Rosato spent his entire career at Juventus, where he became a club legend.

Curiosity: he took part in three consecutive World Cup finals with the Italian national team (1970, 1974, 1978).

  1. Karl-Heinz Schnellinger

Titles: World Cup (1974), Italian Championship (1963, 1968), among others.

History: born on March 31, 1939 in Düren, Germany, Karl-Heinz Schnellinger began his professional career with Cologne in 1957.

Curiosity: Schnellinger is remembered for his crucial role in the 1970 World Cup final between Brazil and Italy, where he scored a crucial goal in injury time, forcing the game into extra time.

  1. José Antonio Camacho

Titles: La Liga (1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1985), among others.

History: born on June 8, 1955 in Cieza, Spain, he began his professional career with Real Madrid in 1973.

Curiosity: was one of the members of Spain’s famous generation that won the UEFA European Championship in 1968, although he was quite young at the time.

  1. Eddie Hapgood

Titles: English Championship (1930, 1932, 1933, 1934), among others.

History: born on September 24, 1908, in Bristol, England, he spent most of his career at Arsenal, where he became captain and a central figure in the legendary Arsenal team of the 1930s and 1940s.

Curiosity: after ending his career as a player, Hapgood worked as a sports journalist and writer, sharing his experiences and unique perspectives on the game.

List of the greatest left-backs of all time

  1. Roberto Carlos
  2. Paolo Maldini
  3. Marcelo
  4. Giacinto Facchetti
  5. Nilton Santos
  6. Ashley Cole
  7. Júnior
  8. Paul Breitner
  9. Antonio Cabrini
  10. Bixente Lizarazu
  11. Roberto Rosato
  12. Karl-Heinz Schnellinger
  13. José Antonio Camacho
  14. Eddie Hapgood

The greatest left-backs in World Cup history

Now that you’ve seen the greatest left-backs of all time, let’s take a look back at some of the names that have left their mark on World Cup history.

best left backs soccer
  1. Nilton Santos

The first position in the list of the greatest left-backs of all time is Botafogo’s idol. Nilton played in 4 World Cups for our national team, winning two of them and scoring 1 goal. He was also elected to the 1958 World Cup All-Star Team.

  1. Paolo Maldini

The Italian, who spent his career with AC Milan, is one of the record holders for World Cup appearances with 23 games played. He played in 4 World Cups and was named in the All-Star Team for the 1990, 1994 and 2002 World Cups.

  1. Paul Breitner

One of the greats responsible for Germany reaching the final of the 1982 World Cup, Paul Breitner couldn’t fail to make the list of the greatest left-backs of all time. He played in two of them, making 14 appearances in total.He was named in the All-Star Team for the 1974 World Cup.

  1. Ruud Krol

An icon of the Oranje, as the 1974 Dutch national team was known, Ruud played in two World Cups, playing in 14 matches and scoring 1 goal. He was elected to the All-Star Team for the 1974 and 1978 World Cups.

  1. Roberto Carlos

The Brazilian star, considered the greatest Brazilian left-back of all time, played in three World Cups, playing 17 games and scoring one goal. Roberto was chosen for the All-Star Team at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups.

List of the greatest left-backs in World Cup history

  1. Nilton Santos
  2. Paolo Maldini
  3. Paul Breitner
  4. Ruud Krool
  5. Roberto Carlos

Did we miss any names? Let us know in the comments who you think are the greatest left-backs of all time! And if you enjoyed this content, take the opportunity to read it too:



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