Ranking Europe’s most accurate forwards by shooting frequency and conversion rate
| Updated: May 2, 2025Football is a simple game, where only goals count. But to score one, you first have to get near your opponent’s net and be able to shoot, beating the last line of defence — the goalkeeper. Our team has witnessed its fair share of open-goal misses, and that sparked the idea behind our latest report. It focuses on the footballers with the most shots on target in Europe’s top five leagues. Under the spotlight fall the 15 players who have registered the highest number of accurate shots so far this season. We break down how often they manage to hit the target, how many of those efforts turn into goals, and how many minutes each one needs to find the back of the net.
Sportingpedia’s latest research dives into a range of efficiency metrics to paint a clear picture of who has been the most dangerous in front of goal. One of the most curious findings is that PSG’s Ousmane Dembele has registered a shot on target every 34 minutes – the highest frequency in the group. He also leads in minutes per goal, needing just under 80 minutes to score. Another standout is Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, who has averaged just 1.3 shots on target per goal. Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe has recorded more shots on target than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues, leading the pack with 69.
- Kylian Mbappe leads Europe’s top five leagues with 69 shots on target for Real Madrid
- Ousmane Dembele fires a shot on target every 34 minutes, the fastest among all examined players
- Alexander Isak has been the most clinical, needing just 1.3 shots on target per goal
- Ousmane Dembele scores a goal every 79 minutes, leading in minutes-per-goal rate
Key Takeaways:
Players with the most accurate shooting
Kylian Mbappe has been happy to pull the trigger in his debut season at Real Madrid, leading all players in Europe’s top five leagues, registering 69 shots on target across 29 appearances. His average of over two shots on target per match highlights his central attacking role. Premier League stars Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland follow closely behind, each recording 58 shots on target for Liverpool and Manchester City, respectively. Omar Marmoush (52) and Mason Greenwood (51) have stood out as surprise entries. Marmoush has impressed across his spells at Eintracht Frankfurt and Manchester City, while Greenwood has found a career revival at Marseille. Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane (51) and PSG’s Ousmane Dembele (49) have further cemented their places among Europe’s most active forwards.
Premier League players have dominated the list with six representatives (Salah, Haaland, Isak, Marmoush, Cunha, and Palmer), while La Liga has contributed three players (Mbappe, Lewandowski, and Raphinha), Ligue 1 two footballers (Dembele and Greenwood), Bundesliga two (Kane and Ekitike), and Serie A two through Moise Kean and Nikola Krstovic.
Minutes per Shot on Target
When it comes to frequency, no one matches Ousmane Dembele, who needs just 34 minutes to produce a shot on target, driven by PSG’s free-flowing attacking system and his relatively low total minutes. Kylian Mbappe follows closely, firing once every 36 minutes for Real Madrid. Erling Haaland (43 minutes per shot on target) and Harry Kane (45 minutes) have demonstrated strong consistency, while Omar Marmoush (46 minutes) has showcased impressive efficiency, even though changing teams in the winter. Further down, players like Mohamed Salah (52 minutes), Robert Lewandowski (55 minutes), and Alexander Isak (61 minutes) have continued to post strong numbers, though at a slightly slower pace. At the lower end, Raphinha and Nikola Krstovic have registered shots on target less frequently compared to their peers.
Shots on Target per Goal
Alexander Isak’s finishing this season has been simply exceptional. The Newcastle striker needs just 1.3 shots on target per goal, making him by far the most efficient scorer among the group. Robert Lewandowski (1.8) ranks second, with Mohamed Salah (2.1) and Harry Kane (2.1) close behind. Ousmane Dembele needs 2.3 shots on target to score, solid numbers given his record-low minutes per shot on target. Omar Marmoush (2.5) and Raphinha (2.6) have also been reasonably efficient, while Mason Greenwood (2.8) and Cole Palmer (3.3) have found the back of the net less consistently relative to their shooting.
Minutes per Goal
Ousmane Dembele once again stands out, scoring a goal every 79 minutes played — the fastest strike rate among the players examined. Alexander Isak follows with a remarkable 81 minutes per goal in the Premier League, turning nearly every chance into a goal. Harry Kane has maintained a stellar pace, finding the net every 94 minutes for Bayern Munich. Robert Lewandowski (98 minutes) and Mohamed Salah (108 minutes) have also produced strong returns, with consistent goal-scoring throughout the season. Kylian Mbappe has averaged a goal every 112 minutes, while Omar Marmoush (113 minutes) has stayed just behind him.
On the other side, players like Mason Greenwood (142 minutes), Moise Kean (144 minutes), and Matheus Cunha (156 minutes) have shown less frequent scoring rates.