5 players with most goal contributions in 2021

Messi is fourth on the list, but where does his PSG team-mate Mbappe rank?
Messi is fourth on the list, but where does his PSG team-mate Mbappe rank?

#3 Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern Munich) - 40

FC Barcelona v Bayern München: Group E - UEFA Champions League
FC Barcelona v Bayern München: Group E - UEFA Champions League

Robert Lewandowski ranks third in the list of highest goal contributions in 2021, with the Polish striker scoring 37 and assisting three in 28 games for Bayern Munich.

Lewandowski produced arguably one of the best individual goalscoring campaigns in the Bundesliga last season. The forward netted a record-breaking 41 goals in 29 games to surpass Gerd Muller's almost five-decade-old record for most goals in a single Bundesliga season. In doing so, the 33-year-old also clinched the 2020-21 European Golden Shoe ahead of the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

More than 50 per cent of Lewandowski's record-breaking tally of goals came in 2021 while the forward also scored two goals in the knockout stages of the Champions League. But a ligament injury before the quarter-finals meant he was unable to play as Bayern were knocked out by PSG.

Lewandowski has started the 2021-22 season from where he left off with the forward already scoring 11 goals in eight games across all competitions. The Polish striker will definitely be looking to target another European Golden Boot this season.


#2 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) - 42

Club Brugge KV v Paris Saint-Germain: Group A - UEFA Champions League
Club Brugge KV v Paris Saint-Germain: Group A - UEFA Champions League

Considering they have two of the top five players on this list in their team, it's not hard to see why PSG are regarded as favorites to win the Champions League.

French sensation Kylian Mbappe has 32 goals and 10 assists in 37 matches across all competitions in 2021 so far.

While PSG narrowly missed out on the 2020-21 Ligue 1 title, Mbappe was arguably the best player in the league, finishing as the top scorer in France. The forward registered 27 goals and seven assists in the campaign. He did so in just 27 starts, meaning he averaged a goal contribution every 88 minutes. 15 of these goals came in 2021 showing his prolific nature in front of goal this year.

Mbappe was also crucial to PSG's semi-final run in the Champions League last season. He was the second-highest scorer in the competition with eight goals. Six of those goals came in the knockout stages, including a brilliant hat-trick against Barcelona at the Camp Nou.

The 22-year-old was constantly linked with a move to Real Madrid in the summer but has stayed at the Parc des Princes for now. He has had a good start to the new campaign, scoring and assisting four goals each in eight games across all competitions for the Ligue 1 giants. With Messi's arrival this summer, Mbappe will definitely be hoping to form a lethal partnership with the Argentine in front of goal.


#1 Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund) - 50

Borussia Dortmund v TSG Hoffenheim - Bundesliga
Borussia Dortmund v TSG Hoffenheim - Bundesliga

A goalscoring machine. Those are the only words to describe Erling Haaland in 2021. The 21-year-old has scored a staggering 35 goals and provided a further 15 assists in 35 matches for Borussia Dortmund, averaging 1.4 goal contributions per game.

Haaland netted 27 times in the Bundesliga last season, finishing as the third highest goalscorer in the league. Out of those 27, 17 goals came in 2021 with the forward's form in the latter parts of the season particularly crucial to Dortmund finishing in the top four.

The Norwegian striker also managed to finish as the top-scorer in the Champions League, netting 10 goals despite his team getting knocked out in the quarter-finals. His goalscoring exploits also saw him become the fastest player to reach 20 Champions League goals.

Haaland has started the new season in scintillating fashion, already scoring 11 goals and providing four assists in just eight matches across all competitions. The forward will definitely be looking to outscore Lewandowski this season.

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Edited by Nived Zenith