In brief
As the 2024–25 season draws to a close, the top strikers in the world will be vying for the title of undisputed number one as the cup finals get near.
After his success with Tottenham in the Premier League, Harry Kane moved to Bayern Munich in 2023 and has since dominated the Bundesliga.
Even if his all-around play has occasionally garnered criticism, Erling Haaland remains one of the world’s finest strikers, and new colleague Omar Marmoush has joined him on the list.
Placing the ball in the net is the most difficult yet crucial aspect of football. Because it is difficult to find a number nine who can consistently find a method to score goals, strikers are the most prized assets in the sport. It may not be a coincidence that the most successful teams typically have the most productive men at the top of the queue, but some teams manage to distribute their goals around the squad.
It goes without saying that playing for a superior team increases the forward’s chances of scoring, but it takes skill to make sure the ball gets past the goalie. Three center-forwards are currently playing in the Premier League, and this article lists the best 15 strikers in world football.
Factors that rank
Opinions are everything in football. Since the majority of the beautiful game is subjective, there is frequently no right or wrong. Claims can be supported by statistics, but nothing can be definitively proven when placing players in order. Each striker in the following list has been positioned using the following criteria:
Objectives Helps
Goals for each match
Relevance to the team
Individual performances
The top 15 strikers in football worldwide
Rank
The player
The country
Club
1.
Mbappe Kylian
France
Real Madrid
2.
Lewandowski, Robert
Poland
Barcelona
3.
Kane, Harry
England
The Bayern Munich
4.
Haaland, Erling
Norway
City of Manchester
5.
Isak, Alexander
Sweden
Newcastle United
6.
Gyokeres, Viktor
Sweden
Lisbon Sporting
7.
Martinez, Lautaro
Argentina
Milan Inter
8.
Alvarez Julian
Argentina
Real Madrid
9.
Marmoush Omar
Egypt
City of Manchester
10.
Osimhen Victor
Nigeria
On loan from Napoli, Galatasary
11.
Watkins, Ollie
England
Villa Aston
12.
Guirassy Serhou
Guinea
Dortmund Borussia
13.
Ronaldo Cristiano
Portugal
Al-Nassr
14.
Thuram, Marcus
France
Milan Inter
15.
Griezmann, Antoine
France
Real Madrid
Summary
With the new season started, the world’s finest strikers will compete for the title of outright number one.
Harry Kane’s move to Bayern Munich in 2023 has seen him dominate the Bundesliga after his success with Tottenham in the Premier League.
Erling Haaland has received criticism for his all-around play at times, but he remains one of the world’s top strikers, and he is joined on the list by new colleague Omar Marmoush.
The most difficult but crucial aspect of football is scoring goals. This makes strikers the most precious assets in the sport, as a number nine who can consistently score goals is a rare find. Some teams find a method to distribute their goals among the team, but it is certainly no accident that the top teams have the most productive men leading the way.
Obviously, playing for a superior team increases the forward’s chances of having shots on goal, but getting the ball past the custodian is a fine skill. This article rates the top 15 strikers in international football right now, with three of the centre forwards playing in the Premier League.
Ranking Factors
Football is all about opinion. There is often no right or incorrect answer because most aspects of the beautiful game are subjective. Statistics can be used to back up statements, however nothing can be proven conclusively when ranking players in order. The factors listed below were used to help place each striker:
Goals Assists
Goals per game.
Importance for team
Individual performances.
The Top 15 Strikers in World Football
Rank
Player
Nation
Club
1.
Kylian Mbappe
France
Real Madrid
2.
Robert Lewandowski
Poland
Barcelona
3.
Harry Kane
England
Bayern Munich
4.
Erling Haaland
Norway
Manchester City
5.
Alexander Isak
Sweden
Newcastle United
6.
Victor Gyokeres
Sweden
Sporting Lisbon
7.
Omar Marmoush
Egypt
Manchester City
8.
Lautaro Martinez
Argentina
Inter Milan
9.
Viktor Osimhen
Nigeria
Galatasaray (on loan from Napoli)
10.
Ollie Watkins
England
Aston Villa
11.
Victor Boniface
Nigeria
Bayer Leverkusen
12.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal
Al-Nassr
13.
Mateo Retegui
Italy
Atalanta
14.
Marcus Thuram
France
Inter Milan
15.
Antoine Griezmann
France
Atlético Madrid
1Kylian Mbappe
Club: Real Madrid
Is Mbappe a striker? It is plainly arguable. Although he can play anywhere on the front line, he is ranked in the top ten, despite the fact that he is most effective coming from the flanks. But, getting back to the individual, we’ve never seen such deadly explosiveness as when Paris-born Mbappe is on his game.
The Frenchman falls into the extremely unusual category of being unstoppable at times, and it will be surprising if he hasn’t won two or three Ballon d’Or titles by the time he retires. It is really unfair that the man who scored a hat-trick in a World Cup had any reservations about his ability in the early stages of his Los Blancos career. While he had a sluggish start with Real Madrid’s iconic white and gold, his star power never wavered, and he has since found his feet, scoring at every opportunity.
Kylian Mbappe: Club Career Statistics
Statistic
Number
Appearances
421
Goals
318
Assists
127
2Robert Lewandowski
Club: Barcelona
On his European debut for Barcelona, Robert Lewandowski became the only man to manage Champions League hat-tricks at three separate clubs, rocketing three past Viktoria Plzen. The prolific Pole simply knows where the goal is and has proven to be the sole contender to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s scoring strength over the last decade, presently outscoring both season after season.
Even in his later years, the former Bayern Munich talisman outperforms young guns like Mbappe and Haaland. And in the 24/25 season thus far, he has recaptured some of his youth, scoring 16 goals in 19 La Liga games, including a brace in El Clasico as La Blaugrana surged to the top of the table before Lamine Yamal’s injury slowed their progression.
Robert Lewandowski: Club Career Statistics
Statistic
Number
Appearances
805
Goals
600
Assists
155
3Harry Kane
Club: Bayern Munich
Harry Kane is modern football’s version of Wayne Rooney. Yes, he will definitely score 20 goals per season. But he’ll also have double-digit assists and spend roughly 30% of his time playing as a holding midfielder to find that extra space to work his magic.
The England captain became his country’s leading goalscorer in 2023, as well as second in the all-time Premier League scoring rankings, after scoring an amazing 213 goals for Tottenham. His move to Bayern Munich has been a success thus far, as the 31-year-old searches for his first big trophy in the sport.
Harry Kane: Club Career Statistics
Statistic
Number
Appearances
590
Goals
380
Assists
99
4Erling Haaland
Club: Manchester City
Erling Haaland deserves to be remembered as one of the best scorers in international football for one reason. He excels at putting the ball in the back of the opponent’s net. Since his arrival in the Premier League, the Norwegian has sparked global interest. He broke the single-season goalscoring record, scoring 36 times in only 35 outings during his first season in the tournament.
Haaland’s second season in England’s top flight followed a similar pattern, with him scoring almost every week until being forced to sit out. He received a lot of criticism from critics for some of his performances in the second half of the season, but he’s still one of the best goal scorers on the planet, and there’s no evidence of that innate instinct fading anytime soon, even if recent form has caused him to doubt himself.
Erling Haaland: Club Career Statistics
Statistic
Number
Appearances
316
Goals
252
Assists
53
5Alexander Isak
Club: Newcastle United
A few eyebrows were raised when Newcastle spent a whopping £63 million for Alexander Isak, but few doubt his quality now. The Swedish striker had a fantastic first season in the English Premier League, scoring 10 goals and impressing with his finishing and footwork, which he carried over into last season.
Injuries hampered Isak’s impact in his first season at the Magpies, but he remained fit for the majority of the 2023-24 season, demonstrating his talent with 21 Premier League goals under Eddie Howe. After a poor start to the season, the 6’4″ attacker has recently reverted to basics, relying on his pace and ability to surge forward with power before delivering an accurate finish. This uncomplicated yet efficient method has helped him recover his merciless form in recent weeks, and he is now Europe’s most in-form forward.
Alexander Isak: Club Career Statistics
Statistic
Number
Appearances
311
Goals
136
Assists
28
6Viktor Gyokeres
Club: Sporting
Viktor Gyokeres, the name on everyone’s lips, appeared to be on the verge of a big-money move in the 2024 summer transfer window, but instead opted to stay in Portugal for another year. The Sweden international joined his current club, Sporting, from Championship outfit Coventry City the previous year, but his impressive performance in the Portuguese league has piqued the interest of some of Europe’s top clubs.
Arsenal and Chelsea were connected with the Swede as they looked for a new number nine this summer. Gyokeres will undoubtedly be on Sporting’s radar in future transfer windows, given his consistent performance there. He is now in contention for the European Golden Boot, having scored 22 goals and provided five assists in 21 Liga Portugal games this season. Coming alive on the European stage, the mysterious centre forward’s abilities were on full display as he scored a hat-trick against a weak Manchester City – what a phenomenal talent.
Viktor Gyokeres’ Career Statistics
Statistic
Number
Appearances
379
Goals
200
Assists
60
7Omar Marmoush
Club: Manchester City
Being purportedly scouted by Liverpool’s first-rate recruitment team and rumoured to be the heir to Mo Salah’s golden kingdom is a compliment in and of itself. Omar Marmoush is Egypt’s next big thing, and Manchester City recently raided Eintracht Frankfurt to sign him.
In Marmoush, Pep Guardiola has discovered yet another goal-scoring machine. This season, the Egyptian attacker has scored 20 goals and assisted 14 times in his 26 games across all competitions. But it’s not simply his stats that will entice City fans; his style of play is also appealing.
Marmoush excels with his back to goal, sometimes playing as a second striker, much like Julian Alvarez in prior seasons. When combined with Haaland, the combo is poised to wreak havoc on opposing defences, posing a really terrifying prospect for Premier League defenders.
Omar Marmoush: Club Career Statistics
Statistic
Number
Appearances
220
Goals
73
Assists
32
8Lautaro Martinez
Club: Inter Milan
Lautaro Martinez, an Argentine centre-forward known for his tenacity, has been performing admirably for Inter for several seasons. During the 2022/23 season, he scored an astounding 21 league goals and played a key role in the club’s title run, which was narrowly defeated by city rivals AC Milan.
Martinez, who is now 27 years old and in the prime of his career, appears to be accelerating his progress and has become one of the world’s best bagmen. Last season, the Inter Milan attacker won the Serie A Golden Boot by a large margin over the trailing pack. Martinez’s finishing skill has improved in recent years, and he is now well-known around the world, with Lionel Messi even selecting the superstar as his successor for the Ballon d’Or, albeit Rodri would eventually win the award.
Lautaro Martinez: Club Career Statistics
Statistic
Number
Appearances
378
Goals
171
Assists
55
9Victor Osimhen
Club: Galatasary (on loan from Napoli)
Victor Osimhen’s potential has been well known since he joined Lille in 2019, but it wasn’t until 2022 that the world realised the full extent of the tenacious Nigerian’s abilities. Standing tall, with pace, aerial dominance, and clinical finishing, Osimhen has scored about every type of goal possible during his Napoli career, helping the club to the Serie A title in 2023 with 26 goals in 32 league appearances.
Although a widely known conflict with the club during the summer has temporarily stalled his progress, a move to one of Europe’s premier teams appears probable for the 25-year-old in the near future, as he settles for temporary quarters at Galatasaray. But while in Turkey, he’s been on fire.
Victor Osimhen: Club Career Statistics
Statistic
Number
Appearances
247
Goals
133
Assists
32
10Ollie Watkins
Aston Villa
Ollie Watkins’ rise to prominence since Unai Emery took over at Villa Park has been meteoric, and it is possible that he has not received enough attention. The England international has been a steady goal scorer for Aston Villa over the last two years, becoming as one of the best attackers in the English Premier League after beginning his career at Exeter City.
His talismanic performances for the Villans were enough to propel the West Midlands team into the Champions League. It’s the first time the English team has competed in the elite European competition in over four decades, and while he hasn’t been particularly impressive in the first half of the 2024/25 season, he will be hoping to improve even more under his influential Spanish manager after massively outperforming his xG last season.
Ollie Watkins: Club Career Statistics
Statistic
Number
Appearances
425
Goals
158
Assists
67
11Victor Boniface
Club: Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen were the surprise package of the most recent campaign, as the Bundesliga club lasted an entire domestic season without losing. Victor Boniface’s lethal temperament was a major contributor to Xabi Alonso’s success.
Despite missing much of Leverkusen’s title-winning season, the Nigerian striker scored 14 league goals in the German top division. His amazing physicality and pace cause opposing defenders several problems, and when combined with his quick thinking in front of the goal, Boniface is regarded as one of the best players in his position. While his colleagues haven’t lived up to the great standards of the past, he’s still scoring, with seven goals in 12 Bundesliga outings this season.
Victor Boniface: Club Career Statistics
Statistic
Number
Appearances
170
Goals
71
Assists
31
12Cristiano Ronaldo
Club: Al-Nassr
There was a time when the greatest goalscorer of all time would have been at the top of this list, with no meaningful competition for the title. In 2025, however, Cristiano Ronaldo will play in the Saudi Pro League, which is obviously inferior in quality than the best European divisions.
The Portuguese superstar is the biggest fish in the narrow pond that is the new division. Ronaldo scored more goals than any other player in 2023, with 54. As previously stated, the lack of quality in the league in which he plays has to weigh against the Real Madrid and Manchester United icon, but 2024 was still a great year for the 39-year-old, and given that he recently renewed his contract, 2025 could follow in the same vein.
Cristiano Ronaldo: Career Statistics
Statistic
Number
Appearances
1040
Goals
783
Assists
242
13Mateo Retegui
Club: Atalanta
If you haven’t heard of ‘Mateo Retegui’ yet, you should do so right away. The Italian forward, who moved cross-country from Genoa to reigning Europa League champions Atalanta this summer, will swiftly become a household name in the boot-shaped country.
He has 20 goals in 23 Serie A games so far in the 2024/25 season, putting him comfortably ahead of Thuram and Dusan Vlahovic. The only reason he isn’t further ahead in this one is that he has yet to execute it over a longer length of time. Give him a couple more months, and he’ll certainly leap to prominence.
Mateo Retegui – Club Areer Statistics
Statistic
Number
Appearances
228
Goals
79
Assists
15
14Marcus Thuram
Club: Inter Milan
Inter Milan dominated Serie A last season, which is unsurprising given their wealth of attacking weapons. Marcus Thuram, who was associated with Arsenal, may not have been the diamond in Inter’s crown, since that honour went to Martinez, but his initial season at the San Siro was a huge success.
The Frenchman joined on a free transfer from German club Borussia Monchengladbach and played a key role in the men in black and blue reclaiming their league title with a Milan derby victory against AC Milan. Thuram is one of Italy’s greatest forwards right now, and he can play as the team’s primary line leader or on the left wing.
Marcus Thuram: Club Career Statistics
Statistic
Number
Appearances
338
Goals
92
Assists
53
15Antoine Griezmann
Club: Atletico Madrid
For the casual spectator, 33-year-old Antoine Griezmann’s return to the spotlight may raise a few concerns. Wasn’t his peak years ago, when he shone at Euro 2016? Is he still playing? The answer is a loud yes, and Atletico Madrid’s recent recovery can be attributed in large part to their French talisman, who has emerged as Diego Simeone’s crown jewel.
Griezmann, like Simeone himself, has mastered the knack of staying relevant. This season, he’s scored 12 goals in 24 La Liga matches, putting Atleti just one point behind league leaders Real Madrid. On the European stage, he has been equally important, scoring six goals and assisting twice in eight Champions League games. Griezmann, now older and more experienced, appears to be far from done.
Antoine Griezmann: Club Career Statistics
Statistic
Number
Appearances
728
Goals
283
Assists
125
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