Comparing Sadio Mane, Son Heung-min, and Robert Pires: Determining the superior player

In a recent episode of Sky Sports' Monday Night Football, former football player Daniel Sturridge shared his observation about how young forwards these days actually prefer to play on the wing than in the center.

Sturridge said, 'Growing up, I was inspired by players like R9 [Ronaldo], Nicolas Anelka, Pele, [Diego] Maradona, Marco van Basten - all traditional center-forwards. But the younger generation now look up to [Cristiano] Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, Mohamed Salah, Neymar - mostly wingers. That's their source of inspiration.'

He does have a point. Generally, wide forwards are expected to score, but not as much as a striker. The glory and benefits that come with being a high-scoring forward are still present, with the added responsibility of occasionally tracking back.

Modern-day wingers such as Sadio Mane and Son Heung-min have became really good at playing as wide forwards. Robert Pires was a trendsetter in his time by regularly scoring goals from the wing.

Moving on to the debate of who was the best player among the three, let's discuss.

Pires was a marvel, especially with the way he controlled the ball. He wasn't the fastest player, but he was quick enough and physically adept to easily move past his defender and create space.

Pires had an incredible command over the ball, sort of like a modern-day box-to-box midfielder, expertly luring opponents into attempting to capture a ball that always seemed to be within his control.

While Pires was known for his ability to slow down the game, Mane and Son excelled in high-speed and high-pressure situations. In this particular aspect, Pires had the upper hand.

Not only was Pires adept at scoring goals, but he was also a great creator. Playing alongside Thierry Henry certainly helped his assist count, but Pires was all about serving the team in an impressively selfless manner. His 15-assist contribution to Arsenal's 2001/02 championship season remains one of the highest in Premier League history.

Mane is known for his creativity and ability to create chances, but Pires comes out on top in this category.

Had Pires played in the current era, his goal contributions would likely have been in double digits. He is widely regarded as the pioneer of scoring from wide positions.

As for Mane and Son, Son just narrowly outdoes Mane. Both have won a Golden Boot, but Son, the current Tottenham captain, has a reputation for scoring from various positions and has a Puskas Award to his name.

In the past decade, only Lionel Messi has outperformed Son in terms of expected goal contributions. That's a fancy way of saying that only Messi is a more clinical finisher in the world.

To only highlight Mane's speed as his key strength does not do justice to his overall talent. But, inevitably, it's his speed that is often brought to the fore.

Mane's speed is a critical factor for a winger- he could strike fear into both opposing players and their fans like few others could.

Give him the space, and he'll take it eagerly. Block his path, and he'll still find a way to make a breakthrough. Even when his shooting or passing seemed off, Mane could count on his speed to create a chance.

Considering the legacy, the impact, the accolades, the charisma, the trophies, the whole package, Pires emerges as the winner. He is the greatest among these three great players.