Olise? Vinicius? Lamine Yamal? Ranking the most exciting wide men

Even if the traditional role of a winger has evolved, there are few things more exhilarating than those carefree menaces carving seemingly impossible routes through hordes of hapless defenders, lifting bums from seats and bringing smiles to faces.

Where once the remit was to stay as wide as possible in a chalk-on-yer-boots 4-4-2, today's fantastic flyers are predominantly primed as part of a front three, tasked with hitting the byeline or cutting in on their stronger foot for a direct route to goal.

"Lots of them are quick, lots of them can beat players, but it is the ones who know when to make that final pass who are extra special," says Pat Nevin, former Scotland winger and BBC Radio 5 Live pundit.

Indeed, this week we are ranking the 10 most exciting wide players in the world right now - those in top form, churning out goals, assists and dynamic dribbles.

You can tell us yours below too.

You'd be forgiven for not having heard of Yan Diomande a few months ago. Now the teenager is splashed across every transfer bulletin, is being linked with Europe's top clubs and makes this list at number 10.

The Ivory Coast international already has a remarkable journey. Born in Abidjan, Diomande uprooted on his own to Florida aged 15 on a student visa to further his football development, using Duolingo to help learn English.

He had trials with MLS clubs and Rangers in Scotland, among others, but instead joined Leganes in January last year. Diomande tragically lost his younger sister before arriving in Spain and dedicated his first professional goal to her.

Twelve months since his senior debut, the 19-year-old now finds himself at RB Leipzig and thriving in the Bundesliga, scoring 10 times and registering seven assists while clocking the third-fastest speed in the division.

Bought for under £20m last summer, his value - according to Transfermarkt - has rocketed to £65m in eight months.

This isn't a list exclusively for wonderkids, but at nine is a 20-year-old who has been handed the number 10 jersey once sported by Alessandro del Piero, Roberto Baggio and Michel Platini and tasked with leading Juventus back to those former glories.

Germany-born Turkey international Kenan Yildiz, plucked from Bayern Munich's ranks aged 17, has more goals or assists than any of his team-mates this term.

Among them are some belting strikes from a youngster who also features as a playmaker - although half his 40 appearances have come in a wide position - and boasts the technique worthy of those famous Turin alumni.

"He's a defender!" you cry. Well, perhaps Federico Dimarco can be typecast as a full-back, or more likely a wing-back, but in Inter boss Cristian Chivu's 3-5-2 this season the Italian has the output of a winger or forward. And that's because he is positioned like one.

In Italy they have dubbed the role a "fifth",, external turning Inter into a back five when defending and front five when attacking. Dimarco, socks half-raised on his heavily inked calves, has the engine to do both, as highlighted during Inter's Champions League outing to Dortmund in January.

The 28-year-old captained the Nerazzurri and scored in a 2-0 win - one of seven goals in all competitions this season. That's complemented by 15 assists, 14 of those coming in Serie A for the league leaders, which is one every other game and double his nearest challenger.

Dimarco has produced more crosses than any player in Europe's top leagues and has created the third-most chances. In fact, he already has more league goals and assists than in any other campaign in his career. He makes the list at number eight.

Raphinha was a Ballon d'Or contender last year and would no doubt be higher than seventh here if it wasn't for an injury-curtailed season, another on Brazil duty last week casting his place on the list in doubt.

Despite having played only half of Barcelona's minutes this term, he has still stumped up impressive numbers - 19 goals and eight assists in 31 appearances in all competitions - and Barca will want him back for the business end of the campaign.

What about the Premier League entrants?

Bukayo Saka is undoubtedly one of the best wingers in the world, but he doesn't make the list after an underwhelming season in terms of numbers. Not that the Arsenal star will mind a dip in personal output if it means a win for the collective, bringing a league title or European glory to north London.

Anthony Gordon makes a good case given Kylian Mbappe is the only player to score more Champions League goals than the Newcastle man this season, but four of those 10 did come while playing at centre-forward against Qarabag.

Wales' Harry Wilson is having a stellar campaing at Fulham but also misses out.

The only nomination - and maybe this suggests the stifling of wingers is a division-wide phenomenon - at six is Antoine Semenyo, who recently won his first trophy, the Carabao Cup.

The Ghana international, once of Bath City and Newport County, was putting up a standout season at Bournemouth before his £64m move to Manchester City and has 15 Premier League goals.

Lethal anywhere in the final third, only Como's Nico Paz has more league goals from outside the box than Semenyo's four this term.

We're perhaps intro predictable territory here, even if what sets the top five apart is their ability to be unpredictable - none more so than Paris St-Germain's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who comes alive on the grandest stage.

"He has got everything I want from a winger, but a bit more as well," says Nevin. "He always wants to take players on. He wants to attack players. He has lots of tricks and flicks. He does unusual things and he breaks lines.

"You need two people to mark him. Kvaratskhelia is everything I like to watch in a player - never fearful, always positive and wants to entertain."

Kvaradona - can we still call him that after leaving Naples? - is the lone addition from PSG's entourage, but that is largely because Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele has featured predominantly as a striker and Desire Doue's season has been fragmented by injury.

Unsurprisingly given their staggering attacking form this campaign, we're doubling up on Bayern Munich wingers - like most Bundesliga defences.

First off the block in the top four is Luis Diaz, who, despite notching 40 goal contributions in all competitions, is arguably going under the radar because of the outrageous returns of Harry Kane and Michael Olise.

Colombian Diaz, a wiley mix of wicked dribbles, relentless running and potent finishing, ranks among the top players in Europe's major leagues for goals, assists, open-play chances created and attempted dribbles.

It is his most-prolific season to date.

When it comes to exciting wide men, however, it's hard to look past those elite dribblers who rouse crowds and make full-backs fret. Take Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr, for example, who has completed 70 dribbles in La Liga this season and 22 in 12 Champions League outings.

The Brazilian is a big-game player, too, scoring twice against Manchester City at Etihad Stadium in the last 16 and grabbing another brace in the Madrid derby win over Atletico before the international break. Vinicius epitomises the Real ethos of springing to life when it matters.

But no-one comes anywhere near his counterpart on the other side of the Clasico divide when it comes to twinkled-toed, mazy runs.

Like Lionel Messi before him, Lamine Yamal has perfected the art of weaving in off the right flank, a hazy mirage of blaugrana turning defenders to stone, before a trademark left-foot finish.

Only the blonde tips and braces hint at the fact the Spaniard is only 18, a teenage phenomenon hoarding major trophies for club and country who has already played 170 senior games and scored more than 50 goals.

A groin problem stalled his start to the campaign but that has not stopped Lamine Yamal running at the opposition more than anyone else - he has dribbled 240 times in La Liga, 63 times more than his nearest challenge, Vinicius.

With 21 goals and 16 assists across all competitions, Lamine Yamal is rediscovering his phenomenal stride right in time for this summer's World Cup.

For all the hustle and hurry of some wingers on this list, the current number one dictates things at his own pace - the game slows down when Michael Olise has the ball, his languid style and effortless composure a calming but deadly presence.

The Frenchman has more assists than anyone in Europe - 22 across the Bundesliga and Champions League, and grabbing one in the number 10 role for a star-studded France against Brazil on Friday.

In fact, Bayern manager Vincent Kompany says Olise has the "mentality" of Kevin de Bruyne. "I was lucky to watch him come through as a young player and become a superstar," he says. "It is that obsession with detail that Michael has."

Olise, 24, is flourishing in a fluid Bayern attack. Not just as a creator but a goal threat too.

Olise, whose unconventional journey to Ballon d'Or contention has taken him via Reading and Crystal Palace, has 16 goals in all competitions.

Those who watched him a Selhurst Park swore he would be a star. Now the rest of the world is in on the secret.