5 players who have scored the most headers in club football in the 21st century
Football has evolved a lot since the start of the decade. The game has become a lot more technical and intricate than it used to be, often making old notions feel obsolete.
However, when a goal is the need of the hour and no tactic is getting the results, we still tend to go back to our roots. We go back to simple, old school, cross-and-pray football.
Today, we will take a look at five forwards of this century who know how to find the back of the net with their heads.
Here are five footballers who have scored the most headed goals in the 21st century:
Stats via: Transfermarkt
#5 Radamel Falcao (Rayo Vallecano) - 71 goals
Former Monaco high-flier Radamel Falcao is one of the finest forwards of this generation. Yes, the hype around him has died down over the last few seasons, but one cannot overlook the match-winning performances he produced in his prime.
In his heyday, Falcao could not only score effortlessly from either foot, but he was also an exceptional header of the ball.
Falcao, who has played for the likes of River Plate, Atletico Madrid, Manchester United and Chelsea, currently plies his trade at La Liga side Rayo Vallecano. The Colombia international has scored 298 goals so far in club football. Out of his 298 strikes, 71 have come off his head.
While Radamel Falcao isn’t quite the animal he once was, his time back in Spain has been a roaring success. Of his 5 goals, 4 have come in wins, 2 were winners vs. Barcelona & Athletic Club, and his record of a goal every 69 minutes is the best in La Liga. breakingthelines.com/squad-analysis… https://t.co/OsWpSQjgok
Falcao’s heading ability has often proved to be decisive for his clubs in the 21st century. 22 of his 71 headers have ended up leading his teams to victory.
His last headed effort in club football came in the 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid on La Liga matchday 13.
#4 Fernando Llorente (Eibar) - 75 goals
Eibar’s Fernando Llorente may not be regarded as one of the best in the business, but he sure is a mean header of the ball.
Athletic Bilbao graduate Fernando Llorente has never been the sharpest player out there, but he’s always been a great target man. Float the ball over to him and chances are he will work the keeper with a thumping header.
Llorente, who has played for Athletic Bilbao, Tottenham Hotspur and Sevilla, among others, has scored 178 goals in club football so far.
75 of his 178 goals have been headers, which is enough to tell you how good he is in the air. Out of his 75 headers, 21 have been game-winning goals for his clubs.
Fernando Llorente this season:
5 direct goal involvements in the Premier League (1 start)
3 direct goal involvements in the Champions League (0 starts)
limited minutes, maximum impact. 🙌 https://t.co/PCPtwavaGl
Currently playing for Segunda division side Eibar, Llorente has not been able to find the back of the net in ten matches this season.