5 of the best left-backs in world football (1997-2017)

#3 Philip Lahm (Germany)

Lahm celebrating with his Champions League medal

Clubs: Bayern Munich, Stuttgart (Loan).

In a somewhat romantic way, positions three and four links together quite nicely as Philip Lahm was Lizarazu’s replacement at Bayern Munich and was the reason why Lizarazu didn’t feature as much in the latter stages of his career.

Lahm isn’t a left back by trade, so his inclusion on this list could be debated, but when you consider that he played a lot of his football there despite his favoured position being the right full back, it is only fair that the German is included on the list.

“The most intelligent player I have ever trained” was what none other than Pep Guardiola said of him when he took charge at Bayern, bear in mind this is the same Pep Guardiola that has trained Leo Messi amongst other players, so it is a huge compliment.

By the time Pep had joined, Lahm had already hit double figures in terms of winners medals and the tally would only rise under the stewardship of the Spaniard as Bayern became the first side to win the Bundesliga five times in a row.

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International Caps (Goals): 113 (5) | Honours: Bundesliga x8, DFB Pokal x6, DFL Ligapokal, DFL Supercup Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Club World Cup, World Cup

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He had a few carrots dangled in front of him a few times whilst he was at Bayern in the form of a transfer to Barcelona and Man United, to name just two, but he stayed loyal to Munich, the club he joined at the age of eleven.

Lahm was duly rewarded for this as he became Munich’s captain and led them to even more glory, winning the treble of the Bundesliga, DFB Pokal & Champions League in the 2012/13 season, something which had not been done before in Germany.

He won everything possible with Bayern Munich and nearly replicated that with Germany, but the European Championships evaded him. He got a World Cup winner's medal in 2014 and it was rather fitting that it was at his last international tournament that he finally lifted the trophy.

With 113 caps, he is fifth on all the time appearances for the German national side and he will most definitely be remembered very fondly for club and country.