While we can glance through nostalgia-tinted glasses at ‘the good old days’ where Ronaldinho, Pavel Nedved and Ryan Giggs roamed the left wing, the current crop of left-sided superstars are not simply poor imitations of those who have come before.
Across men’s and women’s football there remain a plethora of dazzling wingers tormenting right-backs on a weekly basis around Europe, with EA FC 25 offering the unrivalled ability to take control of these attacking dynamos in pixel form.
If you’re interested in utilising the best of the best, we’ve jotted down the highest-rated LWs and LMs in this year’s game.
Here are the ten best left-sided attackers in EA FC 25.
Ewa Pajor’s devastating goalscoring record tells the tale of a ruthless striker who thrives within the confines of the penalty area. That is certainly true, with the former Wolfsburg forward now donning a Barcelona jersey in 2024/25.
However, the Polish striker, who scored 18 times in just 19 Bundesliga matches last season, is also comfortable out on the left flank, with LW listed as an alternate position.
Pajor’s 88 pace and 89 dribbling should make her a dab hand at the role, with her 88 shooting lethal when cutting inside on her favoured right foot.
9. Mallory Swanson – 87 OVR
The inverse of Barcelona forward Pajor, United States international Mallory Swanson is a LM by trade who is also adept at leading the line with her blistering speed and solid finishing ability.
Swanson was handed a deserved upgrade in EA FC 25, moving from 86 overall to 87, with the forward scoring the winning goal as the USWNT claimed gold at the Summer Olympics in Paris.
With five-star weak foot, Swanson should be effective chopping inside or darting to the byline.
8. Sakina Karchaoui – 87 OVR
The game’s leading left-back, Paris Saint-Germain’s Sakina Karchaoui is similarly skilled in a more advanced role. With an alternate position of LM, she can be a fantastic attacking full-back or defensive winger.
Understandably, the speedy France international’s stats highlight her preference for playing as part of the backline, with 66 shooting not very impressive for a wide player in EA FC 25.
But Karchaoui does boast five-star skill moves and four-star weak foot, making her a handful for opposition markers.
7. Alexandra Popp – 87 OVR
Similarly to her former Wolfsburg teammate Pajor, the imperious Alexandra Popp is certainly a striker. However, her 2023/24 performances highlight her effectiveness as a creator rather than finisher, with 12 assists and just seven goals in 19 Bundesliga outings.
Her impact out wide in EA FC 25 is likely to be limited, though. With just 76 pace and an overall rating downgrade, the German sharpshooter’s 87 shooting and 90 physical make her a far more devastating prospect in a number nine role.
6. Florian Wirtz – 88 OVR
Injuries threatened to derail Florian Wirtz’s early career after the silky German emerged from the Bayer Leverkusen youth setup, but the attacking midfielder (capable of playing LM in EA FC 25) roared back into the spotlight with aplomb.
An exceptional 2023/24 campaign with Leverkusen saw the Bundesliga champions go unbeaten domestically as they also claimed the DFB Pokal and reached the Europa League final. Wirtz was crowned the Bundesliga Player of the Year following 11 goals and 12 assists in 32 matches.
Again, Wirtz is best suited to his trademark number ten function, but there are worse players to shoe-horn on the left-hand side of attack.
5. Guro Reiten – 88 OVR
2022/23 was Guro Reiten’s most prolific season in Chelsea colours but the Norwegian continued her impressive form in 2023/24 as the Blues won yet another Women’s Super League title. Seven goals and five assists helped Emma Hayes’ side on their way to a hard-fought triumph.
Reiten’s EA FC stats allows her to make a big splash on the left-hand side, whether in Ultimate Team or Career Mode – women’s football arrives in the latter for the first time this year. 88 pace, 86 dribbling and 85 passing make her an excellent facilitator for teammates.
4. Beth Mead – 88 OVR
Beth Mead’s ascent to the upper echelons of the game was disrupted by an injury-hit 2022/23 but the Arsenal winger made up for lost time last season with another eye-catching campaign. She finished up with 13 goals and nine assists for club and country.
While classified as a RW on EA FC 25, the England international is comfortable racing down the opposite flank and it’s her technical attributes that shine through on this year’s game. An 88 rating is complemented by 88 dribbling, 84 shooting and passing, and 82 pace.
She’s an all-round threat, even if she lacks the explosiveness of others on this list.
3. Phil Foden – 88 OVR
Phil Foden’s rise to stardom has been swift and largely without hiccups. However, he found a new gear in 2023/24 as he was crowned Premier League Player of the Season after helping Manchester City to a record fourth successive title.
Foden produced 19 goals and eight assists in the Premier League alone, catching the eye of EA’s rating team in the process. The Englishman has received an upgrade of +3 in this year’s game, seeing him rise to 88 overall.
The versatile midfielder-cum-forward, who can play as a RW, RM, LW and CAM, boasts some exquisite attacking stats and is the Premier League’s sole representative in the top ten.
2. Vinicius Junior – 90 OVR
Vinicius Junior’s insane 2023/24 displays may well earn him the Ballon d’Or in late October. The Brazilian winger scored in a second Champions League final as Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, while also proving integral to Los Blancos’ La Liga triumph.
Vinicius’ boosted EA FC 25 card looks frightening. 95 pace is the third-highest of any player in the database, while 91 dribbling and 84 shooting make him largely unstoppable for opposition defenders. Even the likes of Virgil van Dijk and William Saliba will struggle to keep him quiet.
After featuring up top regularly last term in Carlo Ancelotti’s pragmatic 4-3-1-2, Vinicius can also feature as a ST in-game. That doesn’t bear thinking about.
1. Kylian Mbappe – 91 OVR
While Kylian Mbappe, now finally at the Santiago Bernabeu, will lead the line for Real Madrid in his debut season, the Frenchman has been outspoken in his preference for playing on the left-hand side of a forward line. That’s where Paris Saint-Germain got the best out of the World Cup winner.
In EA FC 25 terms, it seems a waste to play Mbappe out wide given his game-high 97 pace and remarkable 90 shooting. However, partnering him with Vinicius in Ultimate Team or Career Mode allows you to flexibly rotate their positions.
Regardless of where you use him, Mbappe promises to be a game-breaker again this year.
