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For more than a decade, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the sport, almost exclusively sharing the top stage. Although this duopoly has shaped modern-day football, the Argentine has surged ahead of his adversary in recent years.
Lionel Messi, in his 17-year long career, has amassed a hysterical number of individual accolades. He currently has the highest number of Ballon d'Or wins to his name, securing the prestigious award on six occasions.
Lionel Messi has always been a romantic when it comes to goals
The dribbling maestro has always taken to the pitch like a duck to water. His indigenous footballing talent has been at the helm of some of the most memorable moments in the sport's history. However, Lionel Messi not only ranks highest in terms of flair but also in the area of statistics.
Lionel Messi has recorded the highest goal contributions in eight of the past 12 seasons, finishing a close second in the remaining four seasons. In the 2011-12 season, La Pulga accumulated a freakish tally of 104 goals plus assists. Lionel Messi also holds the record for the most goals scored in a calendar year as well as a single season, with 91 and 73 strikes respectively.
Even so, the little magician has endured a slight drop-off in recent seasons. At 34, Messi is still able to produce astronomical numbers in all aspects of the offensive game but those digits now look a lot more humane.
Subsequently, there exist several players with the caliber to better the Argentine's goal tally. Here, we take a look at five such players, who can potentially outscore Lionel Messi in the 2021-22 season:
#5 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Marked at €100m, Mohamed Salah is one of the most valuable footballers on the planet at the moment. Signed in 2017 for a cut-price rate of €42m from Roma, Salah has proved to be a bargain buy for Liverpool. The Egyptian playmaker has taken the Premier League by storm, scoring goals for fun at Anfield.
An astute signing from Jurgen Klopp, Salah ushered in a new era in the Reds' history, taking them from mid-table mediocrity to the top of the league. He has scored a whopping 126 goals from the right wing, winning the Premier League Golden Boot on two occasions.
Salah's 32-goal haul in the 2017-18 season is by far the most prolific tally mustered by anyone since the 38-team format was introduced in the English top-flight.
After a league and Champions League triumph in the Egyptian's first three seasons at the club, Liverpool endured a difficult season last term owing to injuries to several key players.
Even so, Salah's purple patch continued to prolong as he netted 22 times. The forward has started the 2021-22 season in style too as he scored and registered two assists in Liverpool's opening game in the Premier League against Norwich City.
At 29, the mercurial wide-man is showing no signs of stopping and has the ability to threaten Lionel Messi's position at the top.
#4 Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)
A controversial inclusion in fourth place, some may argue that Erling Haaland should be much higher on such a list. Furthermore, all those assertions could end up being correct, but the fact remains that Haaland will spend the 2021-22 season at The Signal Iduna Park.
With Jadon Sancho's departure to Manchester United, the Norwegian sensation will definitely miss his stupendous service.
The levels Haaland can reach with a better group of players around him is downright scary. Nevertheless, the 21-year-old striker has never let an external factor diminish his output. Borussia Dortmund have played just two official games this season and their shrewd €20m signing has already accumulated five goals and three assists.
Haaland has proven himself to be a generational talent, with his market value blazing up to €130m at the tender age of 21. With an upgrade in service, the 'Golden Boy' can soar to even greater heights. There have been numerous rumors linking him to every single top club in Europe.
A bumper transfer in the near future seems imminent, with Chelsea and Manchester City constantly circling the young prodigy. Following an explosive start to the current season, Haaland can easily glide past every single one of his competitions, including the all-time great, Lionel Messi.
Also read: 5 iconic Lionel Messi goal celebrations for Barcelona
#3 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
Lionel Messi's arrival at PSG could signal an upturn in the Parisians' fortunes, with the Argentine bringing a surplus of goals and assists along with him. However, the one player who could benefit the most from his advent to France is none other than Kylian Mbappe.
Mbappe turned out to be the closest rival to Lionel Messi's 2019 Golden Boot win, finishing just three goals shy of his latest team-mate's tally of 36. Ever since he exploded onto the scene with Monaco in 2017, Mbappe has gone from strength to strength, establishing himself as one of the best players in present times.
With 27 goals last season, the 22-year-old finished as the Ligue 1 top-scorer for the third time running.
The duo of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland has been touted to inherit the thrones of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo ever since their emergence. Nevertheless, with the former Barcelona legend's impeccable service, Mbappe can take an unassailable lead in the upcoming seasons.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
At 36, Cristiano Ronaldo is still playing at the pinnacle of football, scoring goals day in, day out. The Portuguese legend is so highly rated that he was able to command a fee of €117m from Juventus despite being 33 at the time. It is hard to comprehend that after 450 goals and nine years of remarkable service, Real Madrid made a profit of €23m on the veteran forward.
Lionel Messi's eternal nemesis Ronaldo recently equaled Ali Daei's tally of 109 goals for Iran, making him the joint top scorer in international competitions. Rumors of a surprise return to either the Bernabeu or Old Trafford have always been around, but the 36-year-old forward has never let anything affect his performance on the pitch.
Following a record-breaking move to Juventus, Ronaldo continued with his goalscoring routine, amassing 101 goals in just 133 appearances for the Old Lady. Even though the 179-capped Portugal international has started slacking in contrast to his own high standards, he still hasn't lost his touch in front of the net.
Ronaldo scored 29 goals in Serie A last season, five more than his closest competition, Romelu Lukaku. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is still capable of opening a new chapter in his decade-long rivalry with Lionel Messi.
#1 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Robert Lewandowski finishes in the top spot like he has been finishing for the past two seasons. The 32-year-old veteran is enjoying a renaissance period, late in his career. Over the past two years, Lewandowski has shattered an insurmountable number of records, haplessly losing out on an assured Ballon d'Or win in 2020 due to the ongoing pandemic.
In addition to his monstrous output, Lewandowski also boasts a consistency to back his tally. According to Transfermarkt, the Bayern Munich forward has scored 227 goals across all club competitions in the last five seasons, with 40 being his lowest count in this duration.
This gargantuan sum puts him at the top of the most prolific goal-scorers in recent history. Lionel Messi's inhuman 219 goals in the same period of time rank him a close second.
With Julian Nagelsmann at the helm, Bayern Munich will hope to extend their dominance on the domestic as well as continental fronts. Lewandowski's flurry of goals could go a long way in the Germans' cause.
Following his record-breaking 41 strikes in the Bundesliga last season, the Poland international will be looking to replicate his red-hot form this year. With Haaland constantly breathing down his neck and Lionel Messi aging like fine wine, Lewandowski will have a lot on his plate for the 2021-22 season.
However, the mercurial striker has already proved he can cut his teeth with the best in the business like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Also read: Top 5 Lionel Messi vs Sergio Ramos clashes from the past
