Viktor Gyokeres’s rollercoaster year has him among Europe’s top scorers despite inconsistent form. The Arsenal forward has struggled to find the net in several key matches, including blanks against Wolves, Brighton, Bayer Leverkusen, and Brentford, and a disappointing League Cup final loss to Manchester City. Manager Mikel Arteta even relegated him to a late substitute appearance in a crucial Etihad rematch. Yet Gyokeres’s highlights include a hat-trick for Sweden against Ukraine and a decisive goal versus Poland that secured World Cup qualification, plus important strikes for Arsenal in their title run. His latest goal came in Sweden’s 5-1 World Cup win over Tunisia, though his tournament ended after a heavy defeat to France.
Mikel Oyarzabal occupies a quiet but effective spot on the list with 22 goals this year. The Real Sociedad striker overcame a sluggish World Cup start where he didn’t touch the ball for the first 30 minutes. He shone in the Copa del Rey final with a goal against Atletico Madrid and scored five times during the World Cup, briefly entering Golden Boot contention. Oyarzabal’s knack for delivering match-winners was evident again with a late strike against England, confirming his status as one of the most underrated forwards in Europe.
Vinicius Junior’s resurgence at Real Madrid has seen him net 24 goals in 2026, five of which came in the Champions League. After a period of underwhelming performances following his 2024 Ballon d’Or snub, Vini has begun fulfilling his promise. His goals against Haiti, Morocco, and Scotland stood out for Brazil during a disappointing World Cup campaign under Carlo Ancelotti. Having signed a new contract and starting the new season with a goal and three assists in four appearances, Vinicius appears poised for a productive spell under José Mourinho.
Michael Olise recently joined the top scorers list with 24 goals, boosted by a hat-trick against Union Berlin before the international break. The Bundesliga’s leading assister last season, Olise has added goal-scoring to his repertoire. Although he didn’t score in the World Cup, he netted the winner in Zinedine Zidane’s second match as France manager.
Similarly, Ousmane Dembele’s 24 goals for PSG include 18 in 33 appearances this year, averaging a goal every 109 minutes. His most significant strike was a penalty equalizer against Arsenal in the Champions League final. Dembele’s first major tournament goal came in France’s World Cup win over Iraq, followed by a swift hat-trick against Norway and another in the quarter-final versus Morocco.
Lamine Yamal’s 27 goals continue to build his profile as a Ballon d’Or contender. The Barcelona teenager’s scoring rate has increased season by season, with a February hat-trick against Villarreal signaling his rise. A hamstring injury late in the campaign limited his output, but he still scored quickly in his first World Cup start. Now fully fit, Yamal’s recent back-to-back braces against Rayo Vallecano and Valencia demonstrate his hunger and readiness.
Raphinha leads the group with 29 goals in 2026, including 28 for Barcelona. Despite missing time through injury, he averages a goal every 69 minutes for the club, outpacing other top scorers like Kylian Mbappe, who averages one every 106 minutes for Real Madrid. Raphinha has scored in six of Barcelona’s seven La Liga matches this season, with hat-tricks in the two most recent fixtures. He tops the Europe-wide goalscoring charts with 12 league goals.
Erling Haaland completes the top three with 30 goals. After a slow start to the year, his four goals against Iraq and Senegal during the World Cup group stages lifted him into the list’s upper ranks. Haaland joins other recent European Golden Shoe winners near the summit, maintaining his reputation as one of the game’s most consistent finishers.
According to Planet Football.
