The 7 Best Right-Backs In World Football Right Now (2026)

TL;DR

Ashraf Hakimi tops the list of the seven best right-backs in world football, with Reece James second and Trent Alexander Arnold a surprising seventh.

Key Points

• 1.Trent Alexander Arnold ranks seventh despite being arguably a top-three talent. His unmatched creativity and vision are offset by defensive deficiencies; he had a mixed debut season at Real Madrid hampered by injuries at age 27.
• 2.Conrad Laimer ranks sixth as a converted midfielder turned reliable Bayern Munich right-back. Signed from RB Leipzig on a free transfer in 2023, he contributed 3 goals and 9 assists this season for arguably the best club side in world football.
• 3.Denzel Dumfries ranks fifth as a physically dominant, 6'2" athletic fullback. Named after Denzel Washington, he is considered the best right wing-back in the world but drops to fifth as a conventional right-back after missing games due to ankle surgery.
• 4.Jules Koundé ranks fourth after successfully converting from center-back to right-back at Barcelona. Signed for €55 million in 2022, he has made 181 appearances at the Camp Nou but is currently injured after barely missing a match for five years.
• 5.Yuri Timber ranks third as one of the most well-rounded defenders in world football. The 24-year-old Arsenal man bounced back from a full-season ACL injury to record 4 goals and 7 assists, ranking seventh in the Arsenal squad for combined goal contributions.
• 6.Reece James ranks second as possibly the most well-rounded right-back in world football. Chelsea's captain at age 26 has delivered his best-ever season with 7 assists and 2 goals despite missing 7–8 games, and has made the England right-back spot his own.
• 7.Ashraf Hakimi emphatically takes first place as the best right-back in the world. The 27-year-old PSG player, who ranks 6th in 2025 Ballon d'Or voting and has 93 Morocco caps, was pivotal in PSG's first Champions League win and combines elite pace, delivery, and defensive solidity.