Kylian Mbappe leads the 2022 top goalscorers list by five goals from the old man at Bayern Munich. But he could not win France the World Cup.
The criteria: All club goals in all competitions for clubs in top five leagues.
10) Ciro Immobile – Lazio (23 goals)
This season has been marred by injuries to the 32-year-old but the much-maligned striker has hit 20 Serie A goals in five of his six full seasons with Lazio. That has got to be one the best £8.5m spends of all time.
9) Sadio Mane – Liverpool/Bayern Munich (25 goals)
Injury kept him out of the World Cup – a massive shame for Senegal, Mane and frankly for us. His 2022 haul is two more than 23-goal man Mo Salah.
8) Neymar – PSG (25 goals)
Goals, goals, goals from the Brazilian this season as he threatened to come into form just in time for the World Cup. Before he then got crocked.
Related video: World Cup: Harry Kane insists he can hit form for England at right time in knockouts (Dailymotion)
7) Wissam Ben Yedder – Monaco (27 goals)
Not even in the France World Cup squad, which tells you everything about the embarrassment of riches Didier Deschamps boasted.
6) Harry Kane – Tottenham (29 goals)
Just casually scoring 12 goals in 15 Premier League games and still ending up way off the Golden Boot pace. Just don’t ask him to take two penalties in one game.
5) Karim Benzema – Real Madrid (29 goals)
The Ballon d’Or winner has missed the World Cup through injury. It’s hard being that good at 34.
4) Erling Haaland – Borussia Dortmund/Manchester City (33 goals)
Has played comfortably the least amount of football of anyone on this list but has already scored a frankly ludicrous 23 goals for Manchester City. And now he is enjoying a lovely rest.
3) Christopher Nkunku – RB Leipzig (37 goals)
It looks very much like Nkunku will be a Chelsea player next season, which could be an excellent piece of business as he is tearing up both the Bundesliga and the Champions League. Chelsea do break strikers, though.
2) Robert Lewandowski – Bayern/Barcelona (38 goals)
Just the 18 goals for Barcelona so far, which seems absolutely reasonable. He was the top scorer in 2021 and will be pretty damned close this year too. But regardless of his goal output, Barcelona have to win La Liga to justify their ludicrous summer outlay.
1) Kylian Mbappe – PSG (41 goals)
A goal every 83 minutes for PSG in 2022, is it? And then he pops over to Qatar to the World Cup and immediately looks absolutely brilliant, scoring eight goals and winning the Golden Boot.
