The top scorers across Europe's top five leagues in 2024 | OneFootball

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.

Lois Openda (RB Leipzig)

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

Benjamin Sesko this, Benjamin Sesko, that. Blah, blah, blah.

Much of the talk surrounding RB Leipzig in 2024 seemed to focus on the Slovenian hotshot, but the 21-year-old was outgunned by his unassuming teammate.

After starring in Ligue 1 with Lens, Openda has taken to grander stages like a fish to water. He's a versatile operator who's adept at leading the line but prefers to drift into wide areas. The Belgian has speed to burn but is also a canny and selfless performer who's superb at bringing others into play.

While Sesko scored 17 Bundesliga goals in 2024, Openda recorded 19.

Ante Budimir (Osasuna)

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

Budimir's travails have taken him to the German, Italian and Spanish second tiers, but the Croatian striker has found a long-time home at Osasuna.

The 33-year-old enjoyed a career year in 2023/24 as he struck 17 times in La Liga for the mid-table outfit. His strike rate has only improved in 2024/25 - ten goals in 18 games - as he aims to embark on an Olivier Giroud-esque fine wine trajectory.

Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)

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

The Brazilian's numbers are perhaps not that impressive given that plenty thought he was 'robbed' of the 2024 Ballon d'Or. Vini scored 19 times in 30 La Liga outings in 2024 and delivered in big moments during the first half of the year as Real Madrid claimed yet another league title.

The winger was doubtlessly the best player in the world for a little while after returning from a thigh injury in the new year, scoring in crucial wins over Girona and Barcelona.

His goal tally was complemented by frequent assists and clutch performances in the Champions League knockout stages.

Despite the arrival of a certain Frenchman, Vini Jr has continued to prove that this is still his Real Madrid team.

Kylian Mbappe (PSG/Real Madrid)

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

Aha, speaking of.

Mbappe dominated the summer headlines by finally completing his long-awaited move to the Spanish capital, but the French superstar certainly hasn't had it all his own way in Madrid.

Ten goals in 16 La Liga outings is a more than respectable return, but some expected 2022/23 Erling Haaland-like numbers in year one. Even the very best have to acclimatise, and Mbappe has had to adjust to working in harmony with another self-assured star.

The forward's form at the end of 2024 would suggest we're in for a big 2025.

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

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

The Egyptian is embarking on one of the all-time great Premier League seasons.

In 2024/25 so far, Salah has recorded 30 goal contributions (including 17 goals) in 18 games for the league leaders. Talk about an inevitable force.

Liverpool will surely cruise to their second Premier League title if Salah's able to even come close to matching his current output trajectory during the second half of the season, but the winger did slow down during the final stretch of Jurgen Klopp's reign - mainly due to a nagging muscle injury.

Alexander Isak (Newcastle)

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

Isak's monster December supplied a just rationale for the reported £150m price tag Newcastle have slapped on his head. His future will likely depend on whether the Magpies make a sharp return to the Champions League.

The Swede is certainly doing everything in his power to return the Toon Army to the promised land.

While a chunk of Isak's 25 Premier League goals in 2024 arrived in December - eight, to be precise - the striker did score consistently throughout the year.

Jonathan David (Lille)

David has long been prolific for Lille / Timothy Rogers/GettyImages

A transfer window refuses to go by without David earning however many links to an array of clubs. The Canadian international has been as consistent as they come on the goalscoring front for Lille, and 2024 was another excellent 12 months for the 24-year-old.

David followed up his 24-goal Ligue 1 campaign from 2022/23 with 19 goals last season, and he's started 2024/25 with 11 in 15. Again, he's leant on penalties as a reliable source of scoring satisfaction, with the striker already netting six times from the spot this term.

Alexander Sorloth (Villarreal/Atletico Madrid)

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

No player included in this list scored more frequently than one-time Crystal Palace flop Sorloth in 2024. The towering 29-year-oid averaged a goal every 85 minutes in La Liga, with the bulk of his success arriving for Villarreal during the second half of 2023/24.

Sorloth netted hat-tricks against Granada and Real Madrid before joining Atletico Madrid in the summer.

He hasn't convinced just yet in the Spanish capital, but the Norwegian hitman certainly still knows where the goal is and his calendar year ended on a major high when he scored a last-gasp winner to down league leaders Barcelona in Catalonia.

Cole Palmer (Chelsea)

Palmer was joyous throughout 2024 / Clive Rose/GettyImages

Palmer teased his magic during the first half of 2023/24 before sustaining such brilliance throughout the calendar year.

The instinctive playmaker scored 26 times in 36 Premier League games for a Chelsea team on the up, constantly dazzling supporters with sequences of outlandish craft.

Palmer is incessant on making things happen every time he steps onto the pitch, and he most certainly didn't disappoint in 2024.

Erling Haaland (Man City)

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

Haaland's remarkable goalscoring ability cannot be denied, but the Nordic goal machine undoubtedly benefitted from a purring juggernaut during his first two years at Manchester City.

The empire stalled drastically towards the end of 2024 and Haaland has buffered as a result. He looked well set to top this ranking after starting 2024/25 in typical form, but three goals in his final ten league outings of the calendar year mean he sits behind two contemporaries.

Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)

It was thumbs up for Robert Lewandowski in 2024 / Pedro Salado/GettyImages

While Lewandowski slowed towards the end of the year and in fact proved inefficient in front of goal, the veteran superstar performed at an apex level during the first few months of 2024/25.

There were signs of decline towards the end of Xavi's tenure at Barcelona, with the Pole's influence on the club legend's team considerably minute. However, he was initially emboldened by Hansi Flick's arrival and has worked in glorious tandem with Raphinha as a faux strike force.

He started the season with 14 goals in as many games but has three in his most recent seven. Let's hope he wintered well.

Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

Kane was the most prolific striker in Europe / Daniel Kopatsch/GettyImages

Bayer Leverkusen's historic campaign meant there was once again no silverware for Kane in 2024 after moving to Bayern Munich, but the striker continued to do what he does best.

The Englishman averaged a goal just shy of every 90 minutes in the Bundesliga as he finished his debut campaign in Germany with the domestic Golden Boot, European Golden Shoe and Gerd Muller Trophy.

You reckon he'd trade all of those for a DFL-Supercup?

Anyway, Kane, who has 14 league goals in 14 games so far this term, finally looks set to end his trophy drought via the Bundesliga title with Bayern streaking clear at the summit.