World Cup 2018: Top 10 Right-Backs in the Tournament

#9 Cesar Azpilicueta

Cesar Azpilicueta

It almost feels wrong to characterize Azpilicueta as a right-back. To be perfectly honest, the Spaniard has played every single defensive position for Chelsea over the years- something that has kept him in the good graces of both Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho. While he has played in the centre for Chelsea over the past two seasons, he is a right-back by trade and is likely to play that position for Spain (although he will likely not have a starting role).

Despite Chelsea’s struggles last season, the 28-year-old had a great season last year. According to WhoScored’s player ratings, he was the third best Chelsea player in the Premier League. Azpilicueta’s defensive play was characteristically excellent as he averaged 2.2 tackles per game, 24th in the league.

Moreover, the Spaniard has also improved his attacking play, finishing the seasons with six assists (all to Alvaro Morata). The 28-year-old also has a propensity to launch long balls having averaged 3.4 per game in the Premier League, thus providing a change-up option to Spain’s traditional tiki-taka play. What prevents Azpilicueta from being ranked higher in this list is the fact that he is a jack of all trades who hasn’t really mastered any specific skill or attribute. This is perhaps why the Chelsea defender is unlikely to start for La Roja in the World Cup.