The battle to be the world's best striker.
Few would argue that Lionel Messi is the world's best player, but despite his impeccable goalscoring figures, he isn't really a striker. Neither are any of his competitors for best players in the world. So who is the world's best striker? Lets take a look at the contenders.
Sergio 'Kün' Aguero.
Ever since he made his Independiente at just 15 years of age, Sergio Aguero has been recognized as a potential footballing star. After 5 years of superb form at Atletico Madrid where he scored 74 goals in 175 appearances he joined Manchester City for around €40 million (£38 million). Despite many expecting him to struggle at first, Aguero has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water, scoring an impressive 6 in 5 games. With Argentina he's scored 13 in 30 and won himself a place in a team where competition is rife.
David Villa
After five years of magnificent form for Valencia, during which he scored 108 times in 166 games, Villa finally got his big money move in the summer of 2010 to FC Barcelona. In his first season he scored 9 goals in 23 games, including a goal in the UEFA Champions league final against Manchester United. For Spain, his form has been equally electrifying with his goals helping the Spanish national team win both Euro 2008 and the 2010 World cup.
Edin Dzeko
When Wolfsburg won the 2008/09 Bundesliga much of the credit went to the league's top scorer, Bosnian Edin Dzeko. A superb champions league campaign the following season only helped his stock rise. In January of 2011, Dzeko joined Manchester City for £27 million. Despite a disappointing start to his City career, Dzeko has started the 2011/12 premier league on fire including a superb four goals against Tottenham.
Luis Suarez
If you're looking for both grit and genuine quality in a player look no further than Luis Súarez. The Uruguayan who joined Ajax from showed some unbelievable form in both the Eredevisie and for Uruguay in the 2010 world cup. Liverpool came knocking in January 2011 and made a £22.5 million bid that Ajax couldn't refuse. So far Suarez has been consistently impressive in a red shirt, form which looks set to continue for the rest of the 2011/12 season.
Samuel Et'to
Few of the strikers on this list are as experienced as Samuel Et'to. After 4 years playing for Real Mallorca, the mighty Barcelona made a move for the Cameroonian in 2004. In a Barca side that included Ronaldinho and Deco, Et'to excelled however an argument with coach Frank Riijkard and later Pep Guardiola , Et'to joined Internazionale in 2009 . At Inter Et'to lived up to his expectations, including being part of an Inter side that won the Champions league, Serie A and coppa Italia in the 2009/10 season. Et'to left in the summer of 2011 though to join newly-rich Anzhi Makhachkala and become the world's highest payed player.
Wayne Rooney
Hailed as "the boy-wonder" from just 16 when he starred for Everton, Wayne Rooney is widely regarded as one of the world's best. It was summer of 2004 when he joined Manchester United and so far he's more than lived up to the expectation. He was the premier league's player of the season in 2009/10, however after a disappointing 2010 world cup and start to the 2010/11 season, his manager Sir Alex Ferguson decided to play Rooney just in the "hole". In this role, he excelled and even scored while playing there in the champions league final of 2011. He's started the 2011/12 season in wonderful form with two hat-tricks in 4 games.
Mario Gomez
Mario Gomez began his career at Vfb Stuttgart, and made his debut for the senior side at just 18 and by the 2005-06 season when he was just 20, he was a regular in the side. After four more impressive years at Stuttgart, Gomez was soon wanted by the mighty Bayern Munich. Despite a fairly disappointing 1st season in Munich, Gomez scored an impressive 39 goals in 45 games during the 2010/11 season. He's already scored a hat-trick this season, and he's looking sharper than ever.Javier Hernandez
From virtual obscurity with Chivas de Guadalajara in the Mexican league, the man nick-named "Chicharito" scored an unbelivable 20 goals during his first season for Manchester United. By the end of the season, he was above established premier league stars such as Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen in the Man Utd pecking order. Still only 23, one thing's for sure, Hernandez is a star already.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The Swede, who began his career with Malmö FF, probably divides opinion more than anybody on this list. However, the stats speak for themselves. Between his times with huge clubs; Malmö,Ajax,Juventus,Barcelona and now AC Milan Ibrahimovic has scored 199 goals in 534appearances. In the last two seasons, he's been an integral part of both AC Milan and Barcelona's title-winning campaigns. He shows no signs of stopping yet in this, his second season with the Rossoneri.
