Prowlers of the penalty area, the modern striker is an unstoppable force. They’ll score in any game, against any team from any position. Fleet of foot and quick of mind, their ability to read the play and anticipate where the ball will be three passes before it gets there is what sets them apart.
It’s not just the tap-ins they’ll score, either: the best strikers can improvise with any part of the body (except the hands, of course) to get the job done. Clever flicks, nifty tricks, brash backheels and calm set-pieces are their best weapons.
ESPN FC 100 landing page | Jump to: Goalkeepers, right-backs, centre-backs, left-backs, central midfielders, attacking midfielders, wingers, forwards, managers
This year’s ballot had 50 entries from all over the globe and from all areas of ESPN FC, from writers to reporters, from editors to producers, from behind-the-scenes staff to on-air talent. Gab Marcotti, Julien Laurens, Mark Ogden and Luis Miguel Echegaray were just some of the key voters, along with their FC TV counterparts Craig Burley and Shaka Hislop.
Voters were encouraged to take the following things into consideration when casting their votes: who are the best men’s players right now, weighted toward their 2022-23 seasons. Voters were given discretion as to how much injuries played in votes; several players made the cut despite missing chunks of the season given the scale of their contributions and performances when healthy. Equally, performances in individual competitions (aka Champions League, World Cup) were considered, but were not the overarching factor, in casting a vote. Players whose efforts spanned the largest sample size of games should naturally rank higher than those who excelled in short tournament formats.
Why he’s on the list:
There are two ways of analysing Jesus’ season. The first one is the glass half full: 11 goals and six assists in 24 starts in the Premier League, a huge impact on Arsenal’s title push and on the transformation of the team. Then, there is the glass half empty: he could not bring the title home in the end while his injury during the World Cup made him miss precious games for the Gunners.
Overall, it was more positive than anything else. His leadership, experience and great all-around game were very important for Mikel Arteta and for Arsenal and why the team performed so well.
Expectations for 2023-24:
More of the same, if not even better. Arsenal will need the 26-year-old again to lead the line, and with a team packed with more depth and talent around him, he should be performing at an even higher level next season. — Laurens
Why he’s on the list:
The Barcelona striker may be a few years past his prime, as the second half of the season indicated, yet he is still able to be a ruthless striker inside the box and great at maintaining and progressing possession around it. Counting him out at this point seems foolish.
Expectations for 2023-24:
Unsurprisingly, Lewandowski will not keep up with the Haalands and Mbappes of the world at this stage in his career. He will simply remain an important playmaker in Barcelona’s attack, with him often serving as the target player for Pedri and potentially Ilkay Gündogan and as an option for combination plays with Ousmane Dembele and other wingers. Given that Lewandowski has an almost unparalleled work ethic on the training pitch and in the gym, he may be able to prolong his career a bit more. That said, he recently talked about retirement, so the end may be near. — Eckner
Why he’s on the list:
Osimhen is elite at basically two things: finding space in the box and taking lots of shots. Last we checked, those are pretty important things.
He wasn’t a huge link-up guy for Napoli in 2022-23, he was decent-at-best from both pressing and passing perspectives. (He’s shown potential in these regards in previous seasons, though.) But Napoli had guys for that. What they needed from Osimhen was shooting, and he has become one of the world’s best at that. He led Serie A in shots (135), goals (26), expected goals (21.6), unblocked shots (105), shots on goal (55), shots in the box (98) and touches in the opponent’s box (245). At 6-foot-1, 171 pounds, he isn’t the most physically imposing forward in the world, but he doesn’t have to be. He’s fast, he’s strong and he’s a marvelous interpreter of space.
Expectations for 2023-24?
For obvious reasons, most of the world’s biggest clubs have lusted at the thought of acquiring Osimhen’s services, but Napoli will make it extremely expensive to do so this summer. That might keep him around — and paired with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia — for a little while longer. Barring a title hangover or major drop-off from his supporting cast, there’s really no reason to think Osimhen will become any less effective moving forward. — Connelly
3. Harry KANE, Tottenham/England
Why he’s on the list:
The 2022-23 season was one of broken records for Kane. He broke the England men’s scoring record over Wayne Rooney with his 54th goal back in March. He broke the Tottenham all-time scoring record in February when he netted No. 267 against Manchester City, too: when it comes to scoring goals and keeping his club and country within touching distance of major honors, there are few like the 29-year-old around the box.
The campaign wasn’t a brilliant one for Spurs, however, as they stagnated beneath the Champions League places with five defeats in their final eight league games, including a 6-1 thumping against Newcastle in April that felt like a statement defeat. (Oh, and Kane also had to steer his team through choppy waters off the pitch, with manager Antonio Conte out by March, caretaker Cristian Stellini cast aside in late April and Ryan Mason left to see out the final games.)
Expectations for 2023-24?
The biggest broken record of all regarding Kane remains the one around his future beyond the 2023-23 campaign. After wanting out of Spurs last summer only to recommit, he’s back in the same position this summer, only with one year left on his contract and the very real ability to leave as a free agent next July.
Every top club wants him — Manchester United were forever linked with the England star, though Bayern Munich seem determined to test Spurs chairman Daniel Levy all summer long when it comes to finding a deal. — Tyler
2. Karim BENZEMA, Real Madrid/France
Why he’s on the list:
He’s the reigning Ballon d’Or winner and still arguably the game’s most complete centre-forward, despite a challenging 2022-23. Nineteen LaLiga goals last season was a respectable tally — considering he suffered so many injuries — but it was still his lowest-scoring league season in five years.
Missing the World Cup, after France coach Didier Deschamps opted not to wait for him to recover from a thigh problem, was a major blow. The all-round drop in form that followed saw the proud Benzema choose to leave Madrid rather than dilute his legacy, and join Saudi Arabia‘s Al Ittihad.
Having said all that: how many strikers would you take over Benzema for your team, today? Exactly.
Expectations for 2023-24:
It will feel strange watching Real Madrid play next season without Benzema leading the line. He’ll have to adapt to his new environment in the Saudi Pro League, and his new role as one of the standard bearers for this Saudi sporting project.
Around 60,000 fans turned out to see Benzema’s presentation at Al Ittihad — complete with fireworks and the Ballon d’Or — and the club will want to see that excitement translate into the new season, as they look to defend the league title won in 2022-23. It will help having N’Golo Kante playing behind him in midfield. — Kirkland
1. Erling HAALAND, Man City/Norway
Why he’s on the list:
Haaland has had a phenomenal first season at Manchester City. Not only did he break goal-scoring records, his form in front of goal helped Pep Guardiola’s team win an historic treble. The Norwegian striker scored 52 goals in 53 games following his move from Borussia Dortmund and an incredible 36 in 35 games in the Premier League to break the competition’s single-season scoring record.
The pressure was on the 22-year-old after his switch from Germany to England, but he made the step up look easy. It was the season Haaland cemented his place as one of the best players in the world.
Expectations for 2023-24:
Next season, Haaland will be expected to do it all over again. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo set themselves apart during their peak years in LaLiga by racking up barely believable numbers season after season. Haaland is already being talked about in that bracket, but the challenge will be repeating his form, particularly in a league as tough as England’s top flight. At the international level, his goal will be to help Norway qualify for their first major tournament since 2000 by booking a place at Euro 2024 in Germany. — Dawson
