The best right backs in the world right now have very different jobs. Achraf Hakimi regularly becomes another attacker for Paris Saint-Germain. Pedro Porro creates through crosses, forward runs, and shooting. Jurriën Timber gives Arsenal greater defensive security and can move inside during possession. Modern right-backs are no longer judged only on tackles or assists because their tactical responsibilities can change dramatically from one team to another.
For this FootballerRank ranking, we focus specifically on players with substantial current evidence at right-back or right wing-back. The completed 2025/26 club season carries the most weight, followed by Champions League performance, the 2026 World Cup, one-on-one defending, attacking contribution, buildup quality, consistency, and availability. Early 2026/27 evidence is used only as support. Based on those criteria, Achraf Hakimi ranks as our best right-back in the world right now.
Last reviewed: August 30, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Achraf Hakimi ranks as our best right-back in the world right now.
- Pedro Porro takes second after winning the 2026 World Cup with Spain and scoring twice during the tournament.
- Jurriën Timber ranks third after helping Arsenal win the Premier League with the competition’s strongest defence.
- Jules Koundé and Reece James complete our top five.
- Denzel Dumfries remains one of the strongest attacking wing-backs despite an injury-hit 2025/26 season.
- Right wing-backs qualify when they perform substantial right-sided defensive duties.
- This article stays separate from Best Full Backs and Best Left Backs by counting only right-side specialist evidence fully.
Top 10 Best Right Backs in the World Right Now
| Rank | Player | Club | Country | Right-Back Style | FootballerRank Rating |
| 1 | Achraf Hakimi | Paris Saint-Germain | Morocco | Explosive attacking right-back | 99/100 |
| 2 | Pedro Porro | Tottenham Hotspur | Spain | Creative attacking right-back | 97/100 |
| 3 | Jurriën Timber | Arsenal | Netherlands | Defensive inverted right-back | 95/100 |
| 4 | Jules Koundé | Barcelona | France | Defensive right-back | 93/100 |
| 5 | Reece James | Chelsea | England | Complete physical right-back | 91/100 |
| 6 | Denzel Dumfries | Real Madrid | Netherlands | Powerful right wing-back | 90/100 |
| 7 | Daniel Muñoz | Crystal Palace | Colombia | High-energy right wing-back | 89/100 |
| 8 | Malo Gusto | Chelsea | France | Fast attacking right-back | 88/100 |
| 9 | Trent Alexander-Arnold | Real Madrid | England | Creative inverted right-back | 87/100 |
| 10 | Djed Spence | Inter Milan | England | Athletic two-sided full-back | 86/100 |
FootballerRank ratings are editorial scores. They are not official FIFA, UEFA, league, or club ratings.
What Counts as a Right-Back?
A right-back primarily operates on the right side of the defensive line.
Traditional responsibilities include:
- Stopping left wingers
- Defending crosses
- Protecting the right centre-back
- Tracking overlapping runners
- Covering the back post
- Winning one-on-one duels
Modern right-backs may have far more responsibility in possession.
They can be asked to:
- Overlap
- Underlap
- Cross
- Carry forward
- Enter midfield
- Create chances
- Press high
- Make runs into the penalty area
Hakimi and Timber show how different the same position can look.
Hakimi often plays almost like a winger when PSG have the ball.
Timber may move inside and help Arsenal control central areas.
Both are right-backs.
They simply perform different versions of the role.
Do Right Wing-Backs Qualify?
Yes.
FootballerRank absorbs qualifying wing-backs into the right-back category when their role still includes substantial right-sided defensive responsibility.
That allows players such as:
- Denzel Dumfries
- Daniel Muñoz
to qualify.
Creating separate Best Right Wing-Backs and Best Right-Backs pages would create unnecessary overlap.
The important question is whether the player is genuinely responsible for the right defensive flank.
How This Article Avoids Cannibalization
FootballerRank has different defender search intents.
Best Defenders in the World Right Now
This compares every major defensive position.
Best Full Backs in the World Right Now
This compares right-backs and left-backs together.
Best Right Backs in the World Right Now
This article compares right-sided full-backs and qualifying wing-backs only.
Best Left Backs in the World Right Now
That page will compare left-sided specialists only.
The competition group therefore changes.
Hakimi does not need to compete with Nuno Mendes or Federico Dimarco here.
Likewise, Koundé receives more specialist defensive credit because he is being compared directly with other current right-backs.
That creates separate search intent rather than duplicated content.
How We Ranked the Best Current Right-Backs
We used seven factors:
| Ranking Factor | Weight | What We Considered |
| Current right-back performance | 30% | Complete 2025/26 club level |
| Defensive ability | 15% | One-on-one defending, positioning and recovery |
| Attacking and buildup value | 15% | Passing, crossing, carrying and chance creation |
| Major-match impact | 15% | Champions League and important club matches |
| International performance | 15% | Primarily the 2026 World Cup |
| Consistency and availability | 5% | Ability to maintain an elite level |
| Early 2026/27 evidence | 5% | Supporting evidence only |
Why Goals and Assists Do Not Decide the Ranking
Hakimi creates far more than some defensive right-backs.
That does not automatically make every comparison easy.
Koundé’s role at Barcelona is more defensive.
Timber is regularly asked to help control transitions and move inside during possession.
Reece James may provide physical security against a powerful winger.
These performances can be valuable without producing an assist.
We therefore also judge:
- Defensive positioning
- Duel quality
- Recovery
- Press resistance
- Tactical discipline
- Passing
- Major-match performance
The best right-back is the player who performs his team’s version of the role at the highest overall level.
1. Achraf Hakimi
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Country: Morocco
Position: Right-Back
FootballerRank Rating: 99/100
Achraf Hakimi is the best right-back in the world right now in our August 2026 ranking.
His attacking output from defence remains exceptional.
PSG successfully defended the Champions League in 2025/26.
Hakimi finished the competition with six assists.
Only Michael Olise and Vinícius Júnior produced more.
That is extraordinary for a right-back.
Hakimi’s role explains some of the numbers.
PSG do not use him as a traditional defender who stays beside the centre-backs.
When the team has possession, Hakimi can:
- Overlap
- Underlap
- Move into midfield
- Attack the back post
- Combine with forwards
- Make runs beyond the defence
- Create chances
UEFA’s tactical description of PSG shows how Hakimi and Nuno Mendes can operate almost as auxiliary midfielders or wingers.
That creates enormous pressure on opponents.
If the left-back follows Hakimi high, space can appear elsewhere.
If the defender stays deeper, Hakimi can receive and attack.
His speed also allows him to recover after possession is lost.
That is important.
An attacking right-back who cannot recover becomes a tactical problem.
Hakimi can cover large distances quickly.
He is also an important Morocco leader.
His international résumé already included the country’s historic 2022 World Cup semi-final.
Morocco again produced a strong run in 2026.
Hakimi’s combination of current European success, attacking output, speed, tactical importance, and international leadership gives him a clear specialist No. 1 case.
Why he ranks No. 1: Hakimi combines elite speed, chance creation, attacking movement, recovery defending, six Champions League assists, and back-to-back European titles.
2. Pedro Porro
Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Country: Spain
Position: Right-Back
FootballerRank Rating: 97/100
Pedro Porro produced the biggest rise among elite right-backs during the latest ranking cycle.
His 2025/26 Tottenham season already showed impressive consistency.
Porro made 47 appearances in all competitions, the most of any Spurs player.
Then came the World Cup.
Spain became 2026 world champions.
Porro played a major role during the knockout rounds.
He scored against Austria.
He then scored again in Spain’s semi-final victory over France.
That gave him two World Cup goals from right-back.
His attacking game is built around:
- Crossing
- Overlapping
- Shooting
- Progressive passing
- Combination play
- Set pieces
- Repeated forward running
Porro can create without reaching the byline.
He is comfortable delivering from deeper areas.
That makes it difficult for opponents to predict when the cross will arrive.
His shooting is another unusual weapon.
Defenders cannot simply give him space outside the penalty area.
His defensive development is also important.
Earlier in his Premier League career, Porro’s attacking quality was much easier to identify than his defensive reliability.
He has become more balanced.
World Cup knockout football provided strong evidence that he can perform inside a controlled defensive structure as well as an attacking club system.
Hakimi remains first because his Champions League production and elite level have been sustained across a longer period.
Porro is now much closer than he was one year ago.
Why he ranks No. 2: Porro combined 47 club appearances with two World Cup goals, a world title, elite crossing, and major improvement in defensive reliability.
3. Jurriën Timber
Club: Arsenal
Country: Netherlands
Position: Right-Back / Defender
FootballerRank Rating: 95/100
Jurriën Timber provides a very different right-back profile.
He is probably the strongest defensive specialist among the top three.
Timber began his career with significant centre-back experience.
That background remains visible.
He is comfortable:
- Defending physically
- Protecting central areas
- Following attackers inside
- Moving into midfield
- Receiving under pressure
- Carrying forward
Arsenal’s 2025/26 campaign was historic.
The club won the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years.
Arsenal conceded only 27 league goals.
They kept 19 clean sheets.
Timber was one of the regular members of that defensive structure and made more than 40 appearances across competitions.
His attacking contribution should not be ignored.
Against Leeds, Timber produced:
- Two goals
- One assist
He became only the second Arsenal defender to record at least three goal involvements in one Premier League match.
That is not his normal role.
His greater value comes from balance.
When Bukayo Saka stays wide, Timber can support underneath.
He can move inside.
He can stay deeper and protect a transition.
He can also defend the opposition’s strongest winger directly.
A late-season groin problem interrupted the end of his campaign.
That reduces his availability score slightly.
His overall season was still strong enough for third.
Why he ranks No. 3: Timber combines elite defensive security with inverted buildup ability and played a major part in Arsenal’s title-winning defensive structure.
4. Jules Koundé
Club: Barcelona
Country: France
Position: Right-Back / Centre-Back
FootballerRank Rating: 93/100
Jules Koundé is one of the best defensive right-backs in football.
He originally built his elite reputation as a centre-back.
Barcelona increasingly established him on the right.
That gives Koundé unusual strengths for the position.
He is excellent at:
- One-on-one defending
- Recovery
- Interceptions
- Physical duels
- Defending a high line
- Passing under pressure
Barcelona won La Liga again in 2025/26, giving Koundé a third Spanish league title with the club.
His attacking responsibilities are lower than Hakimi’s.
That does not make his role less important.
Barcelona often have extremely dangerous attacking players ahead of him.
Koundé’s ability to remain secure allows those players greater freedom.
His 2026 World Cup also strengthened the case.
Koundé became an important starter for France.
He started each of their first five matches and played the full 90 minutes as France advanced into the quarter-finals.
France eventually reached the semi-finals.
Koundé’s biggest strength in this ranking is defensive reliability.
If FootballerRank weighted only one-on-one defending, he could challenge Timber for an even higher position.
Why he ranks No. 4: Koundé combines elite one-on-one defending, recovery speed, another La Liga title, and a major right-back role for World Cup semi-finalists France.
5. Reece James
Club: Chelsea
Country: England
Position: Right-Back / Midfielder
FootballerRank Rating: 91/100
Reece James finally produced the healthy campaign that his career badly needed.
Chelsea records him with 39 appearances and 29 starts in 2025/26.
That was a major improvement after several injury-disrupted seasons.
James played both:
- Right-back
- Central midfield
Only his right-back performances receive full specialist weight in this ranking.
At his best, James remains one of the most complete right-backs in football.
He has:
- Strength
- Crossing
- Passing
- Long-range shooting
- One-on-one defending
- Set-piece quality
- Ball carrying
Physical strength is one of his major advantages.
Many attacking right-backs can struggle when isolated against powerful wingers.
James can match them.
His 2026 World Cup provided more important evidence.
James appeared in five England matches and played 318 minutes as England finished third.
That international availability was especially valuable after he had missed previous major tournaments through injury.
Why only fifth?
The answer is consistency over time.
James’ peak ability is arguably Top 3.
FootballerRank needs more than one healthier campaign before moving him above players who have produced uninterrupted elite evidence across several seasons.
Why he ranks No. 5: James combines exceptional physical and technical ability with a much healthier 39-appearance club season and meaningful involvement in England’s World Cup run.
6. Denzel Dumfries
Club: Real Madrid
Country: Netherlands
Position: Right Wing-Back / Right-Back
FootballerRank Rating: 90/100
Denzel Dumfries remains one of football’s most dangerous attacking right-sided defenders.
His game is much more direct than Trent Alexander-Arnold’s.
Dumfries attacks space through:
- Powerful running
- Back-post runs
- Heading
- Physical duels
- Overlapping
- Penalty-area movement
He often looks more like a second striker when Inter attack from the opposite side.
His 2025/26 season was interrupted significantly by injury.
Dumfries missed more than three months.
That prevents a higher ranking.
He still scored important goals before and after the absence and remained one of Inter’s key wide players.
His complete Inter career ended with:
- 207 appearances
- 27 goals
- 28 assists
- Eight trophies
In July 2026, Dumfries completed a move to Real Madrid.
His first La Liga matches have already shown that Madrid are willing to use his physical running on the right.
Those early matches are only supporting evidence.
The ranking mainly reflects his Inter level.
A healthier 2026/27 season could move him back toward the top five.
Why he ranks No. 6: Dumfries combines rare physical power and penalty-area threat from right-back, but his injury-hit 2025/26 campaign limits his current score.
7. Daniel Muñoz
Club: Crystal Palace
Country: Colombia
Position: Right Wing-Back
FootballerRank Rating: 89/100
Daniel Muñoz is one of the most energetic right-sided defenders in football.
Crystal Palace frequently use him as a wing-back.
That role clearly qualifies for this ranking.
Muñoz performs substantial defensive work while also becoming an important attacking runner.
His strengths include:
- Stamina
- Pressing
- Recovery
- Aerial attacking
- Overlapping
- Penalty-area runs
- Aggressive defending
His athletic numbers have been particularly impressive.
Palace have highlighted his speed, endurance, and acceleration.
He also established himself as an important Colombia player.
At the 2026 World Cup, Muñoz scored the winning goal against DR Congo as Colombia secured qualification for the knockout phase.
His ability to arrive around the penalty area is not normal for a defender.
He regularly attacks crosses like a forward.
An injury around the middle of the club season reduced his overall availability and interrupted his rhythm.
That keeps him below the top six.
At full fitness, his combination of defensive work and attacking energy makes him one of the hardest right wing-backs to play against.
Why he ranks No. 7: Muñoz combines elite stamina, aggressive defending, attacking runs, and World Cup impact with Colombia.
8. Malo Gusto
Club: Chelsea
Country: France
Position: Right-Back
FootballerRank Rating: 88/100
Malo Gusto quietly produced one of the strongest workloads among current young full-backs.
Chelsea records him with 49 appearances and 38 starts during 2025/26.
That gave him more appearances than Reece James.
Gusto was mainly used on the right, although Chelsea also trusted him:
- At left-back
- In midfield
His specialist strengths include:
- Acceleration
- Overlapping
- Crossing
- Recovery speed
- Pressing
- Ball carrying
The latest season also brought greater attacking production.
Gusto scored the first professional goals of his career.
He finished the campaign with three goals.
His performances earned him a place in France’s World Cup squad.
Gusto appeared in five matches as France finished fourth.
His World Cup minutes were lower than Koundé’s.
That limits the international side of his ranking.
At 23, Gusto still has room to improve his decision-making and final-third efficiency.
His current workload and athletic profile already place him among the world’s stronger specialist right-backs.
Why he ranks No. 8: Gusto combines elite athleticism with 49 Chelsea appearances, improving attacking output, and World Cup experience for France.
9. Trent Alexander-Arnold
Club: Real Madrid
Country: England
Position: Right-Back / Midfield Hybrid
FootballerRank Rating: 87/100
Trent Alexander-Arnold is the most difficult player in this Top 10 to rank.
His passing ability is not in doubt.
Few defenders in football history have possessed his range.
The question is current specialist role and current evidence.
Trent can create through:
- Long diagonals
- Crosses
- Through balls
- Set pieces
- Passes from deep
- Inverted midfield positions
That last point matters.
Increasingly, the qualities that make Trent special pull him away from conventional right-back responsibilities.
Real Madrid signed him in 2025 as a right-back who could also operate in midfield.
His first Madrid season did not establish him as the clear world’s-best right-back candidate that his Liverpool peak once suggested.
The situation became even more complicated in summer 2026 when Madrid added Denzel Dumfries.
Early in 2026/27, Trent has seen only limited league minutes while Dumfries has started on the right.
Current rankings cannot be based entirely on reputation.
At his best, Trent’s right-back passing is elite.
His latest role stability and defensive specialist evidence place him ninth.
Why he ranks No. 9: Alexander-Arnold remains the position’s most gifted passer, but changing tactical responsibilities and reduced current right-back security lower his ranking.
10. Djed Spence
Club: Inter Milan
Country: England
Position: Right-Back / Left-Back
FootballerRank Rating: 86/100
Djed Spence completes our Top 10.
His inclusion needs a position explanation.
Spence is naturally a right-footed right-back.
Tottenham frequently used him on the left because his athleticism allowed him to defend either side.
FootballerRank counts only his meaningful right-back evidence fully here.
His strengths include:
- One-on-one defending
- Recovery speed
- Ball carrying
- Pressing
- Physical duels
- Running power
Spence’s 2026 World Cup was particularly useful.
England used him on both sides.
He played at right-back during knockout matches and became an important squad option throughout England’s run to third place.
His semi-final against Argentina showed his strengths well.
Spence used his recovery speed to prevent a dangerous one-on-one situation and repeatedly carried forward.
He finished the tournament with 14 England caps to his name.
In August 2026, Spence completed a move from Tottenham to Inter Milan.
The move could suit him.
Inter regularly use wing-backs and may give him opportunities on either side.
His side-specific evidence is less clean than that of the players above him.
That is why he ranks tenth rather than higher.
Why he ranks No. 10: Spence combines elite athletic defending with World Cup knockout experience and genuine right-back ability, although his recent club role has often been on the left.
Who Is the Best Right-Back in the World Right Now?
Achraf Hakimi is the best right-back in the world right now in our August 2026 ranking.
His strongest argument comes from the combination of attacking output and elite team success.
During PSG’s latest Champions League campaign, Hakimi produced:
- Six assists
- Repeated final-third runs
- Major buildup involvement
- Another European title
Very few defenders have that level of attacking responsibility in a Champions League-winning team.
Porro provides the closest challenge after his World Cup.
Timber provides the strongest defensive alternative.
Hakimi remains first because he has sustained his current elite level across multiple seasons and major European campaigns.
Hakimi vs Porro vs Timber
The top three represent three very different right-back profiles.
| Area | Hakimi | Pedro Porro | Jurriën Timber |
| One-on-one defending | Very good | Very good | Elite |
| Recovery speed | Elite | Excellent | Excellent |
| Crossing | Excellent | Elite | Good |
| Ball carrying | Elite | Excellent | Excellent |
| Passing | Excellent | Excellent | Very good |
| Chance creation | Elite | Elite | Good |
| Physical defending | Very good | Good | Elite |
| Tactical flexibility | Elite | Excellent | Elite |
| Main advantage | Attacking movement | Crossing + shooting | Defensive balance |
Hakimi is the strongest attacking weapon.
Porro offers elite crossing and shooting.
Timber gives the most defensive security.
Who Is the Best Defensive Right-Back Right Now?
Jurriën Timber has our strongest case.
His centre-back background gives him several advantages.
He can:
- Defend physically
- Track inside runners
- Protect central areas
- Play in a back four
- Move into midfield
Koundé is extremely close.
In a pure one-on-one defensive comparison, Koundé could reasonably rank first.
Reece James also has elite defensive tools when fully fit.
Who Is the Best Attacking Right-Back Right Now?
Achraf Hakimi ranks first.
Six Champions League assists provide strong evidence.
His attacking value goes beyond assists.
Hakimi’s runs can move defenders even when he never receives the pass.
Porro is the strongest challenger.
His crossing and shooting make him more of a direct creator from deeper positions.
Who Is the Best Right-Back at Crossing?
Pedro Porro has our strongest current case.
He can deliver from:
- Deep positions
- The touchline
- Half-spaces
- Set pieces
Trent Alexander-Arnold remains an exceptional passer and crosser when he plays.
Hakimi creates more through movement than repeated traditional crossing.
Who Is the Best Right-Back at Passing?
Trent Alexander-Arnold remains the most naturally gifted passer in the position.
That does not make him the best current overall right-back.
FootballerRank separates technical strengths from total role performance.
Trent’s long passing and switches remain extraordinary.
Timber offers more defensive security.
Hakimi offers greater current attacking movement.
Porro has the stronger latest tournament evidence.
Who Is the Fastest Elite Right-Back?
Hakimi remains one of the strongest candidates.
Spence also has exceptional recovery speed.
Gusto and Muñoz provide high-level athleticism.
Speed is especially important for attacking right-backs because they frequently need to recover 30 or 40 metres after their team loses possession.
Best Current Right-Backs by Style
Best overall right-back
Achraf Hakimi
The strongest combination of attacking production, speed, European performance, and tactical influence.
Best World Cup right-back
Pedro Porro
Two goals and a winner’s medal give him the strongest 2026 tournament case.
Best defensive right-back
Jurriën Timber
His central-defensive background gives him outstanding balance.
Best one-on-one right-back
Jules Koundé
His pace, strength, and centre-back experience make him difficult to beat.
Best physical right-back
Reece James
Few current right-backs combine his power and technical quality.
Best attacking wing-back
Denzel Dumfries
His penalty-area movement remains unusual for a defender.
Best high-energy wing-back
Daniel Muñoz
His repeated attacking and defensive running defines his game.
Best young high-volume right-back
Malo Gusto
He already handles a major workload for Chelsea.
Best passing right-back
Trent Alexander-Arnold
His current ranking has fallen, but his distribution remains elite.
Best two-sided full-back
Djed Spence
He can perform right-back duties while also defending effectively on the opposite side.
Why Hakimi Is No. 1 Here but No. 2 Among Full-Backs
This is a specialist ranking.
On Best Full Backs in the World Right Now, Hakimi competes directly with Nuno Mendes.
Nuno currently offers the stronger overall defensive profile while remaining elite going forward.
That gives Mendes the broad Full-Back No. 1 position.
This page removes left-backs from the comparison.
Hakimi becomes the strongest specialist right-back.
That is exactly how FootballerRank’s position architecture is designed to work.
Why Porro Is Above Timber
Timber gives greater defensive security.
Porro’s latest international tournament provides the difference.
He scored twice as Spain won the World Cup and became a major attacking outlet during the knockout rounds.
The completed World Cup is given substantial weight in this August 2026 update.
If Arsenal and Tottenham form become the main evidence later in 2026/27, the order could change.
Why Koundé Is Only No. 4
Koundé is one of the best pure defenders among current right-backs.
The players above him bring stronger specialist advantages in other areas.
Hakimi provides far greater attacking output.
Porro has a stronger latest World Cup résumé.
Timber combines elite defending with a title-winning club season.
Koundé remains extremely close.
Why Reece James Is Only No. 5
James’ maximum ability is higher than fifth-place quality.
Availability has been the issue.
His 39 appearances in 2025/26 were a major step forward.
FootballerRank still needs sustained evidence before placing him above players who have remained regularly available across multiple full seasons.
Another healthy year could move him significantly higher.
Why Dumfries Is Only No. 6
His 2025/26 season was heavily interrupted.
Inter reported a long injury absence from November until February.
That matters for a current ranking.
His transfer to Real Madrid is interesting but does not erase the missed club football.
Early Madrid form receives only supporting weight.
Why Trent Alexander-Arnold Is Only No. 9
This is not a career ranking.
At Liverpool, Trent produced right-back seasons worthy of historical discussion.
The current question is different.
His first Real Madrid period created greater tactical uncertainty.
Madrid now also have Dumfries competing for the right side.
Trent’s current 2026/27 league involvement has been limited.
Reputation cannot outweigh recent specialist evidence.
Why Tino Livramento Is Not Included
Tino Livramento has Top 10 ability.
His 2025/26 campaign was disrupted by injuries.
He was selected for England’s World Cup squad but withdrew after suffering a calf injury before the tournament began.
That removed another major source of current evidence.
A healthy 2026/27 season could return him quickly.
Who Just Missed the Top 10?
Several right-backs remain close.
Notable candidates include:
- Tino Livramento
- Jeremie Frimpong
- Vanderson
- Tiago Santos
- Kyle Walker-Peters
- Dodô
- Noussair Mazraoui
- Arnau Martínez
- Martim Fernandes
- Rico Lewis
Their rankings could change quickly as 2026/27 develops.
Tino Livramento
Excellent athlete and one-on-one defender, but injuries removed too much of his latest season and World Cup.
Jeremie Frimpong
His attacking quality is elite.
His current role frequently moves closer to winger than conventional right-back, which weakens his fit under strict specialist criteria.
Vanderson
A strong two-way right-back with useful attacking ability.
He needs greater major-match evidence to challenge the highest places.
Noussair Mazraoui
Tactically intelligent and capable of playing several positions.
That versatility also reduces the amount of specialist right-back evidence available.
FAQs
Who are the top three right-backs in the world right now?
Our top three are Achraf Hakimi, Pedro Porro, and Jurriën Timber. Hakimi ranks first for attacking influence, Porro second after the World Cup, and Timber third for defensive balance.
Is Achraf Hakimi the best right-back in the world?
Yes, in our August 2026 ranking. His speed, attacking movement, six Champions League assists, and role in PSG’s consecutive European titles give him the strongest current case.
Is Pedro Porro one of the best right-backs in the world?
Yes. His 47-match Tottenham season and two goals during Spain’s World Cup-winning campaign move him into second place.
Is Timber a right-back or centre-back?
He can perform both roles. Arsenal use him extensively at right-back, where his centre-back background gives him unusual defensive strength.
Is Koundé a right-back?
Yes. Although Koundé began as a centre-back, Barcelona and France have used him extensively as a right-back in recent seasons.
Is Reece James still one of the best right-backs?
Yes. His 2025/26 availability improved significantly, and he remains one of the position’s most complete players when healthy.
Is Dumfries a right-back or wing-back?
He is mainly a right wing-back. FootballerRank includes qualifying wing-backs because they perform substantial right-sided defensive duties.
Who is the best defensive right-back?
Timber has our strongest overall case, with Koundé extremely close.
Who is the best attacking right-back?
Hakimi ranks first, with Porro and Dumfries among the leading alternatives.
Who is the best right-back passer?
Trent Alexander-Arnold remains the standout passer, although his current overall specialist ranking is lower.
Who was the best right-back at the 2026 World Cup?
Pedro Porro has our strongest case after scoring twice and helping Spain become world champions.
Why isn’t Tino Livramento in the Top 10?
Injury disrupted his latest club season, and a calf problem forced him to withdraw from England’s World Cup squad.
Why is Malo Gusto included?
He made 49 Chelsea appearances in 2025/26, remained a regular right-back, improved his scoring output, and featured for France at the World Cup.
Can Hakimi appear in Best Defenders, Best Full Backs and Best Right Backs?
Yes.
Each article asks a different question.
Best Defenders compares all defensive roles.
Best Full Backs compares both sides.
Best Right Backs compares right-sided specialists only.
Does that player overlap cause SEO cannibalization?
No.
Player overlap is normal.
Cannibalization comes from targeting the same search intent with near-identical pages.
These articles use different eligibility rules, comparison groups, rankings, headings, and supporting analysis.
How often should this ranking be updated?
Current right-back rankings should be reviewed several times per season.
Important triggers include:
- Champions League knockout rounds
- Major transfers
- Long injuries
- International tournaments
- Tactical role changes
- Sustained strong or poor form
Sources and Fact-Checking
FootballerRank uses current competition evidence rather than career reputation alone.
For this article, we checked:
- 2025/26 club performance
- Champions League statistics
- 2026 World Cup performance
- Current clubs
- Current tactical roles
- Goals and assists
- Defensive responsibilities
- Availability and injuries
- Major transfers
- Early 2026/27 evidence
Position eligibility received special attention.
Right wing-backs qualify when they continue to perform substantial defensive work on the right.
Hybrid players receive full points only for meaningful right-back evidence.
James’ midfield matches do not increase his specialist score.
Spence’s left-back matches provide context rather than full right-back credit.
Trent’s inverted midfield responsibilities are considered when assessing how much of his current value comes from conventional right-back work.
This keeps Best Right Backs in the World Right Now separate from FootballerRank’s Best Full Backs, Best Left Backs, Best Centre Backs, and broad Best Defenders articles.
Conclusion
In short, Achraf Hakimi ranks as our best right-back in the world right now because his elite speed, attacking movement, recovery ability, six Champions League assists, and central role in PSG’s consecutive European titles give him the strongest complete specialist case. Pedro Porro follows after an outstanding 2026 World Cup in which he scored twice as Spain became world champions, while Jurriën Timber takes third after providing elite defensive balance during Arsenal’s Premier League-winning season. Koundé, James, Dumfries, Muñoz, Gusto, Alexander-Arnold, and Spence complete a Top 10 focused specifically on current right-sided defensive performance rather than reputation or achievements earned in other positions.
