Left-back may not be the most glamorous position of all time but it can be the difference between success and failure.
No Premier League side has ever won the division without a half-decent left-back and the very best offer that fine balance between defensive security and attacking thrust. Over recent years, the position has only grown more complicated.
Naturally, the Premier League has witnessed some of the position’s most talented and most experienced representatives, many of whom have written their name into English football folklore while residing on the left flank.
Here are the best Premier League left-backs of all time.
Aleksandar Kolarov spent seven fruitful years in the Premier League following his move to Manchester City in 2010, winning the title twice and making 165 appearances in the competition.
What set Kolarov apart from his peers was a left boot that measured on the Richter scale, with the Serb producing some of the most powerful strikes the division has ever seen. 11 of them ended up in the back of the net.
There’s something so satisfying about a left-back with a knack for scoring worldies and Marcos Alonso definitely ticks that box. With a left foot equally capable of power and precision, the Spaniard became known for his free kicks from distance and long-range strikes.
Alonso produced a mightily impressive 26 goals and 17 assists in just 179 appearances from defence, winning the Premier League and Champions League during his days with Chelsea.
18. Celestine Babayaro
Arriving from Anderlecht for £2.25m in 1997, Celestine Babayaro went on to enjoy a solid Premier League career with Chelsea. He was a regular for the Blues around the turn of the century and was unfortunate to be sold halfway through the title-winning 2004/05 season under Jose Mourinho.
The tireless left-back, who was known for his acrobatic goal celebrations, moved on to Newcastle United, spending three years on Tyneside to take his tally of Premier League appearances up to 180.
Sylvinho didn’t spend too long in the Premier League. In fact, he made just 65 appearances in total, most notably for Arsenal in the early noughties. However, he made a big impact.
The first Brazilian to represent the Gunners, he swiftly found himself as the club’s first-choice under Arsene Wenger and even claimed a spot in the 2000/01 PFA Team of the Year.
After a move to Celta Vigo, the left-back went on to spend five years with Barcelona before returning to the Premier League for a single season with Man City.
Debut goals don’t come much better than Danny Rose‘s thunderous strike against Arsenal for Tottenham in 2010. An absolutely stupendous volley in a memorable 2-1 victory for the Lilywhites, it certainly raised expectations for the young left-back.
The 29-cap England international certainly made good on his potential with 202 Premier League outings under his belt, some of which came with Sunderland, Newcastle and Watford.
He peaked under Mauricio Pochettino and earned his place in successive PFA Team of the Year squads between 2015 and 2017.
A Leeds United legend, Ian Harte was another left-back synonymous with beautiful long-range strikes and deadly set pieces. The Irishman racked up a staggering 28 goals from left-back across his Premier League career, all of which came for the Yorkshire outfit over an eight-year spell.
Harte netted a memorable free-kick against Arsenal on the penultimate day of the 2002/03 season as the Whites secured a famous 3-2 victory that helped them beat the drop, having previously produced another in the Champions League quarter-final in 2000/01.
14. Wayne Bridge
Wayne Bridge’s arrival at Chelsea in 2003 spelled the end for Babayaro at Stamford Bridge, with the 36-cap England international used regularly in his debut season and in the subsequent campaign where the Blues were crowned champions.
Injury and a loan move to Fulham prevented him claiming another title in 2005/06 and his playing time continued to dwindle before a move to Man City in 2009.
13. Gabriel Heinze
Gabriel Heinze made an immediate impact at Manchester United following a lucrative move from Paris Saint-Germain. He was voted the club’s player of the season in his first campaign before slowly morphing into a central defender in the latter part of his Old Trafford career.
The Argentine claimed just the one Premier League title before moving to Real Madrid in 2007, before which he had tried to force a move to rivals Liverpool.
While his exit was more than a little bitter after a falling out with Sir Alex Ferguson, Heinze was still a top drawer left-back in his prime.
Phil Neville’s versatility was his greatest strength. He could play at right-back, defensive midfield and, of course, left-back.
Neville’s other greatest asset was his reliability. He was a steady performer for both Man Utd and Everton, hence why he racked up a staggering 505 Premier League appearances across his time with the two northwest clubs.
He may never have been the most glamorous defender in the division, but he rarely put a foot wrong.
Mikael Silvestre was another versatile member of a stern Man Utd defence in the late 1990s and 2000s, featuring at both centre-back and left-back for the Red Devils.
He won four Premier League titles with Man Utd and the Champions League, as well as finishing as a runner-up at the 2006 World Cup with France. Man Utd’s other defenders may have caught the eye, but Silvestre was a darn good footballer.
Silvestre spent two years with Arsenal following his Old Trafford exit but failed to make a significant impression in north London.
The reliable Frenchman spent an impressive 14 years in the Premier League, sharing his time between Arsenal and Man City. He won the Premier League title in his first season with the Gunners as they went unbeaten and established himself as the club’s first-choice left-back around 2006 following Ashley Cole‘s departure.
A move to Man City brought a further two league titles, with the 20-cap France international finishing his Premier League career with 325 appearances under his belt.
9. Stuart Pearce
Stuart Pearce’s nickname of ‘Psycho’ tells you everything you need to know about what kind of left-back he was during a long spell in the Premier League. Unforgiving and a little reckless, the former Nottingham Forest and Man City defender was an old-school left-back.
However, Pearce also had bags of technical ability and was something of a dead-ball specialist, especially during his time with Forest. He managed 20 goals in 202 Premier League outings, with much of his career coming prior to the formation of the competition.
When they saw a fiery-haired Norwegian striding on to the the ball from 25 yards out, goalkeepers knew they were in deep, deep trouble. That left foot was lethal and merciless, often leaving a trail of smoke behind the ball as it arrowed into the corner.
John Arne Riise was a distinctly attacking full-back during his seven remarkable years with Liverpool but he was also an imposing defensive presence, hence why Rafael Benitez was so keen on him.
While the Premier League title eluded him during his Anfield days, he was a key member of the 2005 Champions League-winning side, even setting up Steven Gerrard‘s strike in the final with a typically beautiful delivery into the box.
32 goals and 54 assists is a ridiculous tally for a left-back, let alone one who regularly played in underwhelming Wigan Athletic and Everton sides. But Leighton Baines’ magical left peg and free-kick flair helped him achieve such an impressive total in the Premier League.
Looking at Baines, there was nothing spectacular on show. He wasn’t blessed with pace or strength or height, but he did boast the masterful passing range and shooting ability associated more with a Spaniard than an Englishman.
If Baines had represented one of England’s elite sides, he may well have received more plaudits.
6. Graeme Le Saux
Graeme Le Saux spent two lengthy spells at Chelsea and sandwiched in between was an incredibly prosperous stint at Blackburn Rovers. The left-back moved to Ewood Park after growing frustrated at a lack of game time at Stamford Bridge and it proved a wise decision.
Working under Sir Kenny Dalglish, Le Saux instantly found regular minutes in Lancashire and was a key component in Blackburn’s fabled 1994/95 Premier League triumph.
Having proved his worth up north, Le Saux returned to Chelsea in 1997 and became the most expensive defender in English football as a result. Minutes were not an issue during his second stint, with the fiery left-back establishing himself as the club’s first-choice.
5. Nigel Winterburn
A 13-year career with Arsenal boasted some incredible moments, with Nigel Winterburn forging his name into the history books with his consistently exceptional performances at left-back.
Having already won two First Division titles with the Gunners before the formation of the Premier League, Winterburn added to his trophy haul by lifting the league once again under Wenger in 1997/98.
The following year he was named Arsenal’s player of the season before Sylvinho’s arrival limited his game time, with Winterburn finishing up at Highbury with 555 appearances to his name in all competitions.
Despite a slightly shaky start to his Man Utd career, Patrice Evra swiftly became one of Ferguson’s favourites. The Frenchman was an adept defender, of course, but would also regularly make bursting runs up the left flank to support his attacking teammates.
Evra made 278 total outings in the Premier League and had a fair few titles to show for it – five, in fact. He also claimed the Champions League with the Red Devils before a successful spell at Juventus.
Evra is undoubtedly one of the best the Premier League has witnessed on the left side of defence, boasting the necessary mental, physical and technical attributes to conquer England and the continent.
3. Denis Irwin
Players don’t come much more reliable than Denis Irwin, whose consistency helped him enjoy 12 years of trophy-laden success with Man Utd in the 1990s and early 2000s. The Irishman offered great balance to one of football’s most relentless club sides.
Irwin was an impressive defender but was equally comfortable in the opposition half, managing 18 goals and 24 assists during his time in the Premier League.
Seven Premier League titles is a pretty decent haul.
A player who has proven key in redefining the role of a left-back, Andy Robertson was plucked from relegated Hull City by Liverpool in 2017. He swiftly became integral to Jurgen Klopp’s high-intensity system, bombing up and down the flank relentlessly.
No left-back has produced more assists in Premier League history than the flying Scotsman, whose tenacity and tireless work rate are matched by an extraordinary left foot.
Robertson has been an ever-present for Liverpool through a glorious period of success and was instrumental in bringing a first Premier League title to Anfield in 2019/20.
1. Ashley Cole
No matter how good Robertson, Irwin and Evra are, there is only one man who has any right to be labelled the Premier League’s best left-back. Unfortunately for his competitors on this list, it’s not even close.
Having risen through the ranks at Arsenal, winning two Premier League titles and making up part of the Invincibles squad, Ashley Cole then moved across London to join Chelsea, where somehow his stock would only continue to rise.
A regular provider of goals and assists, he would claim another league title in 2009/10, as well as the Champions League two seasons later.
Named in the PFA Team of the Year on four occasions, there is no doubting who’s the Premier League’s greatest left-back.
