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The world of football has witnessed its fair share of talented right-footed forwards in its history. These players have scored world-class goals, led their teams to important victories, and have won both collective and individual accolades.
This season, too, we have witnessed some excellent right-footed sharpshooters in action. Considering footballers are pre-dominantly right-footed, it is not easy to stand out in a sea of capable forwards.
The five on our list below, however, have beaten the odds to attract the eyeballs of millions. From veterans to flourishing wunderkinders - here are the five right-footed forwards who have made a splash this season:
#5 Diogo Jota – Liverpool
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has been in sensational form since the start of the season. He has been instrumental in almost every game he has played in, regularly popping up with important goals and assists.
Outside of scoring and setting up goals, Jota is known for his unmatched relentlessness. He can press tirelessly all night long and still be available to turn the ball in when needed.
The Portuguese’s sensational run has seen him leapfrog Roberto Firmino in Liverpool's pecking order this season. The Brazilian still gets a few starts here and there, but Jota has become Jurgen Klopp’s undisputed frontman this season, and for good reason.
The 25-year-old has shone through even in Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane’s absences this season, which in itself is praiseworthy.
The Portugal international has featured in 22 Premier League games this season, netting 12 times.
His tally has made him the league’s second-highest goalscorer, only behind teammate Mohamed Salah (16 goals).
#4 Vinicius Junior – Real Madrid
Real Madrid left-winger Vinicius Junior has been exceeding expectations since the start of the 2021-22 campaign. After facing harsh criticism for his finishing over the last couple of seasons, the Brazilian has finally come good for Los Blancos.
His breakneck pace, world-class trickery, and newfound shooting boots have made him one of the best right-footed forwards in the world.
The young Brazilian has played in every single Real Madrid game when available. He has featured in 22 league matches this season, registering 12 goals and six assists. He is joint-second in the La Liga goalscoring charts, only behind teammate Karim Benzema.
To give you a clearer picture of his improvement, he registered only three goals and five assists in 35 La Liga matches last term.
The 21-year-old has also been quite menacing in the Champions League, netting twice and providing four assists in six appearances in the current campaign.
#3 Kylian Mbappe – Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain’s poster boy Kylian Mbappe has been the club’s standout performer, especially in Ligue 1. The Frenchman has used his pace, skills and charisma to leave the opposition for dead, scoring 21 times in 31 games in all competitions.
Mbappe, who won the World Cup with France in 2018, has matured a lot over the last five years. He is unselfish in the final third, has improved his decision-making, and worked diligently on his close control as well.
The former Monaco ace has also made it a habit to come good for PSG in important moments. His most recent exploits saw him score a 93rd minute winner to guide the Parisians to a narrow 1-0 win over Rennes in Ligue 1.
La Liga giants Real Madrid have reportedly signed a pre-agreement with him for a summer transfer.
It'll be interesting to see if the speculation affects his performance when Los Blancos come to town for their Champions League last-16 clash against PSG.
#2 Karim Benzema – Real Madrid
Since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure, Real Madrid ace Karim Benzema has shouldered the responsibility of being the team’s primary goalgetter.
This season, he has taken his performances to another level, averaging 1.17 goal contributions per match across all competitions.
In La Liga, Benzema has accumulated 17 goals and seven assists since the start of the season. His brilliance in front of goal has made him the leading scorer and the second-leading assist-provider in the Spanish top-flight.
The Frenchman has also scored five goals and an assist in five Champions League games, emerging as the team’s leading goalscorer in the competition. The Real Madrid No.9 also scored twice in the Spanish Supercup, helping his team win their first trophy of the season.
#1 Robert Lewandowski – Bayern Munich
To no one’s surprise, Bayern Munich man Robert Lewandowski sits at the top of our little list, and deservedly so. The Poland international has scored for fun in all competitions this season, proving why he was chosen as "The Best Men’s Player" by FIFA.
With Lewandowski leading the line, Bayern Munich are once again on their way to a fruitful campaign. Buoyed by his 26 strikes in the German top-flight, the Bavarians have opened up a nine-point lead at the top of the table.
He has also scored nine goals in the Champions League, which helped Bayern win all six of their group stage games.
To millions of football fans’ surprise, the Pole narrowly missed out on the Ballon d’Or last year.
If he can continue scoring goals and win a trophy or two with Bayern, Lewandowski could very well end up winning the Golden Ball this term.
