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

#2 Roberto Carlos (Brazil)

Roberto Carlos was famous for his thunderous left foot

Clubs: Uniao Sao Jao, Atletico Mineiro (Loan), Palmeiras, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Fenerbahce, Corinthians, Anzhi Makhachkala, Delhi Dynamos

Nine clubs spread over three continents is a slightly different pattern to the others on the list, but Roberto Carlos was a player who would have been the first choice in everybody’s World Team XI at some point in the past.

It wasn’t his defending that he was most famous for though, it was his ferocious left foot and THAT goal against France which defied all laws of physics.

He began in his native Brazil where he picked up winner's medal after winner's medal with Palmeiras and that was a sign of things to come for the fullback who was named in the ‘best foreign eleven in Real Madrid’s history by Marca in 2013’.

In between Palmeiras and Madrid, he dipped his toes into the waters of Serie A with Inter Milan. He announced himself with a rocket of a free kick on his debut, however, if something isn’t meant to be, then it is not meant to be and he departed a year later after a difference of opinion with Roy Hodgson on his best position.

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International Caps (Goals): 125 (11) | Honours: Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A x2, Campeonato Paulista x2, Torneio Rio-Sao Paulo, La Liga x4, Supercopa de Espana x3, Champions League x3, Intercontinental Cup x2, UEFA Super Cup, Turkish Super Cup x2, World Cup, Copa America x2, Confederations Cup.

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Roberto Carlos was and arguably still is the greatest left-back ever to grace La Liga and with his tally of four La Liga titles, three Champions League winners medals, three Spanish Super Cups, two Intercontinental Cups and one UEFA Super Cup, it is easy to see why.

He scored so many important goals for Real and assisted what could be described as the greatest Champions League final goal of all time when he set up Zinedine Zidane in 2002 against Bayer Leverkusen; its safe to say Roberto Carlos is one of the greats to play at the Bernabeu.

He left Spain behind and tried his luck in Turkey at Fenerbache where the league title eluded him but he did pick up two Turkish Super Cup winners medals but the spell in Turkey was short lived as he decided to return to his homeland and play for Corinthians.

It was not a happy spell back in Brazil though as he was threatened by his own fans after a Copa Libertadores defeat, so he was released from his contract and was on the move again, this time a big money move to Russia and Anzhi Makhachkala. This Russian side were splashing the cash left, right and centre, having Samuel Eto’o up front in what was an expensively assembled team, yet glory evaded them on all counts, meaning that there were to be no more trophies for Roberto Carios.

With what happened at Corinthians, you’d have thought that he had not won much in terms of winners medals for Brazil and all of his success had been domestic, however, that is anything but the case.

In 2002 Brazil won their second World Cup in Carlos's third attendance of the global showpiece. Alongside his teammates, Brazil were runners-up at the ’98 World Cup; Roberto Carlos was too young to be part of the victorious ’94 side, but he was very much a focal point of their 2002 success, scoring their first in a 4-0 rout of China and also starting the final against Germany.

In addition to the World Cup winner’s medal, he also was part of the side that won two Copa Americas, so its fair to say that Roberto Carlos was extremely successful domestically and internationally.