Close race for 2024 throne 

©TM/IMAGO

As the year of 2024 comes to its conclusion, it’s time to look back on what’s been a thrilling 12 months of top level football. From Bayer Leverkusen upsetting the apple cart and winning the Bundesliga unbeaten, to Manchester City lifting a historical fourth Premier League title in-a-row, it’s been a stellar year of the beautiful game. While not many team awards are handed out at the end of the calendar year, individual players will be keeping an eye on how their stats compare to the other top stars, and it could be an exciting race to be the top goalscorer in the top-five leagues in 2024.

Harry Kane currently leads the way with 29 Bundesliga goals scored across the year of 2024. However, he will only have three more league games before the turn of the year to add to his tally, due to the German winter break. In second is Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski with 26 LaLiga goals – he will also have three more league games in 2024. In third spot is Erling Haaland with 25 goals, but the Norwegian has the advantage of having five more Premier League games to move up the rankings. While the 2024 top goalscorer race (in top-five leagues & league goals only) is still up for grabs, which players have scored the most goals in each calendar year this century? Don’t worry, at Transfermarkt we have you covered. We have calculated the top scorer in each year from 2000-2024, with some legends cropping up on the list – you can scroll through them below!

The top-five league top goalscorers in each calendar year since 2000

All the way back in 2000, the top goalscorer across the top-five leagues in league games only was Argentinian Gabriel Batistuta who scored 26 goals in 28 games for Fiorentina and Roma in Serie A. In 2001 it was another Argentine in Hernán Crespo who scored 30 goals in 33 games for Lazio. The top scorer in 2002 was Newcastle’s Alan Shearer, who scored 27 goals in 38 Premier League matches. The 2003 title went to the legendary Brazilian striker Ronaldo, who scored 32 goals in 38 LaLiga games for Real Madrid. The 2004 top scorer was Arsenal invincible Thierry Henry who scored 34 goals in 39 games as the Gunners went unbeaten.

Leading the way in 2005 was Luca Toni who scored 31 goals in 37 games for Palermo and Fiorentina. The legendary Italian made it a double in 2006, scoring 24 goals in 36 for Fiorentina. Next up is Ruud van Nistelrooy who scored 24 goals in 35 games for Real Madrid in 2007. Samuel Eto’o took the throne in 2008, scoring 29 goals in 29 matches for Barcelona. In 2009, it was Spaniard David Villa, who scored 28 goals in 31 games for Valencia.

Now begins the ‘Messi and Ronaldo era’, where the numbers get a little crazy. In 2010, Lionel Messi led, scoring 42 goals in 36 games for Barcelona. In 2011, it was Cristiano Ronaldo’s first time leading as top calendar year goalscorer, as he scored 43 goals in 34 games for Real Madrid. In 2012, it was back to Messi, who scored an astonishing 59 league goals in 38 games for the Catalonian club. Ronaldo was top of the tree in 2013, 2014, and 2015, scoring 38, 38 and 37 league goals respectively. In 2016 Luis Suárez broke Messi and Ronaldo’s hold of the feat, as the Uruguayan scored 37 goals in 35 games for Barcelona.

In 2017 it was back to Messi, who scored 34 goals in 32 games for Barcelona. Ronaldo claimed it again in 2018 with 36 goals in 34 games for Real Madrid and Juventus. 2019 was Lionel Messi’s final claim to being the top calendar year goalscorer as he scored 34 in 32 for Barca. Ronaldo’s last victory came in 2020, with the Portuguese forward scoring 33 in 29 for Juventus. Lewandowski ended the iconic duo’s dominance in 2021, when the Polish striker scored 43 in 34 for Bayern Munich. Kylian Mbappé was the winner in 2022 with 32 in 33, whilst Kane won it last year in 2023 with 38 goals in 37 games for Tottenham and Bayern. Will the Englishmen get his hands on that title again come December 31?