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Being a regular goal-scorer is a massive task. Over the years, football has gotten more tactical and being among the goals consistently has surely become more difficult.
We have seen how goal-scorers like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Antoine Griezmann, Joao Felix and many others have struggled lately. To be regularly among goals is not at all an easy task nowadays.
Top players are consistently among goals
Despite the competitiveness and difficulties faced on the pitch to score frequently, some of the top-quality players have managed to do it very impressively. Of course, a lot of effort and hard work has gone into it and in return, the success achieved is equally sweet.
Many of these world-class players have managed to score in almost every game in a single year with some strong performances. Here, we take a look at those star players for whom scoring a goal in each game in a calendar year was a cakewalk.
#4 Harry Kane (2017)
Harry Kane has been a top-class goal-scorer for both Tottenham Hotspur and England. Although the Englishman looks out of form right now, there is no denying the immense threat he possesses in front of goal.
The Spurs striker had an impressive start with the North London club and one of his best performances came in 2017. The calendar year 2017 was memorable for Harry Kane for multiple reasons. He ended up scoring 39 Premier League goals that year, surpassing Alan Shearer's record of 36 strikers.
In total, the English striker scored 56 goals in 2017, with Lionel Messi finishing second with 54 strikes. His 56 goals were scored in 52 games, meaning Kane averaged 1.07 goals per game.
#3 Robert Lewandowski (2020)
If there's a player in recent times who definitely deserved to win the Ballon d'Or, it has to be Robert Lewandowski. Bayern Munich's star striker is a phenomenal player in front of goal and is arguably one of the best strikers in the world right now.
One of Robert Lewandowski's outstanding spells came in 2020. The Polish striker scored 47 goals in that calendar year in just 44 games. Although, he scored lesser goals than what he did in 2019 (54), his average was very impressive in 2020. With an average of 1.06 goals per game, not many were able to stop him that year.
Robert Lewandowski played an instrumental role in helping Bayern Munich win the Champions League that year. He was unlucky not to win the Ballon d'Or as the award was scrapped due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
#2 Lionel Messi (2012)
Lionel Messi is arguably one of the best players ever to grace the game. It has been a blessing to have witnessed the great Argentine play and do wonders in front of goal.
He had a brilliant time at Barcelona and it was shocking when the left-footed attacker left for Paris Saint-Germain. During his time at the Catalan club, Lionel Messi achieved a number of things both individually and as a team. There are several records to his name which are difficult to break and one of them surely was the one made in 2012.
The Argentine superstar went on to score 91 goals in just 69 matches in 2012. It is the most number of goals ever scored by a footballer in a calendar year. Messi surpassed Gerard Muller's record of 85 goals.
What's more amazing about this record is that his goal-scoring average was 1.32 goals per game. This meant Messi scored a goal after every 68 minutes. It is very difficult and unlikely that anyone in the near future can break this record.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (2011, 2013, 2014 & 2015)
Cristiano Ronaldo is definitely the epitome of greatness. The Portuguese has achieved plenty of success in his football career, all of which has come through sheer hardwork.
In his stellar career, Cristiano Ronaldo has gone on to score a goal in every game in a calendar year four times. No player has managed to achieve this feat and it will be a daunting task for anyone to even get close to it.
The Manchester United forward scored 60 goals in 60 appearances in 2011. With an exact average of one goal per match, Ronaldo won his first ever La Liga title that season.
It only got better for the Portuguese in 2013 where he went on to score 69 goals. It took Ronaldo only 59 appearances to score those 69 goals, averaging 1.17 strikes per game.
Real Madrid won La Decima in 2014 and Cristiano Ronaldo scored 61 goals in that calendar year. With an average of 1.02 goals per game that year, the Portuguese captain was immense for the Spanish giants.
Last but not the least, Ronaldo scored 57 goals in 57 appearances in 2015. With an average of one goal per game, the former Juventus forward was a delight to watch in that calendar year.
