Kylian Mbappe has been unstoppable for Real Madrid in La Liga this season, having already scored 23 league goals, but he's facing unlikely competition in the form of Mallorca's Vedat Muriqi, who has 16 goals to his name. The 31 year old striker has been fantastic for Mallorca this season, although the collective around him haven't been at his same level. Despite his fantastic goalscoring contributions, Mallorca are currently in a relegation battle, currently standing 18th in the La Liga table. It remains to be seen if Muriqi can continue his fantastic form and help his club avoid relegation.
Vedat Muriqi: The Kosovar Striker's career so far
Vedat Muriqi’s career path reflects steady progression through multiple leagues before finding his best form in Spain. He began in Albania with Teuta Durrës in 2013, making his cup and league debuts in the same season, and later spent time on loan at Besa Kavajë, where he scored on his debut. His move to Turkey saw him feature for Giresunspor before enjoying a breakout spell at Çaykur Rizespor in 2018, highlighted by a two-goal debut performance. Strong displays there earned him a high-profile transfer to Fenerbahçe in 2019, where he again scored on his debut and raised his profile further.
In 2020, Muriqi joined Lazio in Serie A and went on to make history by becoming the first Kosovo international to appear in the UEFA Champions League. However, his career truly took off after a loan move to Mallorca in January 2022. He made an immediate impact, scoring on his La Liga debut and quickly becoming a key figure in the team’s attack. His performances convinced Mallorca to sign him permanently that summer on a long-term deal.
Since then, Muriqi has established himself as Mallorca’s leading striker, finishing the 2022–23 season as the club’s top scorer with 15 league goals and ranking among La Liga’s top scorers overall. His importance to the team continued to grow, and in February 2026 he reached the milestone of 50 La Liga goals for Mallorca, becoming the club’s second-highest scorer in the competition’s history. His Mallorca spell has defined his peak years, turning him into one of the club’s most influential modern players.
Player profile: Vedat Muriqi
Muriqi is widely regarded as a classic target man, known for his aerial strength, physical presence, and ability to hold up play inside the box. Former Turkey goalkeeper Rüştü Reçber described him as an “ideal centre-forward,” praising his dominance in the air, movement in tight spaces, and teamwork. Former Turkish international and World Cup semi-finalist Hakan Ünsal highlighted his strength, ball control, and shooting, while Okan Buruk, another World Cup semi-finalist with Turkey credited Muriqi’s rapid improvement to extra training, calling him the best forward in Turkey at the time.
Pundit Rıdvan Dilmen went even further, noting that Muriqi combines pace, power, height, and technical ability, rare qualities in one striker, and suggested he could have scored 25 goals in a season alongside the right creative partner.
