Home to some of the finest attacking players in the world, the Premier League has a penchant for keeping fans on the edge of their seats. From top dogs like Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City to mid-table teams and bottom dwellers like Newcastle United, Fulham, and Luton Town, any team can pop up with a goal or two, ensuring there is never a dull day.
The Premier League has already crossed the 1000-goal milestone in 2023-24, making it the division’s most explosive season in recorded history. Whether it is due to the teams’ fine attacking play or rapidly declining defensive discipline, is a debate for another day. Today, we are celebrating the Premier League love affair with goals and checking out how far ahead it is of its contemporaries.
Let’s begin!
#5 Ligue 1: 23.2 Goals Per Matchday
Often called a one-horse league, Ligue 1 is in fifth position. There have been 650 goals in 28 rounds this season, taking the French top-flight’s average to an underwhelming 23.2 goals per Matchday.
Unsurprisingly, Ligue 1 holders and leaders Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have led the way, scoring 65 goals in 28 games. In second, we have third-placed AS Monaco with 53 goals, while the third spot is held by fourth-placed LOSC Lille.
#4 Serie A: 25.8 Goals Per Matchday
Renowned for its defensive stability, the Italian top-flight Serie A has seen more than its usual share of strikes nestle into the back of the net this season. The 20 Serie A teams have scored 799 goals between them in 31 Matchdays, averaging 25.8 goals.
Runaway league leaders Inter Milan have emerged as the division’s most fierce team. They have scored 75 goals in 31 matches thus far. Their noisy neighbors AC Milan are in second place both in the Serie A rankings and in goals scored. The Rossoneri have scored 60 goals in 31 games. Fifth-placed AS Roma rounds off the top three, with 56 goals scored in 31 games.
#3 La Liga: 26 Goals Per Matchday
Spain’s most revered soccer division, La Liga is in third place, averaging 26 goals per Matchday. As per the data from Transfermarkt, La Liga has seen 781 goals as of Matchday 30.
La Liga leaders Real Madrid have been the most adept attacking team in the Spanish top-flight, scoring 66 times in 30 games. Their arch-rivals Barcelona are in third place with 61 strikers while this year’s surprise package Girona are second with 62 goals to their name.
#2 Bundesliga: 28.7 Goals Per Matchday
The top flight of German soccer, the Bundesliga is the only top-five European league to feature 18 teams. Despite having such an obvious handicap, the Bundesliga has emerged as the second-highest-scoring league in Europe. So far, the 18 teams have scored 803 goals in 28 Matchdays, pushing the average to 28.7.
With 80 goals scored, Bayern Munich have unsurprisingly emerged as the most free-scoring team in the division. However, it has not helped them claim the top spot in the rankings. The league’s second-most explosive team Bayer Leverkusen are sitting pretty at the summit, with a whopping 16-point lead over Bayern. VfB Stuttgart and RB Leipzig are joint third, with both teams scoring 64 goals.
#1 Premier League: 32.7 Goals Per Matchday
The highest echelon of English soccer, the Premier League, is averaging an eye-popping 32.7 goals per matchday in 2023-24, emerging as the most explosive among the top five European leagues. According to the data from Transfermarkt, after 31 Matchdays, a total of 1013 goals have been scored in the division.
Scoring 75 goals in 31 matches, Premier League leaders Arsenal have emerged as the most proficient attacking team in the division. Liverpool and Manchester City have scored 72 and 71 goals, respectively, to round off the top three. Coming to the opposite end of the table, 18th-placed Luton Town have impressed with their knack for the spectacular, netting 45 times in 32 games.