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

#4 Djibril Sidibe

Djibril Sidibe

One of the few stars from Monaco’s 2016-17 team that was not poached by a European giant, Sidibe has continued to be excellent for The Reds and Whites. In Leonardo Jardim’s attacking system, Sidibe has flourished as a creator- providing seven assists last season (tied for 10th in Ligue 1). His underlying attacking statistics were just as excellent, as Sidibe provided 1.2 key passes per game (ranked 3rd for defenders in Ligue 1).

Such creativity will be incredibly useful for France’s star-studded team. Perhaps the most important aspect of Sidibe’s play in the World Cup will be his chemistry with former teammate Kylian Mbappe- with Didier Deschamps showing an inclination to playing the latter as a right-winger. If that occurs, Sidibe and Mbappe could add some synergy on the right-wing to what has always seemed like a disjointed French team.

Defensively, Sidibe’s performances will become more important in the knockout stages, as France will face higher quality opponents. To understand his prowess on the less glamorous end, one can look at his performances for Lille in the 2015-16 season- the last time Sidibe played for a defensively oriented team. That season, the Frenchman averaged an incredible 3.3 tackles and 3.2 interceptions per game. He will replicate that form if France are to fulfill their potential.