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#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
