Top 10 left-footed players in world football today: Saka & Foden among absentees

Our top 10 left-footed players in world football today have all made a resounding impact on a game that values versatility and unpredictability. But who comes out on top?

Of course, left-footed players are in the minority. But they prove invaluable at times, especially when they can play in an inverted role, bomb forward as a traditional winger, and launch exocets like a prime Kevin Sheedy or John Arne Riise.

Neither of those particular examples makes this list, as it is all about the here and now. So, without further ado, we present our top 10 sensational southpaws.

Please also note that our picks have been inspired by who ranked where in the 2025 Ballon d'Or, the prestigious trophy awarded to the player deemed the best in the world at the time, based on certain odds from various bookmakers. The likes of Arsenal and Manchester City stars Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden miss out because of this.

*Includes only goals classed as a ‘left-footed shot’ on Transfermarkt.

Top 10 left-footed players in world football today: Our picks

10) Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)

Many regard him as the best player of all time, and Lionel Messi still ranks on our list despite being at the final stage of his phenomenal footballing career. The Inter Miami star has still not lost his technical ability, and makes the MLS his personal playground at times.

It should also be noted that Messi is currently the record Ballon d'Or holder, having won the prestigious trophy an astonishing eight times in his footballing career so far. He is the only player on this list not to rank in the top 30 of the 2025 Ballon d'Or rankings.

Although Messi is ranked number ten in this list, if we were looking at this beyond the Ballon d'Or rankings, it would be difficult to place him anywhere other than first. Yes, he's lost pace, strength and endurance in recent times, but his left foot is as wand-like as ever. While Messi is active, he has the best left foot in the game, period.

9) Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)

Our first and only representative from the Bundesliga on this list is Bayern Munich and France international winger Michael Olise. Indeed, he enjoyed a superb debut season out in Germany in 2024/25, helping Bayern wrestle the title back from rivals Bayer Leverkusen.

Olise is a player with a lot of flair and trickery, while he is also very dangerous from a dead ball, as shown on a number of occasions in the Premier League in his days as a Crystal Palace player. Nonetheless, he is also still relatively young, and it is somewhat scary to think that he has not quite hit his prime just yet.

Olise has helped inspire Bayern to a near-perfect start to the season, where the Bavarians have won almost every single game they had played in all competitions. They look highly likely to take the Bundesliga crown, and are also going well in the UEFA Champions League (UCL).

8) Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

It is amazing to think that Manchester City and Norway international superstar Erling Haaland is only in eighth place the list. Indeed, he has been scoring goals for fun ever since making the switch to the Etihad Stadium from Borussia Dortmund.

Haaland's goals helped the Cityzens win an unprecedented treble in the 2022/23 season, and he currently holds the record for most goals scored in a single Premier League campaign (36). Nonetheless, the left-footed beast is sure to terrorise defences for the years to come!

Haaland has enjoyed a great individual start to the 2025/26 season with City, currently leading the top scorer charts in the Premier League. He also helped lead Norway to the top of their FIFA World Cup qualifying (WCQ) group, where they qualified for their first World Cup since 1998!

7) Fabian Ruiz (PSG)

Fabian Ruiz was part of an instrumental midfield that helped PSG win an unprecedented treble in the 2024/25 season. He was also a key player for Spain in their Euro 2024 triumph and will be hoping to have a similar impact at the upcoming World Cup in 2026. Ruiz isn't playing as well this season as he did last, but he can still end it on a high by helping PSG to back-to-back European triumphs.

6) Nuno Mendes (PSG)

Our second of two defenders on this list is the flying PSG full-back Nuno Mendes. Widely regarded as one of if not the best in his position in world football, the left-back helped the Parisians win a memorable treble in the 2024/25 campaign, and also won the UEFA Nations League (UNL) with Portugal.

5) Cole Palmer (Chelsea)

Cole Palmer's form dipped towards the end of the 2024/25 season, but there is still no denying that the Chelsea man is a super talent. In his debut campaign for the Blues, he produced an alarming number of goals and assists, and has undoubtedly been one of the Premier League's best players over the last two seasons, while he also helped win the UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) and FIFA Club World Cup (CWC), scoring a brace in the final of the latter to help beat tournament favourites PSG 3-0.

Palmer has made a mark in the 2025/26 Premier League campaign despite nursing an injury in its early stages. Indeed, the England international attacking midfield player scored on his return in a 2-2 draw for Chelsea away at West London rivals Brentford, but more injury problems have limited his minutes on the pitch thus far, and the Blues really need him for the remainder of the season if they are to be successful under new head coach Liam Rosenior.

4) Raphinha (Barcelona)

Raphinha was simply instrumental in Barcelona's La Liga triumph and UCL run in the 2024/25 campaign. The Brazilian not only lights up the big stage with his flair and trickery, but he has also backed it up with a phenomenal number of goals and assists in a Barca shirt, continuing his fine form into the 2025/26 season.

3) Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Considering the 2024/25 season that he had, it seems so harsh to only have Mohamed Salah in third place in this list. The Egyptian King put up exceptional numbers for Liverpool in terms of goals and assists, as the Reds won the Premier League title.

He also equalled the Premier League record for most goal contributions in one single season, notching up a combined 47 goals and assists in total in the 2024/25 campaign. Salah and Liverpool have made a disappointing defence to their title, leading to him making a controversial public outburst having been named on the bench for three matches in a row. However, the Egypt international has found his feet since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations and is – belatedly – demonstrating his timeless quality again.

2) Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

Lamine Yamal is simply a phenomenon considering his tender years, and finished in second place in the Ballon d'Or rankings after an astonishing performance against Inter Milan in the semi-final first-leg of the UCL in the 2024/25 season, where Barcelona drew 3-3 at home. The Spanish prodigy has shone for both club and country on the biggest of stages already, and has such a big future ahead of him.

1) Ousmane Dembele (PSG)

Ousmane Dembele had an outstanding 2025 and capped it off by winning the Ballon d'Or. He helped PSG wrap up a historic treble, and his volume of goals since the turn of the year has been pivotal.

Unfortunately, Dembele has been suffering from injuries in the 2025/26 campaign, scuppering his chances of winning back-to-back Ballons d’Or. He will look to get back to his best in the second half of the season.