Haaland, Neymar, Ronaldo: Ranking 5 players with most goals at age 21

#3 Kylian Mbappe: 116 goals

FC Bayern Munich v Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final: Leg One

Kylian Mbappe may be only 23, but he is undoubtedly one of the greatest strikers in Europe. The Frenchman has already amassed an insane number of goals for Paris Saint-Germain at such a young age.

Mbappe turned 21 in December 2019. The Frenchman had scored 116 goals in 199 appearances for both club and country at such a young age. He was Ligue 1’s leading goalscorer for three seasons running from 2018-19.

Just before his 23rd birthday, Mbappe became the youngest player to score 100 goals for a single team in the French top flight.

Alongside Neymar and Messi, he is part of one of the deadliest attacks in world football. Like Haaland, Mbappe’s insane records are often underappreciated because he plays in a league that is not very competitive.

Nevertheless, Mbappe’s raw talent may well see him become the next big thing in football.

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#2 Neymar Jr.: 140 goals

Neymar has been phenomenal for both club and country

With silky skills and mesmerizing ball control, Neymar is one of the most technically gifted footballers on the planet. Neymar rose to fame at Santos and was quickly picked up by Barcelona in 2013.

By the age of 21, Neymar had scored 140 goals in 227 games. Only the legendary Ronaldo Nazario managed to score more goals.

Neymar was arguably at his peak during his time at Barcelona. The Brazilian formed a formidable partnership with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez and carried Barca to victory on many occasions. Neymar won two La Liga titles, one Champions League, and three Spanish Cups with the Catalans, amongst other accolades.

Neymar joined PSG in 2017 for a world-record transfer fee of €222 million. This remains the most expensive deal in the history of the game. Some argue that Neymar should have stayed with Barca to truly reach his highest potential.

Nevertheless, the Brazilian has been reunited with Leo Messi at PSG and will look to help his side with their first ever Champions League title.

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#1 Ronaldo Nazario: 167 goals

Ronaldo Nazario is football's all-time greats (Image courtesy: dailymail.co.uk)

Few strikers have been able to replicate the brilliance of Ronaldo Nazario. The Brazilian paved the way for future generations and redefined the role of a striker. “O Fenomeno” is revered all over the world and is a legend of the game.

Ronaldo is one of the few players to have played for two rivals in two different leagues. He spent a year at Barcelona during the 1996-97 season before moving to Inter Milan. Five years later, he joined Real Madrid before joining AC Milan in 2007.

Ronaldo’s goalscoring record of 167 goals in 185 games at the age of 21 is just ridiculous. The Brazilian won his first Ballon d’Or in 1997 when he was the same age and is the youngest recipient of the prestigious award.

Ronaldo went on to win the coveted prize for a second time in 2002. Surprisingly, the Brazilian could never win the Champions League. However, the two-time World Cup winner has won pretty much every other trophy one can dream of.