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Wingers are some of the most exciting players to watch on a football pitch. They are tasked with stretching the opposition defense and whipping crosses into the box from the flanks. But their role is not limited to that.
Gone are the days when wingers would make a beeline for the byline before telegraphing the ball into the crowded penalty area. Inverted wingers have taken over and they double up as goalscorers who are predisposed to cutting in from the wings to create more direct scoring opportunities.
There are plenty of world-class wingers in the world right now and here, we take a look at five of the best left wingers in football at the moment.
#5 Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich)
Leroy Sane is an electric presence down the wing for Bayern Munich. He failed to hit the ground running in the Bundesliga following his switch from Manchester City in the summer of 2020. But he returned to form in the 2021-22 season and was one of the Bavarians' most important players as they won the league title.
The former Manchester City man scored 14 goals and provided 15 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions for the Bavarians last term.
Sane has got off to a great start to the 2022-23 season as well. In 11 appearances across all competitions for Bayern Munich, the 26-year-old has scored five goals and provided three assists. He is a huge threat on counter attacks courtesy of his pace and ball progression abilities.
The Germany international is excellent with his movement and is always looking to make runs in behind the defense.
#4 Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur)
Son Heung-Min is one of the most underrated forwards of his generation. The South Korea international has been tearing it up for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League for several years now.
He is a world-class winger with a well-rounded skillset and has been a wonderful strike partner for Harry Kane. Son shared the Premier League Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah last season after scoring 23 goals in the league.
All of those were non-penalty goals and he also became the first Asian player to pick up the Golden Boot in Europe's top five leagues. In nine appearances across all competitions so far this term, Son has scored three goals and provided one assist.
#3 Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona)
Ousmane Dembele is one of the finest attackers we've seen in recent times. His constant injury issues have impeded his development but the Frenchman has shown us what he is capable of over the past several months.
Dembele is ambidextrous and can dribble, pass and shoot with both feet. This makes Dembele a dynamic winger who can play just as comfortably on either flank and he manages to keep defenders guessing all the time.
Dembele finished the 2021-22 season as La Liga's top assist provider despite making just 21 appearances. In eight appearances across all competitions so far this season for Barcelona, he has scored two goals and provided four assists.
#2 Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid)
After dazzling us with his incredible skills on an intermittent basis for a couple of seasons, Vinicius Jr. truly came into his own in the 2021-22 season. He enjoyed a breakout campaign last term, scoring 22 goals and providing 20 assists in 52 appearances across all competitions for Real Madrid.
The Brazil international has burgeoned into a menacing attacker under the tutelage of Carlo Ancelotti. He is an agile and skilful winger who has a very direct approach to attacking.
Vinicius never shies away from taking defenders on and the technical side of his game has undergone a massive improvement in the last year and a half. The 22-year-old has scored five goals and provided four assists in nine appearances across all competitions for Real Madrid so far this season.
#1 Neymar Jr. (Paris Saint-Germain)
Neymar Jr.'s involvement for both club and country was limited in the 2021-22 season due to his injury issues. The Brazil international returned towards the end of the campaign and finished the season on a high.
He is back to his very best in the new season and has been a menacing presence in attack for Paris Saint-Germain. Neymar is one of the most skilled and intelligent footballers of the modern era and is a joy to watch on the football field.
In 11 appearances across all competitions for Paris Saint-Germain so far this term, he has scored 11 goals and provided eight assists. He currently leads the charts for most goal contributions across the top five European leagues
