Who is the best winger in world football right now? Superstars from Barcelona, PSG and Bayern Munich are all up there and the World Cup has boosted their reputations.
Europe’s biggest clubs are packed with elite wide attackers, yet only a select few can claim to be the very best. Narrowing our ranking down to just 10 names wasn’t easy, but we got there in the end.
Without further ado, here’s our ranking of the 10 best wingers in world football.
10. Jeremy Doku
There’s a distinct lack of Premier League representation on this list, which probably says something about the state of wide attacking play in that league. Gone are the days of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
Perhaps it’s a stylistic thing. The physical demands and compact defensive structures of the Premier League don’t always lend themselves to the sort of expressive, one-v-one football that makes the continent’s best wingers so exciting. Several players higher up this list have also left England and look considerably more effective on the continent.
Bukayo Saka would have been an obvious candidate, but injuries and a worrying stagnation in his output make his inclusion difficult to justify. So Doku gets the nod. The Belgian is one of the most outrageous dribblers in world football, even if the pieces haven’t quite fallen into place for him to become an equally effective goalscorer and creator.
9. Anthony Gordon
Gordon made an excellent start to life at Barcelona, although the initial excitement has subsided a little in recent weeks.
The 25-year-old’s work rate and selflessness have made him a natural fit for Hansi Flick’s demanding approach. He’s got the legs to press from the front, the discipline to track back and, crucially, no apparent problem doing the unglamorous work that allows his more talented team-mates to flourish.
8. Vinicius Junior
There is a fairly compelling argument for leaving Vinicius Junior out of this ranking altogether.
It feels an awfully long time ago that the Brazilian was a genuine Ballon d’Or contender. He’s looked increasingly out of sorts, his numbers haven’t been particularly spectacular, and Real Madrid have arguably looked a more cohesive side during his La Liga suspension. His absence has been a blessing in disguise for Jose Mourinho.
It’s difficult to know where things go from here. Vinicius is still capable of producing moments of magic, as he demonstrated at the World Cup, where he repeatedly tried to drag a decidedly ordinary Brazil side forward.
He’s also managed plenty of goals for club and country in 2026. Not bad for somebody who looks to have hit rock bottom.
But the mammoth wages and lengthy contract he’s tied himself to could become a headache for Madrid if this proves to be more than a temporary blip. It looks a long way back to the very top.
7. Luis Diaz
The Colombian’s departure from Liverpool was widely considered a relatively painless one, but Bayern Munich have got an awful lot out of him.
Diaz’s pressing, intensity and directness added another dimension to Vincent Kompany’s attack, while his numbers improved considerably. He’s even scored more in a single season for Bayern than Arjen Robben or Franck Ribery ever managed.
Still, his stock was a bit higher last season. He’s settled into more of a supporting role in Bayern’s formidable front three, with Kane and Olise taking much of the limelight.
6. Yan Diomande
Madrid look a considerably better-balanced side with Diomande in the team, which is becoming an increasingly awkward truth for Vinicius Junior.
The Ivorian teenager offers more defensive discipline, leaving Marc Cucurella less exposed, without sacrificing the explosive dribbling and directness Madrid need from their left flank. He’s also starting to deliver the spectacular goals and decisive moments to go with his considerable talent.
The hefty fee looked a gamble at the time. It’s looking like money well spent.
5. Desire Doue
The 21-year-old France international has graduated from Golden Boy to something considerably more deadly.
The brace in the 2025 Champions League final was a statement of intent, and he’s taken another sizeable step forward since then. With Khvicha Kvaratskhelia sidelined through injury, the 21-year-old has helped carry PSG’s attack.
PSG’s willingness to sell Barcola speaks volumes about Doue’s development. He’s become a player they can trust to deliver.
Another brilliant cog in the best team in the world. His outrageously clean ball-striking makes him one of the most deadly finishers in this ranking, and there’s still room for improvement. A frightening prospect.
4. Lionel Messi
Thirty-nine years old. Playing out in MLS for the past three years.
But you watched him in the World Cup and there can be no question that he’s still among the very best footballers on the planet. Not of this earth.
What we’d give to see one last loan stint in Europe.
3. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Forget the numbers. Kvaratskhelia’s Ligue 1 return of eight goals and four assists last season was poor, but who cares if he’s not putting French farmers to the sword every week when he can come on and do what he did against Chelsea and Bayern?
The Georgian is a wonderful outlier in an increasingly systemised game. We’re genuinely reminded of Ronaldinho, Georgi Kinkladze and Ricardo Quaresma when he’s got the ball at his feet.
An ACL injury means we won’t see Kvaratskhelia again this season. A proper footballing tragedy, but we’re not about to forget that he’s still one of the best players in the world.
2. Michael Olise
It would be easy to overlook Olise, given Harry Kane’s top billing and the Bundesliga tax narrative, but that would be folly.
Finishing ninth in the Ballon d’Or voting felt harsh, when he’s surely among the top contenders to claim the award in 2027.
1. Lamine Yamal
La Masia’s most talented graduate since Lionel Messi is now a World Cup winner. He’s been around for long enough now that we’ve become accustomed to him.
It’s three years since he made his debut, and he’s now racked up over 150 appearances for club and country.
Every so often it’s good to step back and remind ourselves that what he is doing a teenager is simply not normal. Messi and Ronaldo weren’t doing anything like this at the same age.
Use whatever metrics you want. Goals, assists, chances created, dribbles. Yamal is scarily good on all fronts but the data only serves to back up what we can see with our own eyes.
Quite clearly the best, most dangerous wide attacker in world football.
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