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The 2020-21 European football season was heavily disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the beautiful game somehow managed to ramble on without the presence of fans at stadiums for large parts of the campaign.
Four out of the top five leagues in Europe had a new champion, with Bayern Munich retaining their Bundesliga crown after what proved to be a tricky top-flight season. Lille's Ligue 1 triumph was undoubtedly the achievement of the season, while Inter Milan's first Serie A victory in a decade also turned out to be a monumental feat.
While the 2020-21 season produced a series of unusual results due to several factors like injuries and a grueling schedule, the usual suspects continued to bang in the goals for club and country.
Bayern Munich hitman Robert Lewandowski enjoyed another outstanding season in front of goal, as he scored a staggering 41 league goals to break Gerd Muller's long-standing Bundesliga record.
The Poland captain topped the goalscoring chart, but did he have more goal contributions than any player in Europe in the 2020-21 season? Let's find out.
#5 Harry Kane | Tottenham Hotspur, 50 goal contributions
Harry Kane topped the Premier League for goals and assists, as he single-handedly carried a lackluster Tottenham Hotspur side on his shoulders. The England captain is one of the most complete forwards of his generation and is reportedly looking for a move this summer, with Spurs currently unable to compete for trophies.
In 49 appearances across all competitions, Kane recorded 33 goals and 17 assists, taking his tally up to 50 goal contributions in the 2020-21 season. He is amongst the favorites to win the Golden Boot at the European Championships later this month, having already done so at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The Englishman's future will be one of the major talking points of the summer transfer window, with Manchester City and Chelsea reportedly keeping tabs on him.
#4 Lionel Messi | Barcelona, 52 goal contributions
Barcelona captain Lionel Messi recovered from a slow start to rack up 52 goal contributions in the 2020-21 season, as he notched up 38 goals and 14 assists in all competitions. The Argentine great won yet another La Liga Golden Boot and also got his hands on the Copa del Rey, although the Catalans failed to make their presence felt in the UEFA Champions League and La Liga.
Messi's future was a major topic of discussion last summer, as he announced his desire to leave Barcelona. However, since the turn of the year, things seem to have changed, with the Argentine now edging closer to a contract extension at the Camp Nou.
The six-time Ballon d'Or winner has aged like fine wine and is still undoubtedly the biggest match-winner in world football.
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#3 Erling Haaland | Borussia Dortmund, 53 goal contributions
With 41 goals and 12 assists in all competitions, Erling Haaland has quickly become one of the most feared attackers in world football. The Norwegian goal machine has taken European football by storm since making his debut with Red Bull Salzburg and is all set to secure a big-money move to a top club in the future.
Haaland is wanted by some of the biggest clubs this summer, but Borussia Dortmund are likely to resist offers for their prized possession. He was named Bundesliga MVP of the Season ahead of Robert Lewandowski and scored more UEFA Champions League goals (10) than any player in the competition.
#2 Kylian Mbappe | Paris Saint-Germain, 53 goal contributions
Kylian Mbappe (53) recorded as many goal contributions as Erling Haaland, but the Frenchman is second on our list for scoring one more goal than the Dortmund striker. With 42 goals and 11 assists in all competitions, the Paris Saint-Germain attacker cemented his status as one of the game's biggest match-winners while also making his presence felt in the UEFA Champions League.
Mbappe scored a memorable hat-trick at the Camp Nou to eliminate Barcelona from the UCL in the Round of 16 and topped it off with a memorable brace against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.
He is amongst the most sought-after attackers in the world and is reportedly attracting interest from Real Madrid and Liverpool.
#1 Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich, 56 goal contributions
With a jaw-dropping tally of 48 goals and six assists in all competitions for Bayern Munich, Robert Lewandowski finished with 56 goal involvements in the 2020-21 season, more than any player in Europe's top five leagues. The Polish hit-man is undoubtedly one of the greatest strikers of his generation and also broke Gerd Muller's record for most goals in a single Bundesliga season with his tally of 41 league goals for the Bavarians.
Lewandowski got his hands on the European Golden Boot for the first time after a stunning goalscoring season for Bayern Munich, while he is also one of the frontrunners for the 2021 Ballon d'Or
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