WAFUNGAJI WATANO BORA ULAYA, HAWA HAPA

Messi is a shoe-in to win the award this season.

In the game of football, it is crucial for any top team to have a striker who can deliver the goods on a regular basis. Here are five players who have not let their side down this season.
5. Zlatan Ibrahimovic | 27 league goals in 32 games | PSG
The big Swede has been in scintillating form since moving from AC Milan last summer, with his huge pay package perhaps motivating him. He is the French Ligue 1’s best ever goal scorer in one season on record since Jean-Pierre Papin’s season in 1992, and was named on the shortlist for the league’s player of the year last week.




 4. Edinson Cavani | 28 league goals in 33 games | Napoli
A regular subject of persistent and wrangling transfer rumours, Cavani has been one of Europe’s best strikers for a while now, and it only seems to be a matter of time until one of Europe’s big boys snaps him up. However, with a release clause around the £50m mark, he will not come cheap.

  


4. Radamel Falcao | 28 league goals in 33 games | Atlético Madrid
The Colombian has carried his side to third in the Liga BBVA standings this term, after almost single-handedly guiding Atlético to both Super Cup and Europa League triumphs with a combined total of six goals in the two respective finals.
Another wanted man, Falcao has been reportedly courted by the likes of Chelsea, and the west London side may make the move for him this summer to bolster a charge for the Premier League title with José Mourinho supposedly returning to “The Bridge”.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo | 34 league goals in 34 games | Real Madrid
The former Old Trafford favourite has averaged more than a goal a game for the entirety of his career in Spain’s capital with a total of 146 goals in 135 league games. Having reportedly fallen out of love with life in Madrid though, he has been linked with a sensational return to United this summer, but his services would command a colossal fee which the Red Devils will have to dig deep into their pockets to muster.


   



1. Lionel Messi | 46 league goals in 32 games | Barcelona
The value of the Argentinian wizard’s left foot is mind-boggling, and he leads the rest of Europe’s forwards by over 12 goals, after another astonishing year of form. Having scored 91 goals in 2012 he may even threaten that record if he can stay injury free, with form that is truly unprecedented in the modern game. To add to this overwhelming tally he also has 14 assists in the league which means he has been involved in 60 goals in just 32 games; that’s nearly two every game!