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In the years that have gone by, fullbacks were tasked primarily with countering the threat posed by opposition wingers. Yes, they overlapped, but infrequently, and only to add variety to their team's attack.
Roberto Carlos was a prolific force on the left for the Real Madrid and Brazil, but he was part of a minority rather than the norm. In fact, his defensive attributes were, according to many, much weaker than his exploits going forward.
There have been legendary attacking left-backs before him, like Giacinto Facchetti and compatriot Nilton Santos. However, these players did not alter the primary role of the left-sided defender.
But strategies evolve, plans change, and even positions on the football field undergo dramatic transformations. We cannot imagine Jurgen Klopp's all-conquering Liverpool side, or Maurizio Sarri's free-flowing Juventus team without their impressive fullbacks bombing up and down the pitch.
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In modern football, a left-back is one of the most critical cogs in the well-polished wheel of a champion side, marauding up and down the pitch to both provide essential defensive cover, as well as width and verve down the flank.
Thus, the contemporary game has a wealth of brilliant left-backs, and choosing five of them, let alone ranking them in ascending order, is an arduous task. It's a task we have set out to do, though. So let's get down to it.
#5 David Alaba
David Alaba was always meant for great things. The Austrian made his national team debut aged 17, which remains a record, and is the most versatile footballer on this list.
Alaba can play in several positions in defence as well as in midfield, but the versatile Austrian is inherently a left-back. Blessed with a hammer of a left foot, his ascent to greatness began when he joined Bayern Munich as a teenager.
The Austrian formed a formidable partnership with Franck Ribery down Bayen's left flank, as the duo picked apart defences domestically as well as in Europe with aplomb. In 2013, the Bavarian giants clinched the UEFA Champions League trophy, with Alaba playing an integral role in their success that season.
Alaba has been a key player for club and country despite his injury problems over the years, and it is a testament to his spirit and industry. Still only 27, the goal-scoring left-back has already won 17 titles with the Bundesliga outfit and has expertly slotted into central defence at times this season, which is the only reason he is so low on this elite list.
Trivia: David Alaba was also Bayern's youngest Bundesliga debutant.
#4 Marcelo
Marcelo, at the age of 31, might be past his best but the Brazilian is sure to go down as one of the legends of the game. He has been an instrumental part of an achievement of enormous proportions, especially in the uncertain world of modern football. We are, of course, referring to Real Madrid's incredible three-peat in the Champions League, of which the attacking left-back was a major catalyst.
El Loco has won all there is to be won with Los Blancos and is still a key member of Zinedine Zidane's squad. Once football resumes after the pandemic, the record La Liga champions will look to exert their influence in world football once again, after a disappointing season last time around.
Marcelo bears uncanny similarity in his style of play to his predecessor and compatriot, Roberto Carlos. His attacking fluidity, skills and crossing ability establish him as one of the best fullbacks of all-time, with his glittering trophy cabinet adding value to those claims.
It could be argued that he is a better defender than his compatriot, having aged like fine wine in the Spanish capital. Thirty-seven goals and a jaw-dropping 96 assists as a Real Madrid player is the most startling example yet of his attacking prowess.
The Brazilian international remains a key player for club and country and is sure to retire as a legend of the game.
Trivia: Marcelo is also an Olympic medalist, having won silver with Brazil in the London Games in 2012.
#3 Alex Sandro
What's with Brazil and world-class left-backs? In essence, Selecao's proclivity to produce brilliant left fullbacks is a testament to the fact the jogo bonito, or the beautiful game, is realised on the pitch when all eleven footballers are in sync.
Alex Sandro is slightly more defensive-minded than the others on this list. However, typical of his Brazilian roots, the 29-year-old loves to contribute in attack as often as possible.
Maurizio Sarri has encouraged him to link up with Cristiano Ronaldo up front, and the two have so far combined well. Sandro is also in red-hot form, and is an automatic choice in the top three of this list. He has completed 31 dribbles this season and has become a source of much-needed width for the side.
Sandro has often been in the shadows of his more illustrious compatriot, Marcelo, especially for the national team. However, this in no way reflects negatively on him, as the 29-year-old has rarely had a bad season since becoming a senior pro. In fact, his four Serie A titles and three Coppa de Italia triumphs with Juve prove he has been a vital cog of one of the most successful sides in world football.
It is only the final frontier, the Champions League, that the Bianconeri and Sandro are yet to win, having fallen at the final hurdle in the 2016-17 season to Real Madrid. That would be the ultimate target for the Brazilian, who has often been linked with a move away from the Old Lady.
Sandro has registered ten goals and 24 assists in 188 games for the Juventus since 2015 and looks well set to add more silverware to his growing trophy cabinet in the coming years.
Trivia: Alex Sandro won three domestic doubles in a row with Juve in his first three seasons!
#2 Jordi Alba
In a champion Barcelona team that has seen many upheavals, Jordi Alba has been a consistent performer for the reigning the Blaugrana and continues to be a key member for the Spanish national team.
His appearance for that great La Roja side almost made him appear a de facto winger. Since making his national team debut in 2011, Alba won the European Championships at year later Euros with Spain and capped off a brilliant summer by securing a switch to Barcelona.
That was the moment of transcendence for the 31-year-old, who has not looked back since. A solid tackler and a brilliant dribbler, Alba is excellent at covering overlapping runs and has made a name for himself as a complete fullback.
The Spaniard is one of the most decorated players in world football and has won every trophy up for grabs with Barcelona. Although his speed and acceleration have diminished in recent seasons, he continues to perform at a high level for club and country.
With 26 goals and 62 assists to his name at Barcelona, Alba warrants a mention on this list for the consistency he's exhibited over the years and his ability to contribute on both ends of the pitch.
Trivia: Alba was part of the Barca youth set-up but wasn't deemed good enough for the side and released in 2005!
#1 Andy Robertson
Is Andy Robertson the best left-back in the world? Some eyebrows might be raised at the assumption. But the title of this piece suggests it speaks of the best left-backs right now, and one really cannot look beyond the exuberance and charisma of Robertson while choosing the best in the business currently.
No other team in world football relies more on fullbacks to break open defences than Liverpool, which would, in turn, facilitate their attackers to wreak havoc in front of goal. Robertson has revelled in the role given to him by Klopp. His pace, crossing ability and intensity have been a delight to watch for the neutral.
His complementary relationship with Trent Alexander-Arnold has also been a joy to behold. The Scotsman has been an integral part of the Liverpool's recent success, as he played a pivotal role in their UEFA Champions League triumph last season.
The European Cup aside, he has also added the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup to his trophy cabinet and looks set to gets his hands on the Premier League trophy once the season premises.
Additionally, Robertson was also part of the PFA Team of the Year last season, when Liverpool narrowly missed out on the Premier League title to Manchester City.
Robertson is younger than everyone on this list and, thus, probably the fastest. He can run from attack to defence in the blink of an eye, and his stamina is arguably his biggest asset. With 25 Premier League assists to his since joining the Reds in 2017, he is fan favourite at Anfield and looks set to leave a lasting legacy at the Merseyside club.
Trivia: In 2019, Robertson became the first Scot since Darren Fletcher in 2008 to win the UEFA Champions League. However, Fletcher was an unused sub that year; one needs to go back to Paul Lambert in 1997 to find the last Scotsman who played the final and won.
Honourable mentions: Theo Hernandez (AC Milan), Alex Telles (FC Porto), Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid), Ben Chilwell (Leicester City), Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich), Alex Grimaldo (SL Benfica) and Juan Bernat (Paris Saint-Germain).
