Opta Woah! The most ruthless forwards in Europe's top-five leagues in 2019-20
The pause in the football calendar (except in Belarus, of course) gives players across Europe plenty of time to reflect on their efforts so far this season.
While some have a few things to work on when matches return, there are others for whom 2019-20 has been a showcase of the very best they have to offer.
In the latest piece in our series, we look at the best-performing forwards in the Bundesliga, LaLiga, Ligue 1, Premier League and Serie A.
Goals might be the most obvious (and fundamentally important) of metrics for these players, but the number of times the ball crosses that white line is not the only measure of their quality.
To that end, we have also examined seven other parameters: minutes-per-goal rate, shots on target, shooting accuracy, shot conversion rate, big chance conversion rate, dribbles completed and dribble success rate. And these are for those players to make at least 10 league appearances this season, to avoid any unfair imbalance in the results (we're looking at you, Florin Andone).
Without further ado, we present the most ruthless forwards elite-level football in Europe has to offer...
438 - @FCBarcelona's Lionel Messi has become the all-time top-scorer in the top five European leagues (438 goals in 474 appearances), surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo (437 in 540). Battle. pic.twitter.com/konZO1J8Pr
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) March 7, 2020
THE MOST RUTHLESS FORWARDS IN EUROPE'S TOP-FIVE LEAGUES 2019-20:
BUNDESLIGA:
Most goals scored: Robert Lewandowski (25)
Best minutes-per-goal rate (Min. five goals scored): Robert Lewandowski (81.7)
Most shots on target: Robert Lewandowski (55)
Best shooting accuracy (Min. 30 shots): Marcus Thuram (76.3 per cent)
Best shot conversion rate (Min. five goals scored): Paco Alcacer (35.7 per cent)
Best big chance conversion rate (Min. five big chances): Rouwen Hennings (71.4 per cent)
Most dribbles completed: Marcus Thuram (57)
Best dribbles success rate (Min. 10 completed): Lucas Alario (83.3 per cent)
20 - For the first time in #Bundesliga history, two players (Robert Lewandowski and Timo Werner) have hit the 20 goal mark after 18 matchdays of a season. Previously, only Gerd Müller had reached this mark, in 1968-69 (20 goals) and in 1972-73 (21). Brace. pic.twitter.com/vSNqlsB6hJ
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) January 19, 2020
LALIGA:
Most goals scored: Lionel Messi (19)
Best minutes-per-goal rate (Min. five goals scored): Lionel Messi (99.5)
Most shots on target: Lionel Messi (55)
Best shooting accuracy (Min. 30 shots): Lionel Messi (68.9 per cent)
Best shot conversion rate (Min. five goals scored): Lucas Perez (40.7 per cent)
Best big chance conversion rate (Min. five big chances): Charles (83.3 per cent)
Most dribbles completed: Lionel Messi (118)
Best dribbles success rate (Min. 10 completed): Pione Sisto (76.9 per cent)
6 - Barcelona's Lionel Messi is the only LaLiga player scored at least six goals from direct free-kicks in each of two different seasons in the 21st Century (2017/18 and 2018/19). Master. pic.twitter.com/mUpHPfRfvt
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) April 6, 2020
LIGUE 1:
Most goals scored: Kylian Mbappe and Wissam Ben Yedder (18)
Best minutes-per-goal rate (Min. five goals scored): Kylian Mbappe (84.1)
Most shots on target: Kylian Mbappe (49)
Best shooting accuracy (Min. 30 shots): Kasper Dolberg (78.1 per cent)
Best shot conversion rate (Min. five goals scored): Mauro Icardi (37.5 per cent)
Best big chance conversion rate (Min. five big chances): Moussa Dembele (72.2 per cent)
Most dribbles completed: Neymar (90)
Best dribbles success rate (Min. 10 completed): Zaydou Youssouf (85.7 per cent)
4 - Kylian Mbappé is the first French 🇫🇷 player to be involved in at least 20 goals in four consecutive seasons in Ligue 1 since Opta analyses the competition (2006/07). Higher. #PSGFCGB pic.twitter.com/9iujGS0Rk5
— Optajean (@OptaJean) February 23, 2020
PREMIER LEAGUE:
Most goals scored: Jamie Vardy (19)
Best minutes-per-goal rate (Min. five goals scored): Sergio Aguero (87.6)
Most shots on target: Mohamed Salah (43)
Best shooting accuracy (Min. 30 shots): Anthony Martial (68.2 per cent)
Best shot conversion rate (Min. five goals scored): Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (36.2 per cent)
Best big chance conversion rate (Min. five big chances): Harry Kane (70 per cent)
Most dribbles completed: Adama Traore (144)
Best dribbles success rate (Min. 10 completed): Billy Sharp (86.7 per cent)
3 - Adama Traore is only the third player to score three goals in a single Premier League season versus Pep Guardiola's Man City after Eden Hazard and Jamie Vardy (both in 2016-17). Menace. #WOLMCI pic.twitter.com/eoSj507PBf
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 27, 2019
SERIE A:
Most goals scored: Ciro Immobile (27)
Best minutes-per-goal rate (Min. five goals scored): Luis Muriel (70.2)
Most shots on target: Cristiano Ronaldo (53)
Best shooting accuracy (Min. 30 shots): Romelu Lukaku (65.5 per cent)
Best shot conversion rate (Min. five goals scored): Ante Rebic (42.9 per cent)
Best big chance conversion rate (Min. five big chances): Felipe Caicedo (85.7 per cent)
Most dribbles completed: Jeremie Boga (106)
Best dribbles success rate (Min. 10 completed): Sergio Floccari (72.2 per cent)
18 - The last player before #Immobile to score at least 18 goals after the first 17 games played by his team in Serie A was #Angelillo in January 1959, who scored 33 goals at the end of the season. Unstoppable.#BresciaLazio pic.twitter.com/QmiFQB6yLF
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) January 5, 2020
AND THE TOP EIGHT:
Most goals scored: Ciro Immobile (27)
Best minutes-per-goal rate (Min. five goals scored): Luis Muriel (70.2)
Most shots on target: Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski (55)
Best shooting accuracy (Min. 30 shots): Kasper Dolberg (78.1 per cent)
Best shot conversion rate (Min. five goals scored): Ante Rebic (42.9 per cent)
Best big chance conversion rate (Min. five big chances): Felipe Caicedo (85.7 per cent)
Most dribbles completed: Adama Traore (144)
Best dribbles success rate (Min. 10 completed): Billy Sharp (86.7 per cent)