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As World cup is only a week away, we examine the best players who will be competing in the left-back spot.
A left back has to be versatile so he can play according to the need of his team. He should have the character to defend crosses from his flank and should be able to attack when his team needs options to create chances. The left-backs featuring in our list have proved themselves over time; they are defensively sound and also have the skills to reach the final third; even to chip in with a few goals.
You can make your own list and then check if your list resembles ours or not!
Be aware this list only contains the players who are featuring in the World Cup. So, if any Bayern fans are reading this, don't get offended by the fact that David Alaba is not up here. If Austria were in the World Cup, he would be on this list definitely. Another left-back which is not going to Russia is Alex Sandro, the highly-rated defender is not in Brazil's squad due to the dilemma of plenty. Tite picked Filipe Luis and Marcelo over him.
#5 DANNY ROSE (ENGLAND) -
The Tottenham Hotspurs' left-back has been in the news lately for a lot of reasons. He did not have much game-time with spurs in this season but still preferred to the likes of Luke Shaw and Ryan Bertrand. The 27-year old only appeared 17 times for his club.
In a recent interview, Rose revealed that he told his family not to come to Russia to see the Three Lions play. He took this decision because he is doubtful that his family may face racist comments. He said that he is numb to any racial abuse and will be able to put every effort on the pitch for his country.
His attacking mentality will be very important for Gareth Southgate as he looks to play his team in a 3-5-2 formation with full-backs operating wing-backs. Danny Rose has been impressive in the friendly internationals for England and may hope to start ahead of Manchester United's left-back Ashley Young.
#4 ALEKSANDAR KOLAROV
Aleksandar Kolarov is the Captain of Serbian national team. The left-back is famous for his overlapping runs and his ball-striking ability. He was an important member for Manchester City until Pep arrived at Etihad and deemed him surplus to requirements.
He joined AS Roma last season and had a great season in Italy. He helped them gain automatic qualification to Champions League next season and was arguably the best left back in the country.
Kolarov will have the duty to captain his national team but will also be required to do his usual job of making overlapping runs on the flank. He has one of the best left-foot in the game and can duly strike long-range bullet shots into the net.
Serbia has to fight against Brazil, Switzerland and Costa Rica during group stages to qualify for next round. As Brazil is almost certain to go through the next round, Aleksander Kolarov has to make his squad believe that they have enough legs to go further in this World Cup.
#3 FILIPE LUIS (BRAZIL) -
Tite preferred Filipe Luís to Juventus' Alex Sandro as a backup for Marcelo. The 32-year old had an injury-hit season with Atletico Madrid making only 28 appearances.
Brazilian left-back admitted that he is behind Marcelo in the national team pecking order but will always be ready to play any role for his side. Filipe Luís will be a good option for Tite whenever he needs a defensive cover.
In the absence of Marcelo, Filipe Luis has always stood up to the task for his nation. He provides support to the back four and helps the backline to stay solid. Brazil has a lot of quality going forward in the form of Robert Firmino, Philippe Coutinho, Neymar, Willian and Douglas Costa so having a defensively-sound left back in the squad is also important.
#2 JORDI ALBA (SPAIN) -
Jordi Alba moved to Barcelona from Valencia in 2012 and has been able to set himself up as one of the constants for FC Barcelona after the departure of Eric Abidal. Mainly a left-back and a player of great pace, he can also operate as a left winger.
He first appeared for Spain in 2011 and also won EURO 2012 tournament. He has also been a part of Spain national team for a long time earning 61 Caps till date.
His attacking mentality assists Spain to create chances to score goals and thus, will be an essential part of the team. He will face competition from Nacho Monreal and Cesar Azpilicueta but might be preferred over them as Spain will need his runs through the channels.
#1 MARCELO (BRAZIL) -
The best left back playing in the World? Well, that's for you to judge! But certainly, he is one of the best left-backs of all time and our no.1 pick for this list.
Marcelo is one of the reasons behind the success of Real Madrid for such a long time. His attack-driven mentality will be extremely crucial for Brazil and Tite will hope that his main man can come up with his best performances in the world cup.
Just like Cristiano Ronaldo in Madrid, he will have Neymar in front to cause the menace to the opponents. Tite will only have to make sure that Marcelo does not put his defensive duties at stake when he goes up the field to attack.
