Gabonese international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has etched his name into the annals of Europa League history, matching the record set by Radamel Falcao as the competition’s all-time leading goalscorer.
The former Arsenal captain and Chelsea player found the back of the net during Olympique Marseille’s 2-2 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday evening, marking his 30th goal in Europa League matches throughout his career.
Despite the draw not being the optimal outcome for the French side, who will host the Ukrainians in the second leg of their play-off tie next week, it provided a significant moment for Aubameyang.
The 34-year-old striker achieved this milestone across 54 appearances, representing clubs such as Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal, Barcelona, and now Marseille.
It’s worth noting that this tally does not include goals scored before the Europa League was rebranded from the UEFA Cup. If such goals were included, Henrik Larsson would still hold the top spot, albeit narrowly, with his 31 goals placing him just one ahead of Aubameyang, Falcao, and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
After experiencing a turbulent period in his career, Aubameyang has experienced a resurgence of sorts at Marseille, tallying 15 goals in 31 games so far in his debut season for the Ligue 1 side.
The forward’s tenure at Arsenal came to an end following a fallout with Mikel Arteta in 2021, leading to his departure for Barcelona. He later joined Chelsea, but his stint at Stamford Bridge yielded only three goals in 21 appearances, marking a disappointing chapter in his career.
