Dovbyk, Bellingham, Budimir, Lewandowski… Path to the worst Pichichi of the 21st century?

SPORTS / By Carmen Gomaro

During the 2001-2002 season, Diego Tristán amazed football fans by scoring 21 goals for Deportivo de La Coruña. However, it was a difficult year for Spanish football as a whole, with both Real Madrid and Barcelona going through a rough patch, resulting in the lowest scoring table in the 21st century. Tristán’s achievements were all the more impressive considering the lack of competition, as he became the only player to surpass 20 goals and won the Pichichi Trophy with an average of 0.62 goals per game, the lowest in 30 years. It took the arrival of prolific scorers like Ronaldo, Forlán, Eto’o, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Leo Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo to revive Spanish football’s goal-scoring prowess. However, now, 22 years later, the problem seems to be reoccurring.

This season, we are on the verge of seeing the worst Pichichi of the 21st century. The Ukrainian striker Artem Dovbyk currently leads the race with 17 goals, followed closely by Jude Bellingham with 16 goals and Ante Budimir with 15 goals. Unfortunately, Budimir’s chances have been dashed due to a rib injury that will keep him out for the rest of the season. With only seven matchdays remaining, it’s clear that the league is lacking prominent goal-scorers.

The departures of Messi, Cristiano, Luis Suárez, and Benzema, as well as the physical decline of Lewandowski, who was the top scorer last year with 23 goals in 34 games, have left a void in Spanish football. Messi and Cristiano, in particular, were insatiable scorers who pushed the limits of the Pichichi award, raising the bar to 40 goals per season. Spanish football has always had notable goal-scoring references, but currently, that seems to be hanging by a very thin thread.

The situation has given rise to unexpected contenders for the Pichichi. Dovbyk, Bellingham, Morata, and Lewandowski will all try to avoid being remembered as the worst Pichichi of the 21st century. Dovbyk, who hadn’t scored since January, recently scored a double against Betis and a crucial goal against Atlético, making him the sole leader. Bellingham will hope to regain his scoring touch in the upcoming classic against Real Madrid, while Morata and Lewandowski have some ground to make up in the final stretch.

The situation is reminiscent of the past when players like Juanito and Jorge Polilla Da Silva struggled to rise above the poor scoring records of their time. In the end, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top, but one thing is certain: whoever wins the Pichichi this season will have done so with a much lower goal tally compared to previous years.