The International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) has revealed its goalscoring figures for 2023 international competitions, with Romelu Lukaku at the top, ahead of Erling Haaland, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The top African on the list is neither Salah nor Osimhen.
According to recent data published by the IFFHS on national team scorers during 2023, AS Roma striker Romelu Lukaku comes out on top. On this list, Mehdi Tarémi completes the podium with 14 goals, while we find Kylian Mbappé behind, with 13 goals and Ronaldo who scored 13.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Messi, finds himself in 30th place in the rankings thanks to his 8 goals. “The Belgian sovereignly won the IFFHS 2023 international top scorer award. He has scored 22 international goals: 7 for his clubs (Inter and Roma) and 15 for Belgium”revealed the Federation.
here’s how Lukaku beat Haaland !
Haaland and Lukaku
The former Inter Milan striker ended the year four goals ahead of Manchester City striker Haaland as his statistics were better than the Norwegian’s. This is the second time for the Belgian player to win this title of top scorer in the national team in a calendar year, having already won it in 2020 thanks to his 16 goals when he was still at Giuseppe Meazza.
Owned by Chelsea, Lukaku scored seven goals during his loan spells at Inter and then Roma in the Champions League and Europa League. Haaland has signed 12 in the same period with Man City. It is at the national team level that the Belgian has taken the advantage, with 15 goals in 2023, while the Norwegian has only recorded 6 goals.
The IFFHS data took into account “all “full international” matches in the country and major international club competitions (without qualifying) are taken into account in the rankings. The accounts were drawn up for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2023.
Six Africans in the Top 20 with Peter Shalulile at the top!
Salah celebrates a goal with Liverpool
On the IFFHS list, no African is in the Top 10, only six players from four different countries (Egypt, Nigeria, Zambia and Namibia) are in the Top 20. The first from the continent to be on the list is Peter Shalulile, who finished 2023 with 11 goals. The Namibian striker from Mamelodi Sundowns is ahead of the usual superstars of the press, Salah and Osimhen.
While Shalulile, who won the inaugural edition of the African Football League last year, is 12th on the IFFHS list, Salah follows directly behind him with 10 goals. Next comes Osimhen (Nigeria) who also has the same number of achievements, as well as Kahraba (Egypt) and Gift Orban (Nigeria).
Behind, are Zambian striker Patson Daka (9), Michael Olunga (Kenya), Fiston Kalala Mayélé (DRC), Denis Bouanga (Gabon), Percy Tau (South Africa) are at nine goals each. The last African in the Top 40 is the Algerian Aymen Mahious (8 goals).
𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗨𝗟𝗜𝗟𝗘 𝗔𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜 💥
Mamelodi Sundowns striker Peter Shalulile has ended 2023 among the world’s top goal scorers, sitting above the likes of Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski. pic.twitter.com/1fInVbP6NM
— iDiski Times (@iDiskiTimes) January 2, 2024
Shalulile, a serial scorer
Shalulile with Namibia
Peter Shalulile has been living the dream since joining Mamelodi Sundowns in 2020, racking up achievements and displaying his insatiable thirst for goals. The Namibia international revealed he wants more in 2022, when he became the first Masandawana player to score 20 or more goals in one of his 2 consecutive seasons since the club’s South African legend Daniel Mudau (1991-2002).
“It has not been an easy journey to achieve such a goal. With the games remaining, I’m just aiming for the team to do well as a whole. My personal achievements and goals are to score 10 more goals, which is possible, and I believe that with my teammates who are there to help me, it is much more possible to do so.”he told the Brazilians’ official website at the time.
2024-01-04 17:07:11
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