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Football is all about scoring goals, isn't it? Goals are the end product that decides the outcome of matches which is why goalscorers enjoy the major share of fame in contrast to their counterparts.
Football has witnessed a number of great goalscorers since it was established as a sport. The alliance of these players with their fellow attackers is a crucial factor leading to their success in front of the goal. One player bombarding goals is always a pleasure, but two doing it for the same team is a cherry on the icing on the cake, isn't it?
Not every pair of strikers or attackers might share the same level of understanding between themselves. And, for those who have formed a partnership of the highest level with their subordinates, history remembers them as some of the greatest duos to grace the beautiful game.
Without further ado, let's have a look at 10 of the greatest attacking partnerships of all time.
#10 Romario and Hristo Stoichkov (Barcelona)
Barcelona has had the privilege of witnessing deadly trios like Xavi-Messi-Iniesta and Messi-Suarez-Neymar. But, Romario and Stoichkov was perhaps the greatest duo they have feasted their eyes on.
Romario joined the Catalans in 1993 and formed a formidable partnership with Bulgarian striker Hristo Stoichkov, who had been at the club since 1990.
It was the presence of Romario and Stoichkov that made Barcelona a team to fear under Johan Cruyff, who revolutionised the sport with his Total Football philosophy back then.
Incredibly talented as both goalscorers were, the partnership that should have lasted for at least a span of five years could last for only one.
Romario's controversial life off the field coupled with Cruyff's heavily criticized rotation policy stunted the growth of the pair as one of the greatest attacking partnerships of all time.
Together, the duo could guide Barcelona to only a LaLiga title and a Super Cup trophy in 1994. In the 1993-94 season, Stoichkov found the net 24 times in 48 games in all competitions. Romario, on the other hand, scored 32 goals in 47 games in all tournaments.
The pairing came to an end when both Romario and Stoichkov left Barcelona to play for Flamengo and Parma respectively in 1995.
#9 Roberto Mancini and Gianluca Vialli (Sampdoria)
The staunchest of Premier League fans might remember Gianluca Vialli for his managerial spells at Watford and Chelsea, and Roberto Mancini for his term at Manchester City. While they never were managers in the same era, their association stretches way back to the late 80s.
Mancini and Vialli played for Sampdoria as strike partners from 1984 to 1992. Both played an instrumental part in the Italian outfit's successful era. With the duo up front, Sampdoria won one Serie A title, three Coppa Italia, one Italian Super Cup, and a European Cup Winners Cup. They also reached the final of the 1992 European Cup in 1992, only to suffer a loss at the hands of Barcelona.
Mancini and Vialli netted 231 goals in 554 games together. The two might not be remembered as all-time greats, but they surely have a special place in the hearts of fans and the history books of Sampdoria.
#8 Emilio Butragueno and Hugo Sanchez (Real Madrid)
It's okay if you cannot strike the right chord with each one of your subordinates at your workplace. However, professionalism is when those personal grudges don't affect the quality of the work you are forced to do together. Emilio Butragueno and Hugo Sanchez showed the world just that.
Off the pitch, they hardly got on with each other, but on it, they were penetrators second to none. Playing together between 1985 to 1992, the duo racked goals that helped Real Madrid dominate Spain never before.
They won the league title five years in a row between 1985 and 1990. However, the European success during their days was hard to come by, as they could win only two UEFA Super Cups together.
Butragueno and Sanchez were individualistic in their approach as they aimed at increasing their personal goal tallies rather than helping each other out frequently. In a combined span of 597 games, they scored 331 goals. Can't blame them for not getting along, can you?
#7 Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet (Juventus)
In his glorious and trophy-laden career with Juventus, Alessandro Del Piero played with a number of talented strikers, but few could strike the right chord with him as efficiently as David Trezeguet did.
Trezeguet joined Juventus in 2000 and over a course of 10 years, he and Del Piero shot to fame as one of the best pairs of attackers football has ever witnessed.
Del Piero was a versatile forward, equally well-versed in creating chances as he was in scoring goals. His vision enabled him to play as a support striker alongside David Trezeguet, who was blessed with pace, power and clinical finishing.
The duo also earned massive respect for their decision to stay with the Old Lady after they were stripped of their title in 2006 and relegated to the second division as an aftermath of the Calciopoli scandal.
The partnership came to an end when Trezeguet left Juventus in 2010 with 171 goals in 318 appearances for the club.
Del Piero, in the meanwhile, attained immortality as Old Lady's all-time top-scorer and the player with the highest number of appearances for the club, scoring 290 goals in 705 games.
#6 John Toshack and Kevin Keegan (Liverpool)
Liverpool were one of the most successful clubs around the globe in the 70s, and the credit for bringing on that epoch of glory goes to none other than Kevin Keegan and John Toshack.
Nicknamed as Batman and Robin back in their day, the English duo was a nightmare for every defence they faced. John Toshack was a well-built striker posing an aerial threat and excellent goal-poaching skills, while his counterpart was a nimble player blessed with pace.
Toshack and Keegan dovetailed each other perfectly, netting 189 goals in 522 combined appearances from 1971 to 1977.
The European Cup victory in their final season together remains the greatest tribute to their celebrated partnership.
They set the founding stone for the success of Liverpool in the 70s. Their legacy would be carried on by another famous pair in the following decade, thereby keeping their dominance intact in the English top-tier.
#5 Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke (Manchester United)
When the charismatic Eric Cantona hung up his boots after the 1996-97 season, Englishman Andy Cole found his way into Sir Alex Ferguson's starting XI as the first-choice striker. And, assisting him in the art of scoring goals was none other than new summer signing Dwight Yorke, who joined United in 1998.
Yorke and Cole were appreciated worldwide for their telepathic understanding on the pitch. It surely must not have been easy for the Manchester United faithful to forget the brilliance of Cantona, but these two made sure that they carried on the noble work of winning trophies kickstarted by the Frenchman during his days as the captain of the Red Devils.
Yorke and Cole guided Manchester United to their first ever UEFA Champions League title in 1999, also winning the treble in the process.
The 1998-99 season was the peak of their careers together as partners; they found the net an incredible 53 times between them in all competitions that season.
The two Englishmen scored 129 goals in 285 games combined appearances for the club from 1998 to 2002. They may not be counted amongst the greatest of all time, but their deadly combination certainly is.
#4 Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal)
When Arsene Wenger was confirmed as the manager of Arsenal back in 1996, he had a tough task at hand. Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United were the undisputed kings of England and knocking them off their pedestal was never going to be a sinch, but the French manager achieved glories that are fondly remembered and difficult to surpass even to this day.
While Arsenal had a nearly perfect squad, the best of the lot was their fearsome duo up front - Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp.
Henry had struggled at Juventus prior to his arrival at Arsenal in 1999, due to being played on the left wing. Wenger deployed him as a striker with none other than the ever graceful Dennis Bergkamp watching his back.
While the Frenchman brought pace, skill and above all, magnificent goal-poaching skills, his Dutch counterpart was the orchestrator-in-chief at Highbury.
Henry won the Golden Boot four times, a record that remains unsurpassed to this day. Bergkamp and Henry scored 266 goals in 610 games together from 1999 to 2006. Their greatest achievement at Arsenal is spearheading the club to the Premier League title unbeaten in season 2003-04.
The Invincibles couldn't have asked for a better pair to lead their attack, could they?
#3 Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Going down the memory lane and reminiscing the magic that these two conjured together at Old Trafford might be painful, knowing how Manchester United lies in a wreck at the moment. However, that gives us no reason to not remember the heroics of these modern footballing greats.
Jose Mourinho's arrival in England signaled a threat to Manchester United's crown. With the departures of David Beckham, Rudd Van Nistelrooy and Roy Keane, the need of new superstars was inevitable. Enter Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese and the Englishman struck a fantastic relation off the pitch as bosom friends. That was visible enough on the pitch as well, when amidst the enthralled roars of the Old Trafford faithful, the two youngsters terrorized opponents week in week out.
Much like Butragueno and Sanchez, the two showed great maturity in 2006 when they came back after a feud, only to guide United to another league title. Their high point of success came in season 2007-08 when they lifted the third European honour in the history of the club.
Ronaldo scored 42 goals in all competitions that season while Rooney notched 38, as United also clinched the Premier League title. The partnership lasted from 2004 to 2009, when Ronaldo left United to pursue his dream to play for Real Madrid.
Undoubtedly, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo's partnership was one of the greatest attacking partnerships the football world has ever witnessed.
#2 Ian Rush and Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool)
Liverpool has been home to some of the best strike partnerships in its glittering history. The exploits of John Toshack and Kevin Keegan surely won't be forgotten while Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge have also given the Kop some memories worth cherishing.
However, the one duo that is fondly remembered at Anfield has to be that of Ian Rush and Kenny Dalglish. The pair spearheaded an epoch of glory in the 80s, safeguarding the legacy of the club and carrying on the noble work started by Toshack and Keegan.
They won loads of titles, but the high point of their careers as strike partners came in 1983-84 season when they lifted the league, the League Cup and the European Cup, a feat that was never achieved by any English club before.
Ian Rush was known for deadly goal-poaching skills which were complemented perfectly by the silent orchestrator that was Kenny Dalglish. Having played from 1980 to 1987, they rattled the net 300 times in 665 games together.
#1 Ferenc Puskas and Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid)
Pretty sure these titans need no special introduction now, do they? Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema may have made a lot of headlines for their fearsome combination in the current decade and won a Champions League treble, but these two legends are the actual reason behind Los Blancos' ladder to glory.
Di Stefano and Puskas played in the decade between the 50s and 60s, lightning the entire world with their impeccable goalscoring milestones. Their best years were from 1956 to 1960, when they clinched the European Cup five times in a row.
While Di Stefano was already there tormenting the defenders, Puskas joined in 1958 at the age of 31. The duo scored an astonishing 360 goals in 433 games from 1958 to 1964, winning a plethora of silverware in the process.
Di Stefano scored 156 goals in 229 games at an average of 0.68 goals per game while his accomplice notched 193 in 227 with a ratio of 0.87 goals per game. Both are currently 4th and 6th in the list of Real Madrid's all-time greatest goalscorers respectively.
All values courtesy: Transfermarkt.com
