History

10-goal benchmark: Where does gouiri rank?

15 janvier 2021, 11h04

Amine Gouiri scored his 10th goal in 22 competitive games for OGC Nice at Metz last Saturday. In the last decade, only two Nice forwards have got to double figures quicker…

Gouiri in the top 3

Top of the list is Mario Balotelli. The Italian kicked things off with a double against Marseille (11 September, 2016), and moved onto 10 goals with another brace, this time against Dijon, on 18 December, in just his 13th appearance for the club, a feat rarely equalled or bettered in the club's 116-year history.

Behind Balotelli, Dario Cvitanich. After making his L1 debut against Bordeaux on 2 September 2012, the Argentine reached 10 goals by 11 December against Rennes, 15 games into his career with the club.

Amine Gouiri needed seven more games to reach double figures, his penalty against Metz bringing up the milestone after 22 appearances (Ligue 1 and Europa League).

Hatem Ben Arfa is also up there, scoring 10 in his first 24 matches of a bountiful 2015/16 season, netting against Angers on 15 January, 2016, to reach the mark.

Kasper Dolberg, who returned to action against Metz, scored his tenth with a double in 'that' derby with Monaco on 7 March, 2020, his 26th appearance.

What about this century?

Since the start of the millenium, there are other goalscorers who can take their place in this ranking. Poussin Meslin, like Gouiri, appeared 22 times to score his 10th goal in the second division season 2001/02.

A goal against Le Havre and a hat-trick against Strasbourg helped Kaba Diawara reach the total on 15 January, 2003, against Montpellier, his 24th appearance.

The current U19 assistant and youth academy forwards coach, Marama Vahirua, scored his tenth goal in 26 matches.

Loïc Rémy (27), Carlos Eduardo (27) and Valère Germain (29) are the other three players to have achieved the feat in under 30 games this millenium.

The Brazilian, who was moved into a number 10 role upon his arrival on the Côte d'Azur, scored an historic five times at Guingamp on 26 October, 2014, earning himself a very rare 10/10 rating from French sports daily L'Equipe.