Top 10 Wingers

The role of a winger has changed a lot over the years as it's gone from hogging the touchline and getting crosses into the box, to now being asked to cut inside and take shots at goal.

They're better known these days as inside forwards because of them being asked to cut inside and score goals.

There are still some wingers who get crosses into the box and hog the touchline, but the majority of them these days cut inside and score goals.

The change most likely started overseas as football is coached differently in different countries and now almost every country has wingers who can cut inside and take players on.

When I look back at my list, I honestly can't believe that I left out one of the greatest players to play the game in Ronaldinho. If there was one player I would add to this list, it would definitely be him because of the ability he had and how good he was in his prime.

He wasn't the only big name player who missed the cut. The Likes of Eden Hazard, Gareth Bale and even Sadio Mane and Marco Reus didn't make the cut.

Now here is the list:

Lionel Messi

Luis Figo

Cristiano Ronaldo

David Beckham

Neymar

Kylian Mbappe

Arjen Robben

Franck Ribery

Mohamed Salah

Angel Di Maria

10. David Beckham

Beckham is the finest crosser of a ball that England have ever produced as his deliveries were tough for any defender to keep out.

He was also as deadly from set pieces and especially from free kicks as number of his goal came from those sort of situations, including that one he scored against Greece for England in 2001.

He had everything you wanted from a winger back when he was playing in that he would get crosses into the box, and run up and down the touchline to help his team out at both ends.

I had to have him in 10th because the other players in the list had higher numbers in terms of goals.

9. Angel Di Maria

Di Maria is still playing at the age of 37 and was right up there among the best wingers in Europe when he was in his prime.

He was a brilliant crosser of the ball like Beckham, agile, could score goals and could play any kind of pass from anywhere on the pitch and especially with the outside of his foot, which was his trademark pass.

He could also play centrally and he did so on a number of occasions for both Real Madrid and PSG due to other players being preferred on the wings.

I feel that his career deserves more respect as he's won pretty much everything in the game including two Copa America's and the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, La Liga and the Champions League with Real Madrid, the latter of which he was named man of the match in the final, and multiple Ligue 1 titles with PSG.

It might not have worked out for him at Man United as he just never suited the Premier League, but in his prime he was one of the best wide men around.

8. Franck Ribery

Ribery had everything you wanted from a winger on his day as he was quick, agile, skilful, could get crosses into the box and score goals.

He scored 124 times during his long spell at Bayern Munich where he won everything on offer including nine Bundesliga titles, six German Cups and the 2013 Champions League as part of the treble they won that year.

He played a crucial role in every success he achieved at Bayern and there are a number of people who say that he should've won the Ballon D'or in 2013 because of him winning the treble with Bayern, and the important role he played in them winning the treble that year.

But he finished third behind both Ronaldo and Messi with the former being the player that won the prize that year.

7. Arjen Robben

Robben was right up there among the best widemen in Europe as he was quick, skilful, agile, could get crosses into box and could also score goals.

He showed a lot of promise at Chelsea and Real Madrid, but it was at Bayern Munich where he had the best years of his career as he added end product to his game in terms of goals.

He won everything on offer at Bayern including eight Bundesliga titles, five German Cups, and the 2013 Champions League, where he scored the winning goal in the final against Borussia Dortmund.

He did pick up a lot of injuries throughout his career which probably prevented him from reaching the highest of levels. But he'll still go down as one of the greatest wingers to play the game.

6. Neymar

A lot of people would probably have Neymar higher because of his ability and how good a player he was on his day.

But I've put him quite low down because he didn't live up to to the potential that was expected of him when he burst onto the scene.

He was brilliant at Barcelona when he played alongside Messi and Suarez as part of that famous MSN trio, but his career went downhill after he left Barca for PSG.

He went to PSG to step out of Messi's shadow and become the main man. But that never happened due to mostly injuries and being outshone by a certain Kylian Mbappe.

5. Luis Figo

Figo was one of the finest players of his generation and easily one of the greatest wingers of all time as he was quick, agile, skilful, and could get inside and score goals.

He was one of the few brave players who played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid and it was at Real where he had arguably the best years of his career.

He hit double figures for goals in all but one of his five seasons at the Bernabeu and was an integral part of the side that won the Champions League in 2002.

He also won the Ballon D'or in 2000 following a stellar final season at Barca before making the move to Real after impressing for Portugal at Euro 2000 where they reached the semi finals.

4. Mohamed Salah

Salah has been one of the best attacking players in Europe for the last maybe six to seven years and his goal returns can very much back that up.

His goal record since he's been at Liverpool is incredible and the numbers he's hit since have been right up there with some of Europe's top marksmen.

His goals have played a major role in every success he's achieved at Liverpool as they've taken both the reds and his game to another level.

He didn't get much of a chance at Chelsea, but since then he's proven them many times why they were crazy to let him go as early as they did.

3. Kylian Mbappe

Mbappe plays through the middle these days for both France and Real Madrid. But his best position is arguably off the left hand side and even he thinks so.

He's been a world class player pretty much ever since he burst onto the scene at Monaco and he's already achieved so much in the game at the of 26.

He won the 2018 World Cup with France when he was just 19, he won six Ligue 1 titles with PSG after winning one with Monaco at the age of only 18, and he's also bagged many individual awards.

Next he'll be targeting the Ballon D'or and the Champions League and he's at the right club to achieve both in Real Madrid.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo plays more through the middle these days just like he has done for the last few years. But he did start out as a winger and it's on the wing where I know him best.

He was all about the stepovers and fancy tricks when he started out, but he soon added end product to his game and once he did, he would go on and hit an insane amount of goals.

He showed a lot of promise at Man United where he was beginning to turn into that world class player. But it was at Real Madrid where he became the player we know him as today an incredible number of goals season after season.

The number of goals he's scored right throughout his career is absolutely sensational and it's even more incredible to see him still do it today at the age of 40.

1. Lionel Messi

Messi simply had to be my no.1 because for me he's the greatest player the game has ever seen.

He's won more Ballon D'or's than any other player with eight and has done things that very few players have or will ever be able to do.

The rivalry that he and Ronaldo had for so many years will surely go down as one of the greatest in sporting history because of the way they both pushed each other to be better, and the high standards they both performed at.

For him to perform at those high standards right throughout his career is simply incredible and I don't think we have or will ever see another player like him.

MY TOP 10:

1. Lionel Messi

2. Cristiano Ronaldo

3. Kylian Mbappe

4. Mohamed Salah

5. Luis Figo

6. Neymar

7. Arjen Robben

8. Franck Ribery

9. Angel Di Maria

10. David Beckham