The 25 best left wingers in world football - ranked

Football was once a simple game. The ball used to get booted out to the skilled wingers who did their thing and crossed a ball or two for a big target man to head home.

The left winger has come in different shapes and sizes down the years, from the silky Brazilian iteration to the direct Englishman. Such variation in profile has only been amplified in the modern day, with the roles these players perform utterly dependent on the system in which they're involved.

Being a left winger in this day and age isn't as black and white as it once was. Still, these players seek to entertain the masses and the game is currently blessed with a plethora of talent in the position.

Here are our top 25 left wingers in the world.

25. Sadio Mane

Sadio Mane can score a variety of goals and his killer instinct has made him prolific in the box. He's always in the right place at the right time but there's a genius to his craft.

Mane's movement is superb, while the expert timing of his runs always optimises the possibility of successfully getting in behind a defence.

Things didn't work out at Bayern Munich, but his time at Liverpool was legendary. Now at Al Nassr, Mane has drifted out of the limelight.

24. Neymar

Neymar is no longer the kid who broke the internet all those years ago during his time at Santos but he's a footballer who continues to put a smile on the faces of adoring supporters.

His record-breaking move to Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona in 2017 somewhat thrust Neymar out of the limelight from a domestic perspective, with the vast majority of fans judging the Brazilian's legacy from his performances in the Champions League.

Many will point to PSG's absence of a European crown in their Galacticos era, but Neymar's scintillating run to the 2020 final shouldn't be overlooked. Had PSG beaten Bayern in Lisbon, Neymar's efforts would have gone down as one of the best individual campaigns in the competition's history.

The Brazilian's struggles with injury mean he's missed plenty of action in recent years and his career is in danger of fizzling out with Al Hilal.

23. Karim Adeyemi

Karim Adeyemi may be the fastest man on the planet and he's also not a bad footballer.

The youngster won the Bundesliga Rookie of the Season award in 2022/23 in what was a breakout campaign at Borussia Dortmund.

His 2023/24 season was quieter and he was guilty of missing some huge chances for BVB in their Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid, but his potential remains sky-high.

22. Mikel Oyarzabal

Mikel Oyarzabal seems to be one of those players who, despite having the talent and opportunity, may not get a go at one of Europe's top sides.

That's not a major shock considering the strong identity his club Real Sociedad have. After joining from Eibar way back in 2011, La Real remain the only senior club team he has ever played for.

Oyarzabal is a versatile attacker who has posted promising numbers throughout his career, and there's also the small matter of scoring the winning goal in the Euro 2024 final for Spain.

21. Kaoru Mitoma

The dribbling theologist has studied his way to football stardom.

His university work undoubtedly played a huge role in his easy-on-the-eye style, with Kaoru Mitoma emerging as a one-on-one phenom since joining Brighton in 2021.

The Japan international eventually starred for the Seagulls after returning from a loan in Belgium and is seen as the next Brighton star who'll garner a monster fee when he decides to take the next step. A long list of clubs will be queuing up to sign him.

20. Alejandro Garnacho

The bleach-haired Argentine has shown his adeptness down the right flank in recent times, but Alejandro Garnacho's breakthrough came while stationed on the left.

The youngster plays with a fearless swagger and is always willing to take on his opposing full-back one-v-one. He's been a breath of fresh air during a tumultuous period at Old Trafford, with his stunning overhead kick at Goodison Park well worthy of the Puskas Award.

19. Bradley Barcola

Bradley Barcola first caught the eye by bamboozling right-backs in a Lyon shirt and he naturally attracted attention from France's relentless talent poachers Paris Saint-Germain.

It's taken Barcola little time to settle in Paris after a big-money move and the departure of Kylian Mbappe will allow him to thrive in his preferred role on the left wing.

He's already an excellent talent but his potential is even greater.

18. Serge Gnabry

Serge Gnabry has been utilised across the front line during his incredibly successful and trophy-laden spell with Bayern Munich. The former Arsenal man has won the lot with the Bavarian giants and is destined to secure more silverware before his playing days end.

Gnabry is a super consistent presence on the wings for Bayern, whether it be the left or right, and while he has slowed down in recent seasons, he remains a major threat with goals and assists in the final third.

17. Savinho

Michel's Girona were one of the stories of the 2023/24 season - even if they are owned by the City Football Group - and Savinho was a star operator as the blistering spark down their left flank.

The teenager is an archetypal Brazilian winger who uses his innate flair to dazzle. Having starred in La Liga - on loan from Troyes, for whom he never appeared - Savinho is now plying his trade for Man City and has made an extremely promising start to his career in England.

16. Marcus Rashford

When Marcus Rashford burst onto the scene with a brace against Arsenal on his Premier League debut, he seemed destined for superstardom.

He was soon an England international and in three consecutive seasons he scored at least ten times in the Premier League.

Rashford's form dipped considerably, but the arrival of Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford saw him galvanised. Rashford is brilliant at getting in behind defences and is a devastating finisher.

His 2022/23 season was sensational, but 2023/24 was certainly a major disappointment.

15. Cody Gakpo

Cody Gakpo was frequently utilised as a centre-forward and even occasionally a central midfielder by Jurgen Klopp when he first arrived at Liverpool following a switch from PSV Eindhoven.

However, the Dutchman's recent form while playing as a traditional left winger ensure that that's the role he will thrive in for club and country moving forward.

Despite being tall for a wide player, Gakpo is an agile and tidy dribbler, while also posing significant goal threat when cutting inside on his favoured right foot.

14. Jeremy Doku

Choatic and free-spirited, Jeremy Doku is arguably the antithesis of an ideal Pep Guardiola winger.

The Belgian teased his explosive brilliance at Euro 2020 before returning to mainstream prominence after signing for Man City. The all-conquering Cityzens are laden with controllers and retainers, even out wide, but Doku is an absolute game-breaker from the touchline.

There may not be a superior one-v-one winger in the world, even if the end product needs to improve to take his game to the next level.

13. Anthony Gordon

Newcastle have two enticing options on the left wing in Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes, but it's the former Everton star who made the position his own in 2023/24.

The England international has always been a threat for the Magpies and has kicked on at St James' Park after his breakout performances on Merseyside.

With Liverpool having shown significant interest in Gordon last summer, he is certain to have plenty of other suitors by the time the 2024/25 season concludes.

12. Jack Grealish

Jack Grealish was set up to fail when Manchester City paid £100m for his services in 2021 but he started to prove his doubters wrong with some encouraging displays.

The former Aston Villa captain eventually found a regular spot on the left wing as City stormed to the treble in 2022/23, but he was shunted to the bench for the majority of the subsequent campaign.

2024/25 may be make-or-break for the England international, who has lost some of his natural flair within a well-drilled City side.

11. Leandro Trossard

Not much was made of Leandro Trossard's Brighton arrival in 2019 and he went under the radar for much of his time on the south coast.

The Belgium international became a key figure at the American Express Stadium under Graham Potter and then Roberto De Zerbi, catching Arsenal's attention with some influential displays.

He played a supporting role in his first half-season with the Gunners in their second-place Premier League finish but still contributed a whopping ten assists purely in their colours. The Belgian has continued to produce clutch moments for Arteta's title challengers.

10. Kingsley Coman

The perpetually injured Kingsley Coman has never been able to catch a break, with knocks often striking at the cruellest of times for the Frenchman.

Coman is not a major producer in the final third and poor decision-making has always prevented him from reaching the heights of some of his teammates.

Nevertheless, Coman is one of the most prolific dribblers in the world and his ability to create separation in one-v-one situations is second to none. While he usually performs an inverted function off the left, Coman's more than capable of occupying the touchline and beating his man on the outside.

Scoring the winner in the Champions League final is no mean feat, either.

9. Diogo Jota

Injuries have hampered Diogo Jota in recent seasons, but there's no doubting he guarantees goals when fit.

The Portugal international may be the most natural finisher on the books at Liverpool and, when you consider they have Mohamed Salah, that's really saying something.

The forward, whether operating through the middle or on the left, seldom fails to find the back of the net for the Reds and links play up beautifully when given the opportunity.

8. Gabriel Martinelli

Gabriel Martinelli is one of the very few good things to come out of the Unai Emery era at Arsenal.

The winger was signed from Brazilian minnows Ituano to little fanfare in 2018 but showed during his debut season in England the Gunners might have stumbled upon a diamond in the rough.

In an exciting attack alongside Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka, Martinelli has emerged as one of the Premier League's biggest goal threats with his direct running and stellar ball-striking with both feet helping him score all sorts of goals.

7. Luis Diaz

Luis Diaz looked tailor-made for Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool when the Reds signed the Colombia international in January 2022.

Playing high up the pitch with an eye on getting in behind, Diaz endured an injury-hit first full season at Anfield but still showed he has everything required to be a hit on Merseyside.

Now working under Arne Slot, the dynamic South American has made a lightning fast start to the Dutchman's reign.

6. Nico Williams

Yet another young Spanish wide player, Nico Williams is a delightful winger to watch.

A regular for Athletic Club, the youngster is thoroughly impressing week in, week out in La Liga and was one of the stars of Euro 2024, even scoring in the final itself as Spain claimed the trophy.

That tournament certainly thrust him into the limelight and on to the wishlists of Europe's elite, but staying at Athletic Club for 2024/25 will enable him to hone his craft in familiar surroundings.

5. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has garnered the 'Kvaradona' tag since joining Napoli and for good reason.

The Georgian superstar's direct running, instinctive nature and penchant for entertaining have seen him immediately emerge as a fan favourite. He's an incredibly exciting winger to watch, with his unpredictability and variation in possession being distinct factors in his meteoric rise.

Kvaratskhelia led Serie A for assists in 2022/23 (10) and also netted 12 times during Napoli's title-winning campaign. 2023/24 was tough for the Neapolitans, with the Georgian often tasked with carrying the side on his back in Victor Osimhen's absence, but Euro 2024 brought out the best in him once again.

4. Rafael Leao

There's certainly no doubting Rafael Leao's status as one of the best left wingers in the world after he played a starring role in AC Milan’s Scudetto triumph in 2021/22, scoring ten times and adding 11 assists in 34 league appearances.

The Portugal international boasts a lightning-quick, gazelle-like stride that overwhelms defences every week. He's a destructive ball-carrier and has reached superstar status at San Siro.

The sky is very much the limit for Leao, who will undoubtedly make Milan a lot of money when the right time to sell arrives - if it ever does.

3. Son Heung-min

Son Heung-min had his worst campaign in recent memory in 2022/23, coming only a season after he won the Premier League's Golden Boot.

The South Korean idol is known for enduring lapses in form and while such troughs can be incredibly frustrating, Son's scintillating purple patches more than make amends.

He's been a world-class performer at Spurs for almost half a decade. While he doesn't excel in some of the traditional aspects of wing play, Son has blossomed into arguably the deadliest inside forward in the world.

There isn't a goal he can't score with either foot and Ange Postecoglou has got the best out of him in recent times.

2. Vinicius Junior

It wasn't too long ago when Karim Benzema couldn't stand the thought of Vinicius Junior receiving possession. "Don't play with him, on my mother's life he is playing against us," the French forward told Ferland Mendy during a Champions League group stage clash in 2020. 

Oh, how the tables have turned!

Vinicius' evolution from a spritely but indecisive winger into final third machine played a key role in Real Madrid's Champions League victory in 2021/22. He also notched 27 La Liga goal contributions that season and struck up a deadly partnership with the once-critical Benzema.

Alongside Jude Bellingham, he's now the leading light at the Bernabeu in light of Benzema's departure to Saudi Arabia. The Brazilian has copped terrible abuse in Spain but keeps rising above the hate and is arguably the best out-and-out winger in the world.

1. Kylian Mbappe

The epitome of a generational talent. Kylian Mbappe's rise to superstardom was inevitable after he broke through at Monaco as a 17-year-old during the 2016/17 season.

PSG quickly snapped the teenager up and Mbappe soon became the most powerful man in the French capital.

While Mbappe is yet to win the Champions League, he's won multiple league titles, the World Cup and is PSG's all-time leading goalscorer. The electric Frenchman has achieved so much in such a short space of time and is well on his way to dominating the sport throughout the 2020s.

He's now continuing his incredible journey at Real Madrid alongside a host of extraordinary players, with an elusive Champions League trophy surely residing in his trophy cabinet soon enough.

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