Best "number 9 soccer players" in world football - Are Haaland and Mbappe worth it?

The history of world football is filled with top-class forwards, leading goal scorers. For them, scoring goals is the most important task, even more so if those goals are beautiful and come consistently. Of course, in any era, there will be exceptional forwards like what we are currently seeing in Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe. However, for the majority of long-time football viewers, these two names might not be enough to convince them. In the article below, let’s join admin Wintips to review best “number 9 soccer players” in world football.

Total best “number 9 soccer players” in world football

1. Samuel Eto’o

During the period from 2004 to 2009, Eto’o, alongside Ronaldinho and Messi, formed a magical trio at Barcelona, dominating European football with numerous major and minor titles. Despite his small stature, Eto’o possessed tremendous speed; once he accelerated, hardly any defender at that time could keep up with him, earning him the nickname “The Black Panther” (Báo Đen Eto’o).

Throughout his career, Eto’o played 759 matches and scored 370 goals for 13 different clubs, including 108 goals for Barcelona. In his homeland of Africa, he is regarded as one of the greatest strikers ever produced by the continent.

2. Ronaldo De Lima – Best “number 9 soccer players”

Ronaldo de Lima, known as “O Fenômeno,” is indeed a legendary figure in the world of football. The Brazilian number 9 is widely regarded as one of the greatest forwards of all time, and the nickname “The Phenomenon” truly speaks to his greatness. Despite his career being marred by injuries, Ronaldo continues to receive endless admiration and love from football fans worldwide.

In the eyes of fans around the globe, Ronaldo represents the epitome of pure, explosive, and emotional football artistry. There is nothing about Ronaldo that suggests he ever grew weary of the beautiful game. If age were just a number, and injuries were merely temporary setbacks, perhaps Ronaldo’s career would have achieved even greater heights.

3. Patrick Kluivert – Best “number 9 soccer players”

Kluivert developed his talent from the youth academy of Ajax Amsterdam, joining the club while still in school. At the age of 19, he became a key player for both Ajax Amsterdam and the Netherlands national team. He played one season for AC Milan in 1997-1998 before moving to Barcelona.

At Barca, Kluivert played 255 matches and scored 120 goals. At the Nou Camp stadium, Kluivert formed a formidable striking partnership with Rivaldo that made opponents fearful. However, Kluivert only managed to win one trophy during his time in the Catalan club’s colors, the La Liga title in the 1998/99 season, before moving to Newcastle in the summer of 2004.

4. Gabriel Batistuta

“The Lion King,” Batistuta, is one of the greatest strikers of Argentine football. He still holds the record as the second highest goal scorer in the history of Argentine football with 56 goals. His time at Fiorentina was when Batigol was most revered by fans as he proved to be a loyal player to the purple jersey. Fiorentina was relegated to Serie B in 1993, but Batistuta decided to stay to help the team rise again despite receiving numerous offers from many top clubs.

The purple color is likened to a symbol of loyalty. There is no better example in football than Batistuta and the purple jersey of “Viola,” as he dedicated himself to the team during their peak years. Batistuta’s value to Fiorentina lies not only in his 207 goals scored in 333 appearances but also in his loyalty and dedication.

5. Filippo Inzaghi – Best “number 9 soccer players”

Football fans surely remember the unique “King of Offside” like no other in football history, Pippo Inzaghi. This player not only brought joy on the pitch but also had a philosophy of life, as he once said: “If you don’t have innate talent like Ronaldo or Kaka, you can still become a great player through comfort, perseverance, and love for the ball.”

Filippo Inzaghi is one of the greatest strikers in world football with admirable achievements: 3 Serie A titles, 3 Champions League titles, 3 Italian Super Cups, 2 UEFA Super Cups, and a World Cup title in 2006 with the Italian national team. He is also the fourth highest scorer in the history of the Champions League. Throughout his career, Inzaghi played for 7 clubs in Italy, scoring 197 goals in 466 appearances for his clubs.

6. Luis Suárez – Best “number 9 soccer players”

The majority of Suarez’s goals in his career were scored during his time with Barcelona, where he found the net 198 times, helping the Catalan club secure four La Liga titles, four Copa del Rey trophies, and a prestigious Champions League silver cup. Suarez rose to prominence with Nacional in his native Uruguay before moving to Europe to play in 2007 at the age of 19, starting with Groningen in the Dutch Eredivisie.

Even when he moved to England to play for Liverpool in 2011, Suarez quickly proved his capabilities by becoming the top scorer in the Premier League in the 2013-2014 season, with 31 goals in 33 matches. During that time, he also shared the European Golden Shoe award with Ronaldo. Moving to Barcelona for a transfer fee of up to 81 million euros in 2014, Suarez, alongside Messi and Neymar, formed a notorious attacking trio across Europe.

7. Alan Shearer

The next name on this list is the legendary Alan Shearer. He scored a total of 422 goals for club and national team, an average of about 25 goals in 1 season during the 17 seasons he played. Shearer has set a Premier League scoring record with 260 goals.

In 1992, Sir Alex Ferguson reached out to Shearer, when he was just a young talent in a Southampton shirt. Shearer turned down a £3.6m offer. 4 years later, Sir Alex returned when Shearer had gained some fame. His price was raised 4 times, but this stubborn man still coldly rejected Fergie and joined Newcsatle for £15 million.

8. Marco van Basten – Best “number 9 soccer players”

The man considered the originator of the legendary Dutch “Total Football” style, he is a prolific striker ranked among the top 100 greatest players of the 20th century. His talent was deemed genius at the time, as he was a ruthless assassin in the penalty area with the ability to move and position himself cleverly. Coupled with pinpoint accuracy in his shots to the extent that every time he struck.

The opposing goalkeeper faced the greatest challenge of their career. He was the first player in the world to win three Ballon d’Or awards in 1988, 1989, and 1992, and if not for the injuries that forced him to retire prematurely, his Ballon d’Or tally might have equaled those of Ronaldo and Messi in the present day.

9. Fernando Torres – Best “number 9 soccer players”

The period wearing the Chelsea jersey was perhaps a low point in Fernando Torres’s career. However, his days in the colors of Atlético Madrid, Liverpool, and the Spanish national team helped Torres secure a place among the greatest number 9s in the history of world football.

Torres is a product of Atlético Madrid’s youth academy, and he made remarkable progress with his impressive goal-scoring skills after seven years, scoring 91 goals in the colors of Atlético. Because of this, in 2007, The Kop brought him to Anfield for £20.2 million. Here, Torres reached the pinnacle of his form, scoring 65 goals in 102 matches over four seasons.

10. Robert Lewandowski

Finally, Lewandowski embodies the classic center-forward style, which is rare to find in today’s game. With his keen eye and precise finishing ability inside the box, every shot he takes aims accurately towards the opponent’s goal. After parting ways with Bayern, Lewandowski joined Barcelona and quickly made an impact. The Polish star continuously played brilliantly with impressive scoring ability.

Lewandowski has scored 395 goals in 592 club matches, and he was named the best player in Europe in 2021. If it weren’t for the COVID-19 pandemic, he would have won the Ballon d’Or in 2021. For the Polish national team, Lewandowski has scored 61 goals in 112 matches, making him the greatest goal scorer in the team’s history.

Conclude

The world’s top number 9 soccer players in history, as you’ve seen, are not simply goal-scoring forwards. These forwards also have the ability to link up and combine with teammates around them. Their ability to create space, finish chances, is undoubtedly top-notch. Therefore, our bookmaker in betting website is entirely confident in listing the best number 9s. There may be some differing opinions, but that’s understandable. If you find it interesting, try creating your own list.

See also: Top 10 the best right back in Premier League – Who are they?