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.

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.

An emotional Antony Describing the end of his time broke into tears Manchester United As he was waiting to complete a transfer Real betis,

After stopping briefly on Friday, A Was compromised Shortly before the transfer window closure on Monday, among the clubs, with sources reporting ESPN that the betis will pay a certain fee of € 22 million ($ 25.6m) in the potential bonus with another € 3 million ($ 3.5m). United will also get 50% of any future transfer.

After spending the second half of the previous season on the loan in Betis, Antony Man returned to United, but was released from Ruben Amorim’s squad for the United States’s Presiden Tour and was trained separately at the Carrington Complex of the club.

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Antony said through tears, “Only my family knows how difficult it was to be there.” “Separate training. But I knew that this incredible moment was coming. Of course, I was afraid that it would not be at the end, but I waited because I was very confident.”

His form for Betis, scored nine times in 26 matches and helped the club reach last season UEFA Conference League Last, assured them to make their move permanent.

Antony still had two years left on a two -year contract, when he arrived at Ajax in 2022, but United avoided making a separate payment. Brazil Ahead.

Antony said, “(transfer) was very difficult, but now we are here. I can’t wait to wear a betis shirt again. I can only thank all those who made it possible,” Antony said.

“What is the difference! Sevele is more beautiful than Manchester,” he said. “I am here in the end. I spent more than 40 days in a hotel; it was very difficult, but everyone knew that I wanted to return to Betis. Now with more time, to do and achieve a lot of things. I had trouble sleeping after seeing so much love from Betis fans; I was waiting at my house at 2 am.”

The 25 -year -old left Old Trafford after performing 96 in three years, scoring 12 goals, as he failed to stay up to his heavy value tag. Antony is the second most expensive signature of United which is behind Paul Pogba His € 95 million ($ 110.5m) moves ahead of Ajax.

Antony said, “It is very important to me to take care, this is something that cannot buy money.” “Here, I have good feelings and felt very affection. It was always my first choice, and that’s why I waited till the last day to return to Betis. Now I am happy here in a city and a club that I like.”

New York – Novak jokovich Took two sets against Taylor fritzA opponent whom he always beats, to shut down in the semi -finals, a round that he often arrives at the US Open, and on Tuesday night’s crowd marked the occasion by blowing them kisses.

It was just a taste of back and forth between some people at Djokovic and Arthur Ash Stadium, and still the work that remained, but it would end the victory of 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4. Djokovic corrected 11–0 against 2024 runner-up Fritz and a record-detailed 53rd Grand Slam reached the semi-finals, including a record-hang 14 in the Flushing Meadows.

“I was just trying to survive,” Djokovic said. “This is one of the days where you just have to grind.”

She needed three matches points to finish her, and was bending with hands on her knees, there were long rallies after the first two which went into the way of Fritz. But at the end, the competition an anti-seded Fotz with a double fault by the number 4-seded fritz, which means that the US drought will continue without a male single champion in any major since 2003, when the US drought will continue without a male single champion in any head since 2003. Andy rhodik Won in New York.

“At the end of the day, it is one of the things that make great players great,” Fritz said about Djokovic. “They win big points.”

On Friday, the Djokovic will play in his fourth slam semi -finals of the season and take the five -time prominent champion. Carlos AlakrajWhich has not dropped a set in the tournament. He was 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 winners against number 20 Jiri Leheka Earlier Tuesday.

Djokovic led No. 2 Seed Alakraj’s head-to-head-to-head, winning their two most recent matches-this January in the Australian Open Quarterfinal in January and the final in the Paris Olympics last year, when Serbia finally fulfilled his wish to win gold medal for his country.

The quarterfinal Wednesdays of the last two men are: Alex de meinour Vs. Felix Agar-AliasimeAnd defending champion Pronounced sinner Vs. Lorenzo musetti At night in an all-Italian matchup.

On Tuesday night, both players were fully dressed in black – shirts, shorts, socks and shoes. Even Djokovic’s wrist bands were black, as they were the headbands of Fritz, which they did wrong in the beginning, so the white lettering of the name of their clothing sponsors was reverse until he made changes after the second set.

If the gate-ups of the players look the same, it is the place where similarities have stopped. Djokovic, who won four out of his 24 major championships in the US Open, recently in 2023, he usually does for Fritz – and, to be fair, to be fair, almost all – what to say: who returns excellently, controls the longest points and serves to all the right places, especially in clutch.

38 -year -old Djokovic was generally a step, and a idea, or two ahead of the 27 -year -old Fritz, whose service improved in the previous two sets.

Djokovic won 25 out of 42 points which lasted at least nine strokes. He saved 11 out of 13 brake opportunities, which he faced. And he won 10 out of 11, when he used to serve and Woldie.

Fritz became slightly unstable. Not his best service. Not his best groundstroke. Perhaps this was the enemy and their unilateral history. Perhaps it was setting, stage, bets.

It may be that it was earlier a planned start, which was due to the cancellation of women’s quarterfinals Aryana Sabalanka And Market WondrasovaWhich was earlier withdrawn on Tuesday due to knee.

Djokovic stole Fitz’s initial service game for a 3–0 lead, which soon had a advantage of two sets. Fritz did his work in the match and made things more interesting but never proceeded.

By the way, Djokovic joined it with the audience supporting his opponent, although it is nothing, supporting the man who has spent more time at number 1 in tennis history than anyone in the tennis history.

Nevertheless, there were appreciation and cheering defects of those by Djokovic, which was considered a no-no-no-no one in tennis.

It reached one head in the third set, when the clock passed from 10:30 pm -the fault ceremony became more hoarse, Djokovic asked the chair umpire Damian Dumsois, “What are you going to do?” And then reiterated the official words that the officer said in a failed attempt to settle the obstacles. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Please.”

Soon, Fritz was breaking a forehand winner for a 3–1 lead in that set, one would take it.

But it came through Djokovic when it was most important.

“He served better. He made very few mistakes,” said Fritz. “He played better in the fourth.”