{
  "id": 18158301,
  "title": "FULL LIST: Mendes, Cucurella lead top 10 left-backs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/04/full-list-mendes-cucurella-lead-top-10-left-backs-18158301",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-04T18:10:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/full-list-mendes-cucurella-lead-top-10-left-backs/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Planet Football has released a ranking of the top 10 left-backs in world football, with Paris Saint-Germain defender Nuno Mendes leading the list. The Portuguese international is followed closely by Real Madrid's Marc Cucurella and Inter Milan's Federico Dimarco in second and third places, respectively. The report highlighted Mendes' defensive skills, his ability to win one-on-one duels, and his attacking contributions, which have made him a crucial player for PSG in the UEFA Champions League alongside right-back Achraf Hakimi. Riccardo Calafiori from Arsenal ranks fourth, and Alex Grimaldo of Atletico Madrid is fifth. Newcastle United's Lewis Hall is sixth, followed by Manchester City's Nico O’Reilly in seventh. Bayern Munich's Nathaniel Brown is eighth, and Alphonso Davies of Bayern Munich is ninth, despite concerns over his injuries. Arsenal's Piero Hincapie rounds out the top 10. The ranking reflects the evolving role of full-backs in modern football, who are now expected to contribute both defensively and offensively while adapting to various tactical demands.",
  "summary": "PSG’s Nuno Mendes has been ranked the best left-back in world football, ahead of Real Madrid’s Marc Cucurella, in a new list by Planet Football. Read More: https://punchng.com/full-list-mendes-cucurella-lead-top-10-left-backs/",
  "key_points": [
    "Paris Saint-Germain's Nuno Mendes tops the list of top 10 left-backs.",
    "Real Madrid's Marc Cucurella and Inter Milan's Federico Dimarco follow Mendes.",
    "The ranking highlights the evolving role of full-backs in modern football."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}