Table of Contents
- What is an inverted winger in soccer?
- How is a normal winger different from an inverted winger in soccer?
- What are the benefits of deploying an inverted winger?
- An example of an inverted winger in soccer
- Who are the best inverted wingers in the game?
- The verdict on inverted wingers
Hugging the touchline, crossing into the box from the byline; there are some clichés about wingers that go way back, some of which might fit the descriptions of certain players, but not all.
As times change, so do the philosophies and styles in soccer. Perhaps the most drastic of positional changes has come out wide, where we now see what is referred to as an inverted winger commonly on show.
In this article, we’ll look at what the role of the inverted winger is, what it means for the setup of their team, and what advantages and disadvantages deploying this role can bring.
What is an inverted winger in soccer?
Traditionally, right-footed players were always put on the right wing and left-footers on the left. However, an inverted winger is when a right-footed player plays on the left wing and a left-footed player is put on the right wing.
As the name suggests, lining this player up invertedly, so to the opposite side you’d expect them to play, changes how your side operates and where the patterns of play form.
Playing with inverted wingers often means teams are shaped more narrowly, which can be either good or bad for several reasons.
One of the first recorded uses of an inverted winger was at Arsenal when legendary winger Cliff Bastin began his career for the Gunners in 1929.
How is a normal winger different from an inverted winger in soccer?
Imagine the more “traditional” winger sprinting down the touchline, looking to beat their opponent on the outside. While inverted wingers can dribble down the touchline, they would need to cut inside if they wanted to use their stronger foot.
This means, assuming the majority of times each player uses their strongest foot, the crosses that are supplied by inverted wingers would be in-swingers, which are statistically more threatening than out-swinging crosses (one study on corners found that chances from in-swingers had nearly 11% odds of being scored, whereas only 6.5% of opportunities from out-swingers were converted).
Where the player is looking now that they are inverted is totally different compared to a more traditional type of winger. They’re looking inside, with more room in front of them and numerous options to choose from. The same number of options can’t be said when you’re pushed out wide near the corner flag.
There are many facets of how traditional wingers play and what it can bring to your side, as we explored in another Soccer Knowledge Hub article.
What are the benefits of deploying an inverted winger?
One of the main benefits an inverted winger brings is that when you cut inside onto your stronger foot, you are bringing the ball into a more central position which will likely alter the body shape of the full-back on that side and drag them inside.
This is important because it means you can have overlapping wing-backs or full-backs on your team that can burst into the vacated space out wide and a pass can be played into them so they are free to deliver a cross without obstruction.
Another reason managers prefer lining up with inverted wingers is because they can create better chances from the middle of the field. Consider the difficulty of swinging in a cross from far out wide, if your players cut into the middle of the field, they are shaped towards goal and have a much better view of what’s happening in the penalty area too.
Creating better quality chances for attacking partners, rather than hopeful crosses, is why so many modern managers adapt their styles to incorporate this position.
An example of an inverted winger in soccer
In MLS, Minnesota United coach Adrian Heath is an advocate of the setup. He first used it to address the poor start his side had to a regular season, feeling inverting his wingers would solve their attacking woes.
Arjen Robben is often lauded as a wonderful example of how effective the inverted winger can be in the European game.
Yes, he created a lot of chances for teammates, but by feigning to move outside then pulling the ball back in often bamboozled defenders and gave him time to unleash one of his trademark strikes across the keeper and into the far corner.
Who are the best inverted wingers in the game?
There are a number of examples in modern soccer that showcase how important and fruitful an inverted winger can be.
Although soccer can be a transient sport where positions aren’t fixed or rigid and managers like to shuffle the pack to confuse their opponents, one player who typically stays wide of his forward trio and can be deemed as an inverted winger is Neymar Jr.
The Paris Saint-Germain phenomenon usually occupies the left wing in the French side’s front three with devastating effect (Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest player ever and a left-footer, is on the right flank for PSG but because of how often he played centrally for Barcelona over the years, I’ve excluded him from this example).
The Brazilian’s hallmark move of cutting inside then seemingly changing the direction of his pass at the last minute, feeding focal point Kylian Mbappe up is a delight to watch.
Jack Grealish, the Manchester City star who signed for around $125m in 2021, took time to settle at the Etihad Stadium, but soon found his feet on the left side of Pep Guardiola’s attacking trio.
His recent scintillating form out wide, often cutting inside to make space for a right-footed cross into teammate Erling Haaland, has played a part in City retaining their Premier League title.
Not everybody has the luxury of an array of talent out wide like Pep Guardiola has. Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva, and Phil Foden are all left-footed players who are more than capable of taking up a similar role to Grealish but on the other wing.
The verdict on inverted wingers
As we’ve discovered, the inverted winger can bring many benefits to your side, like opening up angles, presenting the opportunity for overlaps, and creating better goal scoring chances for teammates.
Now that we know what the role involves, it opens up a whole world of attacking moves and intricate play you might not have considered before.