7. Julián ÁLVAREZ , Atlético Madrid/Argentina, 25What makes him special: A World Cup winner and Atlético’s new icon, successor to Antoine Griezmann.
Rank in 2024 FC 100 (all forwards):
One key stat: He scored 29 goals this season in all competitions, the most goals by an Atlético Madrid player in his first season for the club since Radamel Falcao scored 36 in 2011-12.
Why he’s on the list: At the start of this season, €75 million felt like a lot of money to sign Álvarez. Now, it looks like a bargain. Twenty-nine goals in all competitions is an impressive record, but more than that, Álvarez has carried the burden of leading the line at Atlético, adapting to coach Simeone’s demanding, team-first philosophy while also providing countless moments of joyous skill and invention. He has looked like the complete forward: selfless and diligent off the ball, clinical and single-minded on it.
Atlético’s season ended in disappointment, but that was in no way down to Álvarez. It was a cruel twist that perhaps his most high-profile moment was terrible luck: slipping as he stepped up to take a penalty in the Champions League shootout with Real Madrid , touching the ball twice — at least according to the refereeing team and UEFA — to contribute to Atlético’s elimination from the competition. Next season, he’ll be out to put that right.
What he says: “I don’t know. … I might have, but I don’t know.” — Álvarez to teammates, on whether he touched the ball twice for his penalty vs. Real Madrid
What they say: “He’s different, like Luis Suárez was, like [David] Villa, they have a gift. They make the difference.” — Simeone
What’s next: He’ll play for Atlético at the Club World Cup, and then — established as the team’s leading star — help them fight for next season’s LaLiga title. — Alex Kirkland
What makes him special: A lethal finisher with both feet.
Rank in 2024 FC 100 (all forwards):
One key stat: He scored the second-most goals in the Premier League this season (23), with his average of 120.4 minutes per goal also second best of any player in the competition.
Why he’s on the list: With a genuine shortage of world-class center forwards in the global game right now, Newcastle have one of the hottest in football with Isak — a young, prolific, proven goal scorer who is performing in one of the world’s top leagues. The Sweden international’s goals have already helped Newcastle end a 70-year wait for their first major trophy this season, toppling Liverpool 2-1 in February to claim the Carabao Cup , and only the Reds’ Mohamed Salah has scored more than Isak’s 23 goals in the Premier League this term. With so many clubs looking for a top striker, Isak’s value at Newcastle has rocketed.
What he says: “As I have said many times, I don’t really look too much or think too much about my future. I have said I am happy here and we are contenders for titles, which is what you want to win as a football player.”
What they say: “I feel that Isak has put himself into the ‘world-class’ category now, with his performances for Newcastle over the past two seasons. Along with Mohamed Salah at Liverpool and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, he is one of the three standout forwards we have got in the Premier League. He’s like an assassin, the way he puts chances away.” — former Newcastle United and England striker Alan Shearer
What’s next: The big question hovering over Isak is where he will be next season and whether Newcastle can hold onto the former Real Sociedad forward. The Magpies want to hand Isak a new contract — his deal runs until 2028 — but Liverpool and Arsenal are two clubs hot on his tail. Newcastle will have to show they have the ambition to chase the biggest trophies to stave off interest in their star player. — Mark Ogden
What makes him special: A consistent and prolific goal scorer.
Rank in 2024 FC 100 (all forwards):
One key stat: He scored nine goals this season in the Champions League, tied for the most in a UCL campaign by an Inter player (with 2002-03 Hernán Crespo).
Why he’s on the list: Martínez ticks a lot of boxes when you’re talking about the world’s best strikers. He has averaged nearly a goal every two games across seven seasons at Inter, leading the team to a number of notable successes. He has helped them win two Serie A titles and another five domestic trophies, and was part of the team that reached the 2023 Champions League final, even scoring nine goals in 13 games in this season’s competition to set up a final against Paris Saint-Germain in Munich. A World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, he scored 11 international goals in 16 games in 2024.
What he says: “I like some players, but I don’t have any idols. I especially watched [Radamel] Falcao at River for his movements. I see myself as similar to him in the way he attacks the goal, but he’s not a player who comes to maneuver even a few meters back like I do at Inter or like I did at Racing .”
What they say: “Lautaro is spectacular, impressive — he’ll become a great player and he’s already showing signs of that. He is clinical in one-on-one situations, scores lots of goals and has great movement in the box. He has bags of quality and he’s a complete striker. He has a lot in common with Luis Suárez.” — Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi
What’s next: He has been followed by Premier League clubs such as Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea for a number of years, but he has a long contract at Inter. The biggest aim on the horizon is to help Argentina defend the World Cup in 2026. — Gab Marcotti
4. Erling HAALAND , Manchester City/Norway, 24 What makes him special: Simply put, he’s one of the best goal scorers in the world.
Rank in 2024 FC 100 (all forwards):
One key stat: Haaland leads the Premier League with 85 goals since 2022-23; no other player has more than 66 in that span (Salah has 66).
Why he’s on the list: It says everything about Haaland’s quality that, in what is being considered as a mediocre season, he managed scored 30 goals in 40 games. He missed out on a third successive Premier League title after Manchester City slipped way off the pace in the league, but for the third year in a row, Haaland has reached 20 league goals and 30 in all competitions.
You can argue all day about possible limitations in his all-around game, but what’s not up for debate is his ability to put the ball in the net. He’s one of only a few players who can score almost any type of goal. He’s confident one-on-one or poaching in the box. He scores headers and acrobatic volleys. It’s the type of scoring return that makes him Man City’s MVP.
What he says: “First I’m looking at myself. I haven’t been doing things good enough, I haven’t been scoring my chances. I have to do better. I haven’t been good enough. Of course, our confidence is not the best. We know how important confidence is, and you can see that it affects every human being. That is how it is. We have to continue and stay positive even though it is difficult.”
What they say: “In the past when we scored goals and Erling was so prolific and helping us, it was because of the team. But when you have problems at the back and middle, it is all about the team. Not just one player. If it’s just one player, it would be easy to see the reason why. It’s not about that. Erling is so important for us, will be important for us, and we need to use him better.” — Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola
What’s next: Haaland has committed his future to the club for the next 10 years, so he’s set to be at the center of whatever rebuild takes place. — Rob Dawson
What makes him special: He has been one of the best forwards in the sport for 10-plus years, and he has dropped no hint of slowing down. He got his first trophy, a Bundesliga title, too!
Rank in 2024 FC 100 (all forwards):
Key stats: Kane averaged a goal every 94.2 minutes in league, domestic and European competitions this season, the second best of any player in the Bundesliga. He also finished as the Bundesliga’s top scorer with 26 goals, the fifth time in his career that he has won the Golden Boot in a league.
Why he’s on the list: After a legendary decade-plus at Tottenham Hotspur , Kane left England in the summer of 2023 to start a new act. Seems like it was a pretty good decision. In two seasons with Bayern Munich, the 31-year-old has scored 82 goals with 23 assists, and while injuries limited his minutes a bit in 2024-25, he still scored 38 goals for the Bundesliga champions.
His game is pretty well-known at this point: He can take part in link-up play if you want, and he’s a more willing presser than a lot of elite forwards, but his strength is simple: He’s going to get his shots. He was first in the Bundesliga in goals (26) and shots on goal (54), and he was second in shot attempts (114). He creates space himself, he gets on the end of crosses, and he puts the ball in the net. Those are pretty useful things to be great at.
What he says: “It feels good to be a champion. It’s been a long time coming, a lot of hard work. I feel really happy.”
What they say: “I know Harry now as a top, top professional who does what is asked of him and he does it now with Bayern Munich.” — England manager Thomas Tuchel
What’s next: Kane’s Bayern contract expires in 2027, though he has given no indication that he’s considering moving on after that. Regardless, we know what’s probably in store for the next two seasons: He’s going to score a lot of goals, win another few trophies and, assuming good health, start up top for England at another World Cup. — Bill Connelly
What makes him special: One of the best finishers of his generation is still having a major impact at the top level of the game 20 years after his professional debut. He’s also one of just three players (along with Messi and Jan Oblak ) to appear in all nine editions of our annual ranking.
Rank in 2024 FC 100 (all forwards):
Key stats: His seven goals in LaLiga are third most in Europe’s top five leagues this season. He reached 34 goals in the Champions League knockout stage, tied with Karim Benzema for the third-most UCL knockout stage goals (Ronaldo 67, Messi 49).
Why he’s on the list: At 36, Lewandowski just had his best season for Barça yet. The Polish striker’s 40 goals helped the Catalan club end the campaign with a domestic treble. Sandwiched between wide men Raphinha and Lamine Yamal , he found himself closer to goal and with more chances than he did in his first two years in Spain. There were some vintage Lewandowski moments, too: His brace against Real Madrid in LaLiga in October and a superb strike against Atlético Madrid in Barça’s comeback win in March were pivotal moments in the title race.
What he says: “People talk about my age, but I feel great physically and there is no difference between my data from a few years ago and now. I want to keep playing at the highest level for a few more years yet.”
What they say: “To play at this level at his age, it of course takes a special talent, but you also have to be very professional. He takes great care of himself, like Cristiano Ronaldo, and has great physique and fitness. He shows every day what a professional he is and focuses on controlling every little detail to be at his best.” — Barça coach Hansi Flick
What’s next: Lewandowski has one more year to run on his contract at Barça, but his position will likely come under more threat next season as he turns 37. His challenge is to keep his place by doing what he has always done: finding the back of the net. — Sam Marsden
What makes him special: The perfect combination of pace and skill, with goals galore added to his output since moving to Madrid.
Rank in 2024 FC 100 (all forwards):
Key stats: His 43 goals this season in all competitions are the most all time by a Real Madrid player in his debut season, and the most by a player in Europe’s top five leagues. Also, he managed 31 goals in LaLiga this season, making him the fourth player in LaLiga history to score 30-plus goals in his first season in the league, and most since Ronaldo Nazário (34 goals) in 1996-97 with Barcelona.
Why he’s on the list: He is the best forward in the world. He has broken plenty of records in his first season at Real Madrid, scoring in all the finals he played — along with hat tricks in El Clásico and against Manchester City in the Champions League — despite playing in a dysfunctional team. The list of his career achievements so far is incredible, even if a Champions League title remains elusive.
Whether he plays coming in from the left or as a No. 9, he is ahead of everyone else in terms of stats at his age after becoming the youngest at pretty much everything in France, including scoring in the final and winning the World Cup as a teenager.
For a first season in Madrid, even though the campaign ended with only a UEFA Super Cup and an Intercontinental Cup , Mbappé can be proud of what he did. He scored more goals in a debut season at the Bernabéu than any player in the club’s history. He has been carrying a team with big flaws all season. There is no other player like Mbappé right now in soccer, and he has not even reached his peak.
What he says: “I’ve been scoring a lot for years. So for people, it’s become the norm. I’ve never complained that my performances could be normalized. Whoever you have me play with, whatever shirt I’m wearing, wherever I am, whatever the year, I will never be satisfied — even more so in the case of a trophy I haven’t won, with the Champions League.”
What they say: “I can only let Mbappé be and expect that he will achieve as much as Cristiano Ronaldo did at Real Madrid. Can he do it? Yes, I think he can, and he will probably become a Real Madrid legend like [Cristiano] Ronaldo is.” — former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti
What’s next: He knows he could have done more for club and country, and he will have his eyes on much more next year under a new manager (Xabi Alonso) and as a leader of a team that should be much better. Targeting victory with France at this summer’s UEFA Nations League finals, and next summer’s World Cup, also tops his to-do list. — Julien Laurens
The 2024-25 FC 100, position by position Go to: Goalkeeper | Fullbacks | Center backs | Defensive/central midfielders | Attacking midfielders | Wingers | Center forwards
