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Ronaldo and Messi have ruled the goalscoring charts in the last few yearsCristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have had a monopoly over multiple personal awards in the last few years. The duo have egged each other on over the years, competing over goals scored throughout the course of the season.It is not an unusual sight to see Ronaldo score a hat-trick and take a lead in the goal scoring charts only for Messi to claw back with a three goal haul of his own in the next game. However, this season has seen an unusual sight, with the duo not performing to their previous astronomic levels.Messi has a bit of an excuse, having spent two months out with an injury, which has meant that the forward has only scored 11 league goals this year. The lack of Messi providing motivation might have resulted in Ronaldo’s relatively fallow haul this season, with the Portuguese star scoring 16 in the league.The duo aren’t running away at the top of the goal-scoring pack, which has provided other strikers around Europe hope that they can win the golden boot this year.Here are five players who could possibly end the season having outscored Ronaldo and Messi :
#1 Gonzalo Higuain
Gonzalo Higuain is arguably the best striker in Europe right now. The Argentinian currently tops the scoring across the top 5 European leagues, with 21 goals to his name in Serie A. Higuain’s form has propelled Napoli to the top of the Serie A standings with 47 points, two ahead of second placed Juventus
The 28 year old is in the form of his life right now, and is carrying Napoli’s Scudetto challenge on his shoulders. Higuain’s predatory instincts have been aided by his two footedness; the Argentine has scored 8 goals with his left foot in addition to 12 with his right, having scored a solitary header.
Higuain’s exploits this season have seen him persistenly linked with a move to Bayern Munich, however his manager Maurizio Sarri would not even exchange Robert Lewandowski for Higuain, opining that the Argentine striker is better at his craft than the lanky Pole, saying “Higuain is like a dog, devouring any chance he gets. I would not exchange him for anyone, not even Lewandowski.”
“Higuain is becoming what I always thought he should be – in other words, the best striker in Europe and perhaps the world.”
Not bad for someone who is very likely to outscore Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi this season.
| Competition | Apps | Goals | Assists | Minutes | Min per Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serie A | 21 | 21 | 2 | 1782 | 85 |
| Europa League | 3 | 2 | 0 | 109 | 55 |
| Coppa Italia | 2 | 0 | 1 | 90 | - |
| Total | 26 | 23 | 3 | 1981 | 86 |
#2 Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez is the first striker to reach 30 goals across all competitions this season. Given that his striking partners are Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr, Suarez doesn’t often get the same plaudits that his performances deserve. However, with the Uruguayan racking up the goals this season, the spotlight is firmly centered on his exploits in front of goal.
Suarez wins around half of the numerous duels he is involved with on the pitch this season, as his constant haranguing of opposition defenders is central to Barcelona’s style of play. Once Barcelona do create a chance for the Uruguayan, he is quite lethal shooting on target 55% of the time, which is only bettered by his teammate Neymar and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Europe.
His manager Luis Enrique is quite sure of Suarez’s ‘lethal’ nature, labelling him a ‘killer in the box’.
Having scored his 30th goal this season in Barcelona’s 3-1 quarter final win over Athletic Bilbao at the Camp Nou, Suarez is on track to finish the season with more goals to his name than Ronaldo or Messi, notching up a goal every 97 minutes this season.
| Competition | Apps | Goals | Assists | Minutes | Min per Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Liga | 19 | 18 | 9 | 1710 | 95 |
| Champions League | 5 | 5 | 3 | 450 | 90 |
| FIFA Club World Cup | 2 | 5 | 0 | 180 | 36 |
| Copa del Rey | 3 | 1 | 0 | 270 | 270 |
| Supercopa | 2 | 0 | 1 | - | 180 |
| UEFA Supercup | 1 | 1 | 1 | 120 | 120 |
| Total | 32 | 30 | 14 | 2910 | 97 |
#3 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, fresh off a CAF award for the African Footballer of the Year, is enjoying one of his best seasons in front of goal. Aubameyang’s goals for Dortmund have been crucial as the Gabonese striker’s exploits have resulted in Thomas Tuchel’s new look Dortmund side being the only challengers to Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title this year, although they are 8 points adrift in second place.
Aubameyang has scored 18 goals in as any games in the Bundesliga this year, and has carried the goal-a-game frequency to other competions this season as well. The Gabonese striker is lethal when presented with a chance, converting 30.4% of the shots he has taken this season with over half of them being on target.
Aubameyang’s form has meant that he has been subject to interest from Manchester United, Arsenal and PSG, but his manager Thomas Tuchel has ruled out a move for him with the utmost certainty, saying “We have not considered Aubameyang's departure for a single second. He is a pillar for us and we have big plans for him. There is no debate on him at all.”
Given his pillar-like stature at Dortmund, Tuchel’s side is geared towards creating more chances for Aubameyang to score, which is sure to keep him ahead of Ronaldo and Messi in the goalscoring charts this season.
| Competition | Apps | Goals | Assists | Minutes | Min per Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bundesliga | 18 | 18 | 4 | 1563 | 87 |
| Europa League | 8 | 7 | 1 | 550 | 79 |
| DFB Pokal | 2 | 2 | 1 | 180 | 90 |
| Total | 28 | 27 | 6 | 2293 | 85 |
#4 Robert Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski’s name in the top echelons of the European goal-scoring charts is not a surprise. The Polish hitman is deservedly acknowledged as one of the most consistent strikers in Europe, and has continued to rack up the goals this season that have ensured that Bayern Munich are top of the Bundesliga with 49 points.
Lewandowski’s reputation as a pure goal-scorer is slightly undeserved however, as the 27 year old has been excellent in his link up play this season. The Pole has a quiet surprising pass accuracy of 80% this season, which is unusual for any player at the top end of the pitch. Having been involved in 29 goals for Bayern in 27 games this season, Lewandowski is crucial to a majority of Bayern’s goals this season.
Lewandowski’s improvement in link up play is perhaps down to his manager, Pep Guardiola, who is not impressed by his goal-scoring feats. Speaking after his incredible five goal burst in 9 minutes against Wolfsburg earlier in the season, the Pole revealed Guardiola’s priorities, saying “I don't think the coach approaches me differently when I score more goals. It's the same. I'm sure he is happy with my goals, but he also wants me to play good football and help my team-mates.”
Despite his focus on link-up play, Lewandowski has scored at a rate that may keep him ahead of Ronaldo and Messi in the scoring charts, which is a tribute to the Polish striker itself.
| Competition | Apps | Goals | Assists | Minutes | Min per Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bundesliga | 17 | 17 | 3 | 1402 | 82 |
| Champions League | 6 | 7 | 0 | 453 | 65 |
| DFB Pokal | 3 | 1 | 0 | 270 | 270 |
| DFB Supercup | 1 | 0 | 1 | 71 | - |
| Total | 27 | 25 | 4 | 2196 | 88 |
#5 Neymar
With Lionel Messi injured for two months of the season, Neymar found the perfect opportunity to emerge from the Argentinian’s shadow. The Brazilian has exploded on the scene this season by being involved in a stunning 38 goals this season for Barcelona, thus ensuring the Blaugrana are in the hunt for a second consecutive league title.
Despite having scored 21 times for Barcelona this season, Neymar has taken on the creative mantle of Barcelona. The Brazilian has created a staggering 65 chances in La Liga this season, the most of any player in the league, and almost triple the average amount of chances top strikers around Europe have created. When another of his teammates does create a chance for him, Neymar is quite lethal, shooting on target 57% of time, while converting slightly more than a quarter of his chances.
Such has been Neymar’s impact this season, that rumours of Florentino Perez breaking the bank with a stunning €190 million offer for his services have been doing the rounds. Instead however, Barcelona are quite sure of Neymar’s quality with Luis Enrique confident that he will renew his contract.
Neymar’s manager knows his value, labelling him ‘electric’ and unstoppable after a four goal haul earlier this season, saying “Since the start of the season he has been electric. He was very effective and practically unstoppable. With the speed he goes at inside the area the defenders stop him this way by committing a penalty or it is a goal.”
| Competition | Apps | Goals | Assists | Minutes | Min per Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Liga | 17 | 16 | 12 | 1526 | 95 |
| Champions League | 5 | 2 | 3 | 450 | 225 |
| Copa del Rey | 4 | 3 | 0 | 360 | 120 |
| FIFA Club World Cup | 1 | 0 | 2 | 87 | - |
| Total | 27 | 21 | 17 | 2423 | 116 |
