Best rated strikers in the world 2023 and the teams they play for this season

Players form is crucial to their success and the likes of Ronalo have been consistant for 20+ years whilst some stars are still starting out or only have a few seasons under their belt. A great player moving to a notable club can sometimes mean less playing time on the pitch, so less opportunity to score goals.

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The world cup, Ballon d’Or winner, fifa, all help us populate this 10 but narrowing down the world’s best strikers to the top 10 is a proper challenge, but we’ve had a shot at compiling a list based on long-term success as well as their current level of ability. We sure you’re probably going to disagree with us…

We’re kind enough to ignore the occasional dip in form as trophies, vital stats and their impact for club and country are the key currency.

Now, the sport’s evolution has facilitated the diversification of goalscoring, and strikers are no longer merely tasked with hitting the target. Still, it’s their primary goal (pun very much intended), right?

However, when assessing the very best strikers in the world, the rate at which they score isn’t the be-all and end-all. The development and subsequent complexity of the role mean various factors have to be accounted for.

Here are our top 10 strikers in the world right now.

Lautaro Martinez, Dusan Vlahovic, Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann and Gabriel Jesus are just five of the names that have fallen agonisingly short, which gives you a clue of the strength in depth below. Let’s get to the top 10!

10. Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr)

A controversial end to his second spell at Old Trafford and subsequent free transfer to Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia has probably taken a bit of gloss off the final years of Cristiano Ronaldo’s career, but the five-time Ballon d’Or winner will be remembered as one of the best players in the history of the game.

A return of 24 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions for Manchester United in their disastrous 2021/22 campaign was a fine return and he became the first man to score at five World Cups when netting for Portugal at Qatar 2022.

Ronaldo is a prolific goalscorer, a prolific trophy winner and even has an international airport named in his honour. Does it get any better than that?

9. Victor Osimhen (Napoli)

Probably the least established name on the list but, arguably, one of the most exciting with his electric pace and off-the-ball runs.

Victor Osimhen was scoring at a decent rate for former club Lille and current side Napoli but he’s taken his game to new heights this season and is set to lead the Italian club to Serie A glory.

It is likely to be the first of many titles for Osimhen and a mega-money move to one of the continent’s biggest clubs is surely on the cards.

8. Sadio Mané (Bayern Munich)

Liverpool’s problems probably run a little deeper than Sadio Mané leaving for Bayern Munich, but their attack just hasn’t functioned without the Senegalese star.

A hard-fought climb to the top and his philanthropy efforts make Mané one of the most likeable characters in the game, but he’s a manager’s dream as he does the dirty work off the ball and is effective on it.

His CV is littered with silverware and leading Senegal to the Africa Cup of Nations last year will probably go down as the highlight of his career.

7. Neymar (PSG)

Neymar is undoubtedly one of the most talented players to have ever graced the game thanks to his killer first touch and sensational dribbling skills.

The former Santos star did his best work at Barcelona as part of the famed MSN attack alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, but he’s also played a huge role in establishing PSG as the dominant team in France.

Neymar is level with the iconic Pele as the leading goalscorer for Brazil, but it will feel like his CV is a little undercooked if he fails to lead his country to World Cup glory or PSG to the Champions League title.

6. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)

A man that is ageing like a fine wine, Robert Lewandowski continues to find the back of the net at an astonishing rate. He is averaging nearly a goal a game in his maiden campaign for Barcelona, although that is slightly down on the frankly absurd numbers he posted for Bayern Munich.

A big, strong lad that is hardly lacking a turn of foot, the Polish international does his best work in the box thanks to his superb positioning, movement and finishing.

What hasn’t he won? Well, the Ballon d’Or but he would have landed the prestigious award in 2020 had voting not been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

5. Harry Kane (Tottenham)

Harry Kane is now the all-time leading goalscorer for Tottenham and England – however a lack of silverware makes it tough to include him in the top five.

Individual honours including three Premier League Golden Boots and the 2018 World Cup Golden Boot no doubt take pride of place on the mantelpiece in the Kane household but he is approaching his 30th birthday without a league or cup to his name.

As well as being a deadeye finisher, Kane has evolved his game over the years by dropping deep and linking up play.

4. Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

What hasn’t been said about Erling Haaland? The part-man, part-robot is a goalscoring machine and the most deadly number nine in the game.

The 22-year-old Norwegian is scoring at a rate of more than a goal a game for Manchester City following a blockbuster switch from Borussia Dortmund last summer, although there has been some criticism about other aspects of his game.

As well as individual honours such as the 2020 Golden Boy, Haaland is a two-time Austrian Bundesliga winner but you suspect bigger prizes and pots are on the way.

3. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)

The most recent winner of the Ballon d’Or has enjoyed a second wind as Real Madrid’s main man in attack following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo from the Bernabeu in 2018.

Karim Benzema is another player in the latter years of his career that is still somehow improving and he enjoyed his best ever season in 2021/22 as his 44 goals in 46 games in all competitions helped Los Blancos to Champions League and La Liga glory.

He combines terrific movement in the box with an incredible ability to find the back of the net, which makes him a fine focal point in attack.

2. Lionel Messi (PSG)

At the age of 35, Lionel Messi proved at the Qatar World Cup that there is still plenty of magic left in his boots after inspiring Argentina to the biggest prize in the game.

There’s really not much left to say about Messi at this point in his career. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has won all there is to win, he’s left his mark on the game and remains a joy to watch.

The GOAT… but he’s not number one on this list!

1. Kylian Mbappé (PSG)

If money was no object and you could take any player in the world for your team, Kylian Mbappé would surely be the most popular pick.

Dancing feet, lightning pace and clinical finishing makes the Frenchman the most exciting footballer on the planet and his hat-trick against Argentina in the World Cup final underlines his status as the top dog in the game as the Messi and Ronaldo era draws to a close.

The Champions League is the only major title missing from his trophy cabinet and the 2022 World Cup Golden Boot winner is bound to land the Ballon d’Or sooner or later.

Who is the best striker in the world?

At the age of 24, Kylian Mbappé has the world at his feet and he’s got the edge on Erling Haaland as they emerge as the top dogs in the post-Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo rivalry era.

While Champions League success has eluded him, you would expect Mbappé will get his hands on that trophy at some point..