Most attacking players either create goals or score goals – but stars from Barcelona, Manchester City and PSG are among those to do both at the start of the 2022-23 season.
Using data from transfermarkt, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 players from Ligue 1, the Bundesliga, Premier League, La Liga and Serie A in terms of their combined goals and assists contributions.
We doubt you’ll be too surprised at the identity of number one…
=10. Jonathan David (11)
It’s amazing that none of Europe’s big beasts have taken David from Lille but, with nine goals and three assists in Ligue 1 already, we’d bet huge sums against him remaining at the club this time next year.
=10. Harry Kane (12)
Gareth Southgate has a few selection headaches with injuries and key players out of form, but one thing he doesn’t need to worry about is how his captain and best player is performing.
There are some question marks over how Antonio Conte has Tottenham performing this season, but Kane looks at his very best (11 goals and one assist in 14 Premier League appearances).
=10. Niclas Fullkrug (12)
Probably the least well-known name to feature here, Werder Bremen forward Fullkrug is suddenly enjoying a rich vein of form.
The 29-year-old has 10 goals and two assists, despite Bremen faltering in the lower half of the Bundesliga this season.
=5. Kevin de Bruyne (13)
We’re getting to a point where we have to consider De Bruyne as the best midfielder the Premier League has ever seen.
The Belgian pulls off something ridiculous every week and appears to have struck up an instant understanding with Man City’s new star striker Erling Haaland. De Bruyne has assisted four of the striker’s league goals (10 in total – the joint-most in Europe’s big leagues with Messi) and has scored a further three goals for good measure.
KDB! 🔥
It’s coming in hot. Man City now 1-0 up#PremierLeague pic.twitter.com/L9cUfYxL33
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 29, 2022
=5. Kylian Mbappe (13)
One of the more predictable names on this list, Mbappe has 11 goals and two assists in 13 Ligue 1 appearances. All that despite reportedly being displeased by the position he’s being played in this season.
That all sounds about right.
=5. Jamal Musiala (13)
The 19-year-old, who spent most of his upbringing in South London, has seen the void left by Robert Lewandowski at Bayern Munich and decided to step up and become the Bundesliga’s new MVP.
Eight goals and five assists in 12 appearances so far. A key reason that inevitably Bayern will march their way to yet another league title, and a player we can’t wait to watch at the World Cup.
=5. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (13)
Kvaradona is a lovely throwback to the long-gone days where a player would absolutely explode onto the scene from nowhere.
Given they topped a tough Champions League group featuring Liverpool and Ajax, scoring 20 goals in the process, there’s an argument that Napoli have been the best side in Europe so far this season. Certainly the most fun.
Napoli are also six points clear at the top of Serie A and Kvaratskhelia is arguably their best player. He has six goals and seven assists in his first 12 appearances after his low-key arrival from Dinamo Batumi. We absolutely love him.
=3. Lionel Messi (17)
The obituaries were premature; Messi’s first season at PSG was low-key disappointing with just six goals and 14 assists.
But, with a World Cup to fine-tune himself for, we’ve seen a vintage Messi this season as the Argentine has already chalked up seven goals and 10 assists for the Ligue 1 champions.
Messi is on fire at the moment.
Another week, another Messi worldie! 🔥
He’s something else right now 🐐 pic.twitter.com/TX4K2owLnJ
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 29, 2022
=3. Robert Lewandowski (17)
Despite swapping Bavaria for Barcelona, there’s been absolutely no drop in Lewandowski’s goal and assist output.
He’s fired 13 goals past bewildered La Liga goalkeepers while chipping in four assists as the Camp Nou has quickly fallen in love with the Poland international.
2. Neymar (20)
Neymar looked set for the exit door at PSG six months ago with owner team-mate Kylian Mbappe reportedly unhappy about playing alongside the 30-year-old for much longer.
But the fulcrum of Brazil’s attack has responded in the best possible manner; stopping the extra-curricular nonsense, rolling up his socks and chipping in with a remarkable 11 goals and nine assists in 13 appearances for Christophe Galtier’s side.
READ: Neymar’s latest ridiculousness sent an opponent into the Bay of Biscay
1. Erling Haaland (21)
It’s only November and journalists are already running out of words for Haaland’s jaw-dropping start to life in the Premier League.
Forget the sheer number of goals for a second; it’s the variety of his 18 strikes that have left English defenders quivering with fear and Haaland has helpfully contributed three assists too.
He’s currently on course to score over 60 goals this season. God help us all.
Erling Haaland • The story so far at Manchester City • 23 goal contributions pic.twitter.com/NvJ1PFHZWi
— ⚡️🇧🇼 (@Priceless_Silva) October 10, 2022
READ MORE: The fastest players to reach 50 goals in Europe’s big leagues since 2000
