As the 2016 European Championship approaches, Bleacher Report will review and rank the top 200 players of the tournament, based on their positions. In the third ranking review - right-back players. The ranking includes Dani Carvajal, who was dropped from the championship due to injury at the last moment but was part of the preliminary Spanish national team, and in his place, the name of Hector Bellerin, who will appear in the tournament, will not be seen. The ranking is made up of two categories: one composed of defensive abilities (ball interceptions, player marking, and positional play), and the other of attacking play (crossing balls, joining attacks, and overall technical abilities). Each player in each of these categories can receive a maximum of 50 points, and by adding up the points gained in both categories, the ranking of right-back players of the European Championship was arranged. In the first part of this review, the right-back players remaining in positions 11-20 are presented.
20. Florian Klein - Austria Defensive Abilities: 34/50 Klein's season at Stuttgart was not the best. At the beginning of the season, he played in almost every match, but on January 6, the team added another player in his position, and from that moment on, he hardly appeared on the field. Maybe it was precisely Klein who Stuttgart lacked, as the team finished the season at the bottom of the Bundesliga and dropped out of the German league. Offensive Play: 35/50 With the worst defense in the league, Stuttgart tried to remain in the league with a successful attacking play. They demanded it even from their full-backs, and Klein contributed to the attacks in the season with two assists. Overall Rating: 69/100 The upcoming month could save Klein's career. After playing all the matches in the Austrian team in the qualifiers, he should be a starting player in the European Championship, and a good performance in these championships could be the key to escaping from the disappointment of the end of the season not offering him a chance in the top league and a team that dropped out. 19. Peter Pekarik - Slovakia Defensive Abilities: 38/50 Before the season, Pekarik was expected to play a significant role in the Hertha team. However, during the season, a shoulder injury allowed him to play only twelve matches. As a defensive player, he is a serious help to the team in defense, and his abilities to play accurately and intercept the ball from opponents would have been very useful to the team that finished seventh in the Bundesliga. Offensive Play: 32/50 Pekarik has always performed better in defense than in offense throughout his career. Although his offensive statistics would have been evaluated differently before the age of twenty, in modern football, players in his position are expected to make a greater contribution in attack. Fortunately for Pekarik, his performance on defense is appreciated by the team's coaches both at Hertha and in the Slovak national team, and they are lenient with his shortcomings in attacking. Overall Rating: 70/100 In April, there were rumors that Leicester City was interested in the Slovakian. Although the "foxes" who won the championship title can afford to acquire a more famous player, such rumors are a serious evaluation for the Hertha player. A defender with injuries should be able to secure the right-back position in the Slovak national team without much competition, and with good performance, he can attract the attention of Claudio Ranieri and other team coaches. 18. Mikael Lustig - Sweden Defensive Abilities: 35/50 Lustig appeared in all the Celtic matches last season and contributed to the team's fifth consecutive Scottish champions title. In seven of those matches, he was the captain of the team, which proves his serious contribution to both the team's game on the field and work off the field. Offensive Play: 38/50 The 29-year-old player contributed to twelve goals last season and is a serious threat to opponents in attack. Both in the Rosenborg and Celtic teams, he aggressively pushed forward, and his efforts resulted in goals and assists. Overall Rating: 73/100 Lusting should be an important player for the Swedish national team in this championship. He will need to work on his defense properly, allowing Zlatan Ibrahimovic and other attacking players in the team to show their skills and punish opponents with goals. If the Celtic player added successful attacks to successful defense, it would be even better for the Swedish national team. 17. Theodor Gebre Selassie - Czech Republic Defensive Abilities: 38/50 Playing in the last moments of the season-saving Werder team, Gebre Selassie was particularly noticeable in defense. The Czech led the Bundesliga right-backs in ball interceptions, balls taken out of his area, intercepted passes, and won aerial duels. Such statistics only confirm how important he was in the Werder defense. Offensive Play: 36/50 In offense, Gebre Selassie was not as effective - although he created opportunities for his team-mates, he finished the season with just two assists. He would like to improve this statistics, but in a team fighting for survival, his main task was to defend. Overall Rating: 74/100 In 2012, he already fulfilled his dream - coming to the European Championship as an unknown player, he had an excellent tournament and won a contract with the Werder team. The 29-year-old player would like to repeat a similar success in these championships and take the final step forward in his career. 16. Gokhan Gonul - Turkey Defensive Abilities: 37/50 After nine years in Fenerbahce, Gonul will become a free agent this summer and is determined to extend his career elsewhere. The best right-back in the Turkish league attracts not only the strongest clubs in his country but also the "West Ham United" team playing in the Premier League. Whoever acquires this player will call up an experienced defender who excels at taking the ball from opponents. Offensive Play: 39/50 Better known for his play in offense than defense, Gonul has played as both a right-back and right midfielder during his career. However, the 31-year-old player prefers to play in the defender position. With his technique and ability to create opportunities in the opponent's space, he was dubbed the "Turkish Cafu" by UEFA. Overall Rating: 76/100 Representing the Turkish national team since 2007, Gonul will go to one of his last serious tournaments with the national team. For almost a decade, he has been the best right-back in his country, and he certainly won't lose it this summer. 15. Sime Vrsaljko - Croatia Defensive Abilities: 39/50 Although they did not repeat the achievement of Leicester City and did not become Italian champions, Vrsaljko was phenomenal throughout the season with the Sassuolo team. Finishing in sixth place, they beat teams like Milan and Lazio. One of the best players on this team was Vrsaljko. He is a very aggressive player, and that's why last season, he earned nine yellow cards. However, if we take away his attitude and fight, we would also ruin the positive things that these qualities brought. Offensive Play: 37/50 At one point, Vrsaljko had made an assist in three consecutive matches. Although he does not always manage to show such consistency, the 24-year-old player has the potential. He is still learning how to play at this position in the top-level championships, and with this experience, his decision-making and technical skills will improve. However, if we were to look only at his innate qualities - the Croatian has everything to become a top-class player in his position. Overall Rating: 76/100 The captain of the Croatian national team, Darijo Srna, is also a player in this position, so Vrsaljko may need to move to the left, where the competition is less. Srna could also be pushed forward to play as a wing-back, leaving a spot in defense for his colleague from Sassuolo. Whichever choice the Croatian national team coach makes - on the right flank, he will have a reliable defender. 14. Christophe Jallet - France Defensive Abilities: 38/50 Jallet was the main player in his position at Paris Saint-Germain for four years, but in the fifth year, injuries spoiled his chances, which forced him to leave PSG and revive his career at Lyon. The 32-year-old player became a solid starting player within the Lyon team, a decision that paid off. In the current stage of his career, his game reading and experience are already exceeding athleticism. Nevertheless, he still plays successfully, passing on his experience to other players as a leader both on and off the field. Offensive Play: 38/50 The veteran certainly doesn't get lost when running into the opponents' area. He has scored 46 goals throughout his career, and this statistic is certainly not bad. In addition to good defensive play, he adds the ability to help the team in attack, and this versatile play has earned him a place in the French national team. Overall Rating: 76/100 Jallet can hardly expect to be anything more than Bacary Sagna's backup in his national team. However, if the Manchester City player cannot help his team due to injury or disqualification, Jallet is good enough to fill the gap that appears in the team. 13. Cedric Soares - Portugal Defensive Abilities: 39/50 Cedric Soares, who moved from Sporting to Southampton for just under five million pounds, was another successful purchase justified by Ronald Koeman. Only the defensive midfielders - Victor Wanyama and Oriol Romeu - took more balls from the opponents than the 24-year-old player in the team. Offensive Play: 39/50 When everything seems to come naturally to him in defense, he still has room to improve in attacking as well. His passes reached the target only 70% of the time, which was probably due to the fact that the speeds in the Premier League differ from those he had seen in the Portuguese league before. Adapting to English football will take time, but Soares has already proved that he has the potential to be a dangerous threat in attacks. Overall Rating: 78/100 Having played 72 matches in the Portuguese youth team, this footballer is waiting for his first chance to slide into the national team. Although his place on the field is certainly not guaranteed, and he will have to compete with Vieirinha for it, he seems good and promising enough to win his place in the national team's starting eleven at the next European Championship. 12. Elseid Hysaj - Albania Defensive Abilities: 40/50 Hysaj quickly became one of the best players in his position. After winning promotion to Serie A with Empoli and playing a season in the top league with his team, the Albanian moved to Napoli. The 22-year-old player did not falter in one of the strongest Italian teams and played in 37 of the 38 matches, missing only one match due to disqualification. Napoli qualified for the Champions League, so next year Hysaj will take another step forward in his career and will be able to challenge himself in the most prestigious European competitions. Offensive Play: 38/50 The young defender still has room for improvement, and he can improve his game reading when the team attacks. Full-backs need to pay attention to how the attack develops and when and where they need to move. With experience, Hysaj will only improve this element of his game, and the Albanian already demonstrated that he doesn't intend to stop and is ready to improve his game. Overall Rating: 78/100 Youth is Hysaj's greatest advantage. Having had plenty of playing time in Italy and the Albanian national team, he could become one of the most desirable players for top clubs in the coming years. Even if a good performance at Euro 2016 would attract offers from these teams, staying in his current team and continuing to improve his game would seem like the wisest choice for this player. 11. Vieirinha - Portugal Defensive Abilities: 34/50 Vieirinha played in three positions this season - right-back, right wing-back, and right winger. Although he often played in the latter two positions in the club, he is almost always allowed to play as a right-back in the national team. We certainly can't call him a defensive player, but he always moves forward and causes problems for opponents trying to defend against his attacks. Offensive Play: 46/50 Playing as a right-back, Vieirinha has an advantage against almost all right-backs of the Euro championship. He plays excellently with the ball, accurately distributing them to teammates, and his technical abilities open up space for him in attacks. Although he is not a world-class right-back, in the role of an attacking full-back, the Portuguese player can slip into the team because of his ability to significantly help the team's attack. Overall Rating: 80/100 José Bosingwa did not make it to the Euro 2016, which sparked a lot of discussion about who should take the right-back position. Cédric Soares is a typical player in this position, but he may lack experience. The Wolfsburg player, although not a real right-back, seems to be a better choice for Portugal, and his contributions to attacks should create a bit more freedom and lead the attack leader Cristiano Ronaldo. Previously published: Goalkeepers ranking: positions 1-10, positions 11-20. Left-backs ranking: positions 1-10, positions 11-20.
