The 10 best strikers in the world right now | OneFootball

We’re often told the most difficult aspect of football is scoring goals but no one told this lot. The best strikers in world football bulge the net with regularity, finding routes to hurt opposition teams.

Poachers in the truest form have become near extinct, however, with strikers now required to be involved in the build-up and defend from the front. Goals, graft and guile, our list of the best strikers in world football incorporates the lot.

The 10 best strikers in the world right now

10. Serhou Guirassy – Borussia Dortmund

There’s something fascinating about late bloomers and Serhou Guirassy is not the only player on this list to enjoy a later-than-expected peak. The Guinea international’s early career was spent bouncing between the top two divisions in Germany and France, before two solid seasons at Rennes caught Stuttgart’s interest. Guirassy’s goals helped the German outfit avoid relegation in 2022/23 before he exploded in output to fire Die Roten to Champions League qualification the following season.

Borussia Dortmund swooped to trigger his €18m release clause last summer and have since been repaid handsomely. Guirassy has 30 goals this season and is the Champions League’s leading scorer with 13 in 14 appearances in Europe. Powerful and predacious, he’s netted 58 goals in 70 games since the start of last season.

9. Julian Alvarez – Atletico Madrid

After playing second-fiddle to Erling Haaland at Manchester City, Julian Alvarez has thrived since joining Atletico Madrid last summer. The £80m fee was a huge investment for the Spanish side, but Atleti are more than content with their purchase. Alvarez has hit 26 goals this season, thriving as his former side have floundered in his absence.

Still just 25, his honours already include a World Cup, two Copa America, a Champions League, Copa Libertadores and two Premier League titles. It’s quite the cabinet.

8. Viktor Gyokeres – Sporting Lisbon

It’s beyond perplexing how Premier League clubs failed to take a punt on Viktor Gyokeres.

Though his early period in English football was underwhelming, to say the least, two excellent second-tier seasons at Coventry persuaded Sporting Lisbon to gamble. However, even the Portuguese side did not anticipate this success story.

Gyokeres has not stopped scoring since the moment he touched down in Lisbon. He fired Sporting to Primeira Liga success last season, earning the division’s Player of the Year and Golden Boot awards. This season he’s gone even better, breaching 40+ goals for the second straight season and swelling his total to 90 in 96 games for Sporting.

A move to one of Europe’s top leagues beckons.

7. Victor Osimhen – Galatasaray (on loan from Napoli)

Victor Osimhen’s loan move to Galatasaray is one of the stories of the season, an opportunistic transfer from the Turkish champions after a seemingly inevitable move to one of world football’s superpowers failed to come to fruition.

It’s arguably the biggest coup in Süper Lig history, with Osimhen emerging as one of world football’s best number nines before his fall-out in Naples.

Osimhen fired Napoli to a drought-breaking Scudetto in 2022/23 and was recognised as the league’s most valuable player. As expected, he’s been too good for Turkey with 29 goals and counting for the campaign. He’s a physical phenomenon with pace, explosive finishing and outrageous aerial leap and ability. At 26 and with a modest release clause this summer, his big move should arrive.

6. Lautaro Martinez – Inter Milan

Outside of Italy, there’s an argument that Lautaro Martinez does not get the plaudits he deserves.

The Argentina international has been a ruthless presence for the Nerazzurri, scoring 150 goals to become their highest-scoring overseas star. Given the calibre of forward to have donned the blue and black, that’s some achievement.

His partnership with Marcus Thuram propelled Inter to the title last season and the Italian champions are in pursuit of a treble this time around. With 32 goals for Argentina, he’s been a key part of their recent triple-tournament success. Last summer, he won the Copa America Golden Boot as the world champions defended their continental crown.

5. Alexander Isak – Newcastle United

Early comparisons with Zlatan Ibrahimovic were not helpful for Alexander Isak but he’s justifying them now. Isak certainly has similarities to Sweden’s former striking superstar, with impossibly nimble footwork for his tall frame.

He’s gone from strength to strength at Newcastle United, becoming the seventh-fastest footballer in Premier League history to reach 50 goals in the division. His goal in the Carabao Cup final ultimately proved to be the winner, cementing his legend as Newcastle claimed their first major domestic trophy in 70 years.

After becoming the first player to score 20+ league goals in successive Premier League campaigns for Newcastle, interest in Isak is high. Eddie Howe’s side must give him the platform of the Champions League, with the 25-year-old a player capable of improving any side.

4. Robert Lewandowski – Barcelona

Some suggested Robert Lewandowski was on the decline last season.

The master marksman has emphatically answered those question marks, with the most prolific campaign of his Barcelona career. La Liga’s leading scorer, he’s netted 25 times for the Catalans to fire Hansi Flick’s side to the top of the table. Another 15 have arrived in Europe and cup competition, with the prolific Pole breaching 40 goals in a season for the eighth time in his career.

With the creativity and energy of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha around him, Lewandowski has focused on doing what he does best. It’s a recipe that could lead to treble success.

3. Erling Haaland – Manchester City

Erling Haaland has made breaking records his favourite pastime at Manchester City.

Since shattering the Premier League’s single-season goal record in his debut campaign, Haaland has continued to score goal, after goal, after goal. He’s hit 120 in 138 games for the Citizens, winning back-to-back Premier League Golden Boots. Even in this disastrous domestic campaign for the Blues, he’s fired 20+ again.

Sure, the Norwegian might not be the most complete all-round footballer, but when it comes to getting goals there are few better. He is as relentless as they come.

2. Harry Kane – Bayern Munich

Harry Kane moved out of his comfort zone when leaving Tottenham Hotspur for Bayern Munich, proving he can be a big fish in a big pond too.

Kane became just the second Englishman to win the European Golden Shoe last season, with a record of better than a goal-per-game in the Bundesliga. Somehow, silverware still proved elusive, but that drought looks likely to end this time around.

It’s the least Kane deserves in a career that has seen him score goals at a frightening rate. A blank résumé of team honours would not sit right at curtain close.

1. Kylian Mbappe – Real Madrid

Kylian Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid was the most high-profile deal of last summer, as the Spaniards finally got their man. Landing Paris Saint-Germain’s record goalscorer on a free transfer was certainly the coup and, after a slow start, Mbappe has found his groove.

The French forward has scored 33 goals in all competitions, carrying the slack as Vinicius and Rodrygo have failed to fire.

Mbappe might not be a natural number nine, or even at his very best this season. But when he’s in the mood, there’s arguably no player quite as unstoppable.

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