5 players with the most goals in Europe's top 5 leagues in the 21st century
Scoring goals is ultimately the most important part of football. While football is a team sport, no side can thrive without having proven goalscorers on their side. Players who are groomed in that manner from a very young age show a sort of predatory instinct when they are in and around the final third.
They know where to pop up and when to pounce. Strikers are of various types. There is the target man, the fox-in-the-box, the classic number 9 and the list goes on. In the 21st century football, we have seen players who fit those molds and are exemplary at doing what they're tasked with accomplishing, which is scoring goals.
There has never been any shortage of world-class strikers in football. The Europe's top five leagues are the top tier of professional club football. Without further ado, let's take a look at five players with the most goals in Europe's top five leagues in the 21st century.
#5 Edinson Cavani - 261 goals
Edinson Cavani is one of the best finishers in the modern game. Despite turning 34, the Uruguayan international continues to showcase high energy levels every time he is on the pitch. He embodies the Uruguayan warrior spirit and is a dogged presence in the final third.
Cavani was introduced to the European top 5 leagues when he joined Palermo in 2007. After spending three seasons there, Cavani moved to Napoli on loan. The Partenopei then made the move permanent in the subsequent summer and Cavani would go on to become a phenomenal player for them.
Over the course of his stints with Palermi and Napoli, Cavani scored 112 goals in Serie A. He then joined Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain. Cavani 138 goals in 200 Ligue 1 appearances for PSG.
The 34-year-old arrived at Manchester United in the summer of 2020 on a free transfer. He has scored 11 goals in the Premier League, taking his overall top 5 European league goal tally to 261.
Edison Cavani might truly be the most underrated striker of the last decade https://t.co/LpuNxXTel8
#4 Robert Lewandowski - 293 goals
Robert Lewandowski is inarguably the most prolific striker on the planet right now. Many still believe that the 2021 Ballon d'Or should have gone to the Polish international. Lewandowski has made a habit of shattering goalscoring records in recent times.
He recently broke Gerd Muller's record for scoring the most number of goals in a single Bundesliga season (40) by netting 41. Lewandowski first made a name for himself at Borussia Dortmund, for whom he scored 74 goals in the Bundesliga between 2010 and 2014.
He is currently at Bayern Munich and has scored a whopping 219 goals for the Bavarians in just 234 Bundesliga appearances.
That time Robert Lewandowski scored FIVE goals in NINE minutes 🤯
(🎥 via @FCBayernEN) https://t.co/muqODpVdWt