SCORING DEFENDERS - JAMES TAVERNIER LEADER !
Picture : James Tavernier's record !
James Tavernier: annual highest scoring defender in XXI century!
Rangers right-back James Tavernier scored his 18th goal in all competitions in 2022 in the Scottish league game against St Mirren (4-0) on 8 October.
Thus, Tavernier equaled the XXI century world record for scoring in a calendar year among defenders set by Estonian Igor Morozov. The Levadia Tallinn centre-back scored 18 goals in 2012.
Tavernier moved on top in the corresponding ranking of XXI century being ahead of Morozov due to tie-breaker (more international goals). Remarkably, he was prolific also in 2020 (with 17 goals).
| WORLD | BEST | GOAL | SCORING DEFENDERS | ||||||||
| IN XXI CENTURY | FOR | A | CALENDAR YEAR | ||||||||
| Player | Year | Role | Club | Country | Goals | Total | |||||
| NL | NC | ICC | NT | ||||||||
| 1 | James Tavernier | 2022 | RB | Rangers (Scotland) | England | 8 | 2 | 8 | 18 | ||
| 2 | Igor Morozov | 2012 | CB | Levadia | Estonia | 12 | 5 | 1 | 18 | ||
| 3 | Ian Harte | 2001 | LB | Leeds (England) | Republic of Ireland | 9 | 4 | 4 | 17 | ||
| 4 | Nicolás Sánchez | 2019 | CB | Monterrey (Mexico) | Argentina | 11 | 1 | 5 | 17 | ||
| James Tavernier | 2020 | RB | Rangers (Scotland) | England | 11 | 1 | 5 | 17 | |||
| 6 | Keilor Soto | 2019 | CB | Pérez Zeledón | Costa Rica | 16 | 16 |