The top strikers in the world are not just poster boys for their various clubs and countries; they are the most capable goal machines in the planet. If only players could play forever, we would still have the likes of Ruud Van Nistlerooy, Filipo Inzaghi, and Marco Van Basten.
In a marvelous twist; the two most prolific goal scorers of this generation do not even identify as strikers; they identify as Midfielders and Forwards; one spent the better part of his career playing from the right, while the other plays from the left.
Now in the twilight of their careers, those two players are about to hand over the baton. But the football world is forced to realize that it does not have such players anymore. The need for pure strikers is once again brought to the fore.
Top 50 Strikers In The World
1. Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema is one of the best players of his generation; a hardworking, committed, and consistent professional. Even when he was not in contention for any accolades he still worked for the club, and was happy to wait his turn.
With the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema burst into action. He has now shown why Florentino Perez (Real Madrid’s Supremo) hailed him as the “best striker in the world all those years ago.
Karim Benzema has the skill, balance, and eye for goal that makes him a top predator. He is the man to beat presently; and for consistency there is no one like him.
2. Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is possibly the quickest player in the world. When he pushes the ball forward you have the impression that the ball is going to end up in the net. However, Kylian Mbappe tends to drift out of games sometimes- he mostly bursts into life when his team falls behind, or when the game is about end.
This is also perhaps he plays the both the roles of Left Wing Forward and Central Striker, and out of desperation he gets deployed to play the later role.
Perhaps that is a testament to his quality; he gets called upon when his team needs him the most. This is the second player to score a hatrick in a World Cup Final.
3. Robert Lewandowski
With uncommon agility, uncommon flexibility, superb aerial ability, and a keen eye for goal, Robert Lewandowski is like a Rolls Royce of strikers; he is everything a manager could want in a point man, and even more.
To top things off he is has the mentality of a top player; he leads the team, and motivates his teammates with his presence.
Robert Lewandowski led the demolition of several teams when he was at Bayern Munich; he earned himself a sparking trophy cabinet.
4. Erling Haaland
If there is a player that is going to shake the football world, it is probably Erling Haaland – the man is just a goal machine. His style of play is simple; linger on the edge of box, receive the ball, and charge goal-wards.
Erling Haaland also plays with his back towards goal; he shields it well, and plays in his team mates. However, he has the rare combination of power and shooting accuracy; he scores with both feet, and also with his head.
Perhaps the biggest asset he has is his mentality; every time he misses an opportunity he is visibly angry. That can only mean one thing; he likes to score- and when a person enjoys what he is good at; he is going to do it well.
5. Sadio Mane
Sadio Mane is the first African on this list; he earns his spot through his consistent performances over the years. He achieved stardom with Liverpool; he was one of those who took the club to world domination, and he also grabbed his own share of trophies and accolades.
His record still stands; he scored the fastest hatrick in the English Premier League. He also won the highest goal scorer award at the EPL for a few times before deciding that it was time for a new challenge.
Sadio Mane now plays for Bayern Munich; and he is already proving that the club made a good investment by bringing him on.
6. Mo Salah
Mo Salah is the major pillar holding up Liverpool football club; he has the impact of two players rolled in one. He brings attacking force to the team; his pace and shooting accuracy creates a kind of fear factor which opponents have to contend with.
He works best in counter attacking situations; he makes his runs down the right flank, and drives towards the goal with so much speed that before his opponents even become aware of the threat, he has already scored.
7. Harry Kane
Harry Kane is the definition of a true number 9; the Englishman is a professional goal scorer. He has the pace, strength, balance, and eye for goal that combine to make him a top player. Furthermore, Harry Kane has this mentality of driving forward; he is a leader who motivates his team to go forward in search of the win.
His style of play is to be involved in the actual play; he drops down, collects the ball around the midfield area, and drives it forward. Sometimes he shoots from outside the box, and he catches the goalkeeper unawares.
Harry Kane can get as many assists as goals; he is unselfish in his play; and he supplies the balls to his team mates who are in a better position to score.
8. Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen is the Nigerian prodigy who has already stamped his name on the history books with a famous Scudetto win for his club Napoli. Above all else he has athleticism; he has the ability to twist and turn, even with his back to goal, and he finds the back of the net more often than not.
Victor brings this directness to the game; once he gets the ball, he dashes forward and releases a shot. He also scores a good number of his goals with his head; his aerial prowess makes him an especially dangerous threat during set pieces.
9. Edin Dzeko
Edin Dzeko is the epitome of a striker; his job is to finish the chances; and he does his job very well. Tall, strong, and athletic; Edin Dzeko is the type of center forward that clubs wish to have play for them.
He has won trophies in Germany, England, and Italy, and has racked up individual honors too many to mention.
Edin Dzeko has gained a reputation as one of the best strikers for any club with an ambition, and in need of a striker to bring those dreams to life.
10. Gabriel Jesus
Gabriel Jesus is like a small car with a big engine; above all else he plays with heart. He has many other attributes; like speed, dribbling ability, and the ability to combine with his teammates.
Gabriel Jesus is one of Brazil’s best prospects for the future; and he has already got his hands on a few trophies so far. There is no doubt that he is one of the hottest strikers in the world- he is one of the strikers most wanted by clubs throughout the world.
The following is a more extensive list of the best strikers in the world.
| Rank | Player | Club | Country |
| 1 | Karim Benzema | Real Madrid | France |
| 2 | Kylian Mbappe | PSG | France |
| 3 | Robert Lewandowski | Barcelona | Poland |
| 4 | Erling Haaland | Manchester City | Norway |
| 5 | Sadio Mane | Bayern Munich | Senegal |
| 6 | Mo Salah | Liverpool | Egypt |
| 7 | Harry Kane | Tottenham Hotspurs | England |
| 8 | Victor Osimhen | Napoli | Nigeria |
| 9 | Edin Dzeko | Inter Milan | Bosnia |
| 10 | Gabriel Jesus | Arsenal FC | Brazil |
| 11 | André Silva | RB Leipzig | Portugal |
| 12 | Saša Kalajdžić | Wolverhampton Wanderers FC | Austria |
| 13 | Dušan Vlahović | Juventus FC | Serbia |
| 14 | Simy Nwankwo | Benevento Calcio | Nigerian |
| 15 | Diogo Jota | Liverpool FC | Portugal |
| 16 | Ollie Watkins | Aston Villa FC | England |
| 17 | Gabriel Barbosa | CR Flamengo | Brazil |
| 18 | Christopher Nkunku | RB Leipzig | France |
| 19 | Ante Budimir | Osasuna | Croatia |
| 20 | Mehdi Taremi | FC Porto | Iran |
| 21 | Dominic Calvert-Lewin | Everton FC | England |
| 22 | Borja Mayoral | Getafe CF | Spain |
| 23 | Leandro Trossard | Arsenal FC | Belgium |
| 24 | Musa Barrow | Bologna FC 1909 | Gambia |
| 25 | Patrick Bamford | Leeds United FC | England |
| 26 | Gonçalo Guedes | SL Benfica | Portugal |
| 27 | Alexander Isak | Newcastle United FC | Sweden |
| 28 | Breel Embolo | AS Monaco FC | Switzerland |
| 29 | Roger Martí | Cádiz CF | Spain |
| 30 | Donyell Malen | BV Borussia 09 | Netherlands |
| 31 | Arnaut Danjuma | Tottenham Hotspur FC | Netherlands |
| 32 | Vincent Aboubakar | Beşiktaş JK | Cameroon |
| 33 | Amine Gouiri | Stade Rennais FC 1901 | France |
| 34 | Rafael Mir | Sevilla FC | Spain |
| 35 | Sehrou Guirassy | VfB Stuttgart | Guinea |
| 36 | Patson Daka | Leicester City FC | Zambia |
| 37 | Mbala Nzola | Spezia Calcio | Angola |
| 38 | Carlos | Al Shabab Saudi Club | Brazil |
| 39 | Terem Moffi | OGC Nice | Nigeria |
| 40 | Youssef En-Nesyri | Sevilla FC | Morocco |
| 41 | Emmanuel Gyasi | Spezia Calcio | Ghana |
| 42 | Randal Kolo Muani | Eintracht Frankfurt | France |
| 43 | Carlos Vinícius | Fulham FC | Brazil |
| 44 | Daniel James | Fulham FC | Wales |
| 45 | Giovani Lo Celso | Villarreal CF | Argentina |
| 46 | Jonathan David | Lille OSC | Canada |
| 47 | Jordan Larsson | FC København | Sweden |
| 48 | Danny Ings | West Ham United FC | England |
| 49 | Mario González | Oud-Heverlee Leuven | Spanish |
| 50 | Aleksandr Sobolev | Spartak Moskva | Russian |
| 51 | Luka Jović | ACF Fiorentina | Serbia |
| 52 | Francesco Caputo | Empoli FC | Italy |
| 53 | Hwang Uijo | FC Seoul | Korea |
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Closing
The top strikers in the world are some of the hottest assets any club could have right now because goals win games, and strikers produce goals. Of course, an array of top strikers without the support of a skillful midfield, and committed defense would amount to nothing; so there are plenty of good strikers in wrong clubs.
This list can change in the short term as quality strikers find good clubs so as to showcase their talent. Talent always finds a way.