Comparing the conversion rates of the top scorers in Europe’s top five leagues
Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester City forwards rank among the deadliest strikers in Europe’s top five divisions this season.
Mo Salah grabbed the headlines this weekend when he completed the remarkable feat of scoring four goals in a single game from just four shots.
And we’ve looked into the numbers to compare the conversion rates (goals scored from shots taken) of the top three goalscorers in Europe’s major five leagues.
Premier League
Mo Salah has undoubtedly been the name on everyone’s lips recently, and he moved above Harry Kane in the list of the Premier League’s top goalscorers this season with his four-goal haul against Watford.
Sergio Aguero’s magnificence, as ever, continues to be bizarrely taken for granted, but any of these three are well worth a punt.
3. Harry Kane – 24 goals – 14.8%
2. Sergio Aguero – 21 goals – 22.6%
1. Mo Salah – 28 goals – 23.7%
At his current rate (0.93 goals per game), Mohamed Salah is on course for 35 league goals.
That would make him the highest goalscorer in an English top-flight season in over 50 years.
— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) March 19, 2018
La Liga
Despite having a relatively slow start to the season by his own ridiculous standards, Cristiano Ronaldo is now the top scorer in Europe’s top five leagues across all competitions having scored 17 goals in his past eight matches.
Lionel Messi still leads the way in La Liga overall, but it’s his Barcelona team-mate Luis Suarez who’s been the most clinical.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo – 22 goals – 14.2%
2. Lionel Messi – 25 goals – 15.5%
1. Luis Suarez – 21 goals – 21.9%
Might be time to get the #pichichiwatch back going. Ronaldo [22] moves past Suarez [21] and has just Messi [25] in front of him now.
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) March 18, 2018
Serie A
After four goals in a devastating 21-minute spell for Inter this weekend, Mauro Icardi has fired his way into second in the race for Serie A’s golden boot award. Ciro Immobile is something of a surprise face at the top.
Paulo Dybala, Fabio Quagliarella and Dries Mertens are tied in third on 17 goals, but the former two have an identical conversion rate which betters that of Mertens.
3. Paulo Dybala & Fabio Quagliarella – 17 goals – 18.3%
2. Ciro Immobile – 24 goals – 26.7%
1. Mauro Icardi – 22 goals – 29.7%
Watch: Mauro Icardi scores four in 21 minutes including slick backheel
Bundesliga
It has not been a vintage year for goalscorers in Bundesliga this term. Robert Lewandowski predictably tops the chart, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is still technically joint-second, despite departing for Arsenal in January.
Nils Petersen of Augsburg has also bagged 13 goals (watch his sumptuous chip from the weekend below), while three players – Freiburg’s Alfred Finnbogason, RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner and Augsburg’s Michael Gregoritsch – have scored 11. Finnbogason wins out with the best conversion rate of the trio.
3. Robert Lewandowski – 23 goals – 21.7%
2. Alfred Finnbogason – 11 goals – 22.9%
1. Nils Petersen – 13 goals – 27.1%
Ligue 1
While Ligue 1 may not be the most competitive league, it still boasts some excellent forwards. Three familiar faces top the goalscoring charts in Radamel Falcao, Neymar and Edinson Cavani.
3. Neymar – 19 goals – 21.1%
2. Edinson Cavani – 24 goals – 26.1%
1. Radamel Falcao – 17 goals – 27.9%
Radamel Falcao making friends with a tiger pic.twitter.com/Ba9hJDKP35
— Footballers with animals (@ftbllrswanimals) March 17, 2018
Overall
So without further ado, here are the five deadliest strikers among the top scorers in Europe’s top five leagues this season:
5. Edinson Cavani – 26.1%
4. Ciro Immobile – 26.7%
3. Nils Petersen – 27.1%
2. Radamel Falcao 27.9%
1. Mauro Icardi – 29.7%
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