Prior to this historic 2022-23 season for goalscorers, 12 players had managed to score more than 20 goals in their first season in Ligue 1 Uber Eats since 1947-48.
Two attacking revelations who brought the season to life were added to the list: Folarin Balogun (Stade de Reims) and Loïs Openda (RC Lens). The newly-capped United States international and the Belgian international join a list that also includes Argentina’s Carlos Bianchi, who also played for Stade Reims 49 years ago, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG).
Aside from the Swedish giant, Pedro Pauleta is one of the most recent names to have made an impact with Bordeaux. In 2000-01, the Portuguese made a stunning debut, scoring a hat-trick against Nantes before finishing the season with 20 goals.
For example, the two young strikers did better than Jürgen Klinsmann (AS Monaco, 1992-93), Dario Cvitanich (OGCN, 2012-13) and Neymar Jr (PSG, 2017-18) in their French debut seasons in France (19) – but also stars such as Sonny Anderson, Edinson Cavani, Kevin Volland, Christian and Burak Yilmaz (16 goals each).
Top Ten top scorers for a first season in Ligue 1 Uber Eats:
1. Carlos Bianchi (SdR, 73-74) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG, 12-13): 30 goals
3. Nico Braun (73-74): 28 goals
4. Roger Piantoni (FC Nancy, 50-51): 27 goals
5. Ernst Stojaspal (RCSA, 54-55) and Uwe Krause (SL, 80-81): 23 goals
7. Aimé Gori (Bordeaux, 62-63), Abdesselem Ben Mohammed (Bordeaux, 52-53) and Delio Onnis (SdR, 71-72): 22 goals
10. Bertus de Harder (Bordeaux, 49-50), Erwin Kostedde (SL, 79-80), Sima Nikolic (OL, 1980-81), Loïs Openda (RCL, 22-23) and Folarin Balogun (22-23): 21 goals
Balogun (also) in a hurry!
Balogun also managed to score at the tender age of 21. A rare feat in the history of the French league. In this domain, he surpasses Eden Hazard and Karim Benzema, as well as David Trezeguet (18 goals in 97-98), Florian Maurice (19 goals in 95-96) and Ludovic Guily (16 goals in 96-97).
Top scorers aged 21 or under in Ligue 1 Uber Eats:
33 goals: Kylian Mbappé (PSG, 2018-19)
31 goals: Hervé Revelli (ASSE, 66-67)
29 goals: Marc Berdoll (SCO, 73-74)
27 goals: Roger Piantoni (FC Nancy, 50-51)
25 goals: Rachid Mekhloufi (ASSE, 56-57), Georges Lech (RC Lens, 66-67) and Michel Platini (ASNL, 76-77)
23 goals: Bernard Lacombe (OL, 72-73) and Hervé Revelli (ASSE, 67-68)
22 goals: Michel Platini (ASNL, 75-76) and Djibril Cissé (AJA, 2001-02)
21 goals: Rachid Mekhloufi (ASSE, 55-56), Folarin Balogun (SdR, 22-23)
20 goals: André Strappe (LOSC, 48-49), Jean Saunier (HAC, 50-51), Just Fontaine (OGC Nice, 54-55), Karim Benzema (OL, 07-08), Eden Hazard (LOSC, 2011-12)
Leave feedback about this