With 18 and 15 goals respectively, Folarin Balogun (Stade de Reims) and Loïs Openda (RC Lens) have already broken their club's record for goals in a season in the 21st century. Here's a look back at the top scorers in Ligue 1 Uber Eats this season.
With eight players scoring 15 or more goals after 30 rounds, the Ligue 1 Uber Eats scoring chart is particularly strong this year. Folarin Balogun and Loïs Openda are well placed in this top group and are making a name for themselves in their first season in the league. The two strikers have been particularly prolific and have already set 21st-century records at their respective clubs.
Balogun: Reims' Gunner-in-chief
Folarin Balogun, on loan from Arsenal (with no option to buy) since last summer, showed from the outset that Stade de Reims had the right idea in luring him across the Channel for a season. The Gunner has scored 18 goals after 30 games this season, which already makes him Reims' top scorer in a Ligue 1 Uber Eats season in the 21st century.
Loïs Openda has also made recent history at RC Lens, with 15 goals - breaking the club's single-season record since 2001. The Belgian international, who joined from Club Brugge last summer, is more than likely to improve on his tally, having scored six goals in the last four games.
Strasbourg record in sight for Habib Diallo
Other players can hope to break their club's record in this century. Habib Diallo is the closest; with 15 goals, the RC Strasbourg Alsace striker is just one behind Ludovic Ajorque's mark of 16 in 2020-21. The Senegalese international should soon overtake his former strike partner, with eight games still to go. At Stade Brestois 29, Jeremy Le Douaron is a little further back but is only four goals behind Franck Honorat's record of 11 goals in 2021-22. Jonathan David (19 goals), meanwhile, will need to put in a strong performance at the end of the season if he is to catch up with Moussa Sow, who set the LOSC record in 2010-11 (25 goals).
At Paris Saint-Germain, Zlatan Ibrahimovic's incredible record (38 goals in 2015-16) will likely remain for another season, with Kylian Mbappé currently on half that total with his 19 strikes. The same is true of OL, where Alexandre Lacazette will find it difficult to repeat his performance of the 2016-17 season (28 goals), and of OM, with Alexis Sanchez ten goals behind the 2017-18 performance of Florian Thauvin (22 goals).
Single-season club goal records in the 21st century:
AC Ajaccio: Waldir Lucas Pereira (2004-05) and Adrian Mutu (2012-13), 11 goals
Angers SCO: Karl Toko Ekambi (2017-18), 17 goals
AJ Auxerre: Djibril Cissé (2003-04), 26 goals
Stade Brestois 29: Franck Honorat (2021-22), 11 goals
Clermont Foot 63: Mohamed Bayo (2021-22), 14 goals
RC Lens: Loïs Openda (2022-23), 15 goals
LOSC: Moussa Sow (2010-11): 25 goals
FC Lorient: Kevin Gameiro (2010-11): 22 goals
Olympique Lyonnais: Alexandre Lacazette (2016-17): 28 goals
Olympique de Marseille: Florian Thauvin (2017-18): 22 goals
AS Monaco: Shabani Nonda (2002-03): 26 goals
Montpellier Hérault SC: Olivier Giroud (2011-12): 21 goals
FC Nantes: Emiliano Sala (2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19) and Randal Kolo Muani (2021-22), 12 goals
OGC Nice: Dario Cvitanich (2012-13), 19 goals
Paris Saint-Germain: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (2015-16), 38 goals
Stade de Reims: Folarin Balogun (2022-23): 18 goals
Stade Rennais FC: Martin Terrier (2021-22), 21 goals
RC Strasbourg Alsace: Ludovic Ajorque (2020-21), 16 goals
Toulouse FC: Andre-Pierre Gignac (2008-09), 24 goals
ESTAC Troyes: Nicolas Goussé (2001-02), 15 goals
Thijs Dallinga and Mama Baldé already listed
As far as the top foreign scorers in the 21st century are concerned, Thijs Dallinga and Mama Baldé have also done well this year - along with Balogun and Openda. At Toulouse FC, Thijs Dallinga broke the record shared by Johan Elmander, Martin Brathwaite and Max-Alain Gradel (11 goals) by hitting his 12th. Further east, Mama Baldé has already claimed ESTAC Troyes' top mark with ten goals.
Single-season club goal records for foreigners in the 21st century:
AC Ajaccio: Waldir Lucas Pereira (2004-05) and Adrian Mutu (2012-13), 11 goals
Angers SCO: Karl Toko Ekambi (2017-18), 17 goals
AJ Auxerre: Ireneusz Jelen (2008-09, 2009-10), 14 goals
Stade Brestois 29: Eden Ben Basat (2012-13) and Steve Mounié (2020-21, 2021-22), 9 goals
Clermont Foot 63: Mohamed Bayo (2021-22), 14 goals
RC Lens: Loïs Openda (2022-23), 15 goals
LOSC: Moussa Sow (2010-11): 25 goals
FC Lorient: Vincent Aboubakar (2013-14): 16 goals
Olympique Lyonnais: Memphis Depay (2020-21): 20 goals
Olympique de Marseille: Didier Drogba (2003-04): 19 goals
AS Monaco: Shabani Nonda (2002-03): 26 goals
Montpellier Hérault SC: Habib Bamogo (2003-04): 16 goals
FC Nantes: Emiliano Sala (2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19), 12 goals
OGC Nice: Dario Cvitanich (2012-13), 19 goals
Paris Saint-Germain: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (2015-16), 38 goals
Stade de Reims: Folarin Balogun (2022-23): 18 goals
Stade Rennais FC: Alexander Frei (2003-04, 2004-05), 20 goals
RC Strasbourg Alsace: Habib Diallo (2022-23), 15 goals
Toulouse FC: Thijs Dallinga (2022-23), 12 goals
ESTAC Troyes: Mama Baldé (2022-23), 10 goals
