Euro 2016: Zlatan Ibrahimovic? Cristiano Ronaldo? Robert Lewandowski? Romelu Lukaku? Who will be the top scorer?
The tournament in France will be blessed with some of the finest strikers in world football today
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ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC
SWEDEN (112 caps, 62 goals)
He maybe 34 now, but the ego that is Zlatan will be intent on causing serious damage in what will be, in all likelihood, his last major tournament. And if you thought that his powers were dwindling, then think again. He scored 50 goals in 52 games in all competitions this season and topped the qualifying stats for Sweden with another 11.
HARRY KANE
ENGLAND (11 caps, 5 goals)
Despite that slow start to the domestic season, Kane has once more proved what a class act he is, taking the Premier League Golden Boot award for the second year running with 25 goals. He’s going to be key to England’s chances at Euro 2016 this summer.
ANTHONY MARTIAL
FRANCE (8 caps, 0 goals)
After an impressive first season at Old Trafford, Martial now has a golden chance to shine on the international stage, especially with the absence of Karim Benzema from the France line-up. Quick, skilful and mature beyond his years, he’s all set to be one of the stars of Euro 2016.
ROMELU LUKAKU
BELGIUM (44 caps, 13 goals)
The bulldozing Belgian finished with 25 goals in all competitions for Everton this season and he’ll relish this opportunity to put himself in the shop window. There are already a handful of clubs interested in the 23-year-old. A decent European Championship and there’ll doubtless be a few more.
ARITZ ADURIZ
SPAIN (4 caps, 1 goal)
The Bilbao striker received his first and only international call-up at the age of 29 but has now been recalled six years later, at the near pensionable age of 35, after a stunning season that saw him notch 36 goals in 52 games and become the top scorer in the Europa League as well.
ANTOINE GRIEZMANN
FRANCE (26 caps, 7 goals)
This really been the Atletico Madrid forward’s breakthrough season. He’s bagged 32 in 53 games in all competitions and his sensational form has alerted a host of Premier League clubs about his availability. But can he reproduce his club form for his country? Watch this space.
THOMAS MULLER
GERMANY (70 caps, 31 goals)
Muller is the go-to man for Die Mannschaft. This season he netted 32 goals in 49 competitions and he’s also scored 10 goals in his three major tournaments. Compare that to Cristiano Ronaldo who’s only scored eight goals in twice the number of tournaments.
ARTEM DZYUBA
RUSSIA (16 caps, 8 goals)
England beware. The Zenit St, Petersburg striker claimed eight goals in eight appearances for the Russians during their qualifying campaign, as well as scoring 15 league goals and six more in the Champions League too.
CRISTIANO RONALDO
PORTUGAL (125 caps, 56 caps)
CR7 just can’t stop scoring. Over 50 goals again this season at a rate of more than one a game and while his goal ratio for Portugal is substantially less (he’s only got the 56 in 125 caps), he’s still the most lethal finisher at the Euros.
ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI
POLAND (75 caps, 34 goals)
Closely followed by this man. Lewandowski is arguably the perfect centre-forward. At the start of the season he plundered 30 goals in his first 28 games for club and country and he was also Poland’s top scorer in qualifying, with his tally of 13 goals matching the European Championship record of Northern Ireland’s David Healy.
