Yamal, Saka, Salah: Why left-footed right wingers are so hot right now

Over the last 15 years, one particular style of player has become Europe's hottest -- and at times most expensive -- trend: the left-footed right winger.

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, Arsenal's Bukayo Saka and Bayern Munich's Michael Olise represent the current, shining examples of this phenomenon, while some greats blazed the trail before them, notably: Arjen Robben, Gareth Bale, Ángel Di María, Riyad Mahrez and, of course, Lionel Messi.

Studies have shown that only 20% of players are left footed, which may be why great wingers in the mold of Messi or Robben used to emerge only once every two or three years. But these days, the game is producing several per year at the elite level, as youth coaches have responded to tactical changes in the modern game and embraced a demand -- from both clubs and players -- to produce inverted wingers who can drive at the heart of defense and shoot, rather than hug the touchline and cross.

Already, the 2025-26 season is threatening to become the playground upon which an incredible new cast of left-footed right wingers take center stage. Yamal, still just 18, heads a teenage pack that includes Real Madrid's Franco Mastantuono, Chelsea's Estêvão, and perhaps even Arsenal's Max Dowman, who made his Premier League debut and won a penalty on Saturday aged only 15.

How did we get here?

Traditional wingers and the art of crossing once dominated the Premier League landscape and heavily influenced the European game. A 4-4-2 formation with two central midfielders, two strikers, and two wingers crossing into the box with their stronger foot was pretty common. Sir Alex Ferguson's incredibly successful Manchester United sides of the 1990s and 2000s were great examples; with left-footed Ryan Giggs on the left and right-footed David Beckham on the right, the attacking gameplan became clear: swing the ball into the box for strikers to get on the end of.

Across the continent you'd see other variants. In Italy, for example, many teams favored using wing backs over wingers in a 5-3-2 formation, but they did roughly the same job. Crossing was key; anyone who cut inside from the flank risked not only sacrificing their team's width and clogging the middle of the pitch, but potentially leaving their colleagues exposed on the counterattack too.

These days, the general style of football is very different. And if you were to trace the death of the traditional winger back to a certain period in time then 2009-2012, where Barcelona and the Spain national team fundamentally changed things by beating their opponents through intricate short passes (otherwise known as tiki-taka) and sheer possession, is a clear landmark.

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The advancement in data analysis has since proven that the tactical adjustment was correct; crosses represent extremely low percentage opportunities to score. The Athletic's research indicates just 1.3% of crosses immediately result in a goal (roughly every one in 76); taking into account goals that occur within six seconds of a cross, that figure only rises to 2%.

As a result, modern teams stopped crossing and swapped in a third midfielder for the second striker in the 4-4-2 -- a move that fundamentally changed the role of the winger -- to make more of a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1. Deploying players like Messi, Ronaldo, Robben and Bale in this fashion resulted in an avalanche of goals ... and suddenly, everyone wanted to emulate them.

Rogério Ferreira, a 15-year veteran coach who helped develop Estêvão (Chelsea), Endrick (Real Madrid) and many more young players during a seven-year spell at Brazilian side Palmeiras, tells ESPN why this shift happened.

"It's about being the most decisive players in the world," he says. "That used to be the No. 10 [a midfielder who plays in behind the striker], then it was the No. 9 [the central striker], now it's the winger."

Ferreira points to Bayern Munich's Robben and Franck Ribéry as the first top-level pair of inverted wingers to catch his eye and influence his style of coaching.

"Robben was the first one, because I remember at the beginning of his career he was a left winger," he says. "But then everything started changing. And if you think about the logic of the game: If you're a right footer and you're playing on the right wing, if you get the ball 10 times, you'll probably go to the touchline seven of those times. But if you are left footed, playing on the right side, if you cut in, you can see the goal. This acted as a balance for the reduced goals from the No. 9."

The wider effect

The trend of inverted wingers fundamentally changed the game and produced a series of tactical knock-on effects across the pitch.

The most obvious was on full backs, whose role suddenly became even more expansive. Where before, a full back might not be expected to influence the attack too much, they were now relied upon to cover the length of the pitch, hold the width (because the winger had dipped inside) and become the most prolific crosser in the team -- as well as perform all of their defensive duties.

This change helped push the winger into more central positions, closer to goal, where they could make the difference more regularly. And, in turn, this also affected the role of the striker.

Ferreira claims the dwindling number of traditional center forwards at that time was down to the fact that they began to take on more creative qualities, saying: "We lost the typical No. 9 who wanted to battle a lot." Liverpool's Roberto Firmino or Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, who spent as much time teeing up their wingers for chances as they did shooting on goal themselves, are good examples of players who blossomed with those new responsibilities.

With strikers taking on playmaking briefs, wingers in the box and full backs pushed high, it forced the central midfielders to become more cautious in some systems, to avoid the team being ripped apart on the counterattack. Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum is perhaps the best example of this change, as he went from a box-to-box, goal-scoring No. 8 to a player whose main responsibility was to win the ball back high up the pitch and recycle possession.

Indeed, many of the expanded or tweaked qualities we see in tactical roles all over the pitch today are arguably a result of wingers swapping wings.

Why are left-footed players more expensive to sign?

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Moreno hails Chelsea's Estêvão for fearless first start

Ale Moreno was impressive with the first Premier League start for teenage star Estêvão, as Chelsea thumped West Ham 5-1.

Studies have shown that only 20% of footballers are left footed, so there is a natural scarcity on the next Messi or Salah. In contrast, 80% of the pool have a chance to become an inverted right winger. Then, when you factor in all the other elements required for the role -- speed, dribbling, natural fitness, composure when finishing, and more -- it diminishes the chances of finding a standout star even further.

So it's little wonder why, at the top level, truly elite figures like Messi, Robben and Bale were popping up as infrequently as every two or three years.

But these days, clubs understand the sheer value of this profile of player, and in some cases go as far as to manufacture them.

Ferreira says: "When I was with Bahia [a Brazilian club which became part of the City Football Group in 2022], the scouts told us, 'If there's a fast player with a decent profile, decent in one-vs.-one scenarios, play them on the wing, because this is the most valued player in the world. We can produce lots of defenders, lots of central midfielders. But this type of player, it's the guy that we're looking for. It's pretty much the same for every club in Brazil too.'"

The next generation

The proof is in the pudding. Right now, we're witnessing an incredible wave of left-footed talent emerging on the right wing. But what makes them so special? ESPN's resident scout Tor-Kristian Karlsen offers some analysis.

Lamine Yamal, Barcelona

At 18, Yamal is already firmly in the conversation to be seen as the world's best player this year. He's made the jump to world-class quicker than pretty much anyone ever has ... and, yes, that includes Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Yamal's exquisite left foot is the key that makes everything happen: a tool for threading passes through defensive lines and a weapon capable of punishing any defensive lapses or gaps with a sudden strike. Once he darts inwards from the flank, defenders face a horrible dilemma: stand off and risk letting him shoot, or engage and be undone by a quick passing combination or a disguised ball in behind?

It's not just technical mastery with Yamal; it's timing, movement, speed of execution and intelligence. The 18-year-old has a rare instinct for sniffing out the right space to receive the ball, and his first touch and body orientation give him the time needed to dictate what happens next. He's a unique package. -- Karlsen

Franco Mastantuono, Real Madrid

Real Madrid left nothing to chance this summer, aggressively pursuing Mastantuono's signature in a €45 million deal from River Plate as soon as he turned 18 and was allowed to move to Europe. Los Blancos have dominated the South American market over the past decade, determined not to let anyone else (especially Barcelona) scoop up the continent's young stars after they were beaten to signing Neymar from Santos in 2013.

Mastantuono has already made his full debut, in a 3-0 win over Real Oviedo, and impressed manager Xabi Alonso, who praised his energy and, of course, his "great left foot."

Where Yamal is explosive and direct -- combining creativity with direct finishing from wide areas -- Mastantuono is more possession-oriented, perhaps more of an "orchestrator" who prefers to dictate the attacking rhythm before delivering the decisive action. What separates him from his peers is his intelligence on the pitch, both with and without the ball. He reads space exceptionally well, often dropping deeper to help organize play and circulate possession before drifting forward into an advanced position where he can add the final touch of difference. -- Karlsen

Estêvão

Chelsea spotted Estêvão so early at Palmeiras that they signed him for €34m in 2024 and he had to wait an entire year before he could join after turning 18. During that time, he earned five caps for the senior Brazil national team, which only served to heighten the buzz around him.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca warned that Estêvão would need time to adapt to life in England, but the winger has already made his full debut and registered an assist against West Ham.

Estêvão already has the aura of a game-changing attacker, despite being 18. His natural, pattern-breaking skillset feels like it's been lifted from street football, not coaching manuals and his explosiveness with the ball is his best attribute. Cutting in off the right, he drives at defenders using terrifying acceleration, sharp directional changes and outstanding close control. Like the two above, his left foot is also of a high technical standard, giving him both a goal threat and a crossing threat to the back post. At times he can hold onto possession too long, or drift away from structured team play, but with some polishing the upside is enormous. -- Karlsen

What does the future hold?

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Can Max Dowman replicate Lamine Yamal's path?

Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens discuss 15-year-old Max Dowman after his appearance for Arsenal against Fulham.

Yamal, Estêvão and Mastantuono were all born in 2007. In the era of inverted wingers, never have three such prospects come along in the same calendar year; by contrast, Robben, Messi, Di María, Bale and Salah were all born in separate years, spaced out over close to a decade.

They're also emerging at younger ages. Look at Arsenal's 15-year-old sensation Dowman, who cut inwards towards the box and won a penalty on his Premier League debut in August, or Ethan Nwaneri, who also debuted for the Gunners at age 15 and has a similar penchant for cutting inside.

What's more, these players are now starting their careers in this prized position.

Even talents like Saka and Bale began their senior careers at left back before jumping to the opposite flank; Robben began on the left, while Di María played as a mezzala (left central midfielder) and at times as a No. 10 for Benfica.

These days, talents like Yamal, Estêvão and Mastantuono enter the senior picture earlier than ever, playing their ideal position from the off, as they're just too valuable to be given any other brief. Plus, as Ferreira points out, 15 years' worth of wingers cutting in from the opposite flank, and becoming the most decisive players on the pitch, gives kids a role model to emulate from a very early age.

"Messi, Salah, Bale -- they are a huge influence," he says. "They [the kids] look up to the players, and after watching a great match, they will instantly go out to the street or wherever they play, and try to copy everything they do."

With youngsters desperate to play this position and clubs desperate to produce it, the inverted winger looks like it is here to stay for a long time.