From speedsters to technical dribblers to lethal inside forwards, the Premier League has seen it all when it comes to wingers. Numerous players have made a name for themselves playing out wide, all bringing their own style to different teams.
The multitude of roles that wide players have fulfilled over the years is indicative of the changing landscape in England's top flight since its reformation in 1992. While the 90s and 2000s saw wingers hug the touchline and whip in a cross for strikers, they nowadays often cut inside, searching for glory themselves.
When it comes to ranking the best of the best then, the differences between each player and era can make it somewhat difficult. But taking into account a variety of factors, GIVEMESPORT have assembled a list of the 10 finest wingers to ever play in the Premier League.
Ranking factors
Longevity - how long a player played in the Premier League during their career.
Output - how many goals and assists a player managed during their Premier League career.
Achievements - how many Premier League titles or individual awards did a player win.
Legacy - how big an impact a player made on a club and how they're remembered in the league.
10 Robert Pires
Robert Pires with his arms wide in celebration for Arsenal
Photo courtesy of Reuters.
There wasn't much between Robert Pires and Riyad Mahrez for this spot, but the former Arsenal star just about edges in front. Arriving in north London from Marseille in 2000, the Frenchman overcame a slow start to become indispensable to Arsene Wenger's side for six years.
Scoring 14 league goals in three consecutive seasons for the Gunners, Pires' finest year undoubtedly came during 2003/04, where his 14 goals and eight assists fired Arsenal not only to Premier League success, but an invincible season. Ending his time at Highbury with 62 goals, 41 assists and two league titles, he's regarded as one of the club's greatest ever players for his efforts over six years.
9 Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling Man City
Things have not gone smoothly for Raheem Sterling since he left Manchester City in 2022, with spells at Chelsea and Arsenal seeing him go from a nailed-on starter for England to an afterthought. But his accomplishments prior to that mean that the Kingston-born forward has to feature in the top 10.
Bursting onto the scene at Liverpool as a talented 17-year-old in 2012, Sterling very quickly became a go-to option out wide. Nearly helping the Reds lift the Premier League title in 2013/14 and claiming the 2014 Golden Boy prize, a contract dispute led to him being sold to Man City. At the Etihad, he fired on all cylinders, striking up a good rapport with Sergio Aguero and becoming crucial to Pep Guardiola following his arrival in 2016.
Only a few wingers in world football were on his level from 2017 to 2019, as Sterling scored 35 goals across both seasons, claimed two league titles and won the PFA's Young Player of the Year prize in 2018/19. If he was still making the same impact today, then he would find himself right at the top of this list.
8 Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale celebrates scoring for Tottenham Hotspur.
Longevity isn't on Gareth Bale's side in this ranking, with his Premier League peak arguably a maximum of two years long before he swapped Tottenham for Real Madrid. And with no Premier League titles, achievements let him down too. But, when it comes to individual seasons, not many come close to his 2012/13 run at White Hart Lane.
In that year, Bale nearly fired Spurs into the Champions League practically single-handedly, with 21 goals and four assists getting the club into fifth place. That was enough to see him named Player of the Season, and for Madrid to come knocking. The Welshman departed for the Santiago Bernabeu in 2013 for £85m, going on to form a lethal front three alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema and cement his status as one of the best right-wingers ever. What Tottenham might have become had he stayed is one of the biggest 'what ifs' in their modern history.
7 Son Heung-Min
Tottenham's Son Heung-min
If we're talking about 'what if' moments in Spurs history, though, had they signed Sadio Berahino or their other winger targets in 2015, they would not have landed Son Heung-min. And considering his trajectory since 2015, it really was a stroke of luck.
In his decade at White Hart Lane, 'Sonny' went from second-choice to club legend and captain. The partnership that he struck up with Harry Kane was remarkable as the duo wreaked havoc on the rest of the league and nearly fired Spurs to a first Premier League title in 2016/17 and 2017/18. The South Korean was remarkably consistent, managing 15 goal contributions in every season bar his first in north London, including a Golden Boot-winning campaign in 2021/22.
6 Sadio Mane
Sadio Mane premier league
Bringing pace and finishing in abundance, Sadio Mane tore up the Premier League for eight years after his arrival at Southampton in 2014. Taking the Saints into Europe, the Senegal international managed 30 goal contributions in two years, scoring the fastest Premier League hat-trick against Sunderland in May 2015.
That was enough to perk the interest of Liverpool, who moved swiftly in 2016 to bring Mane from the south coast to Merseyside. There, he struck up a phenomenal partnership alongside Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, as the trio fed off one another in Jurgen Klopp's machine. Although Salah might have been the jewel in the crown, Mane was just as important, winning the Golden Boot in 2018/19 for his 22 strikes and then winning the Premier League the very next year.
5 David Beckham
david beckham man utd
A true maverick, but a wonderful player. Coming through the ranks of Manchester United as part of the Class of 92, David Beckham was arguably the most talented of the lot. He possessed a wand of a right foot which was capable of whipping in dangerous crosses for centre-forwards or scoring incredible goals from free-kicks - hence the term 'Bend it like Beckham'.
Responsible for countless memorable goals during his nine years as a senior player at Old Trafford, United's famous number seven was crucial to them lifting an impressive six Premier League titles, one of which was a part of their 1998/99 treble-winning season. Finishing as the runner-up in the 1999 Ballon d'Or race, just behind legendary Brazilian Rivaldo, Beckham's individual talent would eventually see him become one of Real Madrid's galacticos, with him no doubt worthy of the spotlight.
4 Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard vs Tottenham
At the peak of his powers, nobody in the Premier League could touch Eden Hazard's talent. The Belgian, despite being one of the worst trainers according to his teammates, could just flip a switch in matches and inspire Chelsea to Premier League glory.
While many will point to Hazard's lack of numbers in the league, those who watched him play will speak with utter disbelief, as the Belgian weaved in and out of players as if they were not even there. He claimed multiple individual awards during his seven-year spell in England, including the Player of the Season prize in 2014/15. Although the top three simply have the accolades and years at the top to trump Hazard, Premier League fans were fortunate to see him in his prime before his struggles at Real Madrid.
3 Cristiano Ronaldo
cristiano ronaldo man utd
If this list was talking about playing careers as a whole, nobody gets close to Cristiano Ronaldo's accomplishments. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has a resume like nobody else and is undeniably one of the greatest players ever. But, focusing on his days in the Premier League, he lacks the longevity to take top spot here.
Make no mistake about it, Ronaldo's playing career at Manchester United - at least his first spell - was exceptional. Arriving at Old Trafford as a fresh-faced teenager, Sir Alex Ferguson put immense trust in the Portuguese prodigy, but it was all worthwhile. He took off from 2006 onwards, scoring no fewer than 17 goals from that year until his eventual departure in 2009. That 31-goal season was one of the great seasons, and ultimately saw him win his first Ballon d'Or as United completed a league and Champions League double. A remarkable player, but someone whose candle burned short and bright in England.
2 Ryan Giggs
ryan giggs man utd
Others might prefer Ronaldo, others will simply say Ryan Giggs is too high compared to his peers. But when you hold as many records as the Welshman, it's hard to put him anywhere other than the top two. Longevity? 23 years at Manchester United takes care of that. Output? How does the Premier League assist record sound? Success? 13 Premier League trophies isn't too bad. Impact? Please see all of the above and more.
Giggs, the most decorated player in Premier League history, was a site to behold for United on the left flank, using his blistering pace to leave defenders trailing behind him before whipping in a perfect cross with his left boot. In the eyes of Sir Alex Ferguson, his consistency makes him the best player in Premier League history, let alone the best winger.
1 Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah
Nobody would have predicted that Mohamed Salah would go on to become what he is today while he was at Chelsea. Widely regarded as a flop after scoring just twice in the league, the Egyptian was shipped out shortly after his arrival, but it was Fiorentina and Roma where he found his feet again.
Joining Liverpool in 2017, the rest, truly, is history. While Giggs may have the more impressive trophy cabinet compared to Salah's two, you can't say he would replicate what Salah has down at Anfield. The Reds' Egyptian King has scored goals at such an incredible rate that calling him a freak of nature doesn't do him justice. Surpassing 30 goal contributions in five separate league campaigns, Salah has won the joint-most Golden Boots (4) alongside Thierry Henry, someone who played through the middle while at Arsenal. He is, undeniably, an all-time great.