Fresh off yet another outstanding season with Manchester City in the Premier league, Sergio Aguero continues to prove that he is one of the world’s most deadly strikers. But is he getting enough credit?
He ended the 2014/15 campaign with 32 goals in 40 appearances, his best ever run for City. Yet, when we think of the world’s most prolific goal scorers, the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar and Suarez are the first names that come to mind. While the La Liga stars have undoubtedly been brilliant with their respective teams, Aguero too has to be given credit for his performances with the Sky Blues. He still managed 32 goals in what was an injury-hit season, absent for almost all of December. So where does Aguero stand in the long list of world’s most talented superstars?
‘Kun’ Aguero, as he is often called, seems to be getting better with every year he plays. He started off his career at Argentinian side Independiente, coming through the club’s ranks. In his final season in Argentina, the then teenager wrapped up 23 goals in all of his 56 appearances for his side. A staggering record for any youngster. He began gaining plaudits from all over and it was not long before the big clubs came in with offers. Atletico Madrid in particular were hot on his heels and before the start of the 2006 season, they signed Aguero for a then record breaking fee of a little more than €20 million.
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Aguero spent the next five seasons at the Vincente Calderon, scoring 101 goals in all competitions during that time. He scored 20 goals in a single season for the first time in his young career during his final campaign with Atletico, including his first career hat-trick. The following season saw Aguero move to England with Manchester City for a fee of around €45 million. In his first season at the Eastlands, the Argentine scored 30 times, including a brace on his debut as well a last-second goal against Queens Park Rangers that lead City to snatch the title from neighbours Manchester United, on the final day of the season. What followed from there on has certainly put Aguero in City’s hall of fame. He has now scored 107 goals in all of his 162 appearances for the Sky Blues.
Aguero averages around 24 goals a season since his arrival in English football. As of the end of 2014, he holds the record for the best goals-per-minute ration in the history of the Premier League, beating the likes of Alan Shearer, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Robin Van Persie, Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and, yes, even the legendary Thierry Henry. Besides being one of the most dangerous strikers in club football, Aguero has also scored 23 international goals for Argentina in the 60 times that he has represented his country in the senior level.
With such an outstanding goal scoring record, it is scary to even imagine that the Argentine has yet to go through an injury free season. He has the pace, the skill, the control and most definitely an amazing finishing ability to make him one of, if not the best out-and-out striker in the world at the moment. The 2014/15 season was definitely Aguero’s best-to-date. Amongst Europe’s top five leagues, Aguero’s 26 league goals were only bettered by Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Alexandre Lacazette.
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The Premier league saw many great strikers in peak form, the past season. Diego Costa was very impressive in his first run, while England saw a number of local strikers step as well. Harry Kane, Charlie Austin, Danny Ings and Wayne Rooney were all in fine form, but Aguero was miles ahead of all of them.
He has proven to be as much a danger from outside the box as he is in it and at just 27 years of age, Aguero still has a lot to offer. A proven goal scorer and a proven match winner, Aguero can do it all, from making to scoring goals, putting him amongst the top footballers in the world.
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