Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane have dominated the goalscoring charts in 2025-26 up to now, however fourth within the race for the European Golden Shoe is a breakout star by the identify of Joaquin Panichelli.
A 12 months in the past, virtually no one was conscious of the younger ahead, who was within the wilderness out on mortgage within the Spanish second division. Now he’s the top-scoring South American in Europe’s main leagues and getting linked with golf equipment together with Chelsea and AC Milan.
We’ve compiled the lowdown with all the pieces you have to find out about European soccer’s hottest property.
The story up to now
It’s been a outstanding rise for Panichelli, who seems as if he’s received all the pieces in his locker to turn out to be one among 2025-26’s greatest breakthrough stars.
Few, moreover avid Soccer Supervisor obsessives and newbie scouts with a penchant for Spanish second-tier soccer, had heard of the ahead even six months in the past. Now he’s mixing it with the European elite.
Born and raised in Cordoba – the area of Argentina that produced the likes of Ossie Ardiles, Mario Kempes and Fabricio Coloccini – he began out at native facet Racing de Cordoba and later developed his abilities within the youth ranks of Belgrano and River Plate, with an unsuccessful trial at Boca Juniors alongside the best way.
Panichelli by no means made it past River Plate’s youth crew, ultimately making a low-cost, under-the-radar transfer to Alaves, then in Segunda Division, in January 2023.
A knee damage stopped the teen enjoying greater than a fleeting, fringe position in Alaves’ 2022-23 promotion to La Liga, whereas he barely moved the needle of their first season again up. Simply eight video games, two begins, zero targets.
However he actually kicked on with a mortgage switch again to the Segunda, signing for relative minnows Mirandes. He fired their shock promotion cost, averaging a formidable one-in-two strikerate (20 targets in 40 video games).
The younger Argentine even scored within the play-off last, opening the scoring within the second leg to place Mirandes two targets up on combination, earlier than Santi Cazorla’s Actual Oviedo fought again with three targets on dwelling soil.
Solely Almeria’s Luis Suarez (not that one) scored extra targets within the Segunda final time period – and his goalscoring prowess was sufficient for Strasbourg, who’ve confirmed themselves canny operators within the switch market, to make a transfer for his signature.
And he’s instantly hit the bottom operating along with his first correct run in a serious European league, notching eight targets in his first 9 Ligue 1 appearances. 7
Panichelli has by no means represented his nation at any degree, however you’d count on Lionel Scaloni to name him up for Argentina’s upcoming pleasant in opposition to Angola within the November worldwide break.
Sustain this manner and it’s seemingly he’ll be a part of the likes of Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez amongst La Albiceleste’s attacking choices as they give the impression of being to defend their World Cup crown subsequent summer season.
Play fashion
In keeping with FBref‘s in-depth statistical algorithm, the gamers who most carefully resemble Panichelli by way of play fashion are Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick, Inter’s Lautaro Martinez and Athletic Bilbao’s Gorka Guruzeta.
WhoScored fee the 23-year-old’s greatest strengths as ending, notably along with his head, and his defensive contributions. Holding the ball up, laying it off and enjoying quick passes are additionally listed as aspects to his sport, whereas his solely listed weak point is getting caught offside.
Panichelli’s scientific ending is borne out by the stats, outperforming his ‘anticipated targets’ with six non-penalty targets from simply 4.8xG. It’s nonetheless a small pattern dimension for now, however his prolific 20-goal season at Mirandes suggests he’s a assured finisher.
His latest, statement-making two-goal show away to perennial Ligue 1 champions PSG (an excellent 3-3 draw) was an ideal snapshot of his sport – in opposition to elite opposition.
He’s not devastatingly fast and isn’t a lot of a dribbler, however he doesn’t cease operating the channels to maintain the opposition centre-backs trustworthy.
The equaliser in opposition to PSG demonstrated his outrageous aerial prowess, timing his run and leap completely earlier than powering a perfectly-placed header from a substantial distance.
“The header is likely one of the greatest that I’ve seen dwell,” Strasbourg supervisor Liam Rosenior mentioned after the match.
For the true Tacticos on the market, we advocate testing this in-depth thread from analyst Francisco Maldonado on Panichelli from the beginning of the season, lengthy earlier than
What’s been mentioned
“The efficiency was top-of-the-line centre-forward performances I’ve seen dwell, and it doesn’t shock me, as a result of he maximises himself in coaching every single day,” Rosenior continued, praising Panichelli after his breakout efficiency in Paris.
“He works so arduous. He has an unbelievable mentality, and he has introduced a successful mentality to this group.
“His targets, the best way he took them, was unimaginable, however he led the road extremely immediately, and I used to be very happy with him.”
Taking part in like this, hyperlinks to Strasbourg’s sister membership Chelsea are certainly inevitable.
“BlueCo are over-the-moon with what’s going on at Strasbourg, the soccer they’re enjoying underneath Liam Rosenior and the gamers who’re blossoming underneath his steering,” switch journalist Graeme Bailey instructed TBR Soccer.
“Strasbourg have some excellent gamers and somebody like Panichelli, he was plucked from the Spanish second division however seems high-quality.
“Sources level out to me that that is the benefit of having the ability to blood these gamers in France, forward of potential strikes to England.”
The person himself has made no secret of his ambition to at some point play in England.
“I need to set up myself at Strasbourg and play within the Champions League sooner or later,” Panichelli mentioned, outlining his profession targets.
“I wish to transfer to the Premier League. After all, entering into the nationwide crew is a dream.”
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