The End of 2012/13 - Mid-2013/14 Season Rankings: Top 70 Left and Right-backs in the World

I'm doing position by position rankings before I get to the overall 300 best players in the world.

These following positions have now been completed:

Top 150 Attacking midfielders/Wingers in the World
Top 70 Central defenders in the World
Top 100 Forwards in the World

 The Top 70 Left and Right-backs in the World has now been now completed.

A rundown containing various thoughts and comments on the players can be followed starting:  HERE

70 21 15 Domenico Criscito - Italy – Zenit
69 Juan Bernat - Spain - Sevilla 
68 Layvin Kurzawa - France - Monaco 
67 28 Nacho Monreal - Spain - Arsenal
66 Nathaniel Clyne and Calum Chambers - England - Southampton 
65 Rafinha - Brazil - Bayern München
64 Gregory Van der Wiel - Netherlands - PSG 
63 Dmitri Kombarov - Russia - Spartak Moscow 
62 33 Benedikt Höwedes - Germany - Schalke 04
61 Lucas Digne - France - Lille/PSG

60 23 21 Benoit Assou-Ekotto - Cameroon - Tottenham/QPR 
59 Carlos Zúñiga - Colombia - Napoli 
58 Kieran Gibbs - England - Arsenal
57 Marcell Jansen - Germany - Hamburger SV
56 36 Maxi Periera - Uruguay - Benfica
55 Roberto Rosales - Venezuela - Twente
54 Bastian Oczipka - Germany - Eintracht Frankfurt
53 30 Mario Figueira Fernandes - Brazil CSKA Moscow
52 NR 28 Kyle Walker - England - Tottenham
51  Daley blind - Netherlands - Ajax 

50 22 04 Maicon - Brazil - Manchester City/Roma

49 29 Yuto Nagatomo - Japan - Inter 
48 Daryl Janmaat - Netherlands - Feyenoord 
47 24 24 Mathieu Debuchy - France - Newcastle
46 Alberto Moreno - Spain - Sevilla
45 47 Davide Santon - Italy - Newcastle
44 Mattia De Sciglio - Italy - Milan
43 Cristian Ansaldi - Argentina - Rubin Kazan/Zenit
42 Atsuto Uchida - Japan - Schalke 04
41 41 Ignazio Abate - Italy - Milan

40  Marcos Rocha - Brazil - Atletico Mineiro
39 Marcel Schmelzer - Germany - Dortmund
38 34 Glen Johnson - England - Liverpool
37 44 Christian Maggio - Italy - Napoli
36 Kwadwo Asamoah - Ghana - Juventus
35 40 Danilo - Brazil - FC Porto
34 20 18 Patrice Evra - France - Manchester United
33 19 25 Gael Clichy - France - Manchester City
32 26 29 Rafael - Brazil - Manchester United

31 35 Aleksandar Kolarov - Serbia - Manchester City
30 38 Martin Montoya - Spain - Barcelona
29 12 17 Ashley Cole - England – Chelsea
28 Marcos Rojo - Argentina - Sporting Lissabon
27 39 Juan Guillermo Cuadrado - Colombia - Fiorentina
26 50 Daniel Carvajal - Spain - Leverkusen/Real Madrid 
25 Ricardo Rodriguez - Switzerland - Wolfsburg
24 42 Juanfran - Spain - Atletico Madrid
23 32 Jerome Boateng - Germany - Bayern München
22 11 07 Javier Zanetti - Argentina – Inter
21 14 06 Bacary Sagna - France – Arsenal

20 Maxwell - Brazil - PSG
19 18 11 Branislav Ivanovic - Serbia - Chelsea
18 25 Alex Sandro - Brazil - FC Porto
17 Jan Vertonghen - Belgium - Tottenham
16 49 César Azpilicueta - Spain - Chelsea
15  Séamus Coleman - Ireland - Everton
14 16 22 Stephan Lichtsteiner - Switzerland - Juventus
13 10 09 Fabio Coentrao - Portugal - Real Madrid
12 17 27 Filipe Luís Kasmirski - Brazil - Atletico Madrid
11 13 26 Adriano - Brazil - Barcelona

10 06 14 Darijo Srna - Croatia - Shakthar Donetsk
09 09 02 Sergio Ramos - Spain - Real Madrid
08 15 Leighton Baines - England - Everton
07 07 12 Łukasz Piszczek - Poland – Dortmund
06 05 10 Jordi Alba - Spain - Barcelona
05 01 01 Dani Alves - Brazil - Barcelona
04 04 19 Pablo Zabaleta - Argentina - Manchester City
03 03 03 Marcelo - Brazil - Real Madrid
02 08 13 David Alaba - Austria - Bayern München
01 02 05 Philipp Lahm - Germany - Bayern München

The End of 2012/13 - Mid-2013/14 Season Rankings: Top 150 Attacking midfielders/Wingers in the World

2014 February Update: various adjustments have been made all over the list to more reflect the current!

I'm doing position by position rankings before I get to the overall 300 best players in the world:

Top 70 Left and Right-backs
The top 70 central defenders
Top 100 Forwards

And now it's time for the Top 150 Attacking midfielders/wingers.

A rundown of this list (edit: that's now finally been completed) containing various comments can be followed starting HERE

The End of 2012/13 - Mid-2013/14 Top 150 Attacking midfielders/Wingers in the World

150 Salamon Kalou - Côte d'Ivoire - Lille
149 Max Meyer - Germany - Schalke 04
148 99 62 Yoann Gourcuff - France - Lyon
147 Adam Maher - Netherlands AZ Alkmaar/PSV 
146 Georginio Wijnaldum - Netherlands - PSV
145 NR 94 Markel Susaeta - Spain - Athletic Bilbao 
144 Xabi Prieto Spain - Real Sociedad 
143 Everton Ribeiro - Brazil - Cruzeiro  
142 Valentin Stocker - Switzerland - FC Basel
141 Ricardo Alvarez - Argentina - Inter  

140 Giovani Dos Santos - Mexico - Mallorca/Villarreal
139 Gerard Deulofeu - Spain - Barcelona/Everton
138 90 Adel Taarabt - Morocco - QPR/Fulham 
137 Sidney Sam - Germany - Bayer Leverkusen 
136 Kevin Volland - Germany - Hoffenheim
135 NR 88 Dirk Kuyt - Netherlands - Fenerbahce
134 Josip Ilicic - Slovenia - Palermo/Fiorentina
133 Pablo Hernández - Spain -Swansea
132 Gervinho - Cote d'ivoire - Arsenal/Roma
131 Alessio Cerci - Italy - Torino

130 Roberto Firmino - Brazil - Hoffenheim
129 NR 69 Riquelme - Argentina - Boca Juniors 
128 92 70 Gastón Ramírez - Uruguay – Southampton  
127 Alain Traoré - Burkino Faso - Lorient 
126 Diego Tardelli - Brazil- Atletico Mineiro
125 Ignacio Martín Scocco - Argentina - Newell's/Internacional/Sunderland
124 Mohamed Salah -Egypt - FC Basel/Chelsea
123 NR 103 Oxlade Chamberlain - England - Arsenal  
122 86 Steven Pienaar - South Africa - Everton  
121 Jay Rodriguez - England - Southampton

120 76 Christian Tello - Spain - Barcelona 
119 79 Pizzi - Portugal - Deportovo La Coruna/Benfica/Espanyol
118 87 Siem de Jong - Netherlands - Ajax  
117 80 60 Andre Ayew - Ghana - Marseille  
116 96 Alex Teixeira - Brazil - Shakhtar Donetsk
115 Florian Thauvin - France - Bastia/Lille/Marseille
114 Walter Montillo - Argentina - Cruzeiro/Santos
113 NR 63 Ryan Giggs - Wales - Manchester United
112 Andros Townsend - England - QPR/Tottenham 
111 73 72 Clint Dempsey - USA - Tottenham/Seattle

110 63 50 Jadson - Brazil - Sao Paulo 
109 Ronaldinho - Brazil - Atletico Mineiro  
108  Piti - Spain - Rayo/Granada 
107 60 51 Robinho - Brazil - Milan 
106 62 Giuliano - Brazil - Dnipro
105 83 58 Landon Donovan - USA - LA Galaxy  
104 72 Rodrigo - Spain - Benfica    
103 Lorenzo Insigne - Italy - Napoli  
102 Jermain Lens - Netherlands - PSV/Dynamo Kiev 
101 89 Aaron Hunt - Germany - Werder Bremen

100 NR 91 Dries Mertens - Belgium - PSV/Napoli   
99 65 Alan Dzagoev - Russia - CSKA Moscow 
98 77 Jonas - Brazil – Valencia
97 38 46 Joaquin - Spain – Malaga/Fiorentina
96 34 40 Jeremy Menez - France – PSG 
95 Dimitri Payet - France - Lille/Marseille
94 NR 97 Thomas Rosicky - Czech Republic - Arsenal
93 Nicolai Müller - Germany - Mainz 
92 Adnan Januzaj - Belgium - Manchester United 
91 49 53 Jefferson Farfan - Peru - Schalke 04    

90 Alexandre Lacazette - France - Lyon
89 78 Lewis Holtby - Germany - Tottenham/Fulham 
88 74 Kevin Mirallas - Belgium - Everton
87 66 100 Andriy Yarmolenko - Ukraine - Dynamo Kiev 
86 56 99 Eduardo Salvio - Argentina - Benfica
85 Josue - Portugal - Porto 
84 Adem Ljajic - Serbia - Fiorentina/Roma 
83 98 49 Kevin Prince Boateng - Ghana - Milan/Schalke 04   
82 Heung Min Son - South Korea - HSV/Bayer Leverkusen 
81 88 67 Rodrigo Palacio - Argentina - Inter   

80 57 96 Hatem Ben Arfa - France - Newcastle 
79 69 52 Sebastian Giovinco - Italy – Juventus 
78 70 Lukas Podolski - Germany -Arsenal 
77 46 30 Ever Banega - Argentina - Valencia/Newell's Old Boys
76 40 25 Rafael Van der Vaart - Netherlands - Hamburger SV
75 Adam Lallana - England - Southampton
74 67 93 Jakub Blaszczykowski - Poland – Dortmund 
73 75 Jose Callejon - Spain - Real Madrid/Napoli 
72  Lazar Markovic - Serbia - Partizan Beograd/Benfica 
71 Raul Garcia - Spain - Atletico Madrid 

70 Rémy Cabella - France - Montpellier 
69 Raheem Sterling - England  - Liverpool   
68 42 24 Iker Muniain - Spain - Athletic Bilbao
67 53 65 Borja Valero - Spain – Fiorentin 
66 68 54 Younès Belhanda - Morocco - Montpellier/Dynamo Kiev
65 64 44 Danny - Portugal - Zenit
64 52 31 Nicolas Gaitan - Argentina - Benfica
63 41 21 Antonio Valencia - Ecuador - Manchester United
62 54 32 Kaka - Brazil - Real Madrid/Milan 
61 Clement Grenier - France - Lyon

60 Juan Guillermo Cuadrado - Colombia - Fiorentina 
59 84 Yevhen Konoplianka - Ukraine - Dnipro
58 22 Erik Lamela - Argentina - Roma/Tottenham
57 Ross Barkley - England - Everton 
56 48 29 Samir Nasri - France - Manchester City 
55 47 Ezequiel Lavezzi - Argentina - PSG   
54 61 82 Ivan Rakitić - Croatia - Sevilla  
53 Antoine Griezmann - France - Real Soceidad
52 Max Kruse - Germany - Freiburg/Mönchengladbach 
51 Carlos Vela - Mexico - Real Sociedad

50 51 77 Michu - Spain – Swansea 
49 30 36 Xherdan Shaqiri - Switzerland - Bayern München
48 45 42 Andre Schürrle - Germany - Bayer Leverkusen/Chelsea
47 37 23 Javier Pastore - Argentina - PSG
46 29 12 Nani - Portugal - Manchester United
45 55 75 Theo Walcott - England – Arsenal
44 Coutinho – Brazil - Liverpool     
43 Bernard - Brazil - Atletico Mineiro/Shakhtar Donetsk   
42 33 56 Keisuke Honda - Japan - CSKA Moscow/Milan
41 44 39 Miralem Pjanic - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Roma

40 39 34 Pedro - Spain - Barcelona
39  36 Francesco Totti - Italy - Roma
38 Ander Herrera - Spain - Athletic Bilbao  
37 Julian Draxler - Germany - Schalke 04 
36 43 37 Jesus Navas - Spain - Sevilla/Manchester City 
35 59 59 Mathieu Valbuena - France - Marseille
34 31 41 Lucas Moura - Brazil - PSG  
33 24 27 Diego - Brazil – Wolfsburg/Atletico Madrid
32 20 08 Wesley Sneijder - Netherlands – Galatasaray
31 58 Kevin De Bruyne - Belgium - Werder Bremen/Chelsea

30 35 45 Arda Turan - Turkey - Atletico Madrid
29 32 Henrikh Mkhitaryan - Armenia - Shakhtar Donetsk/Dortmund
28 17 17 Shinji Kagawa - Japan - Manchester United  
27 13 43 Willian - Brazil - Anzhi/Chelsea
26 27 35 Joao Moutinho - Portugal - FC Porto/Monaco
25 23 26 Hernanes - Brazil – Lazio/Inter
24 85 Koke - Spain - Atletico Madrid 
23 50 57 Christian Eriksen - Denmark – Ajax/Tottenham
22 25 79 Isco - Spain - Malaga/Real Madrid
21 21 55 James Rodriguez - Colombia - FC Porto/Monaco 

20 18 20 Thomas Müller - Germany - Bayern München 
19 11 10 Santi Cazorla - Spain -Arsenal 
18 16 22 Marek Hamsik - Slovakia - Napoli 
17 19 73 Oscar - Brazil - Chelsea 
16 15 11 Angel Di Maria - Argentina - Real Madrid 
15 07 13 Juan Manuel Mata - Spain - Chelsea/Manchester United
14 28 19 Alexis Sanchez - Chile - Barcelona
13 06 15 Mario Götze - Germany - Dortmund/Bayern München
12 26 09 Arjen Robben - Netherlands - Bayern München
11 10 07 Yaya Toure - Côte d'Ivoire - Manchester City

10 14 16 Marco Reus - Germany -Dortmund
09 08 18 Toni Kroos - Germany - Bayern München
08 09 05 Eden Hazard - Belgium - Chelsea
07 12 14 Gareth Bale - Wales – Tottenham/Real Madrid 
06 03 03 David Silva - Spain - Manchester City
05 05 04 Mesut Özil - Germany - Real Madrid/Arsenal 
04 02 02 Cesc Fabregas - Spain - Barcelona
03 Neymar - Brazil - Barcelona
02 04 06 Franck Ribery - France - Bayern München
01 01 01 Andrés Iniesta - Spain - Barcelona

End of 2012/13 Mid-2013/14 Season Rankings: Top 70 Central Defenders

FEBRUARY 2014 UPDATE: This list has seen recent changes to more reflect the current.

Once again I'm doing position by position rankings and first to go are the central defenders.

My rundown containing various thoughts on the players and their rankings has started and can be followed on the Twoplustwo Sporting Events Forum RIGHT HERE the coming days.

I will also be doing Forwards, Midfielders, Right/Left-backs and Attacking midfielders/Wingers all in due time.

Those lists can be found here:

Top 150 Attacking midfielders/Wingers
Top 70 Right and Left-backs
Top 100 Forwards

The completed list:

End of 2012/13 - Mid-2013/14 Top 70 Central Defenders in the World

70 Martín Demichelis - Argentina - Malaga/Manchester City
69 Fabian Schär - Switzerland - Basel
68 Daniel Van buyten - Belgium - Bayern München  
67 Federico Fernandez - Argentina - Getafe/Napoli 
66 Brede Hangeland - Norway - Fulham
65 43 Ashley Williams - Wales - Swansea 
64 Bruno Martins Indi - Netherlands - Feyenoord 49
63 Sokratis - Greece - Werder Bremen/Dortmund 
62 Stefan De Vrij - Netherlands - Feyenoord
61 50 Nicolas Otamendi - Argentina - Porto

60 Aleksandar Dragovic - Austria - Basel/Dynamo Kiev
59 Vlad Chiricheș - Romania - Steaua Bucharest/Tottenham
58 Aymeric Laporte - France - Athletic Bilbao
57 32 Benedikt Höwedes - Germany - Schalke 04
56 31 25 Holger Badstuber - Germany - Bayern München
55 Iñigo Martínez - Spain - Real Sociedad
54 30 22 Dede - Brazil - Vasco da Gama/Cruzeiro
53 Luisao - Brazil - Benfica
52 Niklas Moisander - Finland - Ajax 
51 Rever - Brazil - Atletico Minerio

50 27 15 Thomas Vermaelen - Belgium - Arsenal
49 19 21 Younes Kaboul - France - Tottenham
48 39 Kyriakos Papadopoulos - Greece - Schalke 04
47 29 10 Eric Abidal - France - Barcelona/Monaco
46 Marquinhos - Brazil - Roma/PSG 
45 25 17 Adil Rami - France - Valencia
44 33 Javier Mascherano - Argentina - Barcelona
43 13 31 Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa - France – Newcastle
42 35 Chico - Spain - Swansea 

41 44 27 Mamadou Sakho - France – PSG/Liverpool
40 17 14 Rio Ferdinand - England - Manchester United
39 23 20 Fabricio Coloccini - Argentina – Newcastle
38 28 23 Daniel Agger - Denmark – Liverpool
37 24 Leandro Castán - Brazil - Roma
36 42 Nicolas N'Koulou - Cameroon - Marseille
35 26 30 Jonny Evans - Northern Ireland - Manchester United  
34 38 Sylvain Distin - France - Everton 
33 08 06 Carlos Puyol - Spain - Barcelona 
32 37 28 Andrea Barzagli - Italy - Juventus 

31 48 Eliaquim Mangala - France – Porto
30 36 Phil Jagielka - England – Everton 
29 32 Hugo Campagnaro - Argentina – Napoli/Inter
28 34 Leonardo Bonucci - Italy – Juventus
27 40  Matija Nastasic - Serbia - Manchester City 
26 18 13 Branislav Ivanovic - Serbia – Chelsea 
25 Gary Cahill - England - Chelsea
24 NR 26 John Terry - England – Chelsea  
23 14 18 Neven Subotic - Serbia - Dortmund 
22 41 Jerome Boateng - Germany - Bayern München
21 22 16 David Luiz - Brazil – Chelsea 

20 Dejan Lovren - Croatia  Southampton 
19 20 05 Nemanja Vidic - Serbia - Manchester United 
18 Mehdi Benatia - Morocco - Udinese/Roma 
17 10 08 Gerard Pique - Spain – Barcelona  
16 07 Gonzalo Rodríguez - Argentina - Fiorentina 
15 09 12 Pepe - Portugal - Real Madrid
14 06 09 Giorgio Chiellini - Italy - Juventus 
13 Javi Martinez – Spain – Bayern München  
12 11 Dante - Brazil - Bayern München   
11 45 Diego Godín - Uruguay - Atletico Madrid  

10 15 Miranda - Brazil - Atletico Madrid  
09 21 Per Mertesacker - Germany - Arsenal  
08 47 Raphael Varane - France - Real Madrid 
07 03 11 Jan Vertonghen - Belgium - Tottenham 
06 16 Ezequiel Garay - Argentina - Benfica 
05 05 03 Vincent Kompany - Belgium - Manchester City 
04 04 02 Sergio Ramos - Spain - Real Madrid
03 12 07 Laurent Koscielny - France - Arsenal
02 02 04 Mats Hummels - Germany - Dortmund
01 01 01 Thiago Silva - Brazil - PSG