Perfect player series: Building a flawless winger

Every footballer on the planet has blemishes, weaknesses in their game they wish didn’t exist. But what if they didn’t? What would the ideal player look like in every position? Plucking specific traits from various superstars, theScore is diving into the lab to build the perfect footballer.

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In the sixth installment of our seven-part series, we’re assembling the perfect winger: frightening speed paired with the ability both to put defenders on skates and then make the perfect final pass to tee up a striker.

Pace: Leroy Sane (Manchester City)

Sane took some time to acclimate to life in the Premier League under Pep Guardiola, but once he did, there was no stopping the 21-year-old speed demon. The German, whose upright running style mirrors that of Cristiano Ronaldo, is a sight to behold when he gets his legs pumping in fifth gear. Raw pace like Sane’s can’t be taught.

Power: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)

When his troublesome calves aren’t keeping him on the shelf, Welsh powerhouse Bale is the epitome of a modern winger; fast, technically excellent, and boasting a rocket of a left foot when he cuts in from the right side, his greatest quality is arguably his physicality. Real Madrid’s top-knotted No. 11 is built like a superhero, his combination of lower-body strength and broad shoulders making him a handful against (typically) smaller full-backs both in the air and on the ground.

Dribbling: Ousmane Dembele (Borussia Dortmund)

Dembele’s shot-fake is a work of art. The French international, 20, can beat opposing defenders in his sleep, gliding past them with ease thanks to his superlative ball control, quick burst of speed, and ability to use both feet. Just ask John Stones, whom Dembele sent back to the Stone Age with this move in a recent friendly. Borussia Dortmund’s young winger is one of the most prolific dribblers in European football, completing 4.5 take-ons per 90 minutes last season; among players who made at least 20 appearances, that total was good enough for fourth across Europe’s top five leagues.

Flair: Neymar (Barcelona)

Wingers are supposed to be fun. Theirs is the only position on the pitch where there’s enough space to line up your prey and pull off some electrifying bit of skill that puts them on a poster and gets the crowd oohing. Nobody does this better than Neymar. He’s the most disrespectful player in the game (this is a compliment) because he’s willing to try things that are more commonly found in FIFA Street. His incredible Santos highlight reel was basically a crash course in how to humiliate defenders, and while the 25-year-old doesn’t toy with the opposition in the same way anymore, he still has more fun than anybody else in the game when he laces up his boots.

Shooting: Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich)

Robben’s tombstone will read as follows: “He dribbles down the right wing. He cuts inside onto his left foot. He curls home a gorgeous effort to the far post. Rinse. Repeat.” Everybody knows that sweet left-footed effort is coming, and nobody can do a damn thing about it.

Work rate: Angel Di Maria (Paris Saint-Germain)

That Di Maria is often saddled with the “Premier League bust” label stemming from his brief spell at Manchester United is a shame, seeing as how the lithe Argentine is one of the world’s best wingers; history will likely be kind to him, as people will realize how unfortunate he was to arrive at Old Trafford during a time of disarray for the club. The 29-year-old is an uber-versatile footballer who doesn’t get enough credit for his willingness to put in the lung-busting, dirty defensive work that has been a hallmark of his game going back to his Real Madrid days.

Final pass: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

Salah is going to light up Anfield this season. The speedy Egyptian winger, who racked up 17 Serie A assists for Roma over the last two seasons, has developed into one of the most consistently devastating wingers throughout Europe, pairing an ability to finish moves himself with a penchant for setting up teammates – it’s no coincidence Edin Dzeko enjoyed the best scoring season of his career last year. Salah’s 2.6 key passes per 90 minutes was among Europe’s best marks for wingers, and that number should have Reds fans salivating heading into the new campaign.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images unless otherwise stated)