Top 5 young left-footed wingers in Europe

Left-footed wingers have always been a favourite for most football fans. The sight of a left-footer jinking up and down the flank, beating the opposing full-back and crossing is one that has always given footie fans everywhere joy.

The likes of Arjen Robben, Gareth Bale, Angel Di Maria, Ryan Giggs among others have thrilled fans in recent years with their runs, skills, goals, and abilities. Left-footed non-wingers like Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann amongst others have also helped raise the profile of the left-footed wingers.

Wing play is a young man's game as it involves lots of running, blinding pace and moving up and down the flanks. Hence, some of the best left-footed wingers currently plying their trade tend to be below 25.

Here is a look at 5 of the best left-footed wingers under the age of 25 who are making waves:

#5 Helder Costa (Wolverhampton & Portugal)

The Angolan-born player is a versatile attacking option who is comfortable playing on either flank or just behind the main striker.

For his club side; Wolves, he has seen most of the action on the right wing as it has allowed him to cut in and use his trusted left foot to great effect.

A talented dribbler with flair and unpredictable, Costa has been highly rated since his days in the youth setup at SL Benfica. His loan spells at Deportivo La Coruna and AS Monaco were marked by flashes of brilliance and long stretches of inconsistency.

These are chinks he is still working out of his game and like a lot of wingers, he can be very frustrating with his decision making. He is getting better though. While he has not started a lot of matches for Wolves this season, he has impacted matches when coming off the bench.

Costa is now a full-fledged Portuguese international and his ability to beat a man, his crossing and dribbling mark him out as one to watch.

#4 Leon Bailey (Jamaica & Bayer Leverkusen)

Bailey's abilities stand him out as a future star

Things have not gone so well for one of the Bundesliga's best talents this season. Despite being an ever-present in coach Heiko Herrlich's side, the Jamaican has only hit a single goal in 844 minutes of football in all competitions.

However, he remains a great talent and one of the most promising left-footed wingers in Europe. He is quick and delivers more than his fair share of great crosses. Bailey is capable of functioning effectively on either flank and while not the tallest player, his dribbling, pace and shooting more than make up for it

His short passes are still not the best and he has the tendency to go missing in games. However, his goalscoring and talent make him a brilliant player who scores great goals.

Bailey has been linked to big sides like Chelsea over the last few years. It seems a matter of when and not if, he will make the move to one of Europe's giants.

#3 Federico Bernadeschi (Juventus & Italy)

Bernadeschi could be Italy's biggest star in the nearest future

A lot has been expected of the Italian international since he came unto the scene with Fiorentina. The mop of dirty blond hair, the impudence and skill reminded watchers of Italian football of another great Italian winger, Giuseppe Signori

Blessed with amazing pace, superb dribbling skills, and a wicked left foot, he was the undoubted star for the Viola between 2014-2017. However, he earned the enmity of the fans when he made the move to Juventus last season for €40m.

His first season in Turin was blighted by injuries limiting him to 31 appearances across all competitions. He was still able to get 5 goals and 7 assists.

The arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo has meant that Bernadeschi has occupied the right-wing role in Juventus. This has seen him play better by cutting in and using his considerable pace and skills to beat defenders. He has greatly improved and looks set to be a key man for both La Vecchia Signora (The Old Lady) and the Azzurri for the foreseeable future.

#2 Leroy Sane (Manchester City and Germany)

Sane is one of the most watchable players in world football

Currently regarded as one of the best young players in world football, Sané has been one of the most watchable wingers for years now.

A mesmerizing dribbler whose babyish mien hides a fierce competitor, he is a deceptively fast winger adept at functioning on either flank. He possesses a knack for goal scoring, registers his fair share of assists and is very strong and difficult to knock off the ball.

Under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola at City, he has gone from strength to strength with his width and skills helping the Cityzens wreak havoc on teams in the Premier League.

Following his £37m move to the Etihad Stadium from Schalke 04 in 2017, the German international struggled for form in his first season. He exploded into life the following season as his exploits helped him win the Young Player of the Year gong.

He has continued that rich vein of form this season with 3 goals and 5 assists so far and looks primed to do more than he has already done.

#1 Nicolas Pépé (Lille OSC & Ivory Coast)

Pépé has set Ligue 1 on fire this season

One of Ligue 1's hottest prospects, the 23-year-old lit up France this season. In the process, some of Europe's leading clubs have turned covetous gazes on him.

He has always had that special quality about his play and shone brightly at French minnows SCO Angers before moving to join current club Lille for £10m last season.

His quality has been evident as he has scored 22 goals and made 12 assists since he joined Les Dogues (The Great Danes)

Like a lot of wingers, Pépé has been playing on the right of Lille's 4-3-3 formation. This has helped him make good use of his searing pace, quick feet, and amazing dribbling to constantly evade challenges. Unlike other wingers on the list, he is a far more accomplished goalscorer.

Screamers, tap-ins, freekicks, penalties are just some of the goals he has gotten and he will get better as he grows. It is only a matter of time before one of Europe's giants come calling.