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Continuing with our series on which national team has the most quality and depth in one position, the spotlight is on right-backs today.
After the goalkeeping depth at international level was scrutinised in the previous edition, which you can find here, it is apt to move from the number 1s in football to the number 2s. We discussed how much the role of a goalkeeper has evolved in recent years, and why goalkeepers need to be better overall footballers in order to be a part of top European clubs today.
The right-back position is no different, as full-backs in general these days play a much larger offensive role in their respective teams than ever before. Given the high-octane football that is played in most leagues around the world, full-backs today need to possess more stamina than players in any other position.
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Running up and down the flank to join the offense and the defense respectively is by no means an easy task. So much so, that Jamie Carragher's satirical comment sounds a bit odd these days...
"If you're a full-back, you're either a failed winger, or a failed center-back."
Not cool, Jamie!
Moreover, managers these days often demand more from their full-backs. For example, Pep Guardiola insists on his full-backs moving central when in possession in order to create a numerical advantage in midfield. Imagine how smart a footballer needs to be in order to get his positioning spot-on in such a demanding role.
The position of the right-back in particular has had some technically brilliant footballers play it over the years, with Brazil's Carlos Alberto Torres, Cafu and Dani Alves three of the most prominent names. They played a big part in making the right-back position more fashionable. These days, quality footballers opt to play there, rather than as a winger or a midfielder.
Without further ado, let's check out which nation has the best options to deploy at right-back.
The case for - Portugal
Notable players - Joao Cancelo, Nelson Semedo, Ricardo Pereira, Andre Almeida
Portugal have a plethora of options at the right-back spot, and all in the same age group as well. Their three finest options - Cancelo, Semedo and Ricardo - are all 26 years old. They also have identical skill-sets - rapid, excellent offensive players, brilliant crossers, and decent one-on-one defenders.
As if three great footballers in one position weren't enough, Portugal can call upon the services of Benfica's Andre Almeida, Arsenal's Cedric Soares, and young Manchester United talent Diogo Dalot, among many others. Truly, Portugal are blessed in this position.
Among the players mentioned, Cedric has the most caps with 33, although he is unlikely to add to that tally given the far superior quality of the three stars they have in Cancelo, Semedo and Ricardo, who have 16, 13 and 7 caps respectively.
Clearly, it suggests that Fernando Santos has to face a big dilemma while naming a team-sheet, and so far he has decided to share the games among three of Portugal's finest. In the long run, however, he will have to be cold and give one of them the clear nod over the others.
The case for - Spain
Notable players - Dani Carvajal, Sergi Roberto, Jesus Navas, Cesar Azpilicueta, Nacho
Similar to Portugal, Spain too are blessed to have more than a few quality right-backs to call upon. Carvajal is the go-to man for Robert Moreno more often than not.
But in recent games, he has had to share the starting berth with Jesus Navas, who is perhaps the most in-form right-back in LaLiga right now. Navas has 42 caps for La Roja, although a vast majority of them came during his days as a winger. Guardiola then deployed him at right-back at Manchester City, and he blossomed into a very good one at Sevilla.
Carvajal seems to edge him at the moment, having received 24 caps so far.
Other options include Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta, although he hasn't featured since 2018, and the versatile Nacho Fernandez, who scored that goal against Portugal in the World Cup in 2018.
Barcelona's Sergi Roberto is another option, but isn't a regular name in the Spanish roster. They also have the relatively young Alvaro Odriozola, who has also not been picked to play for Spain since 2018. Understandably, Spain are spoilt for choice at the right-back spot.
The case for - England
Notable players - Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kyle Walker, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Kieran Trippier
England's search for a dependable right-back ever since Gary Neville retired was a long and exhausting one. Glen Johnson's occasional screamer or two hardly swayed fans' minds away from his defensive frailties. Although a young Micah Richards showed tremendous promise, that dwindled out courtesy of recurring injuries.
Kyle Walker burst onto the scene in 2011-12, winning the PFA Young Player of the Year award, but it wasn't until 2016 that he truly reached an elite level. Soon after, Kieran Trippier's majestic crossing meant Kyle Walker had serious competition. Since the introduction of super talents like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, it is safe to say that Walker's England days are numbered.
That in itself is testimony to the fact that England have tremendous depth at the right-back department, as Kyle Walker remains one of the best right-backs in the world today despite not being an automatic call-up receiver anymore.
Although Gareth Southgate is yet to fully use Alexander-Arnold and Wan-Bissaka in tandem, their complimenting skill-set is a real boon for the Three Lions. Wan Bissaka's defensive prowess is well known, and Alexander-Arnold's amazing passing and crossing ability makes him probably the best offensive right-back in the world.
The winner - England
On top of the three nations already mentioned, France have a pretty solid trio of Benjamin Pavard, Djibril Sidibe and Leo Dubois.
Morocco also have two extremely attacking options in Achraf Hakimi and Noussair Mazraoui. Germany, too, can boast of Lukas Klostermann, Thilo Kehrer and Joshua Kimmich, although all three are capable of playing in more positions than one.
However, England gets the edge over close runners-up Portugal here. They have arguably both the best offensive and defensive right-backs in the game. To top it off, they also have the seasoned veteran in Kyle Walker, who has a desirable mix of both qualities.
