Football: Ranking the 10 best wingers in the world last season
We are approaching the business end of the 2018/19 season and we have witnessed some very entertaining stuff this year. This entertainment is brought about by goals and goals are scored and created by the attackers of a team.
A winger is arguably the most stylish player on the pitch and they are players of great dribbling ability, frightening pace, and clever movement.
They score goals, make assists, and these players need to have great stamina as they have to cause damage upfield and also help the full-backs in defense. It was pretty difficult to pick out the top 10 wingers in the world as there have been a number of brilliant performances.
Before beginning with this slideshow, here are the few players who deserve a mention:
Honorable mentions: Nicolas Pepe (LOSC Lille), Felipe Anderson ( West Ham United), Anthony Martial ( Manchester United), Memphis Depay (Lyon), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim)
All the above players were considered, but they just couldn't make the cut to feature in the top 10. This list is purely based on performances this year and not on reputation.
So, without further ado, here are the top 10 wingers in the world right now:
#10 Lorenzo Insigne
At no. 10 for best wingers in the world is Insigne. He is the captain of Napoli and he has been playing consistently well for the Italian side for the last couple of years. The 27-year-old has continued his form from last season into this season and he has adjusted seamlessly to Carlo Ancelotti's system at Napoli.
Playing as a left winger, Insigne is blessed with great feet and a low center of gravity. His dribbling ability is also brilliant and it allows him to retain possession in tricky situations. He is a kind of a winger who likes to come short and be more involved in the build-up play, and the Italian has that eye for a pass.
The 27-year-old has scored a total of 13 goals this season and made a further 6. The Italian is on the radar of a number of big clubs and only time will tell if he leaves Napoli.
#9 Florian Thauvin
At no. 9 for best wingers in the world is Florian Thauvin. Ever since Florian Thauvin left Newcastle United and joined Marseille, he has been playing some scintillating stuff and he is tearing it up in the Ligue 1 again this season.
Thauvin is a kind of player who is blessed with genuine pace and skill on the ball, and he is a very effective presser. The French right winger is a genuine goalscorer and has a knack of finding himself in goalscoring positions.
The 26-year-old has scored a total of 15 goals this season and assisted 7. Thauvin has been on the radar of a number of Premier League clubs and a big summer move could very well happen.
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#8 Jadon Sancho
At no. 8 for best wingers in the world is Jadon Sancho. He has taken the world by storm this year and the young Englishman is arguably the best teenage footballer in the world right now. Sancho has been absolutely vital for Borussia Dortmund's title challenge this year.
The 18-year-old is a right winger by nature, but he can play anywhere in the front three. His dribbling and technical ability on the ball are highlights of his play. The Englishman makes football look so very simple and it is absolutely frightening to see such a young man produce such good numbers.
Sancho has scored a total of 9 goals this season and has assisted a further 14. Another brilliant thing about the teenager is the fact that he is a tireless worker off the ball.
#7 Heung Min-Son
At no. 7 for best wingers in the world is Heung Min-Son who has been proving his worth to Tottenham Hotspurs for quite some time now and this season he has been one of their best players. With Kane suffering from some injuries this season, Son has stepped up for the Lillywhites in his absence.
Son can play anywhere in the front three, but Mauricio Pochettino has preferred him on the left wing. The South Korean works very hard on and off the ball and chases every second ball. The 26-year-old doesn't really have a wrong foot and has the ability to strike the ball very powerfully.
Son has scored a total of 16 goals this season and made a further 8. Son also has that deadly ability to find himself in goalscoring positions and his finishing is also top notch.
#6 Leroy Sane
At no. 6 for best wingers in the world is Leroy Sane. After being dropped out of the World Cup squad for Germany, and being publicly criticized for his attitude by Pep Guardiola, Sane has stepped up for Manchester City this season.
Playing mostly as a left winger, Sane has been tormenting defenses with his extreme pace and skill on the ball. The German's dribbling ability is up there with the very best and the 23-year-old is also a set-piece specialist and has already scored some stunning free-kicks.
Sane has scored a total of 14 goals this season and made a further 16. The young German hasn't played much to his liking, but still he remains integral to Manchester City's quadruple dream.
#5 Neymar
At no. 5 for best wingers in the world is Neymar, who has had an offseason so far as he has been nursing various injuries, but such is the quality of the 27-year-old that he is still one of the best in the world. Neymar has scored some stunning goals this season, but he hasn't been that consistent.
The Brazilian plays on the left wing and is the part of that deadly PSG attacking trio. PSG have been rampant in the Ligue 1 this season and the Brazilian is one of the reasons behind their domination. He has missed a considerable amount of this season due to injury but still has produced fantastic numbers.
The 27-year-old has scored a total of 20 goals this season and made a further 9. Neymar remains an integral part of PSG, but will he stay next season, only time will tell.