Andy Cole snubs Harry Kane and Erling Haaland when naming top three strikers in world football

Andy Cole has snubbed Harry Kane and Erling Haaland when naming his to top three strikers in the world.

Some of the best strikers in history have graced the Premier League, but few can claim to be better than Andy Cole.

The fourth-highest scoring player in Premier League history scored 187 goals in 414 appearances while representing Newcastle United, Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Fulham, Man City and Portsmouth.

There are few people as qualified as Cole to pick the best strikers on the planet right now.

However, when asked exactly that question, Cole remarkably failed to include either Erling Haaland or Harry Kane.

"At the peak of their powers, [Robert] Lewandowski, [Karim] Benzema... Benzema, oh my days," Cole answered when asked by ESPN to name his top three strikers.

"Probably you can say Ronaldo. The managers change [but] they've evolved their games, you know."

Cole's choices were surprising to say the least.

While all three are great attackers, Benzema and Ronaldo are now longer playing in an elite league, following their moves to the Saudi Pro League last year.

While Lewandowski has scored 51 goals in 82 games since joining Barcelona, he has failed to hit the heights he did at Bayern Munich.

What is baffling is Cole's snub of Kane and Haaland.

Kane has enjoyed an incredible season in front of goal after joining Bayern Munich from Tottenham in a £100m move last summer.

The England captain has scored 27 goals in 24 Bundesliga games so far this season, although it looks like his side will be beaten to the league title by Bayer Leverkusen.

Haaland meanwhile is enjoying another successful campaign at Manchester City.

After breaking the Premier League single-season goals record last season, Haaland is currently leading the Golden Boot race with 18 goals.