Roberto Carlos has revealed his pick for the greatest full-back in football history. Within Real Madrid circles, the Brazilian icon is better known as the 'Lord and Master of the Left Wing' or simply 'Bullet Man'. With blistering pace - he once clocked 100m in 10.9 seconds - and a thunderous left foot capable of unleashing 86mph shots, it’s easy to see how he earned those nicknames.
Carlos revolutionised the role of full-back during his time in European football, and completely changed the way the oft-dull position was perceived as he finished his career having scored 111 goals and produced 168 assists in 900 appearances that delivered a World Cup, two Copa America winners' medals, and three Champions League titles.
Think of him as the lovechild of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Marcelo - rolled into one unstoppable force, and you get one of the most iconic players in football history, as well as one of the Champions League's greatest defenders. And yet, despite his legacy, Carlos believes another icon deserves the title of the greatest full-back of all time.
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Roberto Carlos Named Paolo Maldini As Greatest Full-Back Ever
The Italian typified the idea that his nation's defensive philosophy was an art
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During a recent interview with GOAL, Carlos, now 52, was asked to play a game of 'winner stays on' full-back edition. In the game, Cafu came out on top against a stacked lineup, beating Marcelo, Philipp Lahm, Gary Neville, Gianluca Zambrotta, Ashley Cole, Javier Zanetti, Kyle Walker, Eric Abidal, Andy Robertson, Patrice Evra, Lilian Thuram, and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Cafu even beat Carlos himself, before finally being dethroned by Paolo Maldini. Watch the full interview below:
Maldini's Incredible Career
He is one of the greatest one-club legends of all time
Paolo Maldini
On a pure footballing basis, Paolo Maldini is almost certainly the best defender of all time. The Italian played his entire career in Milan and did so with such flamboyance that it was he who acted as the precursor to the expression that Le Azzurri's football philosophy is through the art of defending. His feet were like a paintbrush, and his tackles were the cleanest the continent had ever seen.
In 901 total appearances for the Rossoneri, Maldini ventured to a record-equalling eight Champions League finals, with only Francisco Gento of Real Madrid having tallied the same amount. Of those finals, the Italian won five, two with the captain's armband on.
Team Years Appearances Goals Assists
AC Milan 1984 - 2009 647 29 28
Italy 1988 - 2002 138 12 Unknown
Notably, at 38, he became the oldest player to lift the trophy as captain after Milan avenged their 2005 final loss by downing Liverpool 2-1 in Athens two years on from the shock of Istanbul. He also won seven Serie A titles, being named in the competition's Team of the Season on four occasions.
Famously, he never lifted a trophy with the Azzurri, with his untimely retirement after four World Cup participations seeing him miss out on the 2006 escapades. But as a defender who lived by the notion that "If I have to make a tackle, then I’ve already made a mistake," Maldini didn't need the international accolades to prove he is one of the best players ever.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt (correct as of 26/06/2025)