'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Expected Goals(xG) is a performance metric developed by analytics company Opta. It has been widely used in the media solely for the fact that it provides a better comprehension of a player's performances.
xG takes into account each and every shot attempted by a striker and assigns it a value, considering the probability of the said shot being converted into a goal. Simply put, it tries to quantify the quality of a goal.
While football today has no shortage of fearsome strikers around the globe, the xG metric helps in the perfect individual measurement of their quality. The best attackers always score goals more than what is expected of them.
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On that note, let's have a look at the top 10 players in the world based on their xG values.
Also Read: Expected Goals explained: What are xG and xA and why are they a good measure of player performances
#10 Krzysztof Piatek (AC Milan)
After watching Krzysztof Piatek plunder a brace against Napoli on his debut for AC Milan, the Rossoneri fans must have thanked heavens for successfully signing him in this window.
The Polish marksman left Genoa to sign for Milan in a £31.5m deal, courtesy to the scintillating form he displayed for his former club.
Piatek has scored 13 goals in 20 league games in the Serie A. He has successfully beaten his xG value of 9.09 by a margin of 3.91 points. Simply put, he has netted 4 goals more than what was expected of him.
Watching how he has grown throughout the season, the sky is the only limit for the Polish striker, and only time can tell if he manages to touch it.
#9 Cristhian Stuani (FC Girona)
Cristhian Stuani has already attained the status of a demi-god at Girona following his impressive consistency in front of goal. The Uruguayan has continued his fine form for the Gironistes with 12 goals from 18 games.
He netted 21 goals in 33 league games in his debut season at the club last year, fresh from a mixed two-year spell at Middlesborough.
Stuani has an xG value of 7.88 - a number he exceeds by 4.12 points. Simply put, he has scored four more goals than the eight that were actually expected of him.
The 32-year-old deserves a standing ovation for his impact that actually led to him being considered by Barcelona as a transfer target in January.
His marvellous displays certainly mean he will be a sought after player in the upcoming summer.
#8 Florian Thauvin (Marseille)
French forward Florian Thauvin is already on the right path to establishing himself as one of the best right wingers of the current generation.
The 25-year-old had a superb 2017/18 campaign that enabled him to board the plane to Russia and win the World Cup in the summer. Following his triumph with Les Blues, he hasn't disappointed on his return to club football.
Thauvin currently has 11 goals to his credit in 20 Ligue 1 games. He has an xG value of 6.84 and exceeds it by 4.16 points, meaning he has scored 4 more goals in contrast to the 7 expected of him.
Thauvin's performances surely won't go unnoticed and Marseille could all but have a tough time keeping hold of their star man in the summer.
#7 Edinson Cavani (Paris Saint Germain)
Edinson Cavani needs no special introduction now, does he? The Uruguayan has been downright one of the lethal marksmen of the age, plundering goals in high magnitude at will.
In 14 Ligue 1 appearances, the 31-year-old has netted 16 goals which is an impressive stat. If it weren't for the xG value, he would definitely have been among the top five best performing strikers in the world right now.
Cavani's xG value is 11.72 - one that he exceeds by 4.28 points. In simple words, he has netted 4 more goals than the 12 he was expected to score.
Edinson Cavani's immediate next challenge at PSG will be to ensure the club qualifies for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, in the light of Neymar's long-term injury.
He will face a mammoth load of pressure as PSG attempt to qualify for the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time in the last three years
#6 Iago Aspas (Celta de Vigo)
Iago Aspas is a forward you can always depend upon to score goals in times of need. The Spaniard has been in fine form as of late, scoring 10 goals in 17 appearances.
The 31-year-old has an xG value of 5.33, a number he comfortably exceeds by 4.67 points. He has scored double than what was expected of him, converting difficult chances into goals.
As good as he has been in the LaLiga, his performance statistics don't exactly reflect how his team has performed as of late.
Celta de Vigo are currently placed 18th in the Spanish top-tier and are on the brink of relegation. Iago Aspas' firepower probably remains the only source of hope they can look up to so as to avoid being demoted in the next season.
#5 Emiliano Sala (Nantes/Cardiff City)
It feels extremely gutted to know that Emiliano Sala was having the time of his life before tragedy struck and swallowed him.
The Nantes striker had just signed for Cardiff City in a record £15m deal, was deprived of the chance to make even a single appearance for his new club.
Prior to his move to Cardiff City, Sala was in scintillating form, having notched 12 goals in 19 appearances. He racked an xG value of 6.77 and exceeded it by 5.23 points. Simply put, he was expected to score only 7 times but netted 12 in the end.
It is absolutely sorrowful to know that the 26-year-old never got the chance to fulfill his dream of playing in the Premier League.
Given the form he was in and had he continued it, Sala could have eventually played for a big club in later years. But, as destiny decided, he will always remain one of the biggest what-ifs of the modern generation.
#4 Ondrej Duda (Hertha Berlin)
For all the emphatic displays he has been putting in, Ondrej Duda deserves a standing ovation for his peerless contribution to Hertha Berlin's 2018/19 campaign. Make no mistake, the Slovakian is the only midfielder to make this list amidst a pool of world-class strikers.
The 24-year-old, deployed in a No.10 role, has found the net nine times in 18 games for Hertha Berlin.
He has racked an xG value of 3.76 but exceeds it massively by a margin of 5.24 points. Simply put, he should have scored only three goals with the number of shots he has taken but has netted nine times so far.
Duda might not be a household name at the moment, but going by his xG stats, it is clear he won't take much time to be so.
#3 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint Germain)
Kylian Mbappe has magnificently continued his adventures with Paris Saint Germain post the World Cup. The Frenchman has matured impressively as days have passed by and looks ready to play the role of the club's talisman in Neymar's absence.
Functioning on the right flank, the 20-year-old has plundered 18 goals in 15 Ligue 1 games. However, in spite of notching numbers that belie his age, he is far from being the most dangerous attacker in the world right now.
Mbappe has an xG value of 12.55 which he exceeds by 5.45 points. This means he was expected to net 13 goals but has 18 to his credit.
Neymar's absence in PSG's UCL clash against Manchester United might be worrying, but in Kylian Mbappe, they already have a worthy saviour in place.
#2 Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Answer this question. Does Lionel Messi even surprise you anymore? The eagle-eyed Argentinian might have turned 32, but he still hasn't lost his Midas touch.
The Barcelona skipper has scored 19 goals in as many games in the LaLiga. He has racked an xG value of 12.19 and exceeded it by an impressive margin of 6.10 points.
Well, if he had only scored the 12 goals that were expected of him, would you dare call him the superhuman he is today?
As of now, winning the Champions League remains a top priority for Messi. He has failed to guide Barcelona past the quarterfinals for the past three seasons, a feat he will be keen to avoid this season.
#1 Paco Alcacer (Borussia Dortmund)
Paco Alcacer's story tells you how exceptionally beautiful redemption can be. Almost a year ago the Spaniard was infesting the benches at Barcelona, but now with Borussia Dortmund, everything he touches seems to turn to gold.
Alcacer is already in the running for the Bundesliga Golden Boot with 12 goals from 14 league games. His electrifying form is one of the main reasons why Dortmund are now steadily marching towards the Bundesliga title with a seven-point lead at the top.
Alcacer has notched an xG value of 5.5 but exceeds it with a massive margin of 6.5 points. The 25-year-old should have scored only six instead of the 12 goals in his bracket at the moment.
Alcacer's top form will prove to be the most crucial factor should Borussia Dortmund successfully lift the Bundesliga title this season.
All Values Courtesy: Understat
