Some of the best footballers to ever play the beautiful game have relied heavily on just one of their two feet to make a huge difference. Football we know and love hasn’t become so endlessly enjoyable through the years by way of watching the very best players perform like robots without weakness. Far from it. The best players are the ones who know their strengths and weaknesses, and play to them as best they can.
While you do need to have some use of your weaker boot to make it to any respectable level in football, there is a category of severely one-footed players who have still managed to reach exceptional heights despite having a notoriously weaker foot. From David Beckham to Diego Maradona, below is a list of the greatest one-footed players in football history.
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11Andy Robertson
Notable clubs: Hull City, Liverpool
Nobody can deny just how magnificent a footballer Andy Robertson is, and just how tirelessly he has worked to transform himself into a world class full back despite once being a relegated minnow at Hull City. Having said that, it’s a good thing the Scotland international’s left foot is as scrumptious as it is. The heroics with his left have seen him collect the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup during a decorated spell on Merseyside.
Andy Robertson’s Club Career Statistics | |
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Appearances | 505 |
Goals | 23 |
Assists | 84 |
Trophies | 8 |
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10Giorgio Chiellini
Notable clubs: Juventus
In an era where defenders are required to be more progressive, composed and all of that boring stuff about no longer being a throwback defender, Giorgio Chiellini has somehow massively outstayed his welcome.
Despite having no right foot, the veteran Italian and Juventus legend has forged a tremendous legacy for himself as one of Italy’s greatest defenders. Combining the dark arts with a blend of modernity, his career at the top has been a joy to watch.
Giorgio Chiellini’s Club Career Statistics | |
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Appearances | 710 |
Goals | 44 |
Assists | 29 |
Trophies | 25 |
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9Antonio Valencia
Notable clubs: Manchester United, Wigan Athletic
Before his leg break against Rangers in 2010, Antonio Valencia looked like yet another world class piece of recruitment from Sir Alex Ferguson, blazing down the right wing for Manchester United and turning defenders inside out.
However, he was never quite the same following his return. While he enjoyed an illustrious career at United, he lost that ability to beat a marker on either side, and would always do everything he could to fashion angles on his right foot only. Endlessly frustrating to watch.
Antonio Valencia’s Club Career Statistics | |
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Appearances | 492 |
Goals | 33 |
Assists | 73 |
Trophies | 12 |
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8Paulo Dybala
Notable clubs: Juventus, Palermo, Roma
When in full stride, Paulo Dybala and his wand of a left foot can cause havoc for any defence in world football. Be it threading through a killer ball, bamboozling a marker one vs one, or letting one rip into the top bins with all the finesse in the world, ‘La Joya’ has a wonderful left peg. Show him onto his right, though, and he looks half the player, unfortunately. Despite that, Dybala has managed to pick up a glut of trophies at Juventus and the World Cup with Argentina.
Paulo Dybala’s Club Career Statistics | |
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Appearances | 505 |
Goals | 188 |
Assists | 82 |
Trophies | 15 |
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7Christian Vieri
Notable clubs: Inter, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Fiorentina
Christian Vieri, the Italian powerhouse who bulldozed his way to goals no matter the conditions or the club. Initially growing up wanting to play cricket, the Italian had an unrelenting eye for goal and a physicality that does not wilt meant that Vieri was always good for a goal, with 23 in 49 caps for Italy. However, it was only his left foot that was capable of finding those world class levels; never the right.
Christian Vieri’s Club Career Statistics | |
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Appearances | 476 |
Goals | 236 |
Assists | 36 |
Trophies | 7 |
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6David Beckham
Notable clubs: Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy
When your right foot is as good as David Beckham’s was – and probably still is – you can absolutely get away with not having much to offer from the left peg.
In fact, Beckham’s left foot was very good; very good at planting into the floor and making room for his right foot to do something outrageous. A viciously one-footed technician that goes under the radar. Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy – it was on display worldwide.
David Beckham’s Club Career Statistics | |
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Appearances | 720 |
Goals | 127 |
Assists | 225 |
Trophies | 21 |
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5Angel Di Maria
Notable clubs: PSG, Real Madrid, Manchester United
Angel Di Maria simply should not have worked as a world class right winger for Real Madrid, with just how often he’d shift the ball back onto his left. But alas, he did work, and he made defenders’ lives hell in his best years.
While he evolved into a much more refined player in his later years, the younger iteration of the Argentine was unleashing crosses from deep in the right flank from near enough exclusively his left peg. Defenders knew what was coming, but they couldn’t stop that vicious whip. Neither could goalkeepers.
Angel Di Maria’s Club Career Statistics | |
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Appearances | 774 |
Goals | 180 |
Assists | 267 |
Trophies | 34 |
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4Ricardo Quaresma
Notable clubs: Besiktas, Porto, Inter, FC Barcelona
The man so one-footed that it nearly won him a Puskas Award. Was Ricardo Quaresma so good with his right foot that he simply didn’t need his left, or so bad with his left that he had to make his right foot so unstoppable to even things out? We’ll never know for sure, but what we do know is that he had it all. Rabona or outside of the boot, Quaresma’s right foot is a menace, and he’s proof that one-footed players are just as exciting as two-footed players.
Ricardo Quaresma’s Club Career Statistics | |
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Appearances | 681 |
Goals | 112 |
Assists | 166 |
Trophies | 21 |
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3Hristo Stoichkov
Notable clubs: FC Barcelona
Another with a left foot that was near unstoppable, the general consensus here is that if you’ve got an absolute wand of a left peg, you’ll do alright. Hristo Stoichkov winning the 1994 Ballon d’Or is a win for all of us who didn’t put in the reps against the wall as kids. Skills or goals, ‘El Pistolero’ could do it all with his left boot, thus he needn’t try with his right.
Hristo Stoichkov’s Club Career Statistics | |
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Appearances | 426 |
Goals | 180 |
Assists | 48 |
Trophies | 30 |
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2Arjen Robben
Notable clubs: Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich
We all knew what he was going to do, every single time. But could any defenders stop him when he was on it? No chance. Arjen Robben was a killer, and his left foot was the poison. Think Di Maria at Real Madrid, but multiply it by ten. Peak Robben was a complete cheat code. Marking him? Good luck. He’ll run you wide, square you up and send you packing. Every time. Football heritage.
Arjen Robben’s Club Career Statistics | |
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Appearances | 614 |
Goals | 209 |
Assists | 165 |
Trophies | 30 |
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1Diego Maradona
Notable clubs: Napoli, FC Barcelona
In the eyes of many, Diego Maradona is the greatest footballer of all time. And you cannot rubbish that opinion. The majestic Argentine really was that incredible.
What makes that feat even more staggering is the fact that he wasn’t all that well balanced. In fact, Maradona was heavily left-footed, but that didn’t stop him from turning defenders inside out and pulling off moves that very few footballers are capable of repeating. The man was a magician in every sense of the word.
Diego Maradona’s European Club Career Statistics | |
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Appearances | 343 |
Goals | 159 |
Assists | 105 |
Total Trophies | 12 |
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 27.09.24.