The best left-footed footballers of all time

Left-footed players balance a football team. Whether they stick to their natural side of the pitch and provide width or they play on the right before cutting in and using their favoured foot to whip in crosses and shots, they complete a football team, but who are the best left-footed players to have ever played?

How could we not start with Lionel Messi, arguably the best (left-footed) player of all time? The Argentinian has won every trophy in his career, and put the icing on the cake by claiming the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Is he the GOAT? If he's not, he's so close to being so that it basically doesn't matter.

Despite his tall stature, Rivaldo was as graceful as a left-footed player could be. Winner of the 1999 Ballon d'Or and the 2002 World Cup, the Brazilian enjoyed his best years at FC Barcelona, just like Messi.

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For many, however, Messi's compatriot Diego Maradona remains the greatest left-footed player of all time. The Napoli and Argentina legend demonstrated his genius at the 1986 World Cup, where he also proved he had a highly effective left hand.

Over the course of their history, the Netherlands have produced many world-class wingers, a category in which Arjen Robben has definitely earned his place. The Bayern Munich legend almost won his country the 2010 FIFA World Cup, had it not been for a decisive save from Iker Casillas.

Casillas is arguably the best left-footed goalkeeper of all time. The Spaniard has an impressive record with Real Madrid and has helped Spain win the World Cup and two Euros.

Roberto Carlos, Casillas' team-mate at Los Merengues for many years, has gone down in history as one of the players with the most powerful shot in football, a quality he demonstrated on numerous occasions for Real and the Brazilian national team.

Another left-footed Real Madrid legend. Alfredo Di Stéfano helped the club of his heart win five (!) consecutive European Cups and also added two Ballon d'Or awards to his list of honours. Impressive.

Di Stéfano's Hungarian teammate Ferenc Puskás also deserves a place on this list. Renowned for his dribbling and shooting, Puskas was one of the most gifted players of his generation and the star of the Hungarian Golden Team that reached the 1954 World Cup final.

Shooting was also one of Robin van Persie's main qualities. The Dutchman terrorised Premier League defences for years at Arsenal and is still the Netherlands' all-time top scorer.

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Without a doubt, Romania's greatest player ever. Gheorghe Hagi – nicknamed the 'Maradona of the Carpathians' – was a creative left-footed player, who wore the shirt of Real Madrid, Brescia, FC Barcelona and Galatasaray, amongst others.

What Hagi is to Romania, Hristo Stoichkov is to Bulgaria. 'The Dagger' enjoyed his best years with Johan Cruijff's Barcelona and made history by winning the Ballon d'Or in 1994, the same year he led Bulgaria to a historic fourth place finish at the FIFA World Cup.

Next up is Argentina's Ángel Di María, who played a crucial role in helping the Albiceleste win the 2022 World Cup. At club level, Di María has impressed at Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, leaving both clubs with an impressive list of honours.

At Los Blancos, Di María shared the dressing room with Mesut Özil, arguably the best left-footed German player of all time. Özil proved this at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Real Madrid and Arsenal, where he made a name for himself as one of the best passers in football.

Another Real Madrid legend. Raúl González Blanco scored no fewer than 323 goals for Real Madrid and became a true icon for Los Blancos, before joining German club Schalke 04.

Speaking of icons, Mohamed Salah certainly deserves a place on this list. The Liverpool striker is one of the Reds' all-time leading scorers and quite simply the best Egyptian player of all time.

Gareth Bale broke through at a very young age at Tottenham, destroying the Premier League in the process. Real Madrid paid a fortune to bring the Welshman to the Spanish capital and, despite the criticism he has received, Bale has amassed an impressive number of trophies with Los Blancos.

For years, Silva played a key role at Manchester City and in Spain, winning four Premier League titles and the 2010 World Cup. The left-footed genius eventually retired in 2023 at Real Sociedad.

Another Premier League legend, this time from the red side of Manchester. Ryan Giggs came through the Red Devils' youth ranks and never wore another shirt throughout his career, claiming thirteen league titles and two Champions Leagues, amongst others.

Erling Haaland is still young, but the left-footed striker has already made such an impression that he deserves a place on this list. The Norwegian scored 52 goals in his first season at Manchester City and is hungry for more.

Paolo Maldini, one of the greatest defenders of all time, is an AC Milan and Italy legend. Graceful, strong and always the first to fight, Maldini began and ended his career with the Rossoneri, with whom he won seven Serie A titles and five European Cups/Champions Leagues.

Bobby Charlton is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, a status he confirmed during the many years he played for Manchester United. Winner of the 1966 Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Cup the same year, Charlton scored 249 goals for the Red Devils and helped them win the European Cup.

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There have been so many excellent left-footed players in history that it is impossible to mention them all. But the following deserve an honourable mention: Laurent Robert, Álvaro Recoba, Harry Kewell, Lukas Podolski, Adriano, John Arne Riise, Fernando Redondo, Thibaut Courtois, Petr Cech, Mario Kempes, Ruud Krol, Antoine Griezmann, Iker Casillas, Davor Suker, etc.