3. Kylian Mbappé (Paris St-Germain)

Perhaps not a traditional No 9 in the same mould as Lewandowski and Benzema, due to his tendency to drift wide, but Mbappé is still more of a striker than a winger and has generally played down the middle this season. His return of 28 goals and 20 assists this season has underlined his status as PSG’s biggest threat – ahead of Lionel Messi and Neymar.

2. Robert Lewandowski: Bayern Munich

For years the leading No 9 in world football, Lewandowski continues to score goals at a remarkable rate. Only Benzema’s all-round brilliance has pushed the Poland striker into second place on our list. Lewandowski already has 31 goals in the Bundesliga this season, and has 45 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions.

1. Karim Benzema: Real Madrid

The highest scoring Frenchman of all time has taken his game to even greater heights this season, to such an extent that he is arguably now the finest player on the planet. His sensational hat-trick at Chelsea took him to 37 goals in all competitions this season – the highest tally of his career. The 34-year-old is currently the leading scorer and assist-maker in La Liga.