The top scorers across Europe’s top five leagues in 2024

• Harry Kane was the most prolific goalscorer in Europe’s top five leagues
• Alexander Sorloth scored at an impressive rate in La Liga
• Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland not quite as dominant

There’s a litany of complaints to be made about modern football, from overabundance to a suggested decline in entertainment, but there’s no denying that the sport is still blessed with a group of elite goalscorers.

Sure, there may be a dearth of truly world-class number nines, but tactical evolution means scoring responsibilities no longer fall solely on the leading man up top.

‘Inside forwards’ have been the rage for the past decade, with inverted functions from wide positions allowing these sharpshooters to occupy preferred scoring zones. As a result, there’s a healthy balance between outright nines and flexible forwards who make up 2024’s most prolific performers.

Here were the top 12 leading goalscorers from Europe’s top five leagues.

12. Lois Openda (RB Leipzig)

Openda’s brilliance goes under the radar in Saxony / Daniel Kopatsch/GettyImages

Games played: 33

11. Ante Budimir (Osasuna)

Budimir scored 17 La Liga goals last season / Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/GettyImages

Goals: 19

10. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)

Budimir scored 17 La Liga goals last season / Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/GettyImages

Games played: 33

9. Kylian Mbappe (PSG/Real Madrid)

Mbappe joined Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer / Angel Martinez/GettyImages

Goals: 19

8. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Vini Jr produced the goods in crunch time / Angel Martinez/GettyImages

Games played: 30

7. Alexander Isak (Newcastle)

Isak concluded 2024 as the Premier League’s most in-form striker / James Gill – Danehouse/GettyImages

Goals: 19

6. Jonathan David (Lille)

Mbappe joined Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer / Angel Martinez/GettyImages

Games played: 29

5. Alexander Sorloth (Villarreal/Atletico Madrid)

Sorloth had a superb strike rate in 2024 / David Ramos/GettyImages

Goals: 19

4. Cole Palmer (Chelsea)

Salah is enjoying a remarkable 2024/25 campaign / Harry Murphy – Danehouse/GettyImages

Games played: 31

3. Erling Haaland (Man City)

Haaland has scored relentlessly but he hasn’t been quite as dominant / Catherine Ivill – AMA/GettyImages

Goals: 23

2. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)

Isak concluded 2024 as the Premier League’s most in-form striker / James Gill – Danehouse/GettyImages

Games played: 33

1. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

Kane was the most prolific striker in Europe / Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/GettyImages

Goals: 25