You can have the most technically gifted full back, the toughest box-to-box midfielder, and the smoothest playmaker—but none of it truly matters without a striker who knows how to find the back of the net.
The game has evolved, and so have the roles of strikers. They’re no longer just goal scorers but multi-dimensional players contributing in all areas. Still, scoring goals remains the ultimate currency.
While the best strikers aren’t judged solely on their tally, many still produce breathtaking numbers season after season.
Here’s Sports Illustrated’s definitive ranking of the top 25 strikers in the world right now...
(If you haven’t found the player you’re looking for, they may be included in a different positional list!)
25. Romelu Lukaku
Chelsea fans may loathe him, Manchester United fans might write him off as a flop, and Instagram highlight-watchers often reduce him to a heavy touch and a hulking frame. But strip away the noise, and the truth is undeniable: Romelu Lukaku has been one of world football’s most prolific strikers for over a decade and is still going strong.
(Almost) everywhere he goes, the goals follow. And quite often, so do the trophies.
After a resurgent spell at Roma under the familiar guidance of José Mourinho—where he racked up 21 goals in the 2023/24 campaign—Lukaku made the leap to Napoli. The goal tally dipped slightly, but the impact didn’t. He delivered when it mattered most, firing key goals en route to Napoli’s second Scudetto in three years, this time under another former mentor, Antonio Conte.
He may not be to everyone’s taste, but Lukaku doesn’t need to be. He’s a specialist—and a devastating one at that. Towering, relentless, uncompromising. He holds the ball up like a wall, steamrolls defenders like they’re cones, and has found the net with dependable consistency for over a decade—wherever he’s played.
24. Vangelis Pavlidis
Vangelis Pavlidis is something of a trailblazer—the first truly elite-tier forward to emerge from Greece, a nation historically known more for gritty midfielders and rugged defenders than prolific goalscorers.
Since 2018, the Greek international has steadily climbed the ladder, consistently finding the net for Willem II, AZ Alkmaar, and most recently Benfica. His game has only improved with time, and in 2024–25, he enjoyed a career-best campaign—scoring 30 goals across all competitions, including seven in the Champions League. That tally featured a stunning 30-minute hat-trick against none other than Barcelona.
He’s delivered for his country, too, netting twice in a famous 2–1 win over England at Wembley – a night that cemented his growing reputation on the international stage.
23. Benjamin Sesko
Benjamin Šeško has long been touted by fans and transfer obsessives as the next big thing—a future superstar in waiting.
For a while, though, that promise never quite translated on the pitch. That changed in 2024–25, when the Slovenian striker finally burst into life, scoring 21 goals across all competitions for RB Leipzig. With his aerial dominance, genuine two-footed threat, and razor-sharp movement in the box, Šeško looked every bit the real deal.
Whether he can continue that trajectory at a faltering Manchester United— whom he joined in the summer of 2025—remains to be seen.
22. Samu Aghehowa
For years, the ideal centre-forward was often a small, technical striker—think Luis Suárez, Sergio Agüero, Antoine Griezmann—with quick feet and slick finishing. But recently, the pendulum has swung back to favoring the big man.
At 6'4" and 90kg, Spanish international Samu Aghehowa embodies this shift. A modern target man, he dominates aerial duels, holds up play effortlessly, and powers forward like a freight train. Yet he also combines strength with finesse, boasting excellent touch, timing, and a sharp striker’s instinct.
In the 2024–25 season, the young striker starred for Porto, netting 27 goals across all competitions— from tap-ins and thunderous volleys to bullet headers and a stunning overhead kick—proving he’s as versatile in front of goal as he is a man mountain.
21. Joao Pedro
João Pedro may not be the most consistent goalscorer—his best season saw him tally 20 goals in 2023–24, but he has never exceeded 11 in other campaigns.
What he does bring, though, is invaluable: relentless hard work, superb link-up play, an aggressive (sometimes overly so) edge, and undeniable samba flair.
Now at Chelsea, he may finally be in the right environment to kick on and find the net more regularly.
20. Patrik Schick
Patrik Schick fits the classic “great touch for a big lad” mold. He may appear gangly and somewhat awkward, but his skill on the ball is anything but.
After a few quieter seasons, the Czech interntional exploded in 2024–25 and reminded everyboyd just how good he is, stepping up in the absence of the injured Victor Boniface.
He seized the spotlight with 27 goals across all competitions, firmly claiming the position as his own—so much so that Boniface ended up moving on in the summer.
19. Matheus Cunha
Matheus Cunha is an enormously fun player to watch.
Whether he’s drifting inside to collect the ball and thread defence-splitting passes, weaving through opponents with ease, darting in behind to calmly slot past the keeper, or bending in long-range efforts with flair—the Brazilian does it all with a swagger that’s unmistakably his own.
His performances for Wolves in 2024–25 played a major— arguably the biggest—role in keeping them in the Premier League. Now, he’ll be expected to do the same, and plenty more for that matter for Manchester United.
18. Jonathan David
Jonathan David has been a regular scorer of goals for a number of years now.
After joining Lille in 2020, he surpassed double figures in his first campaign, and finished the second with 19 goals. In the following three seasons, he then netted 25 or more goals each time—a return made all the more impressive given Lille, with all due respect, don't quite rank among football’s true heavyweights.
After years of suitors circling, Juventus finally snapped him up in the summer of 2025. Surrounded by a powerhouse squad, David is poised to explode onto the biggest stages and show the world exactly what he’s made of.
17. Antoine Griezmann
Antoine Griezmann isn’t just a brilliant forward—he’s a brilliant footballer. In fact, he may well be one of the finest of his generation, and perhaps even among the all-time greats.
Tactically intelligent, positionally versatile, and technically gifted, Griezmann has shown his class everywhere from central midfield at the 2022 World Cup to the frontline for Atlético Madrid. Since returning to the Spanish capital after a tough stint at Barcelona, he’s only elevated his game—aging like fine wine in the heart of La Liga.
Few can match his blend of longevity, intelligence, and sheer ability.
16. Mateo Retegui
Italy’s chronic shortage of top-class centre-forwards forced Roberto Mancini to get creative. In March 2023, the former Azzurri boss handed a debut call-up to Mateo Retegui. The Argentina-born striker was then on loan at Tigre from Boca Juniors, but thanks to his Sicilian grandparents, he was eligible to represent Italy.
That call proved transformative for Retegui. After a brief stint at Genoa, he moved to Atalanta last summer following Gianluca Scamacca’s ACL injury.
Signed initially as emergency cover, Retegui did far more than fill the gap. He enjoyed a sensational season for La Dea, netting 28 goals across all competitions—25 of them in Serie A—enough to finish as the league’s top scorer.
Yet, in a surprising twist, at the peak of his powers and having been entrusted with Italy’s striking hopes, Retegui swapped Serie A for Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah. A curious decision that suggests Italy’s striker woes are far from over.
15. Cristiano Ronaldo
Yes, he might be in his forties, and yes, he’s now plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League—but Cristiano Ronaldo’s eye for goal and winning mentality remain as sharp as ever.
Just look at his recent exploits for Portugal: eight goals in the 2024–25 Nations League—more than any other player—including the winner in the semi-final and a crucial equaliser in the final against Spain, which Portugal went on to win on penalties.
At this point, it’s almost ridiculous. Whether for club or country, when Ronaldo, soccer’s first billionaire, plays, he scores. He’s an anomaly. A goalscoring machine. One of the greatest of all time.
14. Hugo Ekitike
A move to Eintracht Frankfurt proved transformative for Hugo Ekitike, who had struggled to find his footing at PSG after an early big-money switch from Reims in 2022.
The Frenchman rediscovered the flair and confidence that once marked him as a rising star. With Omar Marmoush departing for Manchester City, Ekitike stepped up superbly—thriving in the Bundesliga's open spaces and showcasing his elegant movement, sharp finishing, and deceptive strength.
His form in 2024–25 earned him a summer move to Liverpool, where he's hit the ground running.
13. Ollie Watkins
It’s no coincidence that Aston Villa’s remarkable turnaround has coincided with Ollie Watkins’ arrival in 2020.
Joining from then-Championship side Brentford, Watkins has made the step up look effortless, banging in goals with impressive regularity— including a stunning 27 strikes in the 2023–24 season.
Before his arrival, Villa narrowly escaped relegation, finishing 17th. Since then, their league finishes have been 11th, 14th, 7th, 4th, and 6th—transforming from relegation battlers to genuine Champions League contenders, even reaching the quarter-finals in 2024–25.
Of course, Watkins isn’t solely responsible, but he’s played a pivotal role. Having turned down numerous opportunities to move elsewhere, it’s clear both his and Villa’s ascent is far from over.
12. Omar Marmoush
Midway through the 2024–25 season, Manchester City needed a spark up front – and Pep Guardiola found it in Eintracht Frankfurt’s prolific Egyptian, Omar Marmoush.
Fresh off a record-breaking start in the Bundesliga, where he netted 20 goals, Marmoush carried that electric form to the Etihad. Even when deployed primarily off the shoulder, his impact was immediate and sustained.
His thunderous long-range strike against Bournemouth on the penultimate day of the Premier League season was a glimpse of what Marmoush is all about: sharp technique, fearless decision-making, and the ability to produce moments of sheer magic.
11. Marcus Thuram
Well, what a free transfer Marcus Thuram has turned out to be for Inter Milan.
The Frenchman arrived in the fashion capital of the world off the back of some eye-catching seasons with Borussia Mönchengladbach and settled into Italian football without missing a beat.
Stepping seamlessly into the void left by Romelu Lukaku, Thuram has formed a formidable partnership with Lautaro Martínez, playing a key role in Inter’s 2023–24 Scudetto triumph and their run to the Champions League final the following season. Across those first two years at the San Siro, he racked up an impressive 33 goals across all competitions, all while showcasing his excellent link-up play, hold-up ability, and the versatility to drift wide and stretch defences.
All in all, some seriously shrewd business by the Nerazzurri.
10. Viktor Gyokeres
97 goals. That’s how many Viktor Gyökeres scored in two seasons for Sporting CP before joining Arsenal, helping the club secure back-to-back league titles. Yes, you read that right—97 goals.
It’s an astonishing total, unmatched by anyone else in world football, and among the best goal-scoring feats in history.
So why isn’t he top of our list? After all, a striker’s primary job is to score goals.
Well, with all due respect to Portugal’s Primeira Liga, Gyökeres still needs to prove himself on football’s biggest stage—specifically, the Premier League with the Gunners.
9. Serhou Guirassy
Serhou Guirassy’s rise has been nothing short of remarkable.
In just five years, the Guinean striker has transformed from a struggling Ligue 2 player into a world-class talent who finds the back of the net with almost predictable regularity.
His real breakthrough came during a loan spell at Stuttgart in 2022–23, where he netted 14 goals in 28 games. That loan quickly became permanent, and he followed it up with an astonishing 30 goals in 30 games during the following season—earning him a move to Borussia Dortmund.
In his debut campaign at Signal Iduna Park, Guirassy fired in 38 goals, including 13 in the Champions League, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer and firmly establishing himself among the world’s elite.
Given his trajectory, it wouldn’t be surprising if he scores even more in the seasons to come.
8. Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen’s exploits in Serie A more than justified the hefty fee Napoli paid to lure him from Lille back in 2020.
He burst into life as the spearhead of a vibrant Napoli attack, playing a pivotal role in their historic 2022–23 campaign – firing in goals with relentless consistency as the club clinched their first Serie A title in over 30 years.
But things soured thereafter in Naples, leading to a surprise loan move to Galatasaray for the 2024–25 season. While his shift to Turkey may have pulled him from the spotlight of Europe's top leagues, Osimhen carried on doing what he does best: scoring goals for fun.
On paper, the move might appear to damage his reputation—it’s now been made permanent—but make no mistake: the Nigerian could deliver anywhere in the world.
7. Julián Alvarez
Julian Álvarez found himself cast as Erling Haaland’s understudy at Manchester City—a role that naturally limited his impact and game time. Yet, even in limited minutes, the Argentine proved a constant menace and played a crucial part in the Cityzens’ dominance.
Determined to step out of Haaland’s shadow, Álvarez made the move to Atlético Madrid in the summer of 2024. After a brief period of acclimatisation, he quickly found his stride, finishing the season with an impressive 29 goals across all competitions.
Combining the intelligence and clinical finishing of great Argentine strikers of days gone by—think Hernán Crespo, Gonzalo Higuaín, Diego Milito— with the relentlessness of a true Simeone soldier and the blistering pace that allows him to wreak havoc behind defences, Álvarez is now carving out his own legacy away from the shadows.
6. Lautaro Martínez
Powerful, precise, and endlessly tenacious, Lautaro Martínez is a striker who fuses old-school grit with modern dynamism. He presses like a midfielder, finishes like a poacher, and leads like a seasoned veteran. There’s a certain elegance to his edge—a player who does the dirty work yet still shines when the lights are brightest.
What sets Lautaro apart is his relentless consistency. He’s scored over 20 goals in all but one of the past six seasons for Inter Milan—a remarkable feat given the sheer volume of work he puts in off the ball. Even more impressive is that he’s rarely led the line alone at San Siro, often operating within a front two alongside the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Marcus Thuram, Joaquín Correa, or Edin Džeko.
Lautaro is the embodiment of the modern No. 9: tireless, intelligent, and utterly lethal.
5. Robert Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski hasn’t always received the credit he truly deserves. Had the Ballon d’Or not been cancelled during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, he would almost certainly have added one of those coveted golden trophies to his collection.
After a decade of absolute dominance in the Bundesliga, Lewandowski made the switch to Barcelona, where he’s continued to find the back of the net with ruthless consistency.
The Poland international combines the best qualities of his elite peers to form a near-complete centre forward. He may not boast the blistering pace of Kylian Mbappé or the sheer physicality of Erling Haaland, nor can he spray passes like Harry Kane or dribble through hoards of players like Alexander Isak. But Lewandowski is an efficient, goal-scoring machine in his own right—one who has been at the very top of the game for nearly two decades and shows no signs of slowing down.
4. Alexander Isak
A few eyebrows were raised when Newcastle broke their transfer record to sign Alexander Isak in 2022 after an underwhelming season at Real Sociedad. But three seasons, 62 goals, and a £125 million move to Liverpool—a British record— later, it was clear the Magpies had made the right call.
At St. James’ Park, the Swede blossomed into one of the most devastating and complete forwards in world football, scoring in every possible manner— from cheeky chips to thunderous long-range strikes and delicate bottom-corner curlers.
At Liverpool, Isak will be expected to deliver Premier League titles and potentially a Champions League. Big expectations no doubt but he’s already proven he’s a big time player.
3. Erling Haaland
Haaland might not have the natural flair or marketability of some, but when it comes to doing the one thing a striker is hired to do—put the ball in the back of the net—he’s arguably the very best in the world.
Towering at 6’5” with a terrifying burst of pace, the Norwegian superstar is football’s answer to Ivan Drago—unstoppable and utterly relentless.
His goal-scoring prowess swiftly earned him a place in Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side, and Haaland has thoroughly silenced anyone who doubted his ability to replicate his terrifying form in the ruthless Premier League.
There’s a simplicity to Haaland’s game that’s almost unsettling. He’s inevitable. Even as City stumbled in 2024–25, his goals just kept coming.
2. Harry Kane
It’s hard to recall a striker more naturally gifted at finding the back of the net than Harry Kane.
A half-chance? A quarter-chance? Doesn’t matter—if Kane’s anywhere near the box, you’d be wise to brace for a goal. His instinct is devastating, his spatial awareness almost supernatural. Before he pulls the trigger, he barely even looks at the goal—just one touch out of his feet and he lets fly, and more often than not has the net rippling.
A Premier League icon and the division’s second-highest scorer of all time with 213 goals, Kane has taken his ruthless efficiency to Bayern Munich—and picked up silverware at long last. After years of near misses at Spurs, he's now backing up his brilliance with trophies to match.
And, rather conveniently, those long-time critics? They've gone suspiciously quiet.
1. Kylian Mbappe
Simply put, there isn’t a better forward in world football right now than Kylian Mbappé. The Frenchman is the full package—and then some. Blistering pace (arguably the fastest attacker on the planet), razor-sharp dribbling, intelligent movement, raw strength, and a near-supernatural eye for goal—Mbappé has it all.
While the 2024–25 campaign wasn’t Real Madrid’s finest season as a team, that didn’t stop Mbappé from lighting up the Bernabéu in his debut year. He netted a staggering 43 goals across all competitions—more than any player has ever scored in their first season for the club. Yes, that’s more than Cristiano Ronaldo. More than Karim Benzema. More than Raúl, Puskás, the lot.
And here’s the truly terrifying part: once his supporting cast catches up to his rhythm and tempo, his output, and his overall performances, are only going to improve.
Expect Mbappé to sit atop the footballing world for many years to come.
READ MORE ON THE BEST 25 PLAYERS FOR EVERY POSITION IN WORLD SOCCER
This article was originally published on www.si.com as The 25 Best Strikers in World Soccer—Ranked.
