The 9 Best Champions League Wingers of All-Time
- Think Football Ideas
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
While the UEFA Champions League has witnessed and celebrated numerous iconic forwards and midfielders, wingers have consistently been at the forefront of its most memorable moments.
Stationed on the flanks, they have provided width and pace while entertaining with crucial goals and assists that have shaped the tournament’s history.
Europe’s elite competition has long been a stage where certain wingers elevate their performances beyond expectation.
These superlative performers are remembered for producing moments that linger in memory and define careers at the highest level. Below is a ranking of the top nine wingers to have graced the Champions League since its rebranding in 1992.
The 9 Best Champions League Wingers of All-Time
9. Luis Figo – Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan
Champions League Titles: 1
Appearances: 107
Goals: 24
Assists: 15
Luis Figo’s Champions League career reflected elegance and influence on the biggest stage. His controversial switch from Barcelona to Real Madrid in 2000 only amplified his reputation, and two years later, he played a central role in Madrid’s title run.
While Zidane’s volley is remembered most from the 2002 final, Figo’s control of the flanks and ability to dictate tempo were crucial. His blend of dribbling, vision, and composure enabled him to unlock stubborn defences.
Although he lifted the trophy only once, his consistency across Europe’s giants ensured his legacy as one of the competition’s defining wide players.
8. Mohamed Salah – Chelsea, Liverpool
Champions League Titles: 1
Appearances: 98
Goals: 51
Assists: 17
Mohamed Salah's journey from the Al-Mokawloon youth system in Egypt to Liverpool saw him transform into one of Europe’s most prolific wide forwards.
His Champions League highlight came in 2019, scoring the opener in the final against Tottenham Hotspur to help secure the Reds’ sixth European crown.
Beyond that moment, Salah has repeatedly left his mark on the competition. In 2022, he became Liverpool’s all-time top scorer in European competitions, surpassing legends such as Steven Gerrard and Kenny Dalglish.
Later that same year, he struck the fastest hat-trick in Champions League history against Rangers, scoring three times in just six minutes and twelve seconds.
Salah’s pace, balance, and relentless eye for goal have made him one of the most feared players on the biggest stage.
By 2023, he had also overtaken Didier Drogba to become the all-time leading African scorer in the Champions League, underlining both his longevity and consistency.
His blend of agility, sharp movement, and ability to decide matches in key moments has elevated him into the conversation as one of the greatest wingers to feature in the competition.
7. Arjen Robben – Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich
Champions League Titles: 1
Appearances: 111
Goals: 32
Assists: 19
Arjen Robben's signature move, cutting inside from the right wing onto his left foot, became a hallmark of his playing style.
His decisive goal in the 2013 Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund secured Bayern Munich's victory and served as redemption, as he had missed a penalty in the previous year’s final against former teammate Petr Cech, which would have handed the Bavarians a 2-1 lead.
Robben's consistency and ability to perform in critical moments solidified his legacy as the all-time Dutch top goalscorer with 32 goals in the competition.
6. Ángel Di María – Benfica, Real Madrid, Manchester United, PSG, Juventus
Champions League Titles: 1
Appearances: 117
Goals: 24
Assists: 41
Ángel Di María stands out as one of the Champions League’s most complete wingers, blending creativity, work rate, and tactical intelligence.
He is Argentina’s all-time top assist provider in the competition with 41, a true testament to his imagination and accuracy.
A defining moment came in the 2014 final, when he sparked Real Madrid’s comeback against Atlético Madrid, weaving past defenders to unleash a shot that was parried by Courtois before Gareth Bale finished the move.
Across his career at clubs including Benfica, Real Madrid, Manchester United, PSG, and Juventus, Di María has repeatedly combined elegance with effectiveness, supplying crucial chances and influencing outcomes in Europe’s most demanding fixtures.
5. Neymar – Barcelona, PSG
His ability to combine creativity with decisive contributions in goals and assists has allowed him to shine in high-pressure European nights.
Champions League Titles: 1
Appearances: 81
Goals: 43
Assists: 33
Neymar’s Champions League legacy is highlighted by his role in Barcelona’s 2015 treble. That season, he scored in both quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final against Juventus, cementing the MSN trio’s dominance.
Later, his dazzling performance in the famous remontada against PSG in 2017 showcased his brilliance in high-pressure moments. At PSG, he continued producing decisive displays, inspiring the French side to the 2020 final.
With 43 goals and 36 assists, Neymar combined artistry with productivity, capable of turning a tie in an instant. Though European glory eluded him in Paris, his creativity and unpredictability remain tournament hallmarks.
4. Gareth Bale – Tottenham, Real Madrid
Champions League Titles: 5
Appearances: 66
Goals: 20
Assists: 20
Gareth Bale’s Champions League legacy is defined by decisive moments on the grandest stage. His physicality, explosive acceleration, and thunderous shooting made him a constant threat in Europe’s elite competition.
In 2014, he became the first Welshman to score in a European Cup final, netting against Atlético Madrid to help secure Real Madrid’s long-awaited “La Décima.”
Four years later, he etched his name deeper into history with one of the greatest goals the competition has ever seen with a stunning bicycle kick against Liverpool in the 2018 final, part of a brace that sealed another European crown.
With five titles to his name, Bale’s blend of pace, technique, and composure under pressure ensures his place among the most influential wingers the Champions League has witnessed.
3. Ryan Giggs – Manchester United
Champions League Titles: 2
Appearances: 151
Goals: 30
Assists: 31
Giggs’ longevity and consistency across decades make him a benchmark for Champions League wingers. His performances were instrumental in Manchester United's triumphs, including the dramatic 1999 final against Bayern Munich.
He was known for his dribbling, pace, and spatial intelligence, and maintained elite-level performance well into his late 30s.
Giggs’ two European titles, combined with 145 appearances and 28 goals, reflect not only skill but also enduring contribution to one of England’s most dominant teams in history.
2. Lionel Messi – Barcelona, PSG
Champions League Titles: 4
Appearances: 163
Goals: 129
Assists: 40
Lionel Messi's impact in the Champions League is profound, underpinned by records and performances that have shaped an era.
His four titles with Barcelona coincided with the club’s most successful years, including the 2008–09 treble under Pep Guardiola, the first in Spanish football history, where Messi, operating as a false nine, dismantled Real Madrid at the Bernabéu and later scored in the final against Manchester United.
He became the competition’s youngest top scorer that season and repeated the feat for three consecutive campaigns, which was proof of his consistency at the very top.
Over time, his influence only deepened, and by the 2011–12 campaign, he had already become Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer at just 24, rewriting records that had stood for decades.
With 129 goals in 163 appearances, Messi brought a blend of timing, movement, and ruthless finishing that produced countless iconic Champions League moments.
Few players have embodied European nights with the same blend of artistry and relentlessness, cementing his place as one of the most prolific and decisive wide players in the tournament’s history.
1. Ronaldinho – Barcelona, AC Milan
Champions League Titles: 1
Appearances: 47
Goals: 18
Assists: 11
Ronaldinho illuminated the Champions League with artistry and flair. His peak came in the 2005–06 campaign, scoring a stunning solo goal against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and providing a decisive assist in the semi-final before leading Barcelona to glory in Paris.
That season, he claimed the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year, recognition of his dominance. Ronaldinho’s dazzling dribbles, inventive passing, and joyful style transformed European nights into theatre.
Applauded even by rivals at the Santiago Bernabéu, he proved influence goes beyond trophies. Though lifting the cup once, his magic and spectacle ensure he remains the competition’s most iconic winger.
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