The best strikers in the world are the most valuable people in the game. The most difficult thing in football is to score goals – and that makes the striker’s role the most important on the field.
The transfer market would certainly agree and of course, being a striker isn’t just about finishing anymore: you also have to hold up, link play, press, run the channels and bully defences. That makes judging the position particularly tough in the modern age.
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How our experts decided the best strikers in the world
Being a striker isn't just about scoring goals (though that's obviously the main bit). We asked our experts to consider not just putting the ball in the back of the net but all-round play: naturally, we didn't want to mark someone like Erling Haaland down based on his lack of passing though, so we've ranked this list by how good each player is on their own merits and how important they are to their team – regardless of what they do.
Our strikers are all players who regularly play in the centre-forward position, despite the prominence of wide attackers these days. Given that this is a form-dependent position, our experts went by current ability but also considered output over the last couple of seasons, as well as legacy as a player in this position. When the call went out for this list, 19 players originally made our esteemed team's thoughts, before we cut that down to just over half based on the scores that they dished out for the world's greatest.
If your favourite isn't here, they might be in one of our other lists. We've compiled the best attackers to complement these strikers, in the best right-wingers in the world and the best left-wingers in the world.
We've also ranked the best goalkeepers in the world, while in defence, we've sorted the best centre-backs in the world, we've ranked the best right-backs in the world and the best left-backs in the world. In midfield, we've got lists of the best defensive midfielders in the world, the best central midfielders in the world and the best attacking midfielders in the world.
10. Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid)
Few players would be able to make themselves undroppable while acting as Erling Haaland’s understudy, but Julian Alvarez managed it. The World Cup winner started more games than any other player for Manchester City last season, providing a consistent stream of goals at the Etihad before a big-money move to Atletico Madrid over the summer.
Dubbed ‘the heir to Sergio Aguero’, Alvarez's skillset isn’t too dissimilar from his legendary compatriot’s. Technically sound with fantastic dribbling ability and a keen eye for goal, Alvarez is a lethal striker who found himself doing a more than competent job as an attacking midfielder prior to his departure. With the path clear to becoming the main man at the Wanda Metropolitano, the sky really is the limit for Julian Alvarez moving forward.
9. Kai Havertz (Arsenal)
Eyebrows were raised when Arsenal parted with £60 million for Kai Havertz – despite the German showing little to suggest he was an elite No.9 at Chelsea. Yet since changing London postcode, he’s instigated a revolution of Mikel Arteta’s frontline.
A lanky lightning rod for Arsenal’s attacks, Havertz possesses the cute interplay and the duel-winning frame to connect Arsenal’s midfield and attack – but he does so in a unique manner. Often, no one runs further than Havertz, who may never be the world’s prolific but simply racks up goals and assists by osmosis of being everywhere and helping to keep the machine ticking. He’s gone down as a supreme fan favourite because of it.
8. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
Individual campaigns don’t come much better than Ollie Watkins’ 2023/24 campaign. A standout star in Aston Villa’s run to a top-four finish in the Premier League, battling Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot while registering 13 assists.
To top it off he fired home a last-minute winner for England in the semifinals of the European Championships over the summer. Seemingly reborn over the summer, Watkins has harnessed his positional awareness, physicality and finishing prowess to become one of the most formidable strikers on the planet over the past 18 months.
7. Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting)
Victor Gyokeres earned his success the hard way, overcoming failure at Brighton to rebuild himself into the most in-form striker in Europe over the last 18 months at Sporting.
The towering Swede has recorded 72 goal involvements in 58 games since arriving in Portugal, enchanting fans with a ruthless finishing ability which appears to have caught the attention of some of the world’s biggest clubs. With a big-money move seemingly on the horizon, Gyokeres continues to go from strength to strength, meaning it likely won’t be long before he is considered among Europe’s best strikers if he maintains his current form.
6. Alexander Isak (Newcastle United)
Alexander Isak has been compared to Thierry Henry ever since he landed on English shores. Perhaps it's the tall frame that he uses to motor past defenders, the same right-footed finish in which he leans back to open the goal up, or the prolific rate with which he racks up goals at Newcastle.
But it's also another aspect of his personality. Isak plays with sheer arrogance that he knows he can beat you for pace and explosive movement. He's gone from a big gamble for the price to one of the world's greatest – and he's been fully worth the money.
5. Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray, on loan from Napoli)
Victor Osimhen’s potential has been common knowledge since joining Lille in 2019, but it wasn’t until 2022 that the world really got to see what the ruthless Nigerian was all about. A tall, fast, aerially dominant finishing master, Osimhen’s skillset has seen him score pretty much any type of goal imaginable across his Napoli career, guiding them to the Serie A title in 2023 with 26 goals in 32 league games.
A very public fallout with the club over the summer appears to have put his career on the back burner for a season, however, a move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs still appears destined for the 25-year-old in the very near future.
4. Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
Lautaro Martinez’s reputation has undoubtedly fallen victim to the poor coverage of Serie A outside of Italy as the Argentine has consistently been one of the most formidable strikers in the division since signing for Inter Milan in 2018.
The Argentine is averaging around a goal every other game in Milan, performing remarkably alongside a host of different strike partners until guiding the Nerazzurri to two league titles. A ruthless finisher with a surprisingly physical approach, Martinez has used his skillset to fantastic effect in Italy and could potentially set Inter up for a sustained period of dominance in Italy once again.
3. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
In an era of Luis Suarez, Robert Lewandowski, Karim Benzema and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Harry Kane’s ability to break records is perhaps the biggest testament to his world-class ability which has kept him at the top of the game for the best part of a decade now.
A technically excellent centre-forward who is good in the air and an elite finisher, England's record scorer is as close to the complete striker as it comes, with an astonishing goal record to back him up. Unfortunate circumstances have seen him go without a trophy throughout his illustrious career, perhaps the only criticism left to throw at a player who has been scoring goals at a more consistent rate than almost all his peers.
2. Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)
The heir to Lionel Messi’s throne, Kylian Mbappe has been building himself up to become the best player on earth since his debut for Monaco in 2015 and, while he isn’t yet undisputed, he is perhaps the most recognisable figure in European football right now.
An electric forward with goalscoring ability comparable to the game’s greatest-ever strikers, Mbappe’s 422 career goal tally at the age of 25 is quite frankly unheard of, while a summer move to Real Madrid is certain to grow his star power even further. Perhaps he is being taken for granted as it feels Mbappe’s skillset isn’t as appreciated by the masses, yet he’s still putting in the same earth-shattering performances as ever… He’s still the same generational talent the world fell in love with nearly a decade ago.
1. Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Racking up 100 goals for a club in just over two years is, frankly, ridiculous. Erling Haaland has probably had less touches of the ball in all that time than Rodri gets through in a complete 90 minutes.
The Scandi superhero is the master of the minimal, taking as few strides, shots and movements as is needed to finish. He’s redefined the importance of a true striker in an age when goals were going more to the wings and he may well retire with more goals than he’s played games. What hasn’t been said about him? Haaland is a phenomenon – and one we should cherish while he’s at his considerable peak.
