Left-footed players just look better, they say.
Perhaps, but the vast majority of players throughout history have favoured their right foot, so by the law of averages if nothing else, a team of righties has to beat a team of lefties, right?
True: the left-footed ranks boast dead ball masters like Roberto Carlos and close control dribblers like Messi and Robben, but their right-footed equivalents aren’t exactly obscure no-namers.
Beckham’s right foot was every bit as sweet as his former running mate at Real Madrid, and George Best – a right footer, despite often drifting in from the left for United – could beat players all day long.
Honestly, we’re spoilt for choice in this team, to the extent that we’ve taken the precaution of discounting any of those players – or, as they ought to be known, freaks – who were somehow equally effective with both feet (among them Pele, Zidane and Bobby Charlton).
Here’s the all-time right-footed XI (plus five subs) we’ve come up with:
Manuel Neuer
It's not often that goalkeepers use their feet, but Bayern's colossal No.1 is known to buck the trend.
Image source: Twitter
Dani Alves
Questionable in one v ones? Yes. The best attacking full-back ever? Yes. Image source: Twitter
Sergio Ramos
Ramos has become famed for his (often last-minute) bullet headers, but he's also adept bringing the ball out with his trusty right foot. Image source: Twitter
Franco Baresi
Arguably football's greatest ever centre-back - not bad for a guy who measured less than 6 ft.
Image source: Twitter
Paolo Maldini
Maldini was an accomplished left-back as well as being able to play in the centre - but he was in fact a right footer. Image source: Twitter
Lothar Matthaus
The less said about Matthaus' coaching career the better, but practically defined the sweeper position in his playing days.
Image source: Twitter
Xavi
Xavi was easily the best midfielder in the world in his pomp - and arguably the greatest of all-time, too.
Image source: Twitter
Andres Iniesta
Xavi's partner in crime, whose right foot will be familiar to Chelsea fans, completes the midfield.
Image source: Twitter
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid's talisman (and arguably the greatest player to ever kick a ball) isn't fussy about how they go in, but is naturally right-footed. Image source: Twitter
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan can score from anywhere, against anyone, and with any part of his body - but he does favour his right foot. Image source: Twitter
Ronaldo de Lima
Things might get a little confusing with two Ronaldos on the pich at once, but we'll take our chances. Image source: Twitter
Gianluigi Buffon
We're starting to feel bad for team lefties now - right-footed Buffon only makes our bench. Image source: Twitter
Bobby Moore
The man who led West H... err, England to World Cup glory in 1966. Enough said.
Image source: Twitter
Sergio Busquets
If Guardiola invented the holding midfield position, Busquets mastered it. And he's smug about it, too.
Image source: Twitter
George Best
United's original wing wizard would make one hell of an impact sub. Image source: Twitter
Thierry Henry
Arsenal's all-time record scorer is handy with his right foot (and, occasionally, his hands).
Image source: Twitter
Honourable mentions go out to Carlos Alberto (narrowly pipped by his Brazil successor), Claude Makelele, the aforementioned Becks – whose free-kicks are up there with the best – Roma icon Francesco Totti, Dutch master Marco van Basten and… yeah, there’s far too many to name.
As for the coach? Left-footed Johan Cruyff. That wasn’t in the rules.
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