Top 20 Strikers in International Football Right Now
Club football hostilities will have to be put on hold for a couple of weeks as we get back to international business. With plenty of crucial matches taking place across the globe over the next week, who'll be making the difference in them?
We all know who the top forwards in the club game are right now, but they aren't necessarily the top goalscorers for their countries.
Here are 20 men who are currently the heroes for their national teams.
Thomas Muller (Germany)
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Whether or not he's an out-and-out striker is a matter debated by many, but what isn't in doubt is that Thomas Muller is currently Germany's go-to man for goals.
He's netted four times for the World Cup winners in their Euro 2016 qualifiers, taking his stunning international goalscoring record to 26 strikes in 62 appearances—and all at just 25 years old!
Ahmed Akaichi (Tunisia)
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After a stop-start international career that began in 2010, Tunisia forward Ahmed Akaichi has finally found his feet with his national team and shone at the recent Africa Cup of Nations, scoring three goals in four matches as his side made it through the group stages.
At 6'1", Akaichi is an uncompromising presence, and he looks to be crucial to his side's hopes of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.
Danny Welbeck (England)
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With the remarkable rise of Harry Kane and the return to fitness of Daniel Sturridge, England supporters would tell you that they aren't even sure that Danny Welbeck commands a place in Roy Hodgson's team any more.
They can't argue with his recent scoring record, though, with five strikes in Euro 2016 qualifying taking him to the top of the scoring charts and giving the Arsenal forward a healthy record of 13 goals in 32 internationals.
Omer Damari (Israel)
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Sharing top spot with Welbeck in Euro 2016 qualifying is Israel's Omer Damari, whose five goals in the tournament include a hat-trick against Andorra as well as vital strikes against Cyprus and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In a tight Group B, his goals look to be crucial, with table-toppers Israel taking on second-placed Wales in Tel Aviv on Saturday.
Carlos Bacca (Colombia)
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They impressed everyone at the World Cup, but since then, it has all been about building towards this summer's Copa America for Colombia, who like all South American teams have been playing a series of friendlies in the run-up to the tournament in Chile.
Sevilla forward Carlos Bacca has netted three goals in those games and taken on a more important role given the fitness issues faced by Radamel Falcao.
Neymar (Brazil)
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Although not strictly a striker, Neymar has been leading from the front in Brazil's recovery from the disastrous ending to their World Cup campaign last summer.
He's scored seven goals in the six friendlies they've played since then, with four more scheduled before the summer's Copa America in Chile.
Ali Mabkhout (UAE)
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The top scorer with five goals at the recent Asia Cup in Australia, United Arab Emirates forward Ali Mabkhout led his team to third place at the tournament and took his international scoring record to a very impressive 25 goals in 37 games.
Still just 24, Mabkhout has spent all of his career at Al Jazira in his homeland but could now be tempted by a move to Europe.
Ahmed Khalil (UAE)
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Mabkhout's strike partner, Ahmed Khalil, managed just one goal less than him at the Asia Cup, scoring braces against Qatar and Iraq during the UAE's impressive tournament.
Despite being just 23, Al-Ahli's Khalil has already racked up 63 caps, scoring an impressive 27 goals in that time.
Son Heung-Min (South Korea)
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Three goals at the Asia Cup underlined Son Heung-min's importance to his national team right now, with the Bayer Leverkusen forward grabbing a last-gasp equaliser in the final against hosts Australia.
The Koreans went on to lose that match in extra time, but there is no doubt that Son is the vital figure as his country face two friendlies this week before the World Cup qualifiers kick off in June.
Thievy Bifouma (Congo)
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Known to English audiences for his less than stellar period on loan at West Bromwich Albion in the latter half of the 2013/14 season, Congo forward Thievy Bifouma is nonetheless an impressive young forward who now has six goals in 12 appearances at international level.
Three of those strikes came at the recent Africa Cup of Nations, and if an unlikely first World Cup is to be reached in 2018, then he'll be crucial to Congo's chances.
Robert Lewandowski (Poland)
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Euro 2016 qualifying Group D has become probably the most watchable one in the tournament so far, with Poland leading it by three points from world champions Germany, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland.
Captain Robert Lewandowski has of course been key to that effort, scoring four times (admittedly all against Gibraltar) and leading the line with aplomb ahead of Sunday's big meeting with the Irish in Dublin.
Wayne Rooney (England)
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As he closes in on the England international scoring record, Wayne Rooney's importance to his country has probably never been greater.
Constant debate about his role within the team might be one of the most popular pastimes of England supporters, but 46 goals in 101 internationals, three in the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign and two in the recent friendly win over Scotland present a pretty compelling case for the skipper.
Enner Valencia (Ecuador)
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Having come to prominence during the World Cup and earning his move to the Premier League with West Ham United, Ecuador forward Enner Valencia has kept up his remarkable international scoring record.
He's netted four times in friendly matches since the World Cup, taking his tally to 11 international strikes in 17 appearances for Ecuador, who will hope to go far at the Copa America in the summer.
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
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Of course, Lionel Messi was always going to make an appearance here, with the Argentina maestro taking his club game to even greater heights since the start of 2015.
Internationally, 2014 ended with three goals in Argentina's post-World Cup friendlies, with two more matches scheduled this week against El Salvador and Ecuador in the United States.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
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Portugal's hopes of reaching Euro 2016 would probably already be over were it not for their talisman, captain, and inspiration, Cristiano Ronaldo.
After a shock opening defeat at home to Albania in which he didn't play, Ronaldo then scored a crucial 95th-minute winner against Denmark in Copenhagen before again grabbing the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win at home to Armenia. He literally seems to be carrying them to France.
Andriy Yarmolenko (Ukraine)
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Ukraine have often unearthed some fine forwards during their international history, and Andriy Yarmolenko is just the latest.
A hat-trick in a Euro 2016 qualifier against Luxembourg was just the latest example of his importance to his country, and the 25-year-old's record of 18 goals in 45 internationals has attracted plenty of admirers.
Gareth Bale (Wales)
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Having been played as a lone striker at times during Wales's impressive start to Euro 2016 qualifying, Gareth Bale has accepted his role as his team's inspiration with great gusto and continues to be vital to their chances.
His two goals in the opening qualifier win in Andorra only look to be more and more vital the longer the group goes on, and Bale will again be depended on as Wales face a crucial game in Israel this weekend.
Robbie Keane (Republic of Ireland)
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A stunning 65 goals in 138 internationals put Robbie Keane right at the top of the international goalscoring tree, and the LA Galaxy forward is still vitally important to his country in its Euro 2016 campaign.
With more goals than the rest of the squad combined, Keane is still the player that his side turns to for goals, and he'll be needed when Poland come to Dublin this weekend.
Wilfried Bony (Ivory Coast)
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Two goals at the World Cup were followed by one in African Nations Cup qualification and two at the tournament itself as Wilfried Bony helped lead the Ivory Coast to success last month.
The new Manchester City forward is a powerful presence and a player who now has 13 goals in 37 internationals, a decent record and one that shows why City were willing to part with £25 million for him.
Luis Suarez (Uruguay)
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He may be banned from competitive internationals following his much-publicised World Cup bite, but with friendlies proving crucial to Uruguay in the build-up to the Copa America, Luis Suarez has still be able to showcase his skills on the international stage.
He's scored three times since the World Cup to boost his international record to 43 goals in 82 games, but how many more friendlies he'll play now is debatable given that he'll be banned from the Copa America in the summer.
