There was a time where the best left-wingers were all left-footed and their sole job was to whip balls into big forwards. Not anymore.
Now, the best LWs in the world are game-changers capable of the unthinkable at the drop of a hat. With football evolving, some of the most talented players in the world play wide on the left, using trickery, pace and creativity to light up sides across Europe – so that makes picking the best ones a tricky task indeed.
VIDEO How Arsenal's 10 Men Nearly Pulled Off The Impossible Against Man City
How our experts decided the best left-wingers in the world
Choosing just 10 is a difficult task, for a start. Our experts picked an initial long-list based on their current ability, form over the past couple of seasons and historic legacy in football.
The left-wingers that we went with were all chosen based on their respective influence for their clubs, whether they're more creative players or devastating inside forwards. We eventually halved the selection of 20 that our experts came up with, working out an average score for each – while making sure each player was selected the most appropriate list for them, as some stars could have made it into our rankings of the best right-wingers in the world and the best strikers in the world.
We have other lists, too. A little further back, we've collated the best defensive midfielders in the world, the best central midfielders in the world and the best defensive midfielders in the world.
Defensively speaking, we've ranked the best goalkeepers in the world, the best centre-backs in the world, the best right-backs in the world and the best left-backs in the world. Let's go!
10. Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur)
Son Heung-Min’s Premier League reputation is set in stone thanks to his ten years at Tottenham Hotspur. A jack-of-all-trades across the frontline, Son is capable of carrying out any role asked of him to a devastating standard.
Undeterred by the departure of Harry Kane, Son shouldered the responsibility of helping Tottenham during a massively transitional period on the pitch as a young squad continues to gel. Four goal involvements in five league appearances so far this season suggests that the South Korean legend is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon.
9. Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad)
Mikel Oyarzabal was built perfectly in the mould of a Spanish winger from 2012. Not blessed with fantastic pace, his dribbling, creativity and footballing IQ separate him from many players in his position as he has helped Real Sociedad reestablish themselves as a continental club on a regular basis.
A one-club man since turning professional, Oyarzabal is believed to have rejected interest from across Europe to guide them to regular Europa League knockout round appearances as well as becoming almost ever-present in the top six of Spain. A true example of loyalty, Oyarzabal may never get the recognition he deserves outside of San Sebastian.
8. Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich)
Kingsley Coman has been a trophy magnet since breaking through at Paris Saint-Germain as a teenager. The Frenchman had represented PSG, Juventus and Bayern Munich by the age of 21, lifting the World Cup in 2018 and scoring the winning goal in the 2020 Champions League final.
A dazzling winger with a consistent output of goal involvements, Coman goes slightly under the radar as his impressive performances in Bavaria have become more of an expectation than something he is praised for. Comfortable on both wings, Coman has proved somewhat of a Swiss Army Knife for Bayern Munich under numerous managers.
7. Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal)
Gabriel Martinelli’s stocks have fallen at Arsenal in recent times – but there are obvious extenuating circumstances to a quieter 12 months in the Premier League. The Gunners’ left-hand side was completely dismantled around the Brazilian, with Oleksandr Zincenko and Gabriel Jesus both spending much of last season on the sidelines, while Granit Xhaka left altogether.
One would imagine that Mikel Merino and Riccardo Calafiori were signed with Martinelli partly in mind. A player that Jurgen Klopp once called a ‘talent of the century’, the 23-year-old has pace in abundance, the ability to beat his man on either side and is incredibly underrated in the air. It’s his workrate and diligence that Mikel Arteta perhaps adores more than anything, though: he never stops running, whether he has the ball or not.
6. Luis Diaz (Liverpool)
A player reborn this season under Arne Slot, Luis Diaz has been arguably Liverpool’s best player in the early stages of the campaign, netting a brace at Old Trafford as part of a five-goal haul in the league so far.
The dynamic winger has proved a consistent goal threat since making the move from Porto in January 2021, while Sadio Mane’s departure in 2023 allowed him to flourish on the left at Anfield. Calling him ‘the Colombian Cristiano Ronaldo’ isn’t at all un-apt.
5. Jeremy Doku (Manchester City)
There are few players in world football that strike more fear in a full-back’s heart in a one-on-one situation than Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku.
The Belgian youngster is a specialist in getting fans off their seats with his dazzling trickery and electric pace as he continues to stamp his authority on Pep Guardiola’s side. Having already displaced Jack Grealish as the starting left winger, Doku’s projection for the next few years looks set to take him to stratospheric levels as Guardiola continues to polish his technical ability.
4. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli)
Comparisons to Diego Maradonna don’t come lightly, so when the nickname ‘Kvara-donna’ was granted to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia it was clear the Georgian playmaker meant business.
Enjoying a remarkable breakout campaign in 2022/23, Kvaratskhelia formed one of Serie A’s most formidable partnerships with Victor Osimhen on the way to Napoli’s first league title since 1990, with the winger registering 31 goal involvements that season. Perhaps a victim of Napoli’s rapid decline last season, the Georgian’s hype appears to have dropped, although anyone who tunes in to a game can see that the ability is well and truly still there, and a career at the elite level is destined for the exciting playmaker.
3. Nico Williams (Athletic Club)
Nico Williams has been threatening to truly explode onto the scene for a number of years now, having broken into the first team at Athletic Club in 2021 before quickly tying down a starting spot.
However, 2024 marked the arrival of a superstar thanks to his performances on the way to Spain’s European Championship success. A complete menace in the final third, adept on either foot and able to attack the box or stretch the touchline, it remains to be seen how long he will remain at his boyhood club as the 22-year-old now looks destined for greatness.
2. Rafael Leao (Milan)
Untouchable on his day, the Milan winger started last season with an outrageous bicycle kick against Roma and would end the campaign as Serie A’s leading assister, while also becoming the second-fastest Milan player to hit 50 goals and 50 assists after Kaka.
A game-changing talent who has a bagful of tricks and the confidence to match. Certainly on the tall side for a winger at 6ft 2in, Leao predominantly plays on the left (hence his inclusion on this list) but is more than versatile enough to switch flanks – making him a very tricky customer indeed. He will surely make a huge move sooner rather than later.
1. Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid)
The sudden departures of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar from the European scene left a vacant space for an attacker to get fans off their seats on a weekly basis, with football coming under criticism for the ever-growing robot-like tactics on display.
Up stepped Ballon d'Or favourite Vinicius Jr. A wonderkid who has well and truly delivered on his potential, the Brazilian is now arguably the greatest player on earth, pairing dazzling dribbling with electric speeds as he helped guide Real Madrid to their 14th and 15 Champions League title, scoring in both finals. Now tasked with shouldering the burden of a transition period for the national team, the next few years could be crucial for how Vinicius Jr’s legacy is remembered, but there’s certainly no doubting his seemingly limitless talent at present.
