FC Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele sits atop the list of best right wingers in the world right now. The French international has been in sensational form in 2022 and 2023 and has been focal to the Catalans’ resurgence in the absence of Lionel Messi.
Right wingers are extremely treasured in modern football. They are trusted with a wide variety of roles and responsibilities which often overlapping, inverting, tracking back, creating, crossing, ball carrying , dribbling and even getting into the box to become a goal threat.
What makes right wingers extremely pleasing to the eye is the fact that many of them are incredibly stylish and use their left foot to great effect.
Without further ado, let’s discuss the best right wingers in the world right now:
Best right wingers in the world: Top 10 list
| Player | Club | Country | Age | Career Appearances | Career Goals | Career Assists |
| Ousmane Dembele | Barcelona | France | 25 | 255 | 62 | 65 |
| Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | Egypt | 30 | 473 | 230 | 99 |
| Bukayo Saka | Arsenal | England | 21 | 159 | 31 | 32 |
| Riyad Mahrez | Manchester City | Algeria | 31 | 455 | 127 | 95 |
| Serge Gnabry | Bayern Munich | Germany | 27 | 263 | 96 | 46 |
| Federico Chiesa | Juventus | Italy | 25 | 224 | 53 | 32 |
| Rodrygo | Real Madrid | Brazil | 22 | 187 | 37 | 29 |
| Dejan Kulusevski | Tottenham Hotspur | Sweden | 22 | 154 | 26 | 32 |
| Angel Di Maria | Juventus | Argentina | 34 | 608 | 140 | 213 |
| Raphinha | Barcelona | Brazil | 26 | 164 | 38 | 28 |
Ousmane Dembele, Barcelona and France
At the beginning of 2022, Ousmane Dembele was frozen out of the Barcelona squad over his contractual situation and it had been a largely underwhelming tenure for him at the Catalan club. However, under the coaching of Xavi, he has managed to turn the situation around in incredible fashion and is not only one of the pillars of the Barcelona frontline but the most in-form and incredible right winger in the world right now.
While Dembele always had the sparks of talent, he has now importantly found consistency in his game. He was the most productive wide outlet in the world in 2022 and topped the dribbling charts as well. Dembele has been devastating on the right flank and has also combined well with new centre forward signing Robert Lewandowski. Besides the final against Argentina, he had a strong World Cup campaign with France as well.
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool and Egypt
Although he is yet to hit some of the highs from his previous years this season, Mohamed Salah is the best and most reliable right winger in the Premier League in England. He is incredibly ruthless in front of goal and even though he may start several positions out wide on the right, Salah inevitably comes inside to threaten and combine at the edge of the box.
Salah’s prominence has been one of the most important factors behind Liverpool’s ascent to the top under Jurgen Klopp. Even though they have misfired this season, one wouldn’t bet against Salah to regain his previous form quickly. After all, he is a two-time Golden Boot winner in England.
Bukayo Saka, Arsenal and England
He first burst on to the scene as a gifted promise under Mikel Arteta but Bukayo Saka is quickly proving his claim as an incredible prospect who is capable of wowing both fans as well as the opposition. The 21-year-old has constantly evolved his game over the years and he has gone from a speedy dribbler to somebody who has excellent game awareness and is also becoming a constant goal threat.
Saka’s decision-making often makes it difficult to believe that he is still a youngster. The Englishman also plays with commitment and work ethic every time he is on the field and there’s no doubt that Saka is going to have the world at his feet.
Riyad Mahrez, Manchester City and Algeria
Riyad Mahrez goes undernoticed because of how long he has been conjuring magic by cutting in from the left and threatening opposition goals, but the Algerian winger continues to be mercurial even in 2023. It was Mahrez who almost single-handedly inspired Man City to come back from two goals down to winning 4-2 against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League recently.
While he has sometimes struggled with game time under Pep Guardiola, Mahrez is an established starter in the City XI this season and he has been extremely consistent at creating chances for the likes of Erling Haaland to feed on.
Serge Gnabry, Bayern Munich and Germany
German winger Serge Gnabry was one of the most feared right wingers on the planet, especially in the 2019/20 season following his indomitable performances against Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona. Gnabry was one of the pillars on the back of which Bayern Munich won the UEFA Champions League that season.
While the German international hasn’t grown his career off the back of that incredible campaign and has stagnated in recent years, he continues to be a lethal winger on the right. Gnabry’s two-footedness, ability to turn under pressure, searing pace and lethal ball-striking ability make him very difficult to defend against.
Federico Chiesa, Juventus and Italy
Federico Chiesa’s incredible Euro 2020 campaign with Italy where he led them to the trophy thrusted him into the limelight and made him a part of the discussion surrounding the best right wingers in the world. The Italian has continued on the same electrifying note and is a precocious talent down the flanks.
He has been very unfortunate this season and has been dealing with a long-term injury that has been difficult to bounce back from. But given the talent and the explosiveness that he possesses, Chiesa will be back at his best sooner rather than later.
Rodrygo, Real Madrid and Brazil
Although Rodrygo has been relegated to a mostly bench role at Real Madrid and is yet to break into the first XI, there’s no doubt that on the basis of talent alone he is one of the 10 best right wingers on the planet. What makes this even crazier is the fact that Rodrygo is not even a natural right winger in the first place but is forced to play there because of the presence of Vinicius Jr on the left.
The 22-year-old is scary good and it was quite apparent in Real Madrid’s Champions League-winning run last season. Every time Madrid found themselves with their backs to the wall against PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester City in the Champions League, Carlo Ancelotti would sub on Rodrygo and he would end up making a crucial game-winning contribution. It was his brace of goals that helped Real Madrid overcome a two-goal deficit in the closing stages of the semi-final against Manchester City in 2022.
Read: Champions League winners list
Dejan Kulusevski, Tottenham Hotspur and Sweden
Juventus fans laughed when Tottenham Hotspur decided to purchase Dejan Kulusevski over a year ago but the Swedish international has gone on to become a revelation for the North London side. There’s a world of difference between a Spurs side with Kulusevski and without which just sums up the kind of impact he has had under Antonio Conte.
A large part of it is down to his great overall game as he combines both excellent physical as well as technical qualities. Kulusevski is often trusted to produce a creative spark on the right in order to free up space for his teammates Harry Kane and Heung min-Son and he has been obliging his manager in that department all along.
Angel Di Maria, Juventus and Argentina
One of the most gifted players to play on the right wing over the last generation, there’s no doubt that Angel Di Maria is arguably one of the best of all time in his position. If his Champions League-winning conquest with Real Madrid or his consistency with Paris Saint-Germain wasn’t enough, the Argentine has gone on to become a world champion and scored a pivotal goal in the final.
Di Maria was virtually unplayable in that final and he has formed a brutal partnership with Lionel Messi in international football over the years. Although age is catching up with him and he no longer possesses the electricity or the pace, Di Maria has slowly transitioned into a world-class wide playmaker and focuses on creating space and goals for his teammates.
Raphinha, Barcelona and Brazil
Going from Angel Di Maria to another player who is often compared to the Argentine maestro because of the stylistic similarities in their game. Raphinha had his dream come true after he played a fundamental role in helping Leeds United avoid relegation and stay in the Premier League and it was followed by a blockbuster move to Barcelona.
Although the Brazilian has struggled in Barcelona and has had to directly compete with Ousmane Dembele, he is slowly finding his feet under Xavi’s system. Raphinha possesses an extremely lethal inswinging cross and can generate non-existent spaces with his passes and progressive carries. He is only expected to get better at Barcelona with time.
FAQs
Who are the best young right wingers in the world?
Rodrygo, Dejan Kulusevski and Bukayo Saka are the best young right wingers in the world of football.
Who is the highest rated right winger in FIFA 23?
Mohamed Salah is the highest rated right winger in FIFA 23 with an overall rating of 90.
Who has been the best right winger in 2022?
Ousmane Dembele has been the best right winger in the world in 2022.
