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Wingers have always been one of the most exciting positions in football. Their role includes running past opponents, navigating tight spaces and creating openings for their teams to score. Wingers like Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Robert Pires, Neymar and Ronaldinho, among others, have impressed in wide areas.
In the past, wingers were limited to two types - traditional and inverted. Traditional wingers sprinted up and down the flank and crossed the ball into the box at every opportunity, with strikers waiting to convert. Inverted wingers cut in towards the face of goal and either take a shot themselves or set up a teammate in space.
In the modern game, wingers have become a main goalscoring threat. The traditional centre-forward position is now seen as too one-dimensional, so teams have developed different threats. Wingers dominate key stat categories, as they create opportunities to score themselves and assist goals.
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On that note, here's a look at the top five right wingers in world football this year.
#5 Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)
Riyad Mahrez has been one of the breakout performers in world football in the last decade. He came to prominence when he won the Premier League with Leicester City in 2015-16. Manchester City signed the Algerian in 2018 for £60 million.
In 2020-21, he played 48 games for City, scoring 14 goals and providing nine assists. A total of 15 of those goal contributions came in 27 Premier League games. He has taken things up a notch this season, scoring 12 and assisting six in 24 games.
Mahrez has played 64 games this year, scoring 29 goals and providing 16 assists.
The Algerian will now travel to Ivory Coast to represent his nation at the Africa Cup of Nations. He will hope to return in top condition to help Manchester City mount a strong title challenge.
#4 Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich)
Serge Gnabry has enjoyed a resurgence in his career since leaving England to play in Germany. The winger impressed at Werder Bremen while on a loan spell from Arsenal. Bayern Munich signed him in 2017 by activating his €8 million release clause.
Last season, Gnabry made 39 appearances for Bayern Munich, scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists. The German winger has hit the ground running this season, scoring 11 and assisting as many in 24 games.
He recently starred in a 5-0 away drubbing of Stuttgart, playing a role in all five goals. Gnabry scored a hat-trick, and assisted two goals.
The German will hope to continue his top form for the rest of the season and into the next as Germany gear up for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
#3 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
Kylian Mbappe has been on fire since breaking onto the scene with Monaco during their Ligue 1-winning campaign in 2016-17. In 2017, Paris Saint-Germain signed the Frenchman for a whopping €180 million, with the deal initially starting off as a two-year loan.
Last season, Mbappe scored an incredible 42 goals and dished out 13 assists in 49 games, tallying over one goal contribution per game. Mbappe seems to have a burning desire to top those figures this season.
He has scored 15 goals and provided 17 assists in just 24 games across competitions. That gives him an average goal contribution of 1.34 per game.
The Frenchman played a starring role in France's triumph at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He will hope to continue that form in next year's edition in Qatar. In club football, Mbappe will hope the addition of Lionel Messi will boost PSG's bid to win the UEFA Champions League this season.
#2 Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Lionel Messi has, by far, been the best player in world football in the 21st century. After nearly two decades with Barcelona, Messi moved to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2021 on a free transfer.
Last season for Barcelona, Messi scored 38 goals and provided 18 assists in 48 games. The Argentina captain carried his club in the absence of a strong and capable supporting cast. However, with his country, Messi had one of the best moments in his long and illustrious career.
Messi won the 2021 Copa America with Argentina, thanks to Angel Di Maria's solitary goal in the final against Brazil.
Lionel Messi has yet to hit his stride with PSG. So far he has made 16 appearances for the club, scoring six goals and assisting five. With a continental trophy under his belt, the legendary Argentine will have his sights set on the FIFA World Cup in Qatar next year.
#1 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Mohamed Salah has been the best player in world football in 2021 by a distance. Having previously played for Chelsea in the Premier League, Salah had a rebirth of sorts at AS Roma. He has since returned to English shores, and dominated with Liverpool.
Last season, he scored 31 goals and provided seven assists in 52 games. This campaign, he has been a more well-rounded threat in attack. The Egyptian has scored 22 goals this season, and has also hit double figures for assists (11). He has achieved that in just 25 games, taking his average goal contribution per game to an impressive 1.32 this season.
This season, Salah became the first Liverpool player since the iconic Ian Rush to score more than 20 goals for the club in five successive seasons.
The Egyptian will now travel to Ivory Coast to play in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. On his return, he will look to continue from where he left off as Liverpool eye their second Premier League title in three years. He will also hope to create a splash in Europe.
