The best forward players in the world combine goalscoring, creativity, movement, technical ability and intelligence to influence matches from different areas of the pitch. Modern forwards are no longer restricted to one position, with many capable of playing as centre-forwards, wingers or attacking midfielders.
From Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to emerging stars such as Kylian Mbappé, these attackers have produced some of the most memorable performances in world football. Here is a ranking of the Top 10 Best Forward Players, from No. 10 to No. 1, based on their performances and influence during the 2020 period.
Table of Contents
10. Josip Iličić
- Club: Atalanta
- Country: Slovenia
- Position: Forward / Attacking Midfielder
Josip Iličić earned his place among the Best Forward Players after producing some of the most impressive performances of his career with Atalanta.
The Slovenian forward was particularly influential during Atalanta’s rise in Serie A and their historic qualification for the UEFA Champions League. During the 2018-19 campaign, he scored 12 goals in 31 league appearances and helped the club secure Champions League football for the first time.
His form continued into the following season. Iličić became one of Atalanta’s most creative and dangerous attackers, combining his height and strength with excellent technique, close control and an ability to shoot from difficult positions.
His greatest performance came against Valencia in the Champions League round of 16. Iličić scored four goals in the second leg as Atalanta secured a place in the quarter-finals.
His career was later interrupted by personal difficulties and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even so, his extraordinary performances before that interruption were enough to establish him as one of Europe’s standout attacking players.
Best moment: Scoring four goals against Valencia in the Champions League round of 16.
9. Marcus Rashford
- Club: Manchester United
- Country: England
- Position: Forward / Winger
Marcus Rashford developed into one of Manchester United’s most important attacking players during this period. His combination of explosive speed, direct running and finishing ability made him a constant threat to defenders.
During the 2019-20 season, Rashford scored 17 goals and provided eight assists. His performances helped Manchester United finish in the Premier League’s top four and return to the Champions League.
Rashford was particularly dangerous when attacking space behind defenders. His acceleration allowed him to turn defensive mistakes into scoring opportunities, while his ability to play on either wing or through the middle gave Manchester United tactical flexibility.
Away from football, Rashford also became widely recognised for his campaign supporting children from low-income families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the pitch, however, his performances continued to improve. He demonstrated that he was becoming more than a pace-based winger by developing his finishing, movement and decision-making.
Best moment: Scoring a hat-trick against RB Leipzig in Manchester United’s 5-0 Champions League victory.
8. Paulo Dybala
- Club: Juventus
- Country: Argentina
- Position: Forward / Attacking Midfielder
Paulo Dybala is one of the most technically gifted forwards of his generation. His left foot, close control, creativity and ability to operate between midfield and attack made him extremely difficult to defend.
Although playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo sometimes placed Dybala in a secondary attacking role at Juventus, he still enjoyed an outstanding campaign.
His performances during the 2019-20 Serie A season earned him the league’s MVP award. He also helped Juventus win another Serie A championship, extending the club’s domestic title streak to nine consecutive seasons.
Dybala’s versatility was one of his greatest strengths. He could play behind a striker, operate from the right side or move into central positions to create chances.
His ability to combine goalscoring with playmaking made him different from a traditional centre-forward and helped him earn recognition among the Best Forward Players in world football.
Best moment: Winning the Serie A MVP award and helping Juventus secure another league title.
7. Son Heung-min
- Club: Tottenham Hotspur
- Country: South Korea
- Position: Forward / Winger
Son Heung-min became one of the most complete attacking players in the Premier League. His speed, finishing, movement and ability to use both feet allowed him to score a wide variety of goals.
His partnership with Harry Kane became particularly important for Tottenham. The two forwards regularly exchanged goals and assists, creating one of the Premier League’s most effective attacking partnerships.
Son could operate from the left wing, move centrally or attack from deeper positions. His ability to make explosive runs behind the defensive line made him especially dangerous on counter-attacks.
One of his most memorable goals came against Burnley when he collected the ball deep inside his own half and ran almost the entire length of the pitch before calmly finishing.
His performances continued into the 2020-21 season, when he was named Premier League Player of the Month in October.
Son’s combination of individual skill and consistency makes him one of the strongest Asian representatives among the Best Forward Players in modern football.
Best moment: Winning the Premier League Player of the Month award after an outstanding start to the season.
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6. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
- Club: Arsenal
- Country: Gabon
- Position: Striker / Forward
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was one of Arsenal’s most important players and leaders. His exceptional pace, intelligent movement and clinical finishing made him one of the Premier League’s most dangerous forwards.
Aubameyang was capable of playing as a central striker or from the left side. His ability to attack space behind defenders made him particularly effective against teams that defended with a high line.
His biggest achievement during this period came in the FA Cup. In the 2020 final against Chelsea, Aubameyang scored twice, including the decisive goal that secured the trophy for Arsenal.
His leadership was also important to the club. Arsenal viewed him as a key part of their rebuilding project and rewarded him with a new three-year contract in September 2020.
His goalscoring ability and versatility explain why Aubameyang deserved a place among the Best Forward Players of the period.
Best moment: Scoring twice in the FA Cup final to lead Arsenal to victory over Chelsea.
5. Mohamed Salah
- Club: Liverpool
- Country: Egypt
- Position: Forward / Winger
Mohamed Salah established himself as one of the most prolific forwards in Premier League history. His explosive pace, close control, movement and finishing made him a central figure in Liverpool’s attack.
Salah formed a remarkable attacking trio with Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino. Together, they helped Liverpool become one of Europe’s most dangerous teams.
During the 2019-20 campaign, Salah played an important role in Liverpool’s historic Premier League title success. The club finally ended its 30-year wait for the English top-flight championship.
Salah also continued reaching major individual milestones. In October 2020, he scored his 100th goal for Liverpool, becoming the first player since Steven Gerrard to reach that landmark for the club.
His consistency is one of the biggest reasons Salah belongs among the Best Forward Players. He combines the qualities of a winger with the goalscoring instincts of a striker.
Best moment: Reaching 100 goals for Liverpool while helping the club win the Premier League title.
4. Neymar
- Club: Paris Saint-Germain
- Country: Brazil
- Position: Forward / Winger
Neymar remains one of the most naturally gifted forwards in world football. His dribbling, creativity, acceleration, passing and finishing allow him to create opportunities that few other players can produce.
After an injury-hit period and speculation about a return to Barcelona, Neymar regained his importance at Paris Saint-Germain.
His technical ability was particularly valuable in the Champions League, where PSG reached the final for the first time in the club’s history.
Neymar contributed goals and assists throughout PSG’s European campaign and played an important role in their knockout-stage victories. His performance against Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16 was another example of his ability to influence major matches.
Although PSG eventually lost the final to Bayern Munich, Neymar’s performances confirmed his status among the world’s elite attackers.
His combination of creativity and individual brilliance makes him one of the most exciting names on any list of the Best Forward Players.
Best moment: Helping Paris Saint-Germain reach their first Champions League final.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
- Club: Juventus
- Country: Portugal
- Position: Forward / Striker
Cristiano Ronaldo continued to demonstrate extraordinary longevity during his mid-30s. While many forwards begin to decline at that stage of their careers, Ronaldo remained one of the most prolific goalscorers in Europe.
His greatest strengths remained his finishing, movement, aerial ability, physical conditioning and mentality. He was capable of scoring with both feet and his head while constantly finding space inside the penalty area.
At Juventus, Ronaldo helped the club win another Serie A championship. The title was another addition to his already extraordinary collection of domestic and international honours.
His international career was equally impressive. Ronaldo continued to score regularly for Portugal and moved closer to Ali Daei’s long-standing men’s international goalscoring record.
Ronaldo’s ability to remain among the elite for so many years is a major reason he continues to appear near the top of rankings of the Best Forward Players.
Best moment: Helping Juventus win another Serie A title while continuing to break major scoring records.
2. Kylian Mbappé
- Club: Paris Saint-Germain
- Country: France
- Position: Forward / Winger
Kylian Mbappé represented the next generation of elite forwards. At just 21 years old, he had already won the FIFA World Cup and multiple French league titles.
His greatest weapon is his incredible speed, but Mbappé’s game is much more complete than simply running past defenders. He combines acceleration with strength, technical ability, intelligent movement and excellent finishing.
Mbappé can play as a central striker or from either wing. This versatility makes it difficult for defenders to predict where he will attack from.
With Neymar dealing with injuries at various points, Mbappé increasingly became one of PSG’s most important attacking players. His performances in domestic competition and Europe demonstrated his ability to carry significant responsibility at a young age.
One of his biggest moments came in PSG’s Champions League quarter-final against Atalanta. After entering the match as a substitute, Mbappé helped transform the game and eventually provided the decisive assist for Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s late winner.
With his combination of age, talent and potential, Mbappé was already one of the world’s Best Forward Players and appeared destined to remain at the top for many years.
Best moment: Providing the decisive late assist during PSG’s dramatic Champions League comeback against Atalanta.
1. Lionel Messi
- Club: Barcelona
- Country: Argentina
- Position: Forward / Attacking Midfielder
Lionel Messi takes the No. 1 position among the Best Forward Players because of his extraordinary combination of goalscoring, creativity, dribbling, passing and football intelligence.
Even at 33 years old, Messi remained capable of deciding matches almost single-handedly. His ability to receive the ball between the lines, beat defenders and create scoring opportunities made him one of the most complete attacking players football has ever produced.
The 2020 period was unusual for Messi because his football was overshadowed by major events away from the pitch. His relationship with Barcelona deteriorated and he publicly expressed his desire to leave the club.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Messi continued to produce outstanding individual performances.
Barcelona endured a difficult season. The club lost the La Liga title to Real Madrid and suffered an 8-2 defeat against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Nevertheless, Messi’s individual quality remained clear.
His performance against Real Betis later demonstrated that he could still completely change the direction of a match. His movement, creativity and finishing helped Barcelona regain control of the game.
Messi’s combination of technical ability, vision, goalscoring and playmaking explains why he remained at the top of the ranking.
Best moment: Continuing to deliver world-class performances despite Barcelona’s difficult season and the uncertainty surrounding his future.
Frequently Asked Questions
1.Who is No. 1 among the Best Forward Players?
Lionel Messi is ranked No. 1 on this list because of his exceptional combination of goalscoring, creativity, dribbling, passing and ability to influence matches.
2.Who is the youngest player in the Top 10?
Kylian Mbappé was the youngest player on the list at 21 years old during the 2020 ranking period.
3.What qualities do the Best Forward Players have?
The best forwards generally combine goalscoring, creativity, movement, technical ability, decision-making, versatility and the ability to perform in important matches.
Conclusion
The ranking of the Best Forward Players highlights the incredible attacking talent that dominated world football during the 2020 period. Lionel Messi remained the benchmark for creativity and individual brilliance, while Cristiano Ronaldo continued to demonstrate remarkable goalscoring consistency.
Kylian Mbappé represented the next generation of global superstars, while Neymar, Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-min continued to establish themselves among the elite.