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2021 has been a good year for football. While club football continues to be the main source of entertainment, this summer's Euros was a spectacle worth watching.
Attackers continue to be valued highly, and understandably so. They guarantee entertainment through goals, and world-class forwards are a joy to watch. There have been some sensational performances this year from various elite forwards, and there is still more to come.
On that note, here are the five best forwards so far this year.
#5 Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus & Manchester United)
Cristiano Ronaldo continues to excel at an individual level, although the teams he has represented this year have gone through some tough times.
At Juventus last season, Ronaldo won the Capocannoniere, having finished as the top goalscorer in Serie A. The superstar scored 29 league goals to claim the award. He was the top scorer at the Euros this summer, scoring five goals and providing one assist despite Portugal's poor showing at the tournament.
Ronaldo returned to Manchester United amid much fanfare this summer and has already proved to be an important addition to the attack. The 36-year-old has scored six goals in all competitions for the club this season, including late winners against Villarreal and Atalanta in the UEFA Champions League.
#4 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema is among the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or this time around and few can argue against him winning the prestigious trophy.
Benzema has been Real Madrid's talisman and superstar since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo. The France international has been in sensational form and has carried Real Madrid's attack. Last season, the striker scored 23 league goals for Los Blancos. For France at the Euros, Benzema was one of the better players for Didier Deschamps.
The 33-year-old has once again been on fire this season. Benzema has scored nine goals and provided seven assists this season and is a key player for club and country. The former Lyon man is one of the best strikers of his generation and has displayed his unique talent time and again over the years.
Also Read: 5 most attacking defenders in football at the moment
#3 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Like Karim Benzema, Robert Lewandowski deserves an opportunity to lift the Ballon d'Or at least once in his career. The striker would have comfortably won the award in 2020 had it not been canceled.
Lewandowski is arguably the best striker in world football and one of the most lethal attackers to have played the game. A prolific goalscorer renowned for his technical qualities, the Poland international finished last season with 41 league goals. In doing so, he broke Gerd Muller's long-standing record of most goals in a single Bundesliga season, with the German great scoring 40 in the 1971-72 season.
This season has been no different. Viewers of the game have become accustomed to Lewandowski's ability to find the net on an incredibly consistent basis. The 33-year-old has scored ten league goals and provided an assist in nine appearances. Lewandowski, it can be argued, should be appreciated more.
#2 Lionel Messi (Barcelona & Paris Saint-Germain)
Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest player to have played the game. He has achieved everything possible in club football, yet his biggest achievement possibly is scoring 30 league goals and providing 11 assists for a mediocre Barcelona side last season.
It was evident for some time that Messi was papering over the cracks at Barcelona. His controversial departure this summer has highlighted as much - it would now be considered a successful season if the Catalan giants secure a UEFA Champions League spot.
Messi's biggest achievement this year has to be the Copa America success. The Argentina international won the Best Player award and led his nation to glory in the tournament. Considering the pressure he was under to lead Argentina to international success, Messi did really well at the tournament. For Paris Saint-Germain, there have been glimpses of his other-worldly quality, but he is yet to get going properly.
#1 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Mohamed Salah is the best player in world football right now. He is playing at an incredible level and is rightly being compared to Lionel Messi due to his performances.
Salah has been world-class since joining Liverpool. A prolific goalscorer with quick feet, the Egypt international has won the Champions League and the Premier League with the club. Last season was a disappointing one for Liverpool, but Salah still managed to register 22 league goals and five assists.
This season though, the 29-year old is on a mission to single-handedly lead Liverpool to Premier League glory. Salah has scored ten goals and provided five assists in nine Premier League games and has looked untouchable. Liverpool fans are clamoring for him to sign a new deal, with his current one set to expire in 2023.
Also Read: 5 biggest game-changers in the Premier League right now
Poll : Will Lionel Messi win the 2021 Ballon d'Or award?
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