The role of the striker is arguably the most important to winning a football game. There are different ways to score goals and players with different qualities to make them happen.
However, someone who can hold it up, run in behind, link play, and obviously, score, is a gem in the modern-day. A distinct few have followed in the legendary footsteps of Ronaldo De Lima, the pioneer of the role and arguably the world’s best striker of all time.
Hence, Football Castle provides some of the best complete strikers in world football today.
Karim Benzema
The Frenchman netted the opening goal and two assists for Luka Modrić and Lucas Vazquez against Eibar to take his tally to 11 goals and five assists in 17 games this season. Benzema’s 11 seasons at Real Madrid have yielded 260 goals and 140 assists and his longevity at the Bernabeu is down to his productivity for those around him as much as his goal-scoring prowess.
Having spent most of his initial nine years creating space and goals for Cristiano Ronaldo, the pacy 33-year-old has scored 30 and 27 goals respectively since Ronaldo left in 2018 and is showing no signs of slowing down, literally.
Karim Benzema plays his 527th game for Real Madrid this evening. He equals Roberto Carlos as the non-Spaniards with the most appearances for the club.
— Phil Kitromilides (@PhilKitro) December 9, 2020
“Benzema is a match-winner because what he’s doing is on a different level, not just because of the goals,” Zidane told a press conference after his latest exploits against Eibar.
“I always repeat myself saying the same thing about Karim. It’s not only his goals, he’s a focal point in our game. He’s very important for us and when he scores, it’s even better, obviously, but he’s very important for our team”.
It is fitting that his goals have increased since 2018 but Benzema’s influence hasn’t diminished as he alongside Sergio Ramos were major driving forces behind their 2019/20 title win.
Robert Lewandowski
Fresh from receiving his first The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award. The Pole netted twice to bring Bayern from losing positions against Wolfsburg and Bayer Leverkusen in consecutive match days to close out a memorable 2020. Lewandowski is only the second player to win a European treble while being the top scorer in all three competitions as he also won the UEFA Player of The Year award.
He has 25 goal involvements – five of them assists – in only 18 games in all competitions this season as he remains key amidst Bayern’s array of attacking stars. Although his physical appearance is that of the archetypal target man, Lewandowski’s 266 goals and 62 assists in 307 appearances for Bayern is mind-blowing and a testament to his consistency as one of Europe’s most-lethal goalscorers and an all-round attacking monster.
Harry Kane
A prolific goalscorer, the England striker has taken on the role of chief-creator for Tottenham in 2020/21. Playing deeper in José Mourinho’s counter-attacking side has seen his long-passing game become a key threat for Spurs, particularly his linkup with Heung-Min Son. Kane and Son have combined to score or assist 12 goals for each other this season – one short of the season record 13 – as they chase the all-time record of 36 by Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard.
Tottenham find themselves in the title conversation this season thanks in no small part to the nine goals and 10 assists in 14 games from Kane. Despite 203 goals and 43 assists in 308 games for Spurs, Harry Kane is key defensively as he is the forward with the most headed clearances (20) in the league. If the North London side are to finally lift silverware this season, it would be by getting the complete best out of their captain. Something they have managed to do so far.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
The form of the Everton man has attracted much attention since Carlo Ancelotti took over 12 months ago. He was previously a workaholic striker who did the selfless running down the channels or could hold up play with his impressive aerial ability. Calvert-Lewin is currently the Joint-second Premier League top scorer with 11 goals, and 16 goals and an assist in 21 games for club and country is a stark turnaround in goal scoring form for the striker.
The 23-year-old has been urged to stay within the width of the post by Ancelotti, modeling his game on Pippo Inzaghi. The result of that is selfishness in front of goal and ensures the striker will receive chances in the box where he has produced many one-touch finishes this season.
Calvert-Lewin has certainly refined his game, as he maintains a huge threat in the box but utilizes the other aspects of his game to devastating effect. Most recently, he harried Chelsea’s defenders in the air which forced Édouard Mendy to clatter him in the box for their winner, then forced Rob Holding to deflect his header into the net for their opener in the win over Arsenal.
