Back in 2012, Lionel Messi set a record when he scored 91 goals in a calendar year. 79 of these goals were scored for Barcelona and he beat a long-standing record held by the great Gerd Muller (72 goals).
No player has come close to that mark since. However, many have managed to score 50 goals or more for their club every season. 2016 is no different.
When goals scored in the calendar year are considered, the list throws up a few surprises. While one would expect the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to top these lists every year, exchanging top spots, 2016 paints a different picture.
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So far, only Lionel Messi has broken through the 50-goal barrier and leads the list. The fact that Messi wasn’t even in the running for the Pichichi award (most goals in La Liga) last season shows that he has started this season with a bang to pull ahead of the pack.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic could finish the top goalscorer in 2016
However, Messi could be demoted to second place by the end of December. Manchester United’s summer recruit Zlatan Ibrahimovic is only two goals behind and he has two more fixtures to play. While Messi may be rested for the Copa del Rey (Barcelona’s last game before the winter break), Ibrahimovic could play a part when the Red Devils play Sunderland and Middlesbrough on Boxing Day and New Year's Eve respectively.
The Swedish striker had his most prolific season in club football in 2015/16 when he scored 50 goals for Paris Saint-Germain. In spite of being 35, he has carried on his form into the 2016/17 season and adapted to the Premier League without a fuss.
Also read: At 35, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the last great No.9s who refuses to wane
Messi’s South American teammate Luis Suarez is third – one goal behind Ibrahimovic. But he too could be rested for the Copa del Rey game and looks set to finish in third place. The Uruguayan striker won the Pichichi last season with 40 goals and is tied with Messi at the top of La Liga goalscoring charts with 12 goals.
Surprisingly, Cristiano Ronaldo is down in fourth place for most goals in 2016. The Portuguese forward starred in Real Madrid’s Undecima winning campaign. Although he has lost one or two yards of pace, he still gives La Liga defences problems with his positioning and shot accuracy. He has become lethal in the air as well.
Bayern Munich’s Polish striker Robert Lewandowski is in fifth place on the list. Understandably so, as Bundesliga sides play fewer games than the other clubs in Europe’s top leagues. A long winter break also does not help them in a bid to score as much as possible in a calendar year when they have an extra month off compared to the rest of Europe.
Sergio Aguero does not have that problem and yet he finishes outside the top five. The Argentine striker has found himself on the wrong side of the referee’s bookings and has already served two suspensions this season. He has also not convinced new Manchester city manager Pep Guardiola 100% that he is the perfect choice in the Catalan’s system.
Edinson Cavani, Ibrahimovic’s former teammate, has now benefitted from the Swedish striker’s departure. Shunted to the side when Ibra led the line, Cavani is now the frontman for Unai Emery’s side. The Uruguayan also leads Ligue 1 with 17 goals in 18 games so far.
Last season’s Capocannoniere winner in Serie A with 36 goals, Gonzalo Higuain, turned heads when he made a record-breaking move from Napoli to rivals Juventus. But the move has worked out for him as the Old Lady have a commanding lead in the table and were crowned the winter champions.
Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette round off the top 10.
| # | PLAYER | CLUB | GOALS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 51 |
| 2 | Zlatan Ibrahimovic | PSG & Man Utd | 49 |
| 3 | Luis Suarez | Barcelona | 48 |
| 4 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | 42 |
| 5 | Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich | 38 |
| 6 | Sergio Aguero | Manchester City | 36 |
| 7 | Edinson Cavani | PSG | 35 |
| 8 | Gonzalo Higuain | Napoli & Juventus | 33 |
| 9 | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | Borussia Dortmund | 32 |
| 10 | Alexandre Lacazette | Lyon | 29 |
Note: Stats updated as of 20 December 2016. The final table will be updated on 1 January 2017.
