Who Are The 10 Best Left Wingers in the World?
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Who Are The 10 Best Left Wingers in the World?

Who Are The 10 Best Left Wingers in the World?

The left-wing role has evolved substantially over time, with much simpler rules and instructions of staying on the touchline, out-skilling their markers before playing a ball into the box once being the expectation.

Now, their job is much more complex; they can invert on the offence to play balls on their right, or in other managerial systems, they can look to absolutely run rings around the opposition full-back, running them ragged before dribbling the ball deep into the box and finishing it off themselves or simply squaring it to the striker.

The role of wingers within the team has become increasingly more important – and on the left side we see a bulk of talent flowing through with relentless stamina and being able to run around all game, leaving opposition defenders no time to take a breather.

This is the latest of our “Top 10” series, following on from our other positions linked here: goalkeepers, centre-backs, left-backs, defensive midfielders and attacking midfielders. This list provides a mixture of scary speed, deadly dribbling, and a flurry of exciting young talent from all over Europe.


10. Kenan Yildiz – Juventus (MV: €50m)

Kenan Yildiz is the first young and explosive star on this list. He has risen his stocks exponentially in the last 12 months, starring in a very below-par campaign for Juve, bagging 12 goals and seven assists in all competitions.

He has become a regular fixture on the left flank for the Turin outfit, with his burst of pace and powerful striking ability key features in his arsenal. The 20-year-old really caught the eye of millions during last summer’s Club World Cup, as he recorded three goals and an assist in Juve’s very predictable run to the round of 16.

Now a rising star in the Turkish National Team alongside fellow superstar Arda Güler, Yildiz has a very bright future ahead of him, and has already hit the ground running in the new season, with two assists on the opening day against Parma.



9. Nico Williams – Athletic Club (MV: €70m)

A perfect example of the modernised left-winger – Williams is full to the brim with pure pace, dangerous tight-knit dribbling and has that aura around him that defenders hate to play against.

His rise to prominence has been great to watch, especially his close relationship and scary partnership with Lamine Yamal with Spain, with the pair of them central figures to the nation's success in 2024.

After almost joining Barcelona after the tournament, he decided to extend his stay long-term at the Basque outfit, and after mustering up 42 goal contributions over the last two seasons, his future for club and country is certainly exciting.

With the youngster also expecting to make his Champions League debut soon for Bilbao, expect him to light up the European stage with his fearless attitude and electrifying pace around the San Mames Stadium.



8. Rafael Leão – AC Milan (MV: €70m)

Rafael Leão is one of those wingers who can cause defenders nightmares, with his high-pressing style mixed with his electric pace which can leave defenders stranded as they watch the ball fly into the top corner.

When he is on form, Leão is simply unstoppable, and his attacking returns prove it, as he lights up the San Siro season by season, recording 10+ goals and 10+ assists in each of the last four campaigns.

Inconsistency is what rules him out from advancing higher up in this ranking, because although he is unplayable on his day, fans are always unsure whether it will be the version of Leão which leaves defenders on the floor who shows up or the one that one which almost drifts out of the game completely.



7. Luis Díaz – Bayern Munich (MV: €70m)

When the Colombian joined Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool in 2022, he was seen as the missing piece of the puzzle on the left flank, with his devastating pace and dribbling, with an unforgiving strike of the ball.

Last season, however, was when the then 27-year-old really began to flourish. His career-best return of 17 goals and five assists in all competitions was practically his audition to Bayern Munich, as he joined Die Bayern shortly after.

His starring role in Liverpool’s second Premier League title success is a perfect example of how deadly Díaz can be when he is implemented correctly into the right system which fits his high-intensity style of play.



6. Ademola Lookman – Atalanta (MV: €60m)

In the early stages of his career, Lookman really struggled to get going at any club he played for – his struggles were pretty much summed up by his failed panenka penalty effort for Fulham.

Since moving to Italy, however, he has been able to release this relentless beast that has seemingly been inside of him the whole time and he has really shone for Atalanta. He not only hit the ground running in Italy, but has also increased his output every season, scoring 15+ goals in all competitions every campaign.

His 52 goals in his Italian chapter so far are a testament to how good he is on his day, as he has also become a man for the occasion. He notably scored a historic hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League Final against Bayer Leverkusen, becoming the sixth player to score one in a European final, as Atalanta won their first European trophy and first trophy in 61 years.



5. Bradley Barcola – Paris Saint-Germain (MV: €70m)

Bradley Barcola has seriously exploded in recent times. Joining the Parisian side in 2023 in a €45m move from Lille, it seemed that PSG had got their hands on yet another young French talent. Although it took a season mostly spent coming off the bench and the departure of Kylian Mbappe to really open up an opportunity on the left flank, Barcola has risen to the occasion, as he has become a deadly weapon down the left and played a large part in their Champions League success.

Despite being one of the few to have missed out on the fun during their Munich success in May, as Barcola only grabbed one assist for his efforts, he still managed to record an outstanding 21 goals and 18 assists in his first full season in the capital.

Still only 23 years old, Barcola is sure to have another excellent season ahead of him, providing he can keep up with his teammate and rival left-winger who shall appear on this list in due course.



4. Cody Gakpo – Liverpool (MV: €70m)

Having shone in his early 20’s in Eindhoven, where he was able to register a massive 65 goal contributions across just a season and a half, moving to a Liverpool side that was in its final chapter and 18 months or so of Klopp before appointing his fellow countryman Arne Slot has ended up being one of the best career move choices a player can make.

Gakpo did start well for the Reds, although he was out of his favoured left-wing role for a majority of Klopp’s remaining time at Anfield. When Slot came through the doors on Merseyside, this all changed.

The Dutch international felt much more comfortable on the flank, and the numbers accompanied this; 18 goals and six assists across all competitions as Gakpo played a central role in their second Premier League title, and also averaging almost a goal per game in Liverpool’s near perfect EFL Cup run.



3. Vinicius Jr – Real Madrid (MV: €170m)

Despite Los Blancos’ trophyless season last campaign, there is no doubt that Vinicius Junior’s performances grant him a place on the podium here.

After Madrid suffered a second-place finish to Barcelona, and having lost to them on every occasion they played them in, Vini’s efforts were a large reason they stood a chance against them. Since turning a stone over before the 2021/22 season, he has been on the rise, applying his raw pace and tight, close ball control and dribbling to his 30+ goal contribution hauls for the past four seasons, he has shown the consistency that resulted in Los Blancos lifting a 14th and 15th Champions League titles in this time.

Although Vini’s performances in La Liga have been very impressive, it is the Champions League where he seems to switch to another gear, as he has registered 10+ involvements during each of these highlighted seasons. He may not trump our next two players currently, but there is no doubt he is one of the most devastating wingers on the planet week in week out.



2. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – Paris Saint-Germain (MV: €90m)

Following his move from Naples to Paris in January last season, the Georgian took no time to settle and finished off a scary front three alongside Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué.

He certainly saved his best for the European stage, however, as he played a crucial role in PSG’s historic quadruple campaign. Scarily quick and unpredictable on the flank, his decisiveness in key moments and constant direct drives on goal made him almost unplayable for full backs all around Europe.

Although he may not yet have the immense attacking output numbers as his peers have on this list, not many defenders have the capacity to keep Kvaratskhelia quiet for 90 minutes, and he can make those minutes feel like hours when he is on his A-game.



1. Raphinha – Barcelona (MV: €90m)

After he almost single-handedly kept Leeds United in the Premier League in 2022, Raphinha earned a big money move to Barcelona for €58m that summer. For some, this mammoth leap so quickly would be overwhelming, but for Raphinha, he owned it and proved he should be there playing for one of Spain’s most historic clubs.

He went under the radar in his first two seasons, however, still returned with some impressive attacking hauls. However, after links with Williams last summer which left Raphinha feeling disrespected regarding the future of his number 11 shirt, he took things personally. During this past campaign, Hansi Flick led Barca to a domestic treble, with Raphinha central to their success which also included an incredible run and a goal away from reaching the Champions League final.

His 56 goal involvements no doubt make him the best winger in the world right now. The way he can control the ball and the game in wide areas, while also being able to replicate the tempo after drifting into the middle of the park shows serious skill and qualities only few elite athletes can do – and his 21 goal contributions in the Champions League last season proves he can do it when the pressure and the limelight are on him.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist

Ben Growdon

Content Writer

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