Explore the world of the best left backs in the world. From emerging talents to experienced pros, these players redefine their role with exceptional skills and contributions. Delve into their impressive statistics, club histories, and international achievements. Discover how these dynamic left-backs make their mark on domestic leagues and global tournaments, captivating fans with their remarkable performances.
Best Left Back Footballer in the World
10. Destiny Udogie (Tottenham Hotspur/Italy)
- Full name:Â Iyenoma Destiny Udogie
- Date of birth: 28 November 2002
- Place of birth: Verona, Italy
- Height: 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
- Number: 13
Clubs Played for:
| Years | Team |
|---|---|
| 2020–2022 | Hellas Verona |
| 2021–2022 | Udinese (loan) |
| 2022 | Udinese |
| 2022– | Tottenham Hotspur |
| 2022–2023 | Udinese (loan) |
Udogie began his football journey in the youth system at Hellas Verona and made his Serie A debut on November 8, 2020. He joined Udinese on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy. In his first season, he made 37 appearances, primarily as a left wingback, and scored five goals. After that successful season, Udinese activated the option to buy him for around €4 million.
On August 16, 2022, Tottenham Hotspur announced Udogie’s permanent transfer for €20 million, with a contract lasting until 2027. He was loaned back to Udinese for the 2022–23 season. Udogie made his debut for Tottenham on August 13, 2023, starting in their first match of the 2023–24 Premier League season against Brentford.
Destiny Udogie 2023/2024 Season Stats:
| Competition | Matches | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Card | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 28 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2,398 |
| FA Cup | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | 180 |
| EFL Cup | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Total 23/24 | 30 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2,578 |
9. Alejandro Balde (Barcelona/Spain):
- Full name: Alejandro Balde MartĂnez
- Date of birth: 18 October 2003
- Place of birth: Barcelona, Spain
- Height: 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
- Number: 3
Clubs Played for:
| Years |
Team |
|
2020–2022 |
Barcelona B |
| 2021– |
Barcelona |
Alejandro Balde MartĂnez, born on October 18, 2003, is a Spanish professional footballer. Ranked 6th on our list, he is widely recognized as one of the most promising young left-backs globally.
Born in Barcelona, Balde joined FC Barcelona in 2011 at the age of eight, after initially starting out with RCD Espanyol.
Starting from the 2022–23 season, Coach Xavi assigned Balde a more important role, leading him to play more league matches than Jordi Alba and participating in significant games.
A surprise came when Balde received a last-minute call to join the Spain national team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, filling in for the injured left-back José Gayà .
Alejandro Balde 2023/2024 Season Stats:
| Competition | Matches | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Card | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LaLiga | 18 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 1,378 |
| UEFA Champions League | 6 | – | – | 1 | – | 329 |
| Copa del Rey | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | 113 |
| Supercopa | 2 | – | – | – | – | 180 |
| Total 23/24 | 28 | 1 | 1 | 2 | – | 2,000 |
8. Luke Shaw (Manchester United/England):
- Full name: Luke Paul Hoare Shaw
- Date of birth: 12 July 1995
- Place of birth: Kingston upon Thames, England
- Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
- Number: 23
Clubs Played for:
|
Years |
Team |
|
2011–2014 |
Southampton |
| 2014– |
Manchester United |
Luke Paul Hoare Shaw, born on July 12, 1995, is an English professional footballer. He is a vital player for the Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team. Shaw is recognized as one of the best left-backs in the English Premier League.
Shaw’s football journey began in 2002 when he joined the Southampton Academy at the age of seven.
On June 27, 2014, Shaw signed a four-year contract with Manchester United. This transfer, from Southampton, came with an undisclosed fee of approximately ÂŁ30 million, making him the most expensive teenage footballer in the world.
On April 4, 2023, Manchester United announced Shaw’s commitment with a new four-year contract, ensuring his tenure with the team until June 2027.
Luke Shaw 2023/2024 Season Stats:
| Competition | Matches | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Card | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 28 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2,398 |
| FA Cup | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | 180 |
| EFL Cup | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Total 23/24 | 30 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2,578 |
7. Federico Dimarco (Inter Milan/Italy):
- Full name: Federico Dimarco
- Date of birth: 10 November 1997
- Place of birth: Milan, Italy
- Height: 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
- Number: 32
Clubs Played for:
|
Years |
Team |
| 2014–2017 |
Inter Milan |
|
2016 |
→ Ascoli (loan) |
| 2016–2017 |
→ Empoli (loan) |
|
2017–2018 |
Sion |
|
2018– |
Inter Milan |
| 2018–2019 |
→ Parma (loan) |
| 2020–2021 |
→ Hellas Verona (loan) |
Federico Dimarco started at Inter Milan’s youth academy and made his debut for the club on December 11, 2014, at the age of just 17.
He went on loan to Serie B club Ascoli in January 2016 and later to Empoli in August 2016. On June 30 2017, Dimarco moved to Sion for €3.91 million. However, Inter exercised their buy-back option on July 5, 2018, and brought him back for €7 million.
In 2013, he played for Italy’s under-17 team and helped them secure second place at the UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He received a call-up to the senior Italy squad for the 2021 UEFA Nations League Finals.
Federico Dimarco 2023/2024 Season Stats:
| Competition | Matches | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Card | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serie A | 30 | 5 | 6 | – | – | 2,104 |
| UEFA Champions League | 7 | 1 | – | – | – | 365 |
| Supercoppa Italiana | 2 | – | 1 | – | – | 171 |
| Italy Cup | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | 45 |
| Total 23/24 | 40 | 6 | 8 | – | – | 2,685 |
6. Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid/France):
- Full name: Ferland Sinna Mendy
- Date of birth: 8 June 1995
- Place of birth: Meulan-en-Yvelines, France
- Height: 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
- Number: 23
Clubs Played for:
| Years |
Team |
|
2013–2016 |
Le Havre B |
| 2015–2017 |
Le Havre |
|
2017–2019 |
Lyon |
| 2019– |
Real Madrid |
On June 12, 2019, Mendy joined La Liga’s Real Madrid on a six-year contract, initially costing €48 million.
Mendy received his first call-up to the French senior team when Benjamin Mendy had to withdraw due to injury, for the matches against Netherlands and Uruguay.
Ferland Mendy 2023/2024 Season Stats:
| Competition | Matches | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Card | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LaLiga | 23 | – | – | 5 | – | 1,726 |
| UEFA Champions League | 11 | – | – | 1 | – | 872 |
| Supercopa | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | 171 |
| Copa del Rey | 1 | – | – | – | – | 66 |
| Total 23/24 | 37 | 1 | – | 6 | – | 2,835 |
5. Andrew Robertson (Liverpool/Scotland):
- Full name: Andrew Robertson
- Date of birth: 11 March 1994
- Place of birth: Glasgow, Scotland
- Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
- Number: 26
Clubs Played for:
| Years |
Club |
|
2012–2013 |
Queen’s Park |
| 2013–2014 |
Dundee United |
|
2014–2017 |
Hull City |
| 2017– |
Liverpool |
Andrew Henry Robertson, born on March 11, 1994, is a Scottish professional footballer known for his position as a left-back
Robertson joined Liverpool from Hull City for an initial fee of ÂŁ8 million. He made his debut on August 19, contributing to a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace and earning the Man of the Match award.
In 2019, Robertson won his first-ever Champions League title by defeating Tottenham Hotspur in the finals. He became the first Scottish player to win the tournament since Darren Fletcher.
During the 2022-23 season, Robertson set a record by becoming the defender with the most assists in Premier League history.
His journey started early when he was selected for Scotland’s under-21 team in October 2013. Recognizing his leadership qualities, Robertson was appointed as Scotland’s captain by manager Alex McLeish on September 3, 2018.
Andrew Robertson 2023/2024 Season Stats:
| Competition | Matches | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Card | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 23 | 3 | 2 | 2 | – | 1,692 |
| UEFA Europa League | 4 | – | – | – | – | 304 |
| FA Cup | 2 | – | – | – | – | 112 |
| EFL Cup | 1 | – | – | – | – | 87 |
| Total 23/24 | 30 | 3 | 2 | 2 | – | 2,195 |
4. Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City/Croatia)
- Full name: Joško Gvardiol
- Date of birth: 23 January 2002
- Place of birth: Zagreb, Croatia
- Height: 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
- Number: 24
Clubs Played for:
| Years | Team |
|---|---|
| 2019–2020 | Dinamo Zagreb II |
| 2019–2020 | Dinamo Zagreb |
| 2020–2023 | RB Leipzig |
| 2020–2021 | Dinamo Zagreb (loan) |
| 2023– | Manchester City |
Gvardiol began his football journey at the age of seven when his father, Tihomir, a former amateur player from Novigrad, took him to Trešnjevka. While playing there, he caught the attention of Lokomotiva and Zagreb, but at the last moment, he received an offer from Dinamo Zagreb, which his family accepted.
He made his Bundesliga debut with RB Leipzig on August 20, 2021, in a 4–0 win against VfB Stuttgart, playing the full match.
On August 5, 2023, Manchester City announced they had signed Gvardiol on a five-year deal. The transfer fee, reported to be around £77 million (€90 million), made him the second most expensive defender in the world, and he became the third Croatian to join City’s first team, following Vedran Ćorluka and Mateo Kovačić.
Josko Gvardiol 2023/2024 Season Stats:
| Competition | Matches | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Card | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 28 | 4 | 2 | 3 | – | 2,329 |
| UEFA Champions League | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 570 |
| FA Cup | 4 | – | – | 1 | – | 360 |
| FIFA Club World Cup | 2 | – | – | – | – | 40 |
| UEFA Super Cup | 1 | – | – | – | – | 90 |
| EFL Cup | 1 | – | – | – | – | 90 |
| Total 23/24 | 42 | 5 | 3 | 5 | – | 3,479 |
3. Théo Hernandez (AC Milan/France):
- Full name: Théo Bernard François Hernandez
- Date of birth: 6 October 1997
- Place of birth: Marseille, France
- Height: 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
- Number: 19
Clubs Played for:
|
Years |
Team |
| 2015–2017 |
Atlético Madrid B |
|
2016–2017 |
→ Alavés (loan) |
| 2017–2019 |
Real Madrid |
|
2018–2019 |
→ Real Sociedad (loan) |
| 2019– |
AC Milan |
Theo Hernández is ranked as the second-best left back in the world on our list. Theo Hernández joined AC Milan on July 6, 2019. In 2007, at the age of 7, Hernandez joined AtlĂ©tico Madrid’s academy.
He made a significant move to a Serie A club from Spanish giant Real Madrid in a substantial deal worth up to €20 million.
In 2021, he had his first chance to play for the France senior team. He made his debut on September 7 2021, in a World Cup qualifier against Finland, and France won 2-0.
Théo Hernandez 2023/2024 Season Stats:
| Competition | Matches | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Card | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serie A | 32 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 2,795 |
| UEFA Champions League | 6 | – | 1 | – | – | 540 |
| UEFA Europa League | 6 | – | 3 | 1 | – | 540 |
| Italy Cup | 2 | – | 3 | 1 | – | 180 |
| Total 23/24 | 46 | 5 | 11 | 13 | – | 4,055 |
2. Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich/Canada):
- Full name: Alphonso Boyle Davies
- Date of birth: November 2, 2000
- Place of birth: Buduburam, Ghana
- Height: 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
- Number: 19
Clubs Played for:
|
Years |
Team |
|
2016 |
Whitecaps FC 2 |
| 2016–2018 |
Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
|
2018–2019 |
Bayern Munich II |
| 2019– |
Bayern Munich |
He joined FC Bayern MĂĽnchen on January 1, 2019. Davies made his Bundesliga first-team debut against Union Berlin in a 2-1 home win.
He made his first UEFA Champions League start on November 6, 2019, in a 2-0 victory against Olympiacos. Davies finished third in the 2020 Golden Boy award, behind Erling Haaland and Ansu Fati.
Alphonso Davies 2023/2024 Season Stats:
| Competition | Matches | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Card | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bundesliga | 29 | 2 | 6 | – | – | 2,067 |
| UEFA Champions League | 10 | 1 | – | 3 | – | 704 |
| DFB-Pokal | 2 | – | – | – | – | 152 |
| DFL-Supercup | 1 | – | – | – | – | 90 |
| Total 23/24 | 42 | 3 | 6 | 3 | – | 3,013 |
1. Alex Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen/Spain)
- Full name: Alejandro Grimaldo GarcĂa
- Date of birth: 20 September 1995
- Place of birth: Valencia, Spain
- Height: 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
- Number: 20
Clubs Played for:
| Years | Team |
|---|---|
| 2011–2015 | Barcelona B |
| 2016–2023 | Benfica |
| 2023– | Bayer Leverkusen |
In our list of the best left back footballers in the world, Alex Grimaldo is ranked 1.
Born in Valencia, Grimaldo joined Barcelona’s youth academy in 2008. He made his official debut for the B team on September 4, 2011, at just 15 years and 349 days old, becoming the youngest player to appear in a Segunda División match.
As his contract neared its end, Grimaldo signed with Portuguese champions Benfica on December 29, 2015, for €1.5 million, a deal that ran until 2021.
In 2023, he joined Bayer Leverkusen on a free transfer. He made his debut in a DFB-Pokal match on August 12, and on September 15, he scored his first goal for the club with a stunning free kick against Bayern Munich. Grimaldo wrapped up his first season at Leverkusen in 2023–24 as the Bundesliga’s top assist provider, racking up 13 assists.
Alex Grimaldo 2023/2024 Season Stats:
| Competition | Matches | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Card | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bundesliga | 33 | 10 | 15 | 1 | – | 2,788 |
| UEFA Europa League | 12 | 2 | 4 | 1 | – | 837 |
| DFB-Pokal | 6 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 452 |
| Total 23/24 | 51 | 12 | 20 | 3 | – | 4,077 |
Also Read: 10 Best Right Backs in the World Football in 2024-2025
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