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The Greatest Right-Backs in Football History: Ranked!

14 Feb, 2026

Although the term "full back" dates from the earliest football formations its early exponents were positioned centrally and would really be seen as centre-backs today. The true full-back was born when Herbert Chapman created the W-M formation in the late 1920s by pulling back a third defender and pushing the two "full-backs" out wide. It has been said that right-back is the easiest position to play in football but that view is becoming questioned in the modern game as more is asked of the full-back (or wing-back), who now has to both defend and provide a wide attacking outlet. Great full-backs often make good free-kick and even penalty takers. The following are presented in chronological order.

The Greatest Right-Backs in Football History: Ranked!

Berti Vogts

Rodriguez Andrade  Uruguay  1950-54 (Penarol)

Orvar Bergmark Sweden  1950s (Orbero/Roma)

Jimmy Armfield  England  1950s/60s (Blackpool) ,

Djalma Santos  Brazil  1954-62 (Palmeiras)

Tommy Gemmell  Scotland  1960s/70s (Celtic/Notts Forest)

Tarcisio Burgnich  Italy  1963-74 (Inter)

Carlos Alberto Brazil 1970s (Santos/Fluminense)

Berti Vogts  Germany  1970s (Borussia Monchengladbach

Wim Suurbier Holland  1970s (Ajax)

Danny McGrain  Scotland 1974-82 (Celtic)

-1The Greatest Right-Backs in Football History: Ranked!

Cafu

Manfred Kaltz  Germany  1975-83 (Hamburg)

Manuel Amoros  France  1980s (Monaco/Marseille)

Jorginho  Brazil  1987-96 (Flamengo/B.Leverkusen/B.Munich)

Cafu  Brazil  1990s (Sao Paulo/Roma/Milan)

Lilian Thuram  France 1990s/00s (Monaco/Parma/Juventus)

Javier Zanetti Argentina 1990s/2000s (Inter)

Gianluca Zambrotta  Italy 2000s (Juverntus/Barcelona)

Daniel Alves  Brazil 2000s/2010s (Sevilla/Barcelona)

Maicon  Brazil 2010s (Cruzeiro/Monaco/Inter)

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