Ruud van Nistelrooy

Ruud van Nistelrooy is considered one of the most efficient and lethal center-forwards in the history of European football. Blessed with a natural goal-scoring instinct, millimetric positioning in the penalty area and exceptional finishing ability with both feet and his head, the Dutchman became a top scorer at practically every club he played for during a brilliant career. After emerging at PSV Eindhoven with 62 goals in 67 matches, he transferred in 2001 to Manchester United for a record fee. At Old Trafford, he became one of the greatest goal-scorers in the club's history, scoring 150 goals in 219 matches and winning the Premier League Golden Boot for three consecutive seasons — a rare feat in the history of English football. His spell at Real Madrid between 2006 and 2010 resulted in winning La Liga in the 2006-07 season and another Golden Boot award, this time in the Spanish league. For the Dutch national team, he scored 35 goals in 70 matches, being one of the key players in the generation that competed in the 2004 and 2008 Euros. He ended his career in 2012 after spells at Hamburg and Málaga.