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Scoring in a top-flight game is deemed hard, continuing it is deemed harder, and scoring winners week in and week out is deemed the hardest. But some of the top forwards in world football have done the hardest part of the game on a regular basis. These players have scored match-winning goals on several occasions for their respective teams and have taken them home in such crucial games.
It's no surprise that some of the biggest forwards in world football have scored match-winning goals on a regular basis. With the help of data from Transfermarkt, we take a look at five such forwards with the most match-winning goals in club football in the 21st century:
#5 Robert Lewandowski - 122 goals
Robert Lewandowski is arguably the hottest striker in the world at the moment. The 33-year-old has been in incredible form over the last couple of years. But his performances in the Bundesliga have been pretty consistent since arriving in Germany and is undoubtedly one of the best strikers to ever play in the league.
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The forward has scored 475 goals during his club career with 310 of them coming for his current side Bayern Munich. A well-rounded forward, Lewandowski possesses all the necessary qualities of a traditional number nine. Primarily operating as a goal-poacher in the penalty area, his positional sense and excellent technical skills make him a nightmare for opposition defenders.
Lewandowski has scored 122 match-winning goals so far in his club career - one for his childhood club Znicz Pruszkow, 16 for Lech Poznan, 25 for Borussia Dortmund and 80 for Bayern Munich.
With nine Bundesliga titles, four German Cups and one Champions League, Lewandowski has surely etched his name as one of the best in the world. The striker recently broke Gerd Muller's record of most goals in a single Bundesliga campaign (41) and has continued to perform exemplarily for the Bavarians.
#4 Samuel Eto'o - 123 goals
The only player on this list who has retired, Samuel Eto'o, is widely remembered for his exploits with Barcelona, as well as his short but rewarding stint at Inter. With 360 goals during his 22-year club career, the Cameroonian is arguably the greatest player to emerge from Africa.
Graduating from Real Madrid's academy, Eto'o spent five fruitful seasons at RCD Mallorca before moving to Barcelona in 2004. There, he established himself as one of the best in the game, scoring 130 goals during his five seasons at the club. He was also a key part of Barcelona's historic treble win during the 2008-09 season.
Eto'o later moved to Inter Milan in 2009 where he spent two successful years under the management of Jose Mourinho, winning another treble in the 2009-10 season. He scored 53 goals for the Nerazzurri before departing the club in 2011.
The forward had spells in Russia and Turkey and also in England with Chelsea and Everton before finally retiring from the game in 2019.
Eto'o had the knack of turning up in crunch moments for his team, with the forward scoring 123 match-winning goals during his career. He especially had the habit of turning up on the big stages, having scored in four major finals during his career.
The former Barcelona man won several major honors during his career, including three La Liga titles, one Serie A and three Champions League trophies. He is definitely one of the most decorated footballers of all time.
#3 Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 155 goals
Despite being 40, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is still going strong at the top level and is currently plying his trade in Serie A with AC Milan. One of the most consistent performers of the 21st century, the Swedish striker has played for a host of top European clubs and won league titles in four different countries.
Ibrahimovic has plied his trade for the likes of Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris-Saint Germain, Manchester United and LA Galaxy during a glorious two-decade long career. The forward has scored 485 goals in club football, with 156 of those strikes coming for Ligue 1 giants PSG.
Considering Zlatan's personality and a penchant for grabbing focus, it's no surprise that the striker has stepped up during crucial moments for his team. He has scored a staggering 155 match-winning goals in club football, with almost one-third of them coming during his time at the Parc des Princes.
Zlatan has won almost all the domestic trophies there are to win during his club career. But the coveted Champions League trophy has eluded him. Nevertheless, the former Malmo man played a big part in Milan's return to the Champions league this season and will be hoping to make a mark on the European stage.
#2 Lionel Messi - 182 goals
One of the best players to ever play the game, Lionel Messi had an eventful summer as the Argentinian left Barcelona. Due to Barcelona's financial condition, Messi was forced to leave and the Argentina superstar joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free-transfer.
Messi was without a doubt the go-to player for the Blaugrana for well over a decade. The 34-year-old scored some of the crucial match-winning goals in the club's history.
The six-time Ballon d'Or winner took Barcelona home on numerous occasions. His most memorable winner was perhaps the late winner at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2017, which resulted in that iconic shirt celebration. He also scored the winner against Levante in 2019 which resulted in Barcelona clinching the La Liga title.
Most recently, Messi scored the decisive penalty for PSG that helped them secure an important 3-2 Champions League win against RB Leipzig. The strike took his tally of match-winning goals in club football to 182.
Having finally won an international trophy (Copa America) with Argentina this summer, Messi is the favorite to win his record seventh Ballon d'Or next month.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo - 212 goals
No surprises here. Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo tops this list, having scored a staggering 212 match-winning goals during his club career. The Manchester United star is a man for the big stage and has proved it with crucial goals time and again.
Whether it's pressure penalties, last-minute winners or sealing comebacks, Ronaldo has done it all and is without a doubt the biggest clutch player of the 21st century. The 36-year-old has made a name for himself as one of the big-game players in the sport with a host of match-defining goals for Portugal, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus.
His most recent match-winner against Atalanta was his 42nd winner in Champions League history, while his rival Lionel Messi is just behind him on 39.
Ronaldo continues to deliver in the big-moments for his team and there's no denying that he is the biggest match-winner in club football at the moment.
