Robert Lewandowski closes in on elite opening goal milestone

Robert Lewandowski has scored 99 opening goals in major European leagues and is one strike away from becoming the fourth player to reach 100. He leads with 75 in the Bundesliga and 24 in LaLiga. Only Wilson, Lacombe, Onnis, Greaves, Messi with 114 and Cristiano Ronaldo with 138 stand above him in this category.

In the race to score the first goal and break open matches in Europe's major leagues, Robert Lewandowski is closing in on a rare landmark. The Barcelona striker has recorded 99 opening goals across the Bundesliga and LaLiga, leaving him only one short of reaching 100. He scored 75 times as the first scorer during his years with Dortmund and Bayern, and has added 24 more since joining Barcelona.

This places him seventh on the all time list of match openers, ahead of legends such as Alan Shearer with 95 and Zlatan Ibrahimovic with 98, and just behind Harry Kane who has 92 and continues to climb. Only three players from earlier eras have surpassed 100 in Europe's top leagues, including Andrew Wilson from the early English First Division and French league greats Bernard Lacombe and Delio Onnis. Above them stand the modern giants.

Jimmy Greaves sits third with 112, Lionel Messi is second with 114, and Cristiano Ronaldo leads with 138. Lewandowski has reached this milestone form by opening the scoring in Barcelona's recent games against Celta Vigo and Athletic Club, contributing eight league goals in just over 500 minutes this season. Another major achievement now appears well within reach for the Polish forward.