How a team uses its fullbacks says a lot about how it approaches its game. Does it want to sit back and defend? Expect the wide defenders to be strong in the tackle and in the air. Is it a dynamic attacking side? You better believe the fullbacks will be vital in the final third.
The very best in the game, of course, can do it all. Whether they possess the blinding speed to surge forward and fire in crosses or pull the strings like a midfielder, elite fullbacks are playmakers, chance creators (or finishers) and top-notch defenders all wrapped into one.
Given how much the position has evolved over the past decade, there's no telling where the next 10 years could take us.
All stats provided by ESPN Research; all ages and teams correct as of Aug. 18.
The 2026 FC 100, position by position
Go to: Goalkeepers | Fullbacks | Center backs | Defensive/central midfielders | Attacking midfielders | Wide forwards | Center forwards
10. Nico O'REILLY, Manchester City/England, 21
What makes him special: Still only 21, he has already developed into one of the Premier League's best left backs.
Rank in 2025 FC 100: Unranked
No. of FC 100 appearances: Brand-new to the list
One key stat: Made 15 goal contributions last season in all competitions, the most among Premier League defenders.
Why he's on the list: A midfielder during his time in Manchester City's academy, O'Reilly was given only one training session at left back before former City manager Pep Guardiola threw him into his new position in an FA Cup tie against Salford City in January 2025. Less than 18 months later, he was England's starting left back in their World Cup opener against Croatia.
Physical and energetic, he's the perfect player for the Premier League. He's also good in the air and has an eye for goal. He scored nine for City in all competitions last season, including both goals in the Carabao Cup final as Arsenal were beaten 2-0 at Wembley.
What's next: Like with everyone at City, O'Reilly's first job is to impress new manager Enzo Maresca. Beyond that, another change of position could be on the horizon if he moves back into midfield. He showed in a tough Carabao Cup tie at Newcastle in January that he's more than capable. -- Rob Dawson
9. Alejandro GRIMALDO, Atlético Madrid/Spain, 30
What makes him special: One of the best free kick men and crossers in the world, Grimaldo (now with Atléti) did almost literally everything Bayer Leverkusen needed for three years.
Rank in 2025 FC 100: Unranked
No. of FC 100 appearances: 2
One key stat: He scored the most goals of any defender in Europe's top five leagues last season (8).
Why he's on the list: A good fullback is a stat collector, and few amass stats like Grimaldo, a fullback who has scored 30 goals with 41 assists in all competitions -- 14 and 10, respectively, from set pieces -- over three seasons with Bayer Leverkusen. Last season, as his team rebuilt with new managers and without many of its former stars, Grimaldo did almost literally everything for a team that still reached the Champions League round of 16, made the DFB-Pokal semifinals and came within three points of another Champions League bid.
In league play, Grimaldo was first on the team in assists (eight) and chances created (seven); second in goals (eight), shots on goal (21) and fouls won in the attacking third (11); and third in progressive carries (235) and progressive passes (175). He was also first in tackles (49) and third in ball recoveries (127). He got to add "world champion" to his résumé this summer -- he was a bench option for Spain at the World Cup -- and now he is moving back to Spain, too, having sealed a transfer to Atlético Madrid.
What's next: After stints at Benfica and Leverkusen, Grimaldo will finally play his first LaLiga season at the age of 30 after a €20 million move to Atlético Madrid. His set piece mastery should translate in any league. -- Bill Connelly
8. Piero HINCAPIÉ, Arsenal/Ecuador, 24
What makes him special: He's a steady, tenacious and versatile defender who adjusted nicely to the Premier League cauldron.
Rank in 2025 FC 100: Unranked
No. of FC 100 appearances: Brand-new to the list
One key stat: His 37 defensive interventions for Ecuador in the 2026 World Cup tied for second most on the team. Only Willian Pacho (51) had more.
Why he's on the list: After spending the past few years impressing for Bayer Leverkusen and Ecuador's national team, Hincapié got loaned to Arsenal last season and didn't miss a beat. Overall he appeared in 51 matches for club and country, tallying more than 3,700 minutes. Sometimes, that meant being a left-sided center back; other times, that meant getting up and down as a left back while maintaining his defensive responsibilities. He put in a shift either way, providing defensive solidity and tidy passing.
Like Ecuador's as a team, his World Cup campaign could've gone better -- it ended with a red card in the waning moments of Ecuador's round-of-32 loss to Mexico -- but taken as a chapter in the story of his year, that was more of a bad epilogue than a ruinous final chapter. He lifted the Premier League trophy, played 120 minutes in the Champions League final, and will be a key figure in North London this season.
What's next: Hincapié's immediate future is 100% settled. Not that there was much doubt Arsenal would trigger his option to acquire him from Leverkusen, but after the defender's 39 appearances in all competitions, the Gunners made sure to activate it in June.
Hincapié will have to earn a spot in Arsenal's defense. Gabriel isn't going anywhere as Arteta's left-sided center back, while Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly are left-back options who, like Hincapié, offer positional versatility. But between Arteta's willingness to rotate and Hincapié's talent, the Ecuadorian should be a consistent presence in Arsenal's stingy defense for years to come. -- Bill DiFilippo
7. Jules KOUNDÉ, Barcelona/France, 27
What makes him special: A dependable defender who can play at right back or center back and rarely misses a game.
No. of FC 100 appearances: 4
One key stat: He completed 426 passes into the attacking third in LaLiga last season, third most among defenders behind Álvaro Carreras (555) and Eric García (490).
Why he's on the list: Koundé remains one of Barcelona's most reliable players. He was the team's fifth-most-used player last season (3,530 minutes across all competitions) and helped the Spanish champions in defense and attack. Signed as a center back in 2022, he is now very much considered a right back, which has allowed him to push forward more. He has a good relationship with Lamine Yamal on the right wing and even delivered a match-winning display in December's Champions League victory over Frankfurt, scoring twice in a 2-1 comeback win.
Former France coach Didier Deschamps rates him just as highly as Barça boss Hansi Flick. Deschamps used him in all eight of France's games at the World Cup as Les Bleus came up short in the semifinal against Spain.
What's next: There has been speculation that Barça could listen to offers for Koundé because his performances last season weren't as good as they were in 2024-25. However, he has been clear that he does not wish to leave, and he looks set to stay at Camp Nou. As a result, he will be keen to nail down his place at right back, recapture the form he showed in Flick's first season and silence the doubters. -- Sam Marsden
6. Denzel DUMFRIES, Real Madrid/Netherlands, 30
What makes him special: He's an attack-minded, all-action right back who has just made the biggest move of his career.
No. of FC 100 appearances: 3
One key stat: He recorded two assists vs. Sweden at the 2026 World Cup to become the first Dutchman to record multiple assists in multiple World Cup games in the past 60 years (also had two assists vs. United States in 2022).
Why he's on the list: Dumfries has been a top-level wing back for years now, an important part of the Inter teams that won Serie A in 2024 and 2026 while also reaching two Champions League finals. But even so, he might have been just a little bit surprised by his high-profile move to Real Madrid this summer, first trailed as a promise by president Florentino Pérez during his reelection campaign. If the move works out, it's an opportunity for the Netherlands international to make his case for being one of the best wing backs of his generation.
Dumfries is coming off the back of another title-winning season in Italy with Inter, although a bad ankle injury kept him out of action for three months between November and February. He returned to play his part in the title run-in, which included two goals in a crucial 4-3 win at Como in April. At the World Cup, he started all four games for the Netherlands, providing two assists in an eye-catching 5-1 win over Sweden in the group stage.
What's next: Dumfries has a proper battle on his hands at the Bernabéu, competing with Trent Alexander-Arnold to be Madrid's first-choice right back. Coach José Mourinho has used Dumfries on the right wing at times in preseason, playing ahead of Alexander-Arnold, but it's hard to imagine that being a regular thing, particularly from the start. Either way, Dumfries is unlikely to figure in his preferred position of wing back, with Mourinho favoring a back four in a 4-2-3-1 formation. On the national team front, the Netherlands kick off their Nations League campaign against Germany in September. -- Alex Kirkland
5. Marc CUCURELLA, Chelsea/Spain, 28
What makes him special: Winning the World Cup after signing for Real Madrid was a pretty great end to an impressive season.
Rank in 2025 FC 100: Unranked
No. of FC 100 appearances: Brand-new to the list
One key stat: He ranked top five among Premier League fullbacks last season in interceptions (31), assists (four) and chances created (37).
Why he's on the list: Cucurella cemented his status as the world's most dependable, well-rounded left back with his World Cup performances for Spain, and his inclusion in the tournament's best XI was entirely uncontroversial. In the group stage, as Spain took their time to get going, he was arguably their most dangerous attacking outlet, offering width, penetration and consistent end product on the left. He was decisive at both ends of the pitch, ending the tournament with two assists -- and five chances created -- in attack and 25 ball recoveries in defense.
Even before all of that, Cucurella's Premier League form with Chelsea had convinced Madrid to make him their first signing of the summer. Only one defender -- fellow Spain international Pedro Porro -- created more chances in the Premier League last season. Teammates and coaches love him; opponents hate playing against him.
What's next: Cucurella feels like a deeply José Mourinho player -- rarely has a player's skill set and mentality been better suited to their new manager's philosophy. It's hard to imagine him being anything other than a huge success at Real Madrid, as well as being a radical upgrade over the team's other options at left back. He'll start the season as first choice ahead of Álvaro Carreras. Oh, and after his World Cup displays, there's no chance of him losing his place in the Spain team anytime soon, either. -- Alex Kirkland
4. Federico DIMARCO, Inter Milan/Italy, 28
What makes him special: He remains a fullback for the modern era: sturdy in the interventions department but capable of making endless creative contributions in attack.
No. of FC 100 appearances: 3
One key stat: His 17 assists in Serie A last season were the third most across Europe's top five leagues, behind only Bruno Fernandes (21) and Michael Olise (19).
Why he's on the list: Dimarco was already good enough to make this list in each of the past two seasons before he found the perfect manager to unlock his talents in 2025-26. Under Cristian Chivu at Inter, he carved out a brilliant niche as a left midfielder in a 3-5-2 formation and produced career highs with seven league goals and a team-leading 18 assists and 96 chances created. He is one of the world's best crossers, but he still tracks back to play an important defensive role. Even from a more advanced position, Dimarco still finished second on the team in interceptions and third in ball recoveries and successful tackles.
Only, that doesn't tell the whole story: Those 96 chances created were 25 more than any teammate on an Inter team that cruised to the Serie A crown, and those 18 assists were a Serie A record. He obviously didn't get a chance to add further achievements to his résumé this summer because Italy failed to qualify for a third straight World Cup, but that really wasn't his fault either: He was fifth on the team in minutes in World Cup qualification, but he was first in assists (four), second in chances created (20) and, of course, first in crosses completed (26).
What's next: More of the same. Inter is retooling its back line with the addition of Manchester City's John Stones, but Dimarco will remain a constant for the foreseeable future, as he's in the process of completing a contract extension that will keep him in Milan until 2030. He'll turn 29 in November, but if last season was any indication, he might not have peaked just yet. -- Bill Connelly
3. Jurriën TIMBER, Arsenal/Netherlands, 25
What makes him special: He's an all-round defender who can make an impact in the final third.
No. of FC 100 appearances: 2
One key stat: He had eight goal contributions last season in the Premier League (3 goals, 5 assists), tied for most by a defender.
Why he's on the list: Timber's Arsenal career got off to a nightmarish start in 2023. He made just two appearances in the Premier League that season: 50 minutes in Arsenal's opener, during which he suffered a cruciate ligament tear, and 21 minutes in their final game upon his return. Since then, however, he has become one of Mikel Arteta's most dependable performers, appearing across the defensive line and filling in superbly wherever Arsenal have needed him.
It is as their starting right back, though, where he has shone most. Timber registered the most combined goals and assists (eight) of any defender in the Premier League last season. Teams do not have to worry about just Bukayo Saka on Arsenal's right-hand side, but Timber, too.
The Dutch defender's impact was perhaps clearest when he didn't play: He missed the end of Arsenal's season with an ankle injury, meaning Ben White and then Cristhian Mosquera had to fill in. Timber returned for a 54-minute substitute appearance in the Champions League final vs. PSG, including extra time. That appearance might have exacerbated a preexisting groin injury that later forced him to miss the 2026 World Cup.
What's next: Timber had minor groin surgery this summer and hopes to return as Arsenal's right back soon. Whether he will do so in time for the start of the season is up in the air. "I'm getting there slowly," Timber said at the start of Arsenal's preseason campaign. "I'm trying hard, been rehabbing over the summer. Hopefully back soon." -- Connor O'Halloran
2. Nuno MENDES, Paris Saint-Germain/Portugal, 24
What makes him special: The best left back in the world -- he is physical, fast and quick-witted, and he can defend and attack with similar impact.
No. of FC 100 appearances: 2
One key stat: He led the Champions League in successful take-ons by a defender in each of the past two seasons.
Why he's on the list: If Olise gave him a tough game in the Champions League semifinal first leg in Paris (PSG lost 5-4), Mendes responded by pocketing the Bayern Munich winger in the second leg like he did Yamal, Mohamed Salah, Saka and Cole Palmer in other matches throughout the season.
The Portuguese international was dominant again last season, excelling defensively while being a threat going forward, scoring six goals and providing seven assists in 48 games (all competitions). His progress over the past couple of years, both technically and physically, has taken him into a new dimension and has helped him avoid regular injuries. Indeed, in the past two years, PSG manager Luis Enrique has made him more solid, more decisive, more resistant and more versatile.
What's next: He's still only 24 and has just two full seasons behind him at the top end of the game, meaning there is much more he can achieve. The next phase of his development will involve eliminating the little lapses in concentration that still happen. -- Julien Laurens
1. Achraf HAKIMI, Paris Saint-Germain/Morocco, 27
What makes him special: Head and shoulders the best right back in the world, he has pace, technical ability and fitness, and he has become much stronger defensively in the past 12 months.
No. of FC 100 appearances: 6
One key stat: He's the first defender in Champions League history to record five-plus assists in two seasons (2024-25 and 2025-26).
Why he's on the list: Despite suffering a serious ankle injury against Bayern Munich last November following a collision with Luis Díaz, Hakimi still enjoyed an excellent season overall. He came back in January to lead Morocco to the Africa Cup of Nations final, then was a key part in PSG retaining the Champions League.
Simply put, there is no other right back (or defender) like him in the world. He can run forever and plays everywhere on the pitch because of his qualities, both technical and physical. Coach Luis Enrique has done well to use Hakimi as a unique attacking option; he was excellent from the Champions League playoffs to the final in Budapest, and again with his country at the World Cup, cementing his status as the best in his position.
What's next: At 27, he is entering the prime years of his career, and after playing a lot of matches in the past two years with the Club World Cup, AFCON and the World Cup -- as well as two packed seasons with PSG -- he will be ready to go again this season with even more responsibilities as one of the leaders of this Parisian team. -- Julien Laurens
The 2026 FC 100, position by position
Go to: Goalkeepers | Fullbacks | Center backs | Defensive/central midfielders | Attacking midfielders | Wide forwards | Center forwards