These five goal scorers are the most likely to score goals for their nations and still offer enough value.
| Anytime goalscorer | Odds |
|---|---|
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 1.80 |
| Harry Kane | 1.85 |
| Victor Osimhen | 2.00 |
| Kylian Mbappe | 1.55 |
| Denis Bouanga | 4.75 |
Odds courtesy of 1xBet. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Cristiano Ronaldo: Time to finally score in Ireland
Even at 40 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo is still causing problems for defenders and goalkeepers. The Portugal captain is in his fourth season at Saudi Pro League outfit Al Nassr. This season aside, he’s scored 74 goals in 77 league games for his club.
These numbers are incredible for his age. Ronaldo has already scored nine goals in just eight league appearances this season. Moreover, he will enter this international break in great scoring form, with five goals in his last five games for his club.
With 126 goals in 177 appearances for Portugal, he is the country’s top goal scorer. He’s played in four World Cup Qualifiers this year, and already netted five times. On top of that, he scored a brace in the previous international break against Hungary.
Ronaldo is also on penalty duty, which increases his chances of finding the back of the net in the next couple of fixtures. Portugal will face off against the Republic of Ireland for the second time in this World Cup Qualifying campaign. It’s worth noting that CR7 failed to score in their previous match.
However, since making his international debut at 18, Ronaldo has faced Ireland seven times in total. He scored four goals in those head-to-heads, but all of them were in Portugal. Perhaps this match is the best opportunity for the legend to finally score in Ireland.
Harry Kane: Performing better than ever before
Harry Kane’s goal-scoring form has been improving each year. In his final season at Tottenham, Kane found the net 30 times across the Premier League season. However, he has scored many more since he moved to Bayern Munich.
The England captain scored 36 goals in 32 Bundesliga matches in his first season. This term, Kane has already netted 13 domestic goals in 10 games, four goals in two DFB Pokal games, and five goals in four Champions League matches.
You could argue that the former Spurs man has never been in better form. The good news for England is that he’s kept that form in the national team. Kane scored six goals in as many qualifiers, an indication of what a threat he is, especially in the box.
He netted a brace in England’s 5-0 domination of Latvia in the previous international break. The captain is on a run of five goals in six starts for his club and is likely to replicate that in England’s clash with Serbia and then away to Albania.
If Thomas Tuchel fields Kane, he will be a heavy favourite to get onto the scoresheet. However, since England have already qualified for the World Cup, Tuchel may want to test other players in the role.
Victor Osimhen: Hitting form on the international stage
The 2023 African Footballer of the Year seems to have rediscovered his best form while playing for Galatasaray. He rose to prominence after leading Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years. That season was special, as Osimhen netted 26 league goals in 32 appearances.
Last season, he scored the same number of goals for Galatasaray, but in just 30 Super Lig games. Although he's been slightly slower this term, having scored three goals across nine league appearances, he seems to be performing better on the continental stage.
The Nigerian forward scored three goals against Ajax Amsterdam in the last Champions League matchday. That brought his total to six goals in just three such games for the Turkish outfit.
However, he’s replicated that form in international matches, scoring six goals in his five World Cup Qualifier appearances for the Super Eagles. Coach Eric Chelle will surely rely on him in the upcoming semi-final playoff and, hopefully, the finals.
Considering he scored three times against Benin on the final group matchday, it will be very difficult for Gabon to stop Osimhen on Thursday.
Kylian Mbappe: In form and eager to score
Kylian Mbappe’s ability to adapt to La Liga was a cause for concern following his move from PSG to Real Madrid. However, he has handled it well, having scored 31 goals in 34 league appearances in his first season.
The Frenchman appears to be determined to beat that record this time. He’s already netted 13 goals in a dozen La Liga matches and five in four Champions League appearances.
Mbappe’s threat is well-known. He scored in France’s previous qualifier victory against Azerbaijan. Moreover, his last 10 games in all competitions for club and country featured as many goals.
Having failed to find the net in his previous two outings, he will be eager to get on the scoresheet. With France at home to Ukraine, Mbappe is likely to start strongly, especially since they still haven’t qualified yet.
Denis Bouanga: Delivering consistently for club and country
He’s probably the least known striker on this list, but he is equally as potent as the others. Denis Bouanga has just completed his highest-scoring season for Los Angeles FC, having netted 26 goals in 33 appearances.
The Gabonese striker has been consistent for the MLS outfit across the last few seasons, always registering more than 20 goals. He will enter this international break high on confidence after scoring a brace in LAFC’s playoff match against Austin FC.
Bouanga has scored seven goals in his last eight games for both club and country. He has particularly excelled for his national team, especially alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
In this edition of World Cup Qualifiers, Bouanga scored eight goals in 10 appearances. He will be crucial for the Gabonese attack against Nigeria. Considering his efficiency up top, he should be able to break through the Super Eagles’ defence.