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While the game of football has evolved over the years, a few aspects have and always will remain constant. One of these aspects is the header. There have been some spectacular headed goals in recent times. Cristiano Ronaldo’s insane towering header against Sampdoria in 2019 and Robin van Persie’s bullet against Spain in 2015 are just a few examples.
There aren’t many sights as satisfying as a well-timed and perfectly placed header. Set pieces have always led to goalscoring opportunities, and it is often a header that emerges as the fruitful end product.
Simple in theory but tremendously hard to achieve on the pitch, only a handful of players are able to master the technique. Without further ado, let's take a look at the five players with the most number of headed goals in Europe’s top five leagues this season.
#5 Sergej Milinkovic-Savic - 4
We begin with Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. The Serbian has consistently been one of Europe’s top midfielders over the past few seasons. The Serbian’s composure in midfield has been a blessing for Lazio, and manager Maurizio Sarri has also made him captain on a few occasions.
The 6’3 midfielder is a significant threat in the air. Milinkovic-Savic has seven goals in Serie A this season, out of which four have been headers. He also jointly leads the league’s assists chart with seven assists.
Milinkovic-Savic is a tank in midfield and his consistent performances have attracted the likes of Juventus and Manchester United.
Lazio have had a few blips this season and are currently eighth in Serie A. They will rely upon the stars in their squad for a change in fortunes. Milinkovic-Savic, Luis Alberto and their talismanic striker Ciro Immobile will be crucial for the remainder of their campaign.
#4 Ciro Immobile - 4
The second Lazio man on this list, Ciro Immobile has also had his fair share of headed goals this season. The Italian has had quite an eventful footballing career but is now a mainstay at Lazio. The 2019-20 European Golden Boot winner is once again finding the back of the net with Biancocelesti.
Immobile has 15 goals and two assists in 17 appearances so far in the Serie A campaign. With four headed goals, he is on par with teammate Milinkovic-Savic. The prolific 31-year-old is the second-highest goalscorer in the league, only one goal behind Fiorentina’s Dusan Vlahovic.
Immobile has been the top scorer thrice in Serie A and is once again in contention for the Paolo Rossi award. The Italian brought his personal goal tally at Lazio to 168 with his latest goal against Inter Milan on Sunday. Immobile recently overtook Silvio Piola as Lazio’s all-time leading scorer.
#3 Mattia Destro - 5
The third Serie A player on the list, Mattia Destro is part of a Genoa squad that has often had to struggle to stay in the Italian top-flight. The Genoese have had little to cheer for this season as well as they sit in 19th position in the league table. But Mattia Destro has provided some joy in the form of goals.
Destro has scored eight goals in Serie A this season, five of them with his head. He is the league leader in terms of headed goals and is Genoa’s leading goalscorer as well. Center back Dominico Criscito is their second-highest goalscorer, a stat that highlights the struggles of the club.
Genoa have been shocking this season and seem destined to be relegated. They have won just three games so far, and have played more games than the other teams in the relegation zone.
#2 Ludovic Ajorque - 5
Strasbourg’s Ludovic Ajorque ended last season with a commendable 16 goals in 35 league appearances. He has been on fire this season as well and is on course to register his best ever Ligue 1 numbers. Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe is the only player to have made more goal contributions than Ajorque in Ligue 1 this season.
Standing at an imposing six-and-a-half feet, Ajorque has been a terror in the opposition’s box. The Frenchman has made the most out of his height and found the back of the net on numerous occasions. Ajorque has 10 goals and six assists in Ligue 1 this season.
His efficiency up front has led Strasbourg to victory several times this season. He is also currently the second-highest goalscorer in the league, two goals behind Lille’s Jonathan David.
Strasbourg are eighth in Ligue 1 but are a touching distance from the top four spots. If they win their game in hand against Montpellier, they will jump to fourth.
#1 Anthony Modeste - 9
FC Köln’s Anthony Modeste takes the top spot on the list. The Frenchman has been a crucial part of Köln’s campaign this season. His remarkable return to form under manager Steffen Baumgart has been a revelation. Thanks to his contributions, the Billy Goats are on a roll and their fans can dream of European football once again.
Modeste has scored 12 goals in the Bundesliga in 18 appearances this season. Nine out of these 12 goals have been headers, which is quite a significant proportion.
He scored his latest header in the 1-3 win against Hertha Berlin on Sunday. The 33-year-old is rolling back the years and has been Koln's key player.
Köln have exceeded expectations this season and are currently sixth in the Bundesliga. If they keep this rhythm going, they are in serious contention for the European spots. After finishing 14th and 16th in the previous two Bundesliga seasons, their current form has got their fans buzzing.
