World Cup

I. Slimani leads the race with 8 goals after 8 matches for Algeria. He is level on goals with Kylian Mbappé on 8, while E. Shomurodov sits 1 back on 7. At the current rate I. Slimani projects to finish on around 16 for the season.

I. Slimani has scored 8 goals for Algeria this season, accounting for 0% of the team's 0 league goals. The output goes well beyond a flat scoring rate. He is the player Algeria turn to in tight games and the one defenders have to pick up first. The numbers put him in the conversation for player of the season as long as the form holds.

1. I. Slimani (Algeria) on 8 goals. 2. Kylian Mbappé (France) on 8 goals. 3. E. Shomurodov (Uzbekistan) on 7 goals. 4. L. Messi (Argentina) on 7 goals. 5. C. Cueva (Peru) on 5 goals.

C. Ünder of Türkiye tops the assists chart with 4. L. Messi (Argentina) is next on 3, and H. Kane of England rounds out the top three on 3.

Kylian Mbappé of France is the most efficient finisher in the league at 1.21 goals per 90 minutes. He has 8 goals from 597 minutes, so volume is not the headline. The story is how rarely he wastes time on the pitch.

I. Slimani is the breakout story so far. In a first season at this level he has 8 goals for Algeria, the kind of return scouts will keep on file. Defenders did not have much footage to study, and I. Slimani has used that to his advantage.