Not many forwards in world football have had a better start to their season than Southampton's Cyle Larin. The Canada striker is the leading goalscorer in the Championship and has netted more than anyone in Europe's top five leagues. He may have played more games than the stars from the Premier League and La Liga, but his seven goals in seven league matches have caught the eye.
His average of 73 minutes per goal is better than the 75 Kylian Mbappe is averaging for Real Madrid and Erling Haaland's 90 minutes per strike in the Premier League for Manchester City. Larin's exploits have even led Saints head coach Tonda Eckert to label him "the best striker in the league" - lofty praise in a division that also boasts Jarrod Bowen, Raul Jimenez, Mohamed Toure and the emerging Will Lankshear. But it is just not favouritism from his manager - neutral plaudits, including August's Championship Player of the Month award, are also landing at his feet.
The 'Brampton bagsman' - a nickname coined from his Ontario hometown - has helped propel Eckert's team from bottom of the table on minus four points to inside the top eight with 10. Saints would be second, behind West Ham on goal difference, if not for the points deduction that came as punishment for the Spygate scandal. But after a nomadic career that has taken in spells in the United States, Turkey, Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands, why has Larin been so effective for the south coast side?
Since signing for Southampton on an initial loan from Mallorca in early 2026, Larin's first venture into English football has been an impactful one. The 31-year-old netted three minutes into his Saints debut last season, going on to finish with eight Championship goals in 16 games during the second half of the campaign. Following the fall-out from Spygate, he did not get the chance to help Southampton reach the Premier League but had to quickly turn his attention to the World Cup and representing his country as one of the host nations.
He shone for Canada on the biggest of stages, scoring two goals - one a crucial late equaliser against Bosnia-Herzegovina - as Jesse Marsch's side reached the last 16 before losing to Morocco. Larin's contribution for Canada as their second all-time leading goalscorer has even earned him a key to his home city of Brampton,, external something he will collect during the upcoming international break. Back on English soil, Larin has been even more prolific for Saints than he was last term, scoring eight times in nine appearances across all competitions.
However, the forward has been quick to point out it has been far from a solo effort. "It feels good but I don't think I can do this without my team-mates," he told BBC Radio Solent after scoring twice in the 4-1 win over Bristol City on Saturday. "They play such a big role in me being able to score and I have to give credit to the coach too, he's given me the role to play free up there and that's what I'm doing.
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