The new Spanish season is almost around the corner, with just 9 days to go for the curtain raiser of La Liga 2016-17. The season promises to be exciting as always, with top players from all around the globe competing to win the top prize of Spanish football. Spanish football is arguably the best league in the world right now with Champions League and Europa League both won by a Spanish club – Real Madrid and Sevilla.
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Along with the top prize, every striker would love to lay their hands on the Pichichi- awarded to the highest goal-scorer. Suarez is the current holder of the Pichichi and was the first player to snatch the prize away from Ronaldo and Messi in 7 years. La Liga keeps getting tougher and more competitive every year, and teams desperately need top strikers in their rank to challenge for Spain’s top prize.
So what does it take to be a top striker?
The most important attribute is finding the back of the net- the more shots on target, the more you trouble the keeper. Strikers need to keep composure, and also find spaces off the ball. One clever movement in the box can be the difference between 3 points and no points at all.
With so much at stake, the need for goals is ever so important, making strikers the hottest properties in the transfer market every year.
Before the season gets underway, let’s take a look at the top 5 Golden Boot contenders this season:
#1 Luis Suarez
Suarez had an excellent season and is the reigning holder of the Pichichi with an incredible 40 goals in La Liga 2016-17, and a total of 59 goals in all competition. What’s even more astounding is his 30% shot to goal conversion.
The Uruguayan also provided 16 assists to the likes of Messi and Neymar, and at the same time, has received plenty of assists from his South American team-mates. Suarez didn’t really get a chance to showcase his unbelievable talent in Copa America Centenario, and La Liga defenders will surely bear the brunt of it.
Suarez is currently in the prime of his career, and there are no signs of stopping. He was a world-class player at Anfield playing alongside another legend of the game, Steven Gerrard. His game went up a notch at Camp Nou, transforming into the superstar he is now. The Uruguayan striker will be Messi and Ronaldo’s biggest competition for the Pichichi.
#2 Lionel Messi
Messi kind of had a “down” year last season, scoring only 26 times, but the little maestro was out of the game for quite some time through injury. He was strong when he came and donned the role of provider for the likes of Suarez and Neymar.
The Argentine, like Suarez, notched up 16 assists, but what makes Messi even more dangerous this season is that he’s hurting. Argentina did display some amazing football at the Copa America, but fell short once again to Chile in the penalties, as they lost out in a crunch penalty shootout. The pressure of a title win was immense as they qualified for multiple finals but always fell one short.
Messi retired from international football following the loss and he was certainly hurting, but that takes nothing away from his unreal talent. He was not a 100% fit but still was pivotal in Argentina’s run to the finals. Come the next season, he will look to put the past behind and prove his class once again- not that we need any more proof.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portugal skipper has it all now - trophies at both club and country level. He was not at his best at the Euros but showed strong grit and determination to lead his country to a famous European trophy. In fact, the Real Madrid superstar showed managerial skills, as he donned the role of assistant manager in the Euro finals after he was sent off due to injury.
Ronaldo scored 35 goals in La Liga last season and was second in the list of top scorers, just behind Luis Suarez. He also registered an impressive 11 assists for the season. European glory has, dare I say, given him a slight edge in the battle of football’s best. He has been enjoying time out since, and deserves every bit of it, given the amount of hard work he has put in to reach where he is.
Ronaldo was by far the best player in Champions League 2015-16 with a mammoth tally of 16 goals, which played a massive role in Real’s La Un Decima glory. Like always, Ronaldo will be one of the top contenders for Pichichi.
#4 Antoine Griezmann
The little Frenchman finished with 22 goals last season, which was far away from the likes of Suarez, Ronaldo, and Messi, but Griezmann is improving tremendously. He was instrumental in Athletico’s run to the Champions League finals and has built a strong place in a team which is now regularly challenging and often triumphing over La Liga giants- Real Madrid and Barcelona. Griezmann has 7 goals to his name in Champions League 2016-17.
The forward had a good outing at the Euros for France in their run to a 2nd place finish, following a heartbreaking loss to Portugal in the finals. Griezmann scored 6 goals in the tournament, double to any other player. He also took home the UEFA Euro Player of the Tournament.
Griezmann is reaching the peak of his form, and he will hope to consolidate on that with another brilliant season. His performance will surely have a huge say in Athletico’s bid for La Liga glory.
#5 Gareth Bale
Bale, too had a brilliant season last term with 19 goals and 10 assists to his name. He took some time to adjust to life at Santiago Bernabeu but has come well to terms with it now. He fits the profile of a Galactico and could be so for years to come. The 27-year old has shown a lot of maturity especially the way he inspired his team to the semi-finals of Euro 2016.
Bale scored 3 goals in 6 matches for the Welsh and played a pivotal role in Wales’ dream run to the semis in the Euros. He played the role of a sole striker well and helped build up goals at crucial stages of the match. Wales sat back for prolonged periods, and Bale made the most of whatever little counter-attacking opportunities he had.
It’ll also be interesting to see who’ll take the free kicks for Real Madrid this season - Ronaldo has generally been the first choice, but he had little luck in recent times. On the other hand, Bale has been exceptional in converting the free kicks. It’s unknown how long Ronaldo will out due to injury, and Bale will have a huge role to play in his absence, which the Welshman will relish. Can he make it a 30-40 goal season?
