The emergence of the ‘inverted’ wide man has altered our perceptions of the winger. Such players are no longer expected to hit the byline and cross at will – that’s now the job of the marauding full-back – but are instead tasked with cutting onto their favoured foot and creating or scoring from a more central position.
Of course, there’s the odd player who resembles the throwback profile of a right winger, but those are hard to come by and few are among the very best in the world right now.
Here’s our list of the top 25 right-wingers on the planet.
25. Moussa Diaby
Diaby departed the Premier League after just one season / Yasser Bakhsh/GettyImages
In a post-Kai Havertz world, Moussa Diaby emerged as a major protagonist at Bayer Leverkusen.
He exploded into life during the 2021/22 season, with a big move away growing inevitable. Aston Villa wasn’t the home projected by many, but the Villans had grown into a force under Unai Emery’s tutelage and it was thought Diaby would play a key role in the club’s rise after enjoying a promising start to his career at Villa Park.
However, the Frenchman’s sole Premier League campaign drifted into obscurity and there wasn’t too much disappointment when he was sold to Al Ittihad ahead of the 2024/25 season.
24. Riyad Mahrez
Mahrez has moved to the Saudi Pro League / Yasser Bakhsh/GettyImages
Pep Guardiola’s tendency to rotate means Riyad Mahrez didn’t produce the numbers of some of his contemporaries at Manchester City, but the Algerian winger still came up clutch in huge moments.
His performances in the knockout stages of the 2020/21 Champions League campaign spring to mind, especially his three-goal effort over two legs in the semi-final against PSG.
Mahrez’s penchant for performing when it matters most is just another string to his bow. The former Leicester winger is as naturally gifted as they come and emanates elegance and grace every time he touches the ball.
A switch to Saudi Arabia means he’s been thrust out of mainstream prominence.
23. Pedro Neto
Neto joined Chelsea in the summer / Sebastian Frej/MB Media/GettyImages
Long-term injury setbacks have prevented Neto from reaching the heights he was once projected, but the Portuguese winger does have time on his side.
An unpredictable operator with bags of pace, Neto joined Chelsea in the summer and is trying to work his way into Enzo Maresca’s favoured XI. The former Wolves star still has plenty of potential and he’s well-liked by national team coach Roberto Martinez.
22. Brennan Johnson
Johnson is enjoying a hot run of form at the start of the 2024/25 season / ATTILA KISBENEDEK/GettyImages
Brennan Johnson enjoyed a productive first season at Tottenham Hotspur after his £47.5m move from Nottingham Forest.
The rapid Welshman fits manager Ange Postecoglou’s style of play neatly and has plenty of the tools necessary to become one of the leading right-wingers in the world.
After copping heaps of online abuse, Johnson has embarked on a staggering scoring run at the start of his second season in north London.
21. Noni Madueke
Madueke is enjoying life under Enzo Maresca / Chloe Knott – Danehouse/GettyImages
The former Tottenham academy star hit it off in the Netherlands with PSV, rendering a return to his homeland inevitable. However, Spurs were not the Premier League outfit to come calling, with Madueke instead joining Chelsea in 2023.
The winger’s debut season was comporable to an NFL rookie. There were plenty of mistakes, but Madueke doubtlessly showed promise and a bright 2024 pre-season has permeated into the 2024/25 campaign.
Madueke has been superb to kick-off the new season, earning his first England caps as a result.
20. Edon Zhegrova
Zhegrova is an explosive wide player / Carlos Rodrigues/GettyImages
The Kosovoan live-wire is a thrilling watch. Tremendously explosive and agile, Zhegrova is Lille’s leading playmaker and striker Jonathan David is often the beneficiary of the 25-year-old’s exploits out wide.
He’s ever so direct and loves to take on his man one-v-one. Zhegrova’s the sort of winger you get off your seat for in anticipation of the upcoming sequence when he receives possession.
Zhegrova developed in consistency last season, and his start to 2024/25 has been immensely promising.
19. Mateo Politano
Politano is a steady figure down Napoli’s right flank / Ivan Romano/GettyImages
Politano may not be the most spectacular of performers, but he’s a steady Eddie who does the basics well.
The Italian has a lovely left foot and often seeks to cut inside from the right flank to have a pop at goal from distance. However, he can also beat his man on the outside and create from the byline.
While Victor Osimhen and Kvicha Kvaratskhelia suffered amid Napoli’s post-Scudetto hangover, Politano shone and was the club’s standout attacker last season.
David Neres is supplying Politano with stiff competition at the start of Antonio Conte’s reign.
18. Leon Bailey
Bailey has enjoyed a resurgent season at Villa Park / Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/GettyImages
Leon Bailey arrived at Villa Park to much fanfare in 2021 having shone at Bayer Leverkusen, although his first two seasons in the Premier League were fairly underwhelming.
The addition of Diaby was set to hinder Bailey further, but the Jamaican instead thrived in the Frenchman’s presence, usurping him in the depth chart before Diaby moved to the Gulf.
The tricky Bailey enjoyed his most prolific campaign since 2020/21 last season, bagging ten Premier League goals.
17. Takefusa Kubo
Kubo has long been touted for stardom / Soccrates Images/GettyImages
The Japanese phenom is not yet a output monster, but there are reasons why Kubo was linked to Liverpool in the summer.
Slight in frame, the Real Sociedad winger is freakishly agile and able to change direction in the blink of an eye. Kubo’s twitchiness renders him a destructive dribbler who’s ever so fun to watch.
He was Sociedad’s 2022/23 Player of the Season, and his move to San Sebastian has proven to be the making of the 23-year-old, who will surely wind up at one of Europe’s elite sometime soon.
16. Angel Di Maria
Di Maria is a modern legend / Leonardo Fernandez/GettyImages
Manchester United spell aside, Angel Di Maria has been playing at an elite level for over a decade.
His game has had to evolve as he reaches the end of his career, but the Argentine is still one of the best right-wingers in the world.
At Paris Saint-Germain, Di Maria played the supporting role. He couldn’t compete with Kylian Mbappe’s productivity nor rival Neymar’s majesty with the ball, but he ensured PSG’s ego-laden attack was balanced and played an underrated role in their journey to the 2020 Champions League final.
He’s thriving in the familiar surroundings of Lisbon with Benfica after a brief season with Juve.
15. Federico Chiesa
Chiesa joined Liverpool for just £12.5m in the summer / Alex Livesey – Danehouse/GettyImages
Federico Chiesa’s stellar Euro 2020 campaign with Italy thrust the electric winger to the forefront of these sorts of discussions.
Chiesa was once a precocious talent at Fiorentina before Juventus came in with an irresistible offer in 2020. It took some time for the Italian to settle in Turin, but he exploded down the stretch of the 2020/21 campaign which set the tone for his incredible summer.
However, an ACL tear sustained in 2022 scuppered his progress, and the fact Juve were happy to let him leave the club in the summer for a mere £12.5m shows that he’s not the player he once was. Can he burst back into life at Anfield?
14. Christian Pulisic
Pulisic captains the USMNT / Bill Barrett/ISI Photos/USSF/GettyImages
Christian Pulisic’s career hasn’t taken off to the extent he might have hoped given the calibre of teams he has played for in his career so far. However, the USMNT star is enjoying life in Milan and has been among Serie A’s standout performers at the start of the 2024/25 season – his second in Italy.
‘Captain America’ is renowned for his blistering pace and tricky dribbling and enjoyed his most productive season to date in his debut campaign at San Siro.
13. Bryan Mbeumo
Mbeumo is a key figure for Brentford / Warren Little/GettyImages
Bryan Mbeumo has improved at an impressive rate since Brentford’s promotion to and subsequent stay in the Premier League.
A natural flier down the right flank, the Cameroon international has developed a clinical streak and stepped up for the Bees while striker Ivan Toney sat on the sidelines through suspension.
With Toney now completely out of the picture, Thomas Frank’s team continues to run through Mbeumo.
12. Johan Bakayoko
Bakayoko opted to stay at PSV last summer / Soccrates Images/GettyImages
After enjoying a breakout 2022/23, Johan Bakayoko was on the brink of departing PSV Eindhoven.
The Belgian, though, was swayed by incoming boss Peter Bosz and the Dutchman has since taken Bakayoko to new heights. The winger functions as the unpredictable live wire down PSV’s right as they won the 2023/24 Eredivisie title.
11. Jadon Sancho
Sancho has been excellent in 2024 / Chloe Knott – Danehouse/GettyImages
Jadon Sancho’s time at Manchester United was disappointing but there were mitigating factors as to why the England international’s Borussia Dortmund form didn’t translate over to the Premier League.
Sancho was thrust into a toxic, high-pressure environment and wasn’t given the best chance of succeeding. He was tactically misused, but a return to Dortmund on loan last season ensured we saw the best of the exciting English winger once more.
Sancho surely has no future in Manchester, but he could still have a Premier League career with Chelsea.
10. Jarrod Bowen
Bowen is a star for West Ham / Matthew Ashton – AMA/GettyImages
From non-league Hereford United to West Ham and Europa Conference League glory, Jarrod Bowen has embarked on quite the journey.
Bowen has consistently impressed in east London since arriving from Hull City in 2019 but 2021/22 was a coming-of-age campaign for the industrious right winger. The Englishman scored 12 times in the Premier League and added ten assists for the Hammers before making his first England appearance.
Bowen is a relentless winger who often creates chances for himself thanks to his work rate and defensive effort. As the scorer of the goal that won West Ham the Europa Conference League, he is etched into Irons folklore forever.
9. Leroy Sane
Sane’s production slowed after an incredible start to the 2023/24 season / Alexander Hassenstein/GettyImages
It’s pretty tough to judge how much Leroy Sane has developed since swapping Man City for Bayern Munich.
His total goal contribution output has been steady since his arrival in 2020, but the Germany international is yet to completely dominate at the Allianz Arena like Serge Gnabry, Robert Lewandowski and Harry Kane have in recent years.
That said, he remains a creative threat from out wide and can deliver devastating shots from distance with his left boot. He’s enjoyed linking up with Kane in Bavaria, too.
8. Ousmane Dembele
Dembele is a modern-day enigma / Christian Liewig – Corbis/GettyImages
Ousmane Dembele is one of the most gifted footballers in the world but injuries and inconsistency have prevented the Frenchman from reaching the stratospheric heights he was once destined for.
His time at Barcelona was incredibly frustrating but Xavi’s appointment offered the enigmatic winger a beacon of hope. The former midfielder recognised Dembele’s unordinary talent and made him a key part of his team last season.
Despite this, Dembele opted to up sticks and take his talents to PSG, where he swiftly garnered the trust of Luis Enrique and is now aiming to fill the void left by Kylian Mbappe.
7. Raphinha
Raphinha is loving life in Catalonia / Tim Clayton – Corbis/GettyImages
Angel Di Maria clone Raphinha was courted by several top Premier League clubs following two wonderful years with Leeds but eventually chose to sign with Barcelona.
Raphinha is so technically proficient he’s capable of dictating the tempo of proceedings from his wide position. He’s athletic enough to beat his man in a myriad of ways but prefers to drift inside and create from a more central position.
The Brazil international was excellent at Elland Road under Marcelo Bielsa and his talents are now starting to shine through in Catalonia, too. He’s been excellent in 2024.
6. Michael Olise
Olise has not felt the pressure of playing for a European giant / Alex Grimm/GettyImages
Michael Olise has the makings of an elite winger, even if his 2023/24 campaign was hamstrung by injuries.
His debut season at Selhurst Park was promising and he followed it up with double-digit assists in 2022/23. A creative winger who boasts impressive playmaking tools, his technical ability has drawn comparisons with Riyad Mahrez and Arjen Robben.
He’s taken to the high-pressure environment of Bayern Munich like a fish to water, and many are already labelling Olise’s £50m arrival as the bargain of the summer.
5. Rodrygo
Rodrygo has thrived when Vinicius hasn’t been available / Soccrates Images/GettyImages
Rodrygo has often been outshone by compatriot and teammate Vinicius Junior since joining Real Madrid in 2019, but the Brazilian is starting to produce more of his own big moments.
The Blancos star is an excellent technician who can beat opponents one-v-one in a myriad of ways. While he lacks supreme physicality and athleticism, the Brazilian does boast predatory instincts in the box and is brilliant at creating space for himself in the final third.
While Vinicius scored the all-important winner in the 2021/22 Champions League final, it was Rodrygo’s goals in the quarter-final and semi-final second legs that saw Real progress.
He particularly shone when Vinicius wasn’t available last season, seemingly enjoying the added responsibility.
4. Lionel Messi
Messi remains a giant of the game / SOPA Images/GettyImages
The greatest footballer ever and, despite being 37 years old, he undoubtedly remains among the world’s best.
Lionel Messi claimed his eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023 after spearheading Argentina’s World Cup success in Qatar.
Things are undoubtedly slowing down with the all-time legend now at Inter Miami with some old Barcelona pals, but no active player can match his technical skill and god-like aura.
3. Lamine Yamal
Yamal played a key role in Spain’s Euro 2024 success / Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/GettyImages
At 17 years old, there’s no way Lamine Yamal should be this good already and yet he is.
Yamal is already a superstar at Barcelona and is now also the youngest goalscorer in Spain’s history having played a key role in the country’s Euro 2024 success.
He has all-time great potential.
2. Bukayo Saka
There’s a sense of inevitability surrounding Saka / Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/GettyImages
Bukayo Saka was just 19 when his spot kick was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma to win Italy the Euros. A barrage of abuse came his way but Arsenal’s starboy responded by leading the Gunners’ scoring charts in 2021/22 and their 2022/23 and 2023/24 title challenges.
Saka’s bouncebackability is remarkable, and the winger has been a model of consistency for both club and country ever since Unai Emery handed him his Arsenal debut.
He favours efficiency over aesthetics, but his production has been off the charts. The young wide man is becoming inevitable.
1. Mohamed Salah
Salah continues to fire on Merseyside / Julian Finney/GettyImages
There is no ‘winger’ in world football more ruthless in front of goal than Mohamed Salah.
The Egyptian’s first stint in the Premier League was unsuccessful but his second term has thrust him into superstardom.
His goal returns each season since joining Liverpool are absurd, reading 32, 22, 19, 22, 23, 19 and 18 in the league. He’s a two-time Golden Boot winner and his knack for pulling off the spectacular will only enhance his legacy when his time in England is looked back upon.
