If you were asked to name the most prolific strikers in Europe, some obvious names would spring to mind.
Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe – you get the idea. While that trio can each claim to be the top scorer in their respective leagues, there is one man whose goalscoring feats this season outstrip them all.
The non-league striker outscoring Haaland and Co
Erling Haaland is comfortably the top goalscorer in the Premier League this season (Image credit: Getty Images)Haaland has broken record after record since joining Manchester City in 2022 – and the Norwegian is showing no signs of slowing down, scoring 14 goals in 11 Premier League games this season.
Kane has been similarly prolific at Bayern Munich, finding the net 13 times in 10 Bundesliga matches, while Real Madrid star Mbappe – ranked at no.1 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best strikers in the world right now – has managed 13 in 12 in La Liga.
Harry Kane has had plenty of reasons to celebrate at Bayern Munich (Image credit: Getty Images)But cast your eye down to the sixth tier of English football and you will find a striker whose goalscoring exploits are even more impressive.
Merthyr Town’s Ricardo Rees has hit 18 goals in 17 games this season, making the National League North striker the leading scorer in the top six divisions of the pyramid.
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
The 25-year-old also found the net more than 30 times in each of the past two campaigns – helping the Welsh club win the Southern League Premier South title last term.
Rees told BBC Sport Wales: “I didn’t expect it at the start of the season to be honest, but I’ve always backed myself to score goals.
“It’s a crazy stat, the top goalscorer, it is a good feeling, a very good feeling.”
Even Kylian Mbappe’s numbers lag behind the Merthyr Town man (Image credit: Getty Images)As a youngster, Rees spent time in Cardiff City’s academy, before joining Bristol City and earning a two-year professional contract.
He never made a senior appearance for the Robins and fell out of the professional game, but has not stopped scoring since joining Merthyr in summer 2022, with 112 goals in 156 matches.
His prolific form has gone up a level in November, finding the net eight times in four games – including all four in a 4-2 win at Telford United on November 4.
The forward’s goalscoring exploits have helped the newly-promoted side rise to third in National League North. If Rees continues at this rate, you would not bet against Merthyr making it back-to-back promotions.
