5 Ligue 1 forwards who are having a better season than Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi recently won a record seventh Ballon d'Or award, usurping the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Jorginho and Karim Benzema. The former Barcelona captain has weaved his magic on the pitch over the last 15 years to cement his legacy as one of the all-time greats.
Messi joined Ligue 1 giants PSG in the summer after Barcelona failed to renew his contract. However, by his own lofty standards, Messi has endured an underwhelming campaign at PSG so far. The Argentine maestro is yet to find his goalscoring boots, and has failed to make an impact in the French top flight thus far.
Lionel Messi has scored just one goal in nine games in French top flight. Unsurprisingly, other forwards have enjoyed a stellar campaign this year than Messi. Without further ado, here is a look at five Ligue 1 forwards who are having a better season than Messi:
#5 Gaetan Laborde - Stade Rennes
Stade Rennes have proved themselves to be a force to be reckoned with in Ligue 1 this campaign. They currently sit in third place in the league table, and much of the credit for their stellar season goes to in-form striker Gaetan Laborde.
With nine goals and two assists in 16 league games, Laborde is enjoying a good run of form, and has had an incredible impact on his club's fortunes. The 27-year-old is aggressive and direct, which makes him an ideal target man, considering his lethal poaching ability.
Considering his stellar exploits, it will be interesting to see where Laborde ends up at the end of the season.
#4 Amine Gouiri - OGC Nice
After enjoying a breakthrough campaign last season, OGC Nice youngster Amine Gouiri has kept up his sensational form this campaign. The 21-year-old has fired on all cylinders, which has attracted huge interest from top European clubs.
Gouiri has racked up eight goals and four assists, helping his club into the top four of the Ligue 1 table. In addition to his efficiency in front of goal, the French sharpshooter has shown immense maturity and composure while picking out his teammates.
Gouiri is undoubtedly one of the players to watch out for in Ligue 1 at the moment.
#3 Wissam Ben Yedder - AS Monaco
Wissam Ben Yedder was one of Lionel Messi's competitors during their tenure in La Liga. However, the veteran centre-forward is enjoying a better individual season than Messi in Ligue 1 this campaign, despite playing in a relatively weaker team.
Yedder is quintessentially underrated as a striker, but he has stepped up for AS Monaco this campaign. With eight goals and two assists in the French top flight, the 31-year-old is high up in the league's goalscoring charts.
Ben Yedder has shown immense consistency, and remains the main driving force for a low=flying AS Monaco side. Monaco have scored 23 goals in 16 Ligue 1 games so far, with the French forward contributing almost half of them. Messi is yet to match the kind of impact Ben Yedder has had for his club thus far.
#2 Jonathan David - LOSC Lille
Lille forward Jonathan David is the most prolific goalscorer in Ligue 1 at the moment. The Canadian is not just ahead of Lionel Messi, but everyone else in the goalscoring charts, with 11 goals in 17 games this season.
With a knack of being in the right place at the right time, David has proved his efficiency in the final third. The 21-year-old played a key role in Lille's triumphant Ligue 1 campaign last season, and seems to have stepped up a notch this season.
David has been praised for his all-round game, as he can operate in multiple positions in attack. Messi could have a difficult time matching David's tally if the youngster keeps up his sensational form.
#1 Kylian Mbappe
Unlike his compatriot Lionel Messi, PSG winger Kylian Mbappe has been the main man for his club. The French youngster has been a prime reason for the Ligue 1 giants staying atop the league table at the moment. His consistently powerful displays on the pitch have propelled PSG to a 13-point lead atop the table.
Despite the presence of Neymar and Messi, Mbappe has been the talisman for PSG in front of goal. The 22-year-old has racked up seven goals in 15 league appearances, and has also provided seven assists.
A serial winner of the Ligue 1 Golden Boot, Mbappe is a strong candidate to claim the award again. He is also the team's best creator, comfortably outshining Messi this campaign.
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