The battle to be recognised as the best striker in world football has intensified this season, with Harry Kane, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe all enjoying outstanding campaigns.
Both Kane and Haaland scored braces for their countries last night, as England and Norway each secured top spot in their respective World Cup qualifying groups.
The Three Lions completed their campaign with a perfect record of eight wins from eight, without conceding a goal, following a 2-0 victory in Albania.
Norway also finished on maximum points, following a 4-1 win over Italy.
Advert
Meanwhile, Mbappe scored a brace on Thursday to send France to the World Cup, although he then withdrew from their final qualifier due to injury.
With all three strikers carrying their outstanding club form into the international break, they have already emerged as the favourites for next year's Ballon D'Or.
But on current numbers, Haaland is the current leader, averaging a remarkable 1.33 non-penalty goals per 90 minutes.
Kane is not far behind with an impressive 1.02, while Mbappe sits under the one-goal per game mark at 0.86 non-penalty goals per 90.
If penalties were included, Kane would rise to top spot after converting seven this season.
But given both Bayern Munich and England's dominance, he is always likely to have more opportunities from the spot.
What makes Erling Haaland the best?
While all three stars dominate the goalscoring charts in their respective leagues, the Premier League is widely recognised as the toughest division in the world.
According to the latest Opta Power Ratings, the Premier League remains the strongest division globally, followed by Serie A and La Liga, with the Bundesliga in fourth.
And the strength of the league makes Haaland's goalscoring even more extraordinary.
He is also prolific against the Premier League's so-called 'Big Six,' scoring four goals in four matches against those opponents this season.
Although the Norwegian has been criticised at times for his limited involvement in build-up play, Haaland is devastating when he receives the ball.
His athleticism also sets him apart from his rivals.
Last season, he clocked the fastest top speed in the Champions League at 22.9mph.
And his physical presence allows him to physically bully defenders, as he showed with a recent goal against Brentford.
The combination of speed and strength is something neither Kane nor Mbappe possesses.
Who is the most well-rounded footballer?
England fans would argue that Kane's all-round contribution sets him apart.
He is comfortable dropping deep to link play and he averages 0.34 assists per 90 minutes - almost double Mbappe's 0.17 and more than triple Haaland's 0.10.
His range of passing is also superior to the other forwards, and he makes a greater contribution defensively.
However, Mbappe is the strongest dribbler of the three.
He attempts more than twice as many take-ons as Kane or Haaland, and also makes more carries.
While Kane and Mbappe both have their strengths, when ranking the world's best striker, goals remain the most important metric.
And with Haaland already scoring an astonishing 32 goals for club and country this season, he is currently the best striker.
Topics: Football, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, Ballon d'Or, Premier League
James Taylor