Many footballers around the world scored goals in 2022, but there were a few who stood out and scored more than anyone else.
5. LIONEL MESSI
With 35 goals in 51 games for PSG and Argentina, the World Cup-winning captain Lionel Messi stands in the fifth position.
Additionally, Messi leads all players in 2022 in terms of assists. The PSG forward, who was instrumental in helping Argentina win the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup, contributed 30 assists for both his club and country last season.
Manchester City and Belgian midfielder, Kevin De Bruyne, is in the second position with 28 assists, and Brazilian superstar Neymar Jr came third with 23 assists.
4. CHRISTOPHER NKUKU
The Red Bull Leipzig striker finished 2022 as the fourth-highest goal scorer in the World, having scored 37 goals for France and Leipzig in 2022.
He was also the Bundesliga’s leading scorer but was ruled out of the French World Cup squad due to injury.
3. ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI
Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski finished third.
In August, the Polish goal poacher left FC Bayern Munich for Barcelona, where he scored 42 goals in 51 games in 2022.
Lewandowski has been the top scorer in a calendar year for the past three years.
2. ERLING HAALAND
Haaland of Manchester City FC completed last year as the second-highest scorer with 46 goals in 43 games, which was his finest goal-scoring season to date.
The Norwegian striker, who moved from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City in the same year, has maintained his prolific scoring rate and has so far managed to score 21 goals in 15 Premier League games.
1. KYLIAN MBAPPE
French striker Kylian Mbappe finished 2022 as the top scorer in world football.
The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) player averaged one goal per game while scoring 56 goals in 56 games for France and PSG, including five hat-tricks and eight penalties.
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the 24-year-old also took home the Golden Boot award having scored 8 goals and a hat-trick in the final against Argentina.
