Most goals in 2022: Mbappé clearly ahead thanks to World Cup - Haaland with best average

In the calendar year 2022, no player has scored as many goals as Kylian Mbappé, according to a Transfermarkt database analysis, which includes the top 15 leagues, the associated national and international cup competitions, and all international matches. The world’s most valuable footballer scored 56 times in 56 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain and the French national team, significantly more often than the second most valuable footballer, Erling Haaland, and Robert Lewandowski, who scored 46 and 42 goals since January 1 respectively. The most successful English scorer, Harry Kane, only ranks eight.

At the World Cup in Qatar alone, Mbappé scored another eight times for the French national team in November and December, securing the Golden Boot trophy. Haaland had failed to qualify with Norway and was therefore unable to follow suit. Lewandowski’s two goals for Poland temporarily closed the gap to the Manchester City striker, but Haaland regained his lead over Christmas.

The left-footed centre-forward scored ten of his goals while still playing for Borussia Dortmund in the first half of the year, and from the summer he scored 27 times for the Citizens and a total of nine times for Norway. Haaland is the only player with at least 15 appearances in 2022 with a rate of more than one goal per game. Mbappé scored once on average in exactly every game.

Chelsea target Nkunku in top 5 - Only scored for RB Leipzig

Behind the top 3 are Porto forward Mehdi Taremi and RB Leipzig’s Chelsea target Christopher Nkunku, the first player from the Bundesliga and the first one to score only for his club in 2022. In eight appearances for the French national team, the 25-year-old failed to find the back of the net and missed the World Cup with an injury. Lionel Messi did it the other way around in sixth place: The newly crowned World Cup winner scored more often for Argentina (18 goals in 14 games) than for PSG (17 goals in 37 games).

The first surprising names follow in seventh and ninth place: Ricardo Gomes had the season of his life at FK Partizan Belgrade, scoring 35 goals in 51 games, while Amahl Pellegrino scored one goal less in 46 appearances for FK Bodø/Glimt.