Target men: football’s best strikers in 2026
Haaland, Mbappé, Kane, Isak and Gyökeres: what makes them the best strikers in football, with their 2025-26 numbers, new clubs and Mbappé’s second World Cup Golden Boot.
May 16, 2025 · Updated Oct 8, 2026
The striker position is integral to any team’s success as the players in that role are typically the pivotal pieces that determine the match’s result. Since it is a big-time role, you must distinguish between the best and mediocre strikers.
Any top-tier striker is a game-changer, but a few have separated themselves from the rest. This list was first written in May 2025 and was updated in October 2026, after the 2025-26 season and the 2026 World Cup. Two of the five have changed clubs since: Alexander Isak joined Liverpool and Viktor Gyökeres joined Arsenal in the summer of 2025.
What makes a good striker?
In football, only a few types of players can affect a game as much as a good striker. Here are the traits that make them what they are:
- Clinical finishing – The biggest role a striker has to play is to score the goals. Passes will be made to the striker, and it is up to them how to finish the opportunity. They must do their best to score goals in the most efficient way possible, which means they must finish most of the chances they are given.
- Ball control – Strikers are meant to score goals, but they should also be superb when the ball is on their feet. They must be able to stand out when defenders are hounding them, so being creative with their dribbling should lead to good results.
- Link-up play – A striker’s job is not only to score goals, but they can also help the team out by providing options to pass to. With link-up play, strikers can hold their defenders in uncomfortable spots, while the other players make the moves to the right places.
- Positioning and awareness – A big part of playing as a striker is the positioning they must consider when playing. They have to stay onside while pulling defenders out of shape, and the best ones are already in the right spot when the chance arrives.
Who are the best strikers in world football?
Now that you know the qualities of a good striker, here are the players who set the standard. Their 2025-26 league numbers first:
| Striker | Club | 2025-26 league goals |
|---|---|---|
| Harry Kane | Bayern Munich | 36 (Bundesliga) |
| Erling Haaland | Manchester City | 27 (Premier League) |
| Kylian Mbappé | Real Madrid | 25 (La Liga) |
| Viktor Gyökeres | Arsenal | 14 (Premier League) |
| Alexander Isak | Liverpool | 3 (Premier League) |
Kane, Haaland and Mbappé each finished as the top scorer in their league.
Erling Haaland (Manchester City and Norway)
Erling Haaland is one of the most feared strikers in the world. Known for his exceptional mental toughness, Haaland has the resilience to go up against elite defenders and dominate them with his towering frame and power. He outmatches his defenders physically, as he can bully his opponents in one-on-one duels.
His left foot is one of his best weapons as he scores countless goals with powerful shots. Even when he is playing awkward angles, he combines power and accuracy to constantly find the back of the net. His positioning is also elite, as he is relentless with his movement. That has made him an elite number nine that people will see as the pinnacle of the position.
In 2025-26 he won the Premier League Golden Boot with 27 goals in 35 appearances, five clear of Brentford’s Igor Thiago, although Manchester City finished second to Arsenal. He has five more in the opening weeks of 2026-27, the most in the league so far.
Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid and France)
If you want to see a fast striker, Kylian Mbappé is your guy. He is arguably the fastest player in the world, which makes him a threat to any defender. The combination of his blistering pace with supreme control is unmatched since no defender can keep him under wraps.
Mbappé is more than just a speedy player, as he is also one of the smartest on the pitch. He can read the game, which leads him to exploit his defenders’ lack of pace and awareness with his movement and deft touch when he gets the ball.
His 2025-26 was the best year of any striker on this list. He won his second Pichichi Trophy with 25 La Liga goals and finished as the Champions League’s top scorer with 15. Then, at the 2026 World Cup, he won the Golden Boot again with 10 goals, becoming the first player to win it twice and the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
Alexander Isak (Liverpool and Sweden)
Intelligent strikers are hard to come by, but Alexander Isak might be the best example of a striker with an elite football IQ. He has tremendous physical attributes, including his height and deceptive strength. However, his football IQ stands out as he loves manipulating the defence with subtle movements and good positioning.
Whenever Isak is in front of the goal, he has solid composure. He is always dangerous when he has a chance to score due to being extremely clinical. His ability to be calm under pressure makes him one of the scariest players, as he can create a goal out of nothing. He can also drift to either side of the box, which confuses defenders when he takes them on.
Liverpool signed him from Newcastle on 1 September 2025 for a reported £125 million, a British record. His first season there was disrupted: he was hurt in a tackle by Micky van de Ven in the win over Tottenham in December 2025 and finished with three league goals in 14 appearances. He has started 2026-27 with four, second only to Haaland.
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich and England)
Harry Kane is remarkable with his playmaking and goal-scoring, making him one of the most well-rounded strikers. He is a natural finisher with either foot and a strong presence in the air with his headers. Kane is always reliable since he constantly delivers when he is given the ball.
He is capable of excelling in any situation as he has the power, IQ, and finishing you would expect from an elite striker. Kane is also quite reliable in clutch moments as he finds ways to get shots off and bends them into the net.
The numbers back it up. Kane scored 36 Bundesliga goals in 2025-26, 17 more than anyone else in the league, and 14 in the Champions League, one behind Mbappé. In February 2026 he reached 500 career goals, with a brace at Werder Bremen.
Viktor Gyökeres (Arsenal and Sweden)
Viktor Gyökeres made his name at Sporting CP before Arsenal signed him in July 2025, in a deal worth an initial €63.5 million. He is a relentless striker who is constantly pushing his defenders to their limits. The movement and physicality disrupt his matchups, which opens him up for a chance to score.
He has a powerful shot, which makes him a constant goal threat anywhere he plays. Forcing defenders to always stay alert makes them anxious every time he has the ball because he can shoot or make a pinpoint pass.
His first Premier League season ended with the title. He scored 14 league goals in 36 appearances, more than any other Arsenal player, as they finished as champions on 85 points.
These strikers are good examples of the pinnacle of this position. They are important to any team, as they could become the game-changers when they’re on the pitch. Football has 11 positions, but no one can deny that strikers are essential, especially since they score goals. If you follow these players week to week, our guide to the best football betting sites covers the top scorer markets.