Width and wickedness: the great wingers combine pace, trickery and end product into the most thrilling job on the pitch. We ranked them on the fear they put into defenders and the goals and assists they delivered.

1. 1

   Garrincha

   Brazil · Brazil

   The Little Bird, who beat his man twice for the joy of it and arguably won Brazil a World Cup on his own.

2. 2

   George Best

   Manchester United · Northern Ireland

   Balance, courage and showmanship; the first footballing superstar and a genius down either flank.

3. 3

   Stanley Matthews

   Blackpool · England

   The Wizard of the Dribble, who played top-flight football past his fiftieth birthday.

4. 4

   Cristiano Ronaldo

   Manchester United / Real Madrid · Portugal

   Began as a step-over winger and became the most prolific scorer the game has seen.

5. 5

   Ryan Giggs

   Manchester United · Wales

   Two decades of pace and balance on United’s left, and a slaloming FA Cup goal for the ages.

6. 6

   Luís Figo

   Barcelona / Real Madrid · Portugal

   A Ballon d’Or winger of rare craft, and the most controversial transfer of his era.

7. 7

   Arjen Robben

   Bayern Munich · Netherlands

   The cut inside onto the left foot that everyone saw coming and no one could stop.

8. 8

   Franck Ribéry

   Bayern Munich · France

   The other half of Bayern’s feared flanks; close control and crossing that drove a treble.

9. 9

   Gareth Bale

   Tottenham / Real Madrid · Wales

   Explosive pace and big-final goals, including two in Champions League finals for Madrid.

10. 10

    Mohamed Salah

    Liverpool · Egypt

    A modern inverted winger whose goal numbers rewrote the Premier League record books.

A LeaguePaper editorial ranking — opinion, offered for argument.