Next summer, the top 24 teams in Europe will compete in the most hotly contested tournament on the continent: the UEFA European Championship, aka. UEFA EURO. Hosts Germany automatically qualified for UEFA EURO 2024, while 20 more teams earned their right to feature by finishing in the top two of their qualifying group. The final three teams will join the pack through European Championship qualifying play-offs in March.
Making a mark in a tournament of such stature paves the way for individual glory, global recognition, and even redemption. So, every player worth their salt aims to come into the competition in the best possible shape and leave their all on the pitch.
Below, we will check out a few world-class attackers who have produced stellar performances in the qualifying matches, proving their intent to impress in the grand event next summer. Here are the seven players who scored the most goals in the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifiers:
#7 Erling Haaland (Norway) – 6 Goals
Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland is arguably the best striker in the world at the moment. His explosiveness shone through in the EURO 2024 qualifiers as well, with him pitching in with six goals in only five games for Norway. Unfortunately for the goalmachine, his strikes were not enough to take his country to the continental competition, with them crashing out of the competition after finishing third in Group A after Spain and Scotland.
Haaland’s best performances came in the games against Cyprus. He bagged a brace in each of those games to propel Norway to 3-1 and 4-0 victories.
#6 Scott McTominay (Scotland) – 7 Goals
Manchester United man Scott McTominay is the only midfielder on this list. Putting his best foot forward, the Scotland international scored an astonishing seven goals and provided an assist in eight matches. McTominay had only scored once in his previous 39 games for his country. The defensive midfielder’s goals proved to be crucial as Scotland secured the second spot in Group A (behind Spain).
McTominay’s best display came against two-time UEFA EURO winners Spain on Matchday 2. He scored both goals as the underdogs picked up a shock 2-0 victory over La Roja.
#5 Rasmus Hojlund (Denmark) – 7 Goals
Manchester United and Denmark attacker Rasmus Hojlund was in fine form in the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifiers. The 20-year-old, who made his international debut only in September 2022, scored seven goals and claimed an assist in eight matches. His goals went a long way in helping Denmark clinch the top spot in Group H.
Hojlund played his best game in his European Qualifiers debut against Finland in March 2023. The forward scored a hat-trick to take his nation to a 3-1 victory.
#4 Harry Kane (England) – 8 Goals
Harry Kane has been on fire for both club and country this year. The Bayern Munich new boy has set the Bundesliga on fire, scoring 17 times in 11 matches. He also carried his club form to England’s UEFA EURO 2024 qualifiers, scoring eight times in as many matches. The Three Lions’ all-time leading scorer also bagged a couple of assists along the way.
The 30-year-old’s best display came in a 7-0 victory over North Macedonia on Matchday 4 in June 2023. He scored a brace and claimed an assist to help Gareth Southgate’s side to the emphatic win.
#3 Kylian Mbappe (France) – 9 Goals
Arguably the best forward in the world right now, Kylian Mbappe had an explosive UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying campaign. The 24-year-old sharpshooter emerged as his country’s leading scorer, netting an impressive nine times in eight matches. The Paris Saint-Germain poster boy also pitched in with six assists.
Mbappe’s best game came in Les Bleus’ historic 14-0 (biggest-ever win in EURO qualifiers) victory over Gibraltar on Matchday 7. The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner claimed a hat-trick of goals as well as assists in the heavyweights’ win over the minnows.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – 10 Goals
At 38, Portugal icon Cristiano Ronaldo continues to make history for club and country. No attacker in history has been as formidable as Ronaldo at his age, and we are sure there is a lot more to come from the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
The Al-Nassr superstar, who remains his country’s undisputed talisman, scored a stunning 10 goals in nine European Championship qualifiers, helping Portugal finish atop Group J with a perfect record (10 wins). The former Real Madrid superstar also claimed two assists.
Ronaldo’s best performance came against Bosnia in October. The center-forward scored twice and claimed an assist to propel Os Navegadores to a 5-0 victory.
#1 Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) – 14 Goals
Romelu Lukaku’s future in club soccer may very well be up in the air, but he has not let it impact his performances for Belgium. The AS Roma attacker emerged as the sharpest forward in the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifiers, scoring an astonishing 14 goals in only eight matches. No player in history has scored more goals in a single EURO qualifying campaign.
Lukaku’s best performance of the campaign came on Matchday 8, in Belgium’s massive 5-0 victory over Azerbaijan, with the Chelsea loanee pitching in with a career-best four goals.
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